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Upgrade or Not? Sansui vs. McIntosh

BobC63

BobC63

Member
Hi All -

I recently lucked into picking up a Macintosh 2100 amp for a very good price. It seems to be in overall excellent condition.
Currently I run a Sansui G 8700 DB receiver.
The receiver is in excellent condition as well, and looks and sounds great. 160 W per channel.
The Mac is 105 W per channel; so, a bit less power,
Now, If I were to get a nice preamp (thinking about a Mac on this as well)…
How much of an upgrade (if any) would a Mac / Mac solid-state preamp & amp be over the 8700? Or should I try for a tube preamp to make a noticeable difference?
Speakers would be Klipsch Cornwalls (‘A’ pair) and Sansui SP-5500 (‘B’ pair) so fairly efficient and not especially power-hungry.
My further thought is that IF I go with the Mac, I can probably sell the 8700 for enough to cover the cost of a decent preamp AND what I paid for the Mac amp (looks like $1200 to $1500 is a fair price for the 8700 based on eBay ‘sold’ and Reverb prices)…
So, hopefully I would be able to swap these out with not too much of pocket cost.

While I feel like going with the Mac brings more ‘cache’ to my system… is that all I would gain? I know the 2100 is of course a decent unit - but also not a TOTL Mac tube amp either.

Looking for some commentary / recommendations from those with Mac experience (this would be my first Mac setup) and especially if someone else has had both..?

What would YOU do???
 
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With Cornwalls, I would definitely want some tubes in the system. I would pick up a tube preamp and try it with the Mac 2100, then pull the u-jacks between the pre-out/main in jacks on the Sansui and try running straight into the power amp so you can make a direct comparison of the amp stages you have. Frankly, neither would be my choice for Cornwalls, but that’s what you have at the moment. You can always upgrade the power amp later.

That’s what I would do.
 
The first series of Mac power amps with autoformers sound amazingly like the tube 275 and 240 predecessors. Providing the IM distortion up date has been installed and the unit has been thoroughly checked out by an experienced tech. The C-28 is the smoothest of the Mac SS pre-amps because its the last of the preamps with out integrated circuits. But it can be a trouble prone piece for sure. There is a long list that could fill apage for sure. But thats why you buy a rebuilt one from Audio Classics. I still have dubs of LP's using the C-28 and you can instantly recognize the smooth ness of the pre amp like you can with the MC 2200 for instance with its all tube phono stage, which most modern Mac pre amps don't have. All Mac tube pre-amps now days are hybrids using tubes and SS. But that way you get a smoother sound with out the high rate of failures and compromises other tube pre-amps have. I gave up on tube amps in 75 and tube preamps right after that. Another thing you don't realise is most Mac amps deliver 30 % more power than rated while meeting specs. My 2100's delivered 135 watts per channel with no sweat. So there is about 1 db difference between the 2100 and the Sansui. Now with some speakers you might find the 2100 even smoother and more laid back than your San sui. With other speakers not so much. Its just the nature of that first series of Mac SS amplfiers.
 
I was driving my Cornwall 1s with a McIntosh MC2205 and a C26. That combinations was really nice together. The bass was gorgeous, the mids were lush, and the highs were not honky at all, as long as you didn't push it too hard. I think the 2100 is about the minimum I would use in solid state for driving the Cornwalls. Ooops. That was while the MC2205 was being serviced. I'll put up the correct picture if it doesn't take me long to find it.

Edit: There, fixed it!
 

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What sounds the best is not often a dependable product I have discovered over the years. What you might think sounds best on Monday and Tuesday may not on Friday and Saturday, Some days tube rollers will tell you Telefunken and Gold Lion are the best and next month it maybe some other tube. We are all emotional creatures with constant changes in our lives depending on out side influences. Some folks like to sit very close to performers other like to sit further back. I don't care for overly amplified concert preferring no amplification at all for the majority of the time. I liked to sit very close to Oscar Peterson the few times I heard him play. While I like to pull back much further when Count Basie or Duke Ellington played. Or even further back when The Army, Navy or Presidents Own Marine Band came to town. I mixed sound for quite a few years in the 60's and 70's for touring groups. They Ray Charhles big band didn't need any amplification at all. They were very professional, well rehearsed, and could be a very powerful big band.

Thats why still have my augmented Bozak Concert Grands. Because when I dig out one of my boot legs I want to hear again the sound I head in actual performance they still do the job.
 
I believe if you put the 2100 on the bench it would show you more than 105 WPC.
You won't be giving up much power at all.
 
Sorry I can't get to technical but I have totl Pioneer and Marantz gear. My only experience with Sansui is my AU 517/TU 517 combo.
Sure all this gear sounds very nice but...none of it sounds as good as my all McIntosh set up.
My Mac set up is by far the best sounding system I have ever owned!
 
You own the Mac amp so try it using the Sansui as the pre. That’s if the Sansui has pre out and in jacks out back.
Lots of options on preamps, Mac tube or SS is pricey but you can typically resell for whatever you paid if it doesn’t meet your expectations.
It’s extremely tough for me to analyze what sounds “better” and that’s using an A/B switch where music can be instantly switched from different components. Differences are much easier to notice.
 
twiiii said:
What sounds the best is not often a dependable product I have discovered over the years. What you might think sounds best on Monday and Tuesday may not on Friday and Saturday, Some days tube rollers will tell you Telefunken and Gold Lion are the best and next month it maybe some other tube. We are all emotional creatures with constant changes in our lives depending on out side influences.
Click to expand...

To me this is over think. Makes me feel like pondering my navel. Probably should get a Q-tip and clean it first.
 
BobC63 said:
Hi All -

I recently lucked into picking up a Macintosh 2100 amp for a very good price. It seems to be in overall excellent condition.
Currently I run a Sansui G 8700 DB receiver.
The receiver is in excellent condition as well, and looks and sounds great. 160 W per channel.
The Mac is 105 W per channel; so, a bit less power,
Now, If I were to get a nice preamp (thinking about a Mac on this as well)…
How much of an upgrade (if any) would a Mac / Mac solid-state preamp & amp be over the 8700? Or should I try for a tube preamp to make a noticeable difference?
Speakers would be Klipsch Cornwalls (‘A’ pair) and Sansui SP-5500 (‘B’ pair) so fairly efficient and not especially power-hungry.
My further thought is that IF I go with the Mac, I can probably sell the 8700 for enough to cover the cost of a decent preamp AND what I paid for the Mac amp (looks like $1200 to $1500 is a fair price for the 8700 based on eBay ‘sold’ and Reverb prices)…
So, hopefully I would be able to swap these out with not too much of pocket cost.

While I feel like going with the Mac brings more ‘cache’ to my system… is that all I would gain? I know the 2100 is of course a decent unit - but also not a TOTL Mac tube amp either.

Looking for some commentary / recommendations from those with Mac experience (this would be my first Mac setup) and especially if someone else has had both..?

What would YOU do???
Click to expand...
Keep the Sansui and buy the Mac lol have 2 systems !
 
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