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New to me MC-60

dtmirr

dtmirr

Member
I recently purchased a second MC-60 from Ryan at Audio Classics and decided to try the pair on my LaScalas. OMG, the old stuff blows away my MC-275-V equipped with all Gold Lion reissues. Imaging is incredible. I have the LaScalas toed-in by 15 degrees and the amps produce a clearly defined phantom center that was weak with the 275. Guitar reverb comes out strong when listening to old rock and jazz :thmbsp::music:classics. Jazz Sax solos such as Brubeck - "Take Five" are clearly defined in the phantom center section. I guess I will repurpose the 275 to driving a remote zone. My dad swore that MC-60s were the best sounding of all the amps. I can't deny that statement based on what I experienced. :music:
 
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"...blows away my MC-275-V...". wow that's a pretty strong statement. I assume all other parameters are identical for when the 275 was hooked in, including the toe-in?
 
Yes, speaker setup was the same. I have a ProCo Sound Switch Witch, a 1x4 balanced matrix switch and applied a balance to unbalance line converter to allow the MC-60s to connect to the balanced switch. The 275 and a MC-352 are also connected to the switch as well. I have listened to the same source material on the 275 and found the change out to the 60s to be much more than expected.
 
That's an interesting result. I accept that different makes of amp sound different and even some differences among the same make, but I wouldn't have guessed such a dramatic difference between two Mac tube amps unless something was wrong with an amp or the setup.
I get the impression that switching between amps is easy with your Switch Witch. I'm curious how the 352 sounds compared to the others within the identical setup; realizing of course the possibility of poor synergy between the 352 and the LaScalas.
 
Congrats to the OP. I agree with his ranking of the MC60 over the MC275V. My pair of MC275V's are long gone although I wish I kept my C2300. I still have a Commemorative MC275 to go along with a pair of re-capped MC60's.
 
SoCal Sam said:
Congrats to the OP. I agree with his ranking of the MC60 over the MC275V. My pair of MC275V's are long gone although I wish I kept my C2300. I still have a Commemorative MC275 to go along with a pair of re-capped MC60's.
Click to expand...

Have you found the MC275V and the Commemorative to sound the same?
 
Mortis:
I use the MC352 to drive my power sucking Dahlquist DQ10s. LaScalas are meant to be driven by tubes and the 352 would over drive them. The DQ10 was specifically designed to provide center channel imaging and is marked for right and left placement in order to achieve that effect. It was a surprise to get the same effect on the LaScalas and MC60 combo. As far as 275-Commemerative vs 275-V, -V can put out up to 20 more watts of power and has higher B+ voltage. One other thing I noticed is that my one of my MC40s and both of the MC60s provide a string reverberation sound that is filtered out on the 275. The one MC40 has a pair of 45 year old IEC/Mullard KT-66s in it. The 275-V almost sounds too clean. At some point, I would like to see what a C2300 or even a C22-II could provide over my MX120.
 
Interesting. I've had three pair of MC60s and only a single original MC275. I had the MC275 refurbished by my local McIntosh dealer and scored some original Gold Lions from a customer that had a pair of Dynaco amps in for service at the same time. The MC275 just never did it for me - I thought my MC240s sounded better.

As for the MC60s, I've had three pair. Some more stuff I should have NEVER sold . . . I would have to agree with the OP - that is one sweet sounding pair of amps. Some say that the tube rectification of the MC30s and MC60s adds a bit to their allure - but, I always chalked it up to a pair of MC60s has more tubes glowing than any other of the black / chrome Mc tube amps . . .

All this talk makes me want to get off my butt and fix this gorgeous MC225 I've had sitting next to me for the last four years collecting dust . . . but that means that I also have to repair my tube checker . . . after I find it . . . and remember how it works . . .
 
I have a MC60 pair which have been rebuilt and rechromed and sound wonderful, they are my favorite of the vintage Mac tube amps.
 
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