McIntosh MC75 MkIII Amplifier Review

[dcanlas]

Originally Posted by jdandy

John.......If you decide you want to experiment with the HiFi Tuning Supreme fuses, contact Chris at VH Audio https://www.vhaudio.com/hifi-tuning.html . He has lower pricing on the HiFi Tuning Supreme fuses than Music Direct, Parts Connection, The Cable Company, and others, plus he has quick shipping. Chris buys the HiFi Tuning fuses in bulk from Germany so they do not come in the little black boxes. He ships them in small zip lock bags. This helps keep the price down. My two T2.5 (5 x 20mm) fuses cost $75.00 each. The other companies mentioned are asking $99.00 and up for the same fuse. Hope this helps.

http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue54/fuses.htm

Dan, thanks for the info. I just ordered two HIfI Tuning Supreme Fuses from Chris.

[John Jordan]

Dan-

i like the routing of the wires under the amps. Very Neat & Clean. I was concerned about heat so ran the wires between the amps. Guess there is some re-arranging in the future here!







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[jdandy]

Originally Posted by John Jordan

Dan-

i like the routing of the wires under the amps. Very Neat & Clean. I was concerned about heat so ran the wires between the amps. Guess there is some re-arranging in the future here!

John.......Thanks for the photo. I'll bet that bi-amp configuration sounds excellent. I agree, there's room for some tidying up.

[BuffaloBill]

If I owned beautiful McIntosh MC75 amps they would be up top for the world to see and enjoy, not hidden down underneath.

[jdandy]

Originally Posted by dcanlas

Dan, thanks for the info. I just ordered two HIfI Tuning Supreme Fuses from Chris.

Dario.......I think you will be impressed and pleased at the improvement in resolution and soundstage focus with the HiFi Tuning Supreme fuses in you MC75 amplifiers. I experimented with the direction of the fuse when installed in the fuse holder. I found the best performance was when the small arrow on the fuse logo pointed to the rear of the amp, toward the cap of the fuse holder. I performed this experiment several times and came to the same conclusion each time. The clarity and three dimensional aspects of the sound stage are best for me in that installation configuration. It is widely accepted that these fuse are directional. Don't ask my to explain that because I don't have a clue but my ears hear the difference. You may also want to consider a HiFi Tuning Supreme fuse for your 60th Anniversary C22 preamplifier. I am looking forward to reading your impressions once the HiFi Tuning Supreme fuses are installed in your MC75's.

[jdandy]

Originally Posted by BuffaloBill

If I owned beautiful McIntosh MC75 amps they would be up top for the world to see and enjoy, not hidden down underneath.

Bill.......I appreciate the idea, and if I had somewhere else for my Micro Seiki turntable to reside I would take advantage of that installation option. All things considered, I don't think the MC75's are hidden away, just not the center of attention like they would be on the top shelf of the rack.

[John Jordan]

Originally Posted by BuffaloBill

If I owned beautiful McIntosh MC75 amps they would be up top for the world to see and enjoy, not hidden down underneath.

Hey Bill-

I guess old habits die hard. When I built this rack I had a 352 power amp on the bottom shelf was the best choice. Moving to a 275, it remained there and then adding the 75's the 275 moved over. Also, like Dan I have a TT on the top shelf.

If ever a reconfiguration happens, moving the amps higher is a suggestion worthy of consideration.








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[cmusic]

Dan
Congrats on the MC75's.
Thank you so much for another excellent review, for sharing all your knowledge and giving us newbies your wise advise.
I tried the MC75's with my prior Parasound P5 pre amp and B&W 803D3 but did not purchase them because the bass was a little low, mids and highs were nice. I didn't know back then how important a pre amp is to the outcome of the music. I am sure that with my current C70 the result would be very different even with the power hungry B&W's. If I ever sell my MC452 I will try a tube amp again, we'll see what is available then. Reading this review makes me feel like I lost an opportunity to own a pair of amazing amps.
Carlos

[jdandy]

Carlos.......The B&W 803D3's specified efficiency is 90dB/1w/1m with an 8 ohm impedance. The speaker is rated to operate with amplifiers from 50 to 500 watts. I suspect your Parasound P5 preamplifier may have not had the bet synergy with the MC75's. I also wonder if your bass response may have been improved by using the amplifier's 4 ohm speaker terminals rather than the 8 ohm terminals. B&W 800 series speakers can have some serious dips and peaks in impedance in the frequency range below 80Hz. It is also critical to remember how important speaker location is in a room. Getting your speakers placed properly so that the lowest frequencies load the room's dimensions properly is essential.

Having said all that, the McIntosh MC75 should be able to drive the B&W 803D3's quiet well, albeit not to rock concert volume levels. It is rated at 75 watts output but typically outputs 90 watts. Couple a pair of MC75's with that new C70 preamplifier should provide great performance, especially if you have those B&W 803D3's dialed into the room correctly.

[cmusic]

Dan
I would have tried the 4 ohm terminal when I had them if had known what I know now. When the MC452 came, I did some research, the 4 ohm tap was recommended. It did not take long to notice the sound improvement vs the 8 ohm tap. I listen to jazz mostly at moderate levels, but can not adjust speaker position by much. I am very happy now, MC452 was on my which list for a long time. For some reason though, I can envision tube monos with the C70...Well see.
Thanks agian.