I sold my last McIntosh car amp, and I decided to get a Mcintosh piece for my home system.

Now, I have been looking at the SS MC7100, which is relatively inexpensive, and has good reviews (grain of salt) from people on www.audioreview.com.....There is one available now used.

OR:

I wait longer and save 2 times as much and just get an MC240.

My preamp is a tubed Berning TF-10, and a smooth sounding Parasound CDP-2000,,,I am not sure if I want all tubage in my system,,,,I guess I can try the MC7100 first, and then see....also, I would plan to monoblock the 7100's...

ANYONE here heard the 7100's and have an opinion?

I've read your posts, and I think you'd be best off with the MC250
you mentioned before. It will sound amazing with a nice tube pre, literally no ss chacteristics, and nice clean bass. I don't get your needing to necessarily mono block them as they are dual mono block in design already. If you do live in an apt. you will be evicted if you use all it's power with the JBL's. Use a 2100/2105
(metered) maybe, same design and twice the power at very close to the same price(s).The 754 and the MC7100 are both direct coupled and will not give you the"McIntosh" sound without the autoformers. They are nice but not the same. Of course a MC240 would be very nice indeed.:cool: My thoughts anyway.


Carl

CarlV,,,thanks for the info,,,thanks for adding perspective, because I can get scattered. I just wanted mono's because I always had before, and i like the idea of the amp just pushing one large woofer...I may just follow your advice!

Jack

The JBL's will like the autoformers or tube better than a direct coupled, the bass will be solid, the DC amps will sound clinical on the top end and tend to boom on the bass - with JBL's.

How about the MC2100,,,105 watts/ch...? I believe it has autoformers..

I think they're great! I have 3 of them, currently use 2. Here's
my daily driver setup. They drive the bass in this bi amping. Not the greatest pic but handy.

BTW, All 3 of my in-house setups are JBL with McIntosh in them.:D


Carl

I wonder if Audioclassics D1 rating is ok,,,I trust them, and if the unit meets or exceeds the factory specs, but has some physical blemishes,,,I think it should be ok,,,because I am assured of nor having to send a private party 2100 to Mc to get checked or brought back to spec...they have a D1 for 449.00

But the MC250 seems to be just about the same as the 2100,,,why would that be?

You ought to talk to Terry also. He sells and repairs Mc and has a great reputation, he just may have what you want.
Basically the MC2100 is a MC250 just double the giddy-up. The MC2100's usually test around 135 wpc, MC250's half that.

Carl

Who is Terry,,,whats his screename...:dunno:

Fourth post in this thread.

Terry

http://www.mcintoshaudio.com

Doh!!!:uzi: :dunno:

I've used the 250 for some 30 years before "updating" to a 2105 (metered version of the 2100).
1) Both the 250 and 2100 are easy to configure as monoblocks. But, my experience with them, like so many amps, configuring them as monoblocks loses some of the sound.
2) The 250 is a dynamite amp. Love mine and never would have gone for the 2105 except I neded about 3 db more headroom to open up a set of speakers. The 2105 in almost every way is better sounding. I suspect the larger autoformers do better at the frequncey extremes. To keep this in perspective I'm not talking about the differences being in the range of comparing someones Lloyds to a McIntosh. The differences are minor but noticable.
Either 1 should be a pleasure to own but for the differences in price, go for a 2100. Also, Mc does not recommend strapping the 2105/2505 so if going mono is important stay away fom these metered versions of the 2100/250.

THanks Brian,,,Yeah,,,I decided to go with the MC2100,,,,I actually like their industrial looks better than the metered version,,go figure...

With the 2100 I dont think I would go mono..

Now,,,these would sound better with the tube amp than the MC7100? I kinda love the lighted look of the 7100...

the MC2120 is the 2100 with a face plate, right?

MC2120 = 120W per channel with no meters, has metal face plate.
Have picture on my site.

"The JBL's will like the autoformers or tube better than a direct coupled, the bass will be solid, the DC amps will sound clinical on the top end and tend to boom on the bass - with JBL's".

Hi Terry

Your post astonishes me somewhat because I'm currently running a vintage JBL 4343s set with a Mc 7200 which doesn't have autoformers, just DC. I just can ensure that the top end sounds as clean and fine as does a professional recording machine and bass are solid like rock.
IMHO the soundstage sounds very close as it is in the reality (on good recordings).

It is not anything obvious, but the tips stand on correct mounting of the speakers in the room and proper setting of the L-Pads in order to achieve optimal tonal balance.

The 7200 has unsat ny late (and beloved) 2205: a little more transparency and clarity IMHA.
BTW from a cosmetical point of view, I love these huge blue eyes...

Regards;)
Phil

I apologize for my poor English.

Another vote for the MC7200, the true McIntosh cult amp. Deservedly so in many persons opinion.

Ron-C

I also owned a wonderful MC7200...IMO one of the most beautiful Mac amps ever made. Was great driving my Magnepans, but overkill with my Klipsch, so it was replaced with the MC250. Frankly, I heard little difference between the MC7200 and the MC250. Aside from the autoformer/direct coupled debate, I've found them both extremely smooth and natural sounding.

Loved using the MC2100 as well. To me, there's no difference in sound quality between the MC2100 and the MC250; at least with my Cornwalls...Actually, I'd settle for any McIntosh amp they sound that good. Would love a MC225 or any other tube powered Mac...one can dream!

An audiophile in Lakeland?? I grew up in that town and escaped as soon as I could..:)

Actually I'm a Connecticut Yankee from New York (by way of Poughkeepsie) who moved down here over 17 years ago. It ain't bad...I live in the south side of town not far from Scott Lake with a horse pasture in my backyard. Tampa, Orlando, and Jacksonville are way too busy for this countryfied northerner. I can blast AC/DC or J.S. Bach and the horses don't seem to mind.

Yeah, I know where you're talking about...not really the Highlands, not really Christina. It IS nice out there, had a couple high school friends who grew up in that part of Lakeland.

Is that huge pawn shop downtown still around? It used to have some nice stereo equipment come through every once in a while...

That's the only pawn shop I know of near downtown on S. Florida Ave. (with the suit of armour displayed out front). If that's the one you're refering to, yep, it's still there. Never set foot in the place, so I have no idea what audio equipment they sell. I've read on these audio forums how some people find great deals on audio gear at pawn shops, and even at local Goodwill stores. I should browse sometime and check 'em out, I reckon.