MC501 Club

[j3brow]

My 501s have been in climate controlled storage for little over a year now. I now own 601s. I can't let myself sell the 501s. Maybe someday I will have a multi-channel theater or if I ever need to send the 601s in for repair, then I could insert the 501s and not miss a beat. The 501s are classics.

[Cohibaman]

Originally Posted by prepress

If I ever get rid of them, it will be because 1) I need the money, or 2) I can't manage them physically any longer.

Get your younger relatives with strong backs to help you! Do you move them much anyway?

[prepress]

Originally Posted by Cohibaman

Get your younger relatives with strong backs to help you! Do you move them much anyway?

No younger relatives nearby, unfortunately. The nearest is a mid-50s nephew in Tennessee who isn't in good shape, last I knew.

As for the 501s, the ideal scenario is they'd get moved every couple of months for a complete cleaning of the system, as I used to do back in the day. Disconnect everything, remove it from the racks, dust the shelves and the equipment down, replace and re-connect it all. When I was regular with that on my previous setup, it took about 2 hours. It would take longer now. The 501s haven't been moved since last October, when I moved the system out from the wall about 7 inches for better access to the rear; the dust on the lower shelves is pretty bad now. Dusting around the amps isn't enough; I'll have to move them when I can get the time to really dust and clean the system.

[prepress]

A question. Has anyone here experimented with the taps on their 501s? Another thread relayed the idea that using the 8-ohm taps for bass gets you 3dB more; that from Chuck Hinton. The poster has 601s, so I e-mailed McIntosh regarding trying it with 501s, and Ron Cornelius said it's okay to try, but if the amps heat up go back to the 4-ohm taps. Currently I use the 4-ohm taps for mids/highs and the 2-ohm for bass (speakers are 6-ohm). Volume on my C2300 is rarely above 42, and with that I've not experienced my 501s being even warm.

[1KW]

Originally Posted by prepress

A question. Has anyone here experimented with the taps on their 501s? Another thread relayed the idea that using the 8-ohm taps for bass gets you 3dB more; that from Chuck Hinton. The poster has 601s, so I e-mailed McIntosh regarding trying it with 501s, and Ron Cornelius said it's okay to try, but if the amps heat up go back to the 4-ohm taps. Currently I use the 4-ohm taps for mids/highs and the 2-ohm for bass (speakers are 6-ohm). Volume on my C2300 is rarely above 42, and with that I've not experienced my 501s being even warm.

You not likely to ever heat up the 501's. I have played them pretty loud ie 45-50 on the volume control for hours at a time and they still remain cool to the touch.

[Chericelise]

Originally Posted by prepress

A question. Has anyone here experimented with the taps on their 501s? Another thread relayed the idea that using the 8-ohm taps for bass gets you 3dB more; that from Chuck Hinton. The poster has 601s, so I e-mailed McIntosh regarding trying it with 501s, and Ron Cornelius said it's okay to try, but if the amps heat up go back to the 4-ohm taps. Currently I use the 4-ohm taps for mids/highs and the 2-ohm for bass (speakers are 6-ohm). Volume on my C2300 is rarely above 42, and with that I've not experienced my 501s being even warm.

I was the poster and using MC 501 too.
I tried it since then and hardly noticed any temp increased, it is safe and results are overwhelming too.

[prepress]

Originally Posted by 1KW

You not likely to ever heat up the 501's. I have played them pretty loud ie 45-50 on the volume control for hours at a time and they still remain cool to the touch.

Originally Posted by Chericelise

I was the poster and using MC 501 too.
I tried it since then and hardly noticed any temp increased, it is safe and results are overwhelming too.

Inching closer to trying it . . .

I like the sound I have now, so I have no urgency to try this. But it's an intriguing idea. I assume the 3dB more bass is just that, more. Or perhaps louder. Not necessarily tighter or better. Or am I wrong?

[Yamaki]

Originally Posted by prepress

Inching closer to trying it . . .

I like the sound I have now, so I have no urgency to try this. But it's an intriguing idea. I assume the 3dB more bass is just that, more. Or perhaps louder. Not necessarily tighter or better. Or am I wrong?

Only you will be able to tell, given it's your system and one you've been listening to it for some time. You've heard all it can produce with the current configuration.

It is time to experiment. Stop inching closer and start footing yourself over to those amplifiers and make the switch!

[Cohibaman]

Originally Posted by Yamaki

Only you will be able to tell, given it's your system and one you've been listening to it for some time. You've heard all it can produce with the current configuration.



It is time to experiment. Stop inching closer and start footing yourself over to those amplifiers and make the switch!

Lol he’s right.

[prepress]

When I get a chance, I'll try putting everything on the 4-ohm taps and see how that is. In theory, that would produce a 1.5dB increase in bass, if the 8-ohm tap produces a 3dB increase. My speaker cables are terminated with banana plugs, so will have to use one pair like spades. We'll see.