SF Clist McIntosh ML-4C Speakers For Sale - $750

[centaurus3200]

seems like a fair deal. he had them refoamed by OC speakers and says they are mint. $750 firm if you want some big-ass speakers!

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/ele/370385208.html

see ya,
Robby

 

[John in MA]

Those things are like refrigerators sitting on their sides. I have ML-2Cs (disherwasher size) and can't imagine how a 4C set would sound in person.

 

[persons0]

not that great.

 

[John in MA]

No? I'd be interested if you could describe them, probably not many folks have heard a pair.

I find my 2Cs lack detail but other than that are very impressive. Especially in the bass response.

 

[persons0]

I had the ML-4C's for about a year. They had terrible imaging but a lot of bass but not very controlled. There was just too much bass. I just think they were not very balanced. But they were very impressive looking and friends thought they sounded great because of the amount of bass and volume they could put out. If I had the space I would have kept them. Not so much because they sounded good but because they are rare and very interesting looking.

-Alex

 

[John in MA]

Were the higher frequency drivers and crossover all working properly? And the EQ set correctly?

Roger Russell has said the ML wasn't designed with good imaging in mind. They had plans for redesigning them into a vertical setup but the line was cancelled. State of the times I guess.

 

[dshoaf]

I would have to know about how old they were and whether they had had any refurbishment before I'd pass judgement on a set these days. I'n not saying Persons0's impressions aren't correct but I like to know the condition of a set of speakers in addition to comments given their age.

I remember hearing these things at a dealership in Durham, NC, back in the early 70s. Even now, I still remember what they sounded like. They were being run with a set of MC2500s, a C28 and a Thorens TT, I believe, and the Allman Bros were spinning.

At 30 feet, they produced an absolute wall of sound, for sure!

I can understand, though, that today they might not make such an impression both for the typical size of living rooms now plus the ravages of these past 30+ years.

Cheers,

David

 

[persons0]

Two of the upper mids (per speaker) were not original but were McIntosh with similar specification. I never set the EQ up properly but I don't believe in EQ'ing (although I know Mr.Russell designed them to work with an eq). here is the link to my auction (ended a few months ago so I hope I'm not breaking any rules) where I explain the thing with the mids. http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=170153495143&ssPageName=STRK:MESO:IT&ih=007

 

[John in MA]

The equalizer is required for the bass to sound as designed. The speakers natively overdampened and need the electronic boost for a flat response. Those later midranges also don't have the same frequency response as the originals, at least judging from Roger's site.

Did you end up shipping those things? I hope they were picked up.

 

[Brian]

The speakers were designed with the equalizer as an integral part of the system, think Bose but, they Mc system is not similar in operation. If not setup right or the correct equalizer, then you'll NEVER realize their design potential. Big speakers were not the best for imaging unless in the right size room. The worst problem with big speakers is solo instruments such as a piano.

 

[persons0]

My house wasn't big enough to spread them out properly. I try the eq but only for bass. It helped with the boomyness but they still didn't sound right. They may have been good speakers in 1974 but I don't think that they are that great. I have heard Klipsch Cornwalls from the same era and I think they sounded much much better. Again, I don't like the idea of EQ'ing just another place for the signal to degrade through. I would take Cornwalls over the ML-4C's anyday.


And yes they were picked up. The man drove all the way from Ohio. A real vintage McIntosh lover.