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#31
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I get the pricing difference between the $11,500 MC303 and $8,000 MC255, but paying a premium for a 5 channel amplifier only to use 3 of the channels seems off to me.
I am sure the 303 is on its way out, and most likely without a replacement. Like mentioned it’s aged. But the 303 with its 65 additional pounds of brawn would absolutely run away from the 255 or 275 in 3 channel mode. The MC303 is capable of over 1,000 watts per channel if fed healthy current and kept cool.
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McIntosh |
#32
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Hello Driver,
Allow me to illustrate the factors leading to my decision. I can see how it could be somewhat puzzling. When done perhaps you may understand my views but of course still may not agree with them. First lets take the savings off the table because that didn't enter into the decision. For me it all came down to synergy with my particular system and application. First lets look at power, which as you point out the 303 has in muscular abundance. My system is a satellite subwoofer configuration. The satellite speakers have 15 in drivers in the base unit and are horn loaded. They are connected directly to the amplifier and fed by an outboard active crossover. These units are 105db @ 3ft. Using simple power to db math I could produce 120 db of continual sound pressure with only 32 watts of power. The 255 at 250 wpc would deliver 10db of headroom ( aprox 130 db ) and still have transient power available. The sub however is a bit less efficient. It uses a 15in driver and is also in a horn loaded enclosure. The sub is a folded horn standing 5'6" tall and having a 7 ' downward firing mouth providing 10 sq feet of radiating surface. This unit is 101 db @ 3ft. and is flat to 30hz. 32 watts of power would give me a slightly lower 116 db of sound pressure with 125db on tap as well as transient headroom. The sub is also connected directly to an amp and fed by a separate active crossover. In this application additional power is not a consideration 65 pounds of additional brawn might suggest the value of autoformers which of course the 255 does not have. Once again the specific application is critical. All three of my bass units are 8 ohms with relatively stable impedance. The autoformers are particularly impressive because they allow McIntosh amplifiers to produce rated power with every loudspeaker on the market and they can address some extreme impedances , but... not all speakers need the autoformer if they are electrically compatible with the amplifier. In addition some marvelous amplifiers do not have autoformers: Allow me to illustrate by referencing spectacular musical performance from two older McIntosh products. I have two favorites in the history of McIntosh. I believe they were, and in the right situation still are, some of the most musical sounding amplifiers ever made. ( please don't throw sharp objects, these are just my personal beliefs ) The McIntosh Mc 275, a legendary amp that most won't argue with. First produced in 1961. Second, my personal favorite the McIntosh Mc30. First produced in 1954. If you reference Chad Kassem, owner of Acoustic Sounds and look at his Blue Heaven Studios you will notice he runs Vacume Tube Logic and ….. McIntosh Mc 30's. The point here is that autoformers were not built into McIntosh amplifiers until 1967 with the introduction of the Mc 2505. Not all applications require autoformers for peak performance. The 65 lbs of extra brawn in my case is not brawn, it's just extra. Admitting to be unsure about my decision I called McIntosh. Following conversations regarding options available I became convinced that the 255 would work marvelously and that its new topology and design would be perfect for my needs. As a targeted home theater product it excels at low end grunt and my frequency demands will be right in that wheelhouse as they are 450 hz on down. Yes I will not need two of the power outputs, and I agree that seems weird at first, but idling them was also part of the design intent of the product allowing for a 25% increase in power capacity. I like to think of it as McIntosh providing the consumer with power configuration options, as they clearly promote the 3 channel 250 watt capacity of the amplifier. Hope that helps explain my thinking. Good Listening G |
#33
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Quote:
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Pete No. 35 Main System: VPI Prime Signature TT in Rosewood, Ortofon Cadenza Black, Stillpoints LP1 V2, McIntosh: MP100, MR78, MCD1000 Transport on Stillpoint Ultra Minis, MDA1000 D/A Converter on Stillpoint Ultra Minis, MS750 Music Server, C40, MC501's (3), Soundcraftsmen: DC2215 Eq/AS1000 Real time analyzer, DBX 3BX II, Carver C9, Nakamichi Dragon, Crown SX724, Crown D-75A (as headphone amp), Sony XBR55X900E 4K TV, JBL L220A's, JBL B460, Sumo Delilah active crossover, WireWorld Silver Eclipse audio interconnects, WireWorld Starlight and Silver Starlight Coaxial Digital interconnects, Wireworld SuperNova 7 Toslink digital interconnect, WireWorld Aurora 7 and Silver Electra Power cords, Wireworld Silver Eclipse 8 speaker cables, Terk AF-1 Powered Antenna, Oppo UDP-205 4K Blu-Ray Player, Bryson BUC-1 USB Converter, Wireworld Gold Starlight XLR Digital interconnect, PS Audio Direct Stream Power Plant 12 on Stillpoint Ultra Minis, PS Audio Dectect, FuruTech Flux-50 NCF Inline Power Filter, Add-Powr Wizard EM Field AC Line conditioner; Stillpoint Ultra SS's under (3) McIntosh MC501 Amplifiers Florida Room/Art Studio System: Harmon Kardon T60 TT/Ortofon 2M Black, McIntosh: MR77, C32, MC2205; Crown Power Line Four, Wyred for Sound DAC-2 Digital to Analog converter, Soundcraftsmen AE2000 Eq, JBL 4313B's, JBL 2241-based Sub, JBL BX63A Active Crossover, Oppo BDP-105D Blu-Ray Player, Samsung 5500 Series 32" Smart TV, Terk AF-1 Powered Antenna Master Bedroom System: McIntosh: MX120 Theater processor, MC206 6-channel amplifier; MR74 AM/FM Tuner, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, JVC HM-DH40000U D-Theater Digital VHS, Phase Technology PC80 Towers (now used as stands), (2) JBL 4401's, (1) JBL Studio 6IW speaker, (2) JBL Studio 6IC speakers, Sony XBR-49X900E UHD TV, Panamax 1000 Line Conditioner, (2) JL Audio E110 Subwoofers, Wireworld Solstice speaker cables, Wireworld Aurora Power cords, Wireworld Equinox and Solstice speaker cables and various other flavors of Wireworld and Audioquest cabling Office System: Marantz 150 Tuner, Crown DL 2, Crown EQ 2, Crown SA 2, Crown D-75A (as headphone amp), McIntosh MCD7009 (as transport), DBX 3BX Series II, Oppo BDP-103 Blu-ray player, JBL 4401's, JL Audio E112 Subwoofer, Samsung 5500 series 32" Smart TV, Wire World Oasis audio interconnects, Wire World Solstice speaker cables, Wyred for Sound DAC-2 DSDse Digital to Analog converter, Wireworld Starlight Coaxial Digital Interconnect, Sennheiser HD800 Headphones, Sennheiser HDVA600 Headphone amp, Wireworld Silver Eclipse Balanced Interconnects, Wireworld Platinum Starlight USB Cable, Add-Powr EAU-2 AC Harmonic resonator High Resolution Source: HP Omen 17" Gaming Laptop |
#34
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Ordered one to run my 6 surround channels. Looking forward to it. Meters grown on me since seeing them for the first time.
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#35
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Finally arrived can't wait to hook it up. It will run surrounds/Atmos.
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#36
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Congrats!
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Ivan FLORIDA MX136, MC1.2KW(10) MC2KW(2), MCD1100, MS750(2) MVP881, C1000C/P/T, MPC1500, HT-2 SUBS(2) HT3F(2) WS350(2) XRT2K, XCS2K, XR27(2) XCS350(2) JL GOTHAM v2 SUBS(2) SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, LUMAGEN RADIANCE SCALER, SONY VPH-G90U 4K PROJECTOR, STEWART 120" MOTORIZED SCREEN, CINEMA-TECH SEATING, WW PLATINUM CABLES Reference System: ACCUPHASE A300 AMPS, C3900 PRE-AMP, DP1000 CD/SACD TRANSPORT, DC1000 DIGITAL PROCESSOR, DG-68 DIGITAL EQUALIZER, T1200 FM STEREO TUNER, PS1230 POWER SUPPLY, HRS-SXR CUSTOM RACK w/ M3X SHELVES, TAD REFERENCE ONE MK2 LOUDSPEAKERS, WW PLATINUM CABLES CAPE COD MX150, MC501(2) MC1.2KW(10) MC2301(2) MR88, MVP881, MCD1100, MDA1000, C1000C/P/T, MPC1500, ESOTERIC K-01X 30th ANNIVERSARY (BLACK) SACD/CD PLAYER, G02-X CLOCK, HT3F(2) XRT2K, XCS2K, XR27(2) JL GOTHAM v2 SUBS(2) JL FATHOM F113v2 SUBS(4) SOUND ANCHOR STANDS(2) KALEIDESCAPE STRATO & TERRA SERVERS 80-TB, LUMAGEN RADIANCE SCALER, SONY VPH-G90U 4K PROJECTOR, STEWART 120" SCREEN, SONUS FABER STRADIVARI, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, FORTRESS SEATING, WW PLATINUM CABLES Analog Rig: CLEARAUDIO INNOVATION WOOD, UNIVERSAL ARM w/ Da VINCI' CART, 2nd UNIVERSAL ARM w/ GOLDFINGER STATEMENT CART, HRS-MXR REFERENCE RACK-GLOSS BLACK w/ M3X SHELVES, AESTHETIX RHEA SIG PHONO-PRE, BRYSTON BHA-1 HEADPHONE AMP, WW PLATINUM CABLES Reference System: BURMESTER 911MK3 AMP(3), 088 PRE-AMP, 089 CD PLAYER, 100 PHONO PRE-AMP, 948 POWER CONDITIONER, ACCUPHASE DG-68 VOICING EQUALIZER, AVID ACUTUS REFERENCE SP TT, GRAHAM PHANTOM II SUPREME ARM, BENZ MICRO LP-S CART, GRANDIOSO P1X/D1X STACK, G1X RUBIDIUM MASTER CLOCK, N05 NETWORK PLAYER, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, HRS-SXR CUSTOM RACK w/ M3X SHELVES, SONUS FABER AIDA SPEAKERS, JL FATHOM F113v2 SUBS(2) SOUND ANCHOR STANDS(2) WW PLATINUM CABLES Library System: GRANDIOSO M1 MONOBLOCK AMPS, C1 LINESTAGE PRE-AMP, K1X CD/SACD PLAYER, G1 MASTER RUBIDIUM CLOCK, E02 PHONO-PRE, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, AERIAL ACOUSTICS 20T V2, AERIAL SW12 SUBS(2), CANTON REF K1’s, VPI HRX TT w/ SDS POWER SUPPLY, ORTOFON CADENZA BLACK CART, KLAUDIO RCM, SHUNYATA DENALI 6000/S v2, SHUNYATA OMEGA QR’s, WW PLATINUM CABLES Esoteric/Bryston System: ESOTERIC C02-X PRE-AMP, P-02X TRANSPORT, D02-X DAC, G02-X CLOCK, BRYSTON 28B3 CUBED MONOBLOCK AMPS(4), BRYSTON BHA-1 HEADPHONE AMP, SHUNYATA DENALI 6000/S v2(2) EVEREST 8000 POWER CONDITIONER(2) ALTAIRA CG & SG HUBS, AMR-DP777-SE DAC, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, TAD REFERENCE ONE MK2 LOUDSPEAKERS, QUADRASPIRE RACK, WW PLATINUM CABLES Accuphase/Canton System: ACCUPHASE E800 INTEGRATED, DP570 CD/SACD PLAYER, T1200 FM STEREO TUNER, DG-68 VOICING EQUALIZER, PS530 POWER SUPPLY, CANTON REF K3’s, CANTON REF K5’s, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, HRS MXR REFERENCE MAHOGHANY RACK w/ M3X2 SHELVES, WW GOLD CABLES |
#37
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Anyone do an A/B on the 257 and 207? I picked up a second 205 yesterday at a discount (new old stock) and went back and forth on buying into the improvements for the new generation (255 or 257).
Once I settle on new mains, I may end up with 2 mono 601/611s or a 462 to get the 7 channels. |
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