MCS 3253 - A piece of art

HTHMAN

HTHMAN

Super Member
I just got this MCS 3253 off Craigslist yesterday. Got it for $50 which might be a little high but I just loved the looks and it was in near mint cosmetic condition considering it had been in a garage for two years. Opened it up and cleaned all the contacts in the switches and pots. All switches and knobs are silent now. All the lights and meters work. Sounds great and the power seems effortless. The sound quality is similar to my Fisher 700T.

I can't find much info on this model. Some think it is made by Technics and other say it is NEC. If anyone has info or a manual for this receiver, please let me know.

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Hi I have a 3253, also, and agree with all your comments. Mine must be either a little older or newer than yours - as the acrylic cover over the tuning dial on mine has six little thumbscrews holding it onto the face.

I have the catalog from 1979 that has this receiver in it, so I can give you the general specs of it:

53 wpc from 20-20k with less than 0.5% THD.
Phono section response 20-20k , overload at 240mv, S/N ratio of 85dB
FM section (same as the 3700, 3701 tuner, and 3275 receiver) specs:

Freq. response 12-15,000k
usable sensitivity 1.9uv
capture ratio 0.75dB
image rejection 50dB
stereo separation 48dB
quieting sensitivity 3uv
mono THD 0.21%
stereo THD 0.25%

AM section
sensitivity 300 uv/m
selectivity 30dB
S/N ratio 50dB

A lot of sellers on ebay think it was made by Technics, but NEC built this one. The tuner section is identical to the NEC AUT-7000E, and the amp section is identical to the NEC AUA-7000E (although it's rated at 45 wpc with less than 0.1% THD).

I really like mine - the phono section is especially nice sounding, and the Alps volume pot has a great, solid feel to it.

I don't think $50 is too much to pay - ones on ebay are usually around 40-45 just for shipping.

I'm curious when yours was made. There should be a sticker on the back panel with the three digit date code. Mine says 803, so mine is from March of 1978.
 
Hifirob2 said:
Hi I have a 3253, also, and agree with all your comments. Mine must be either a little older or newer than yours - as the acrylic cover over the tuning dial on mine has six little thumbscrews holding it onto the face.

I have the catalog from 1979 that has this receiver in it, so I can give you the general specs of it:

I'm curious when yours was made. There should be a sticker on the back panel with the three digit date code. Mine says 803, so mine is from March of 1978.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info and clarifying the manufacturer. I have not tried the phono section yet. I will be hooking an MCS 6603 turntable that I scored a while back. It is a re-badged Technics SL-D2 direct drive turntable. I installed a Shure M75ED in it and they should compliment each other quite nicely.

MCS, just like Radio Shack, made some very nice stuff and is a pretty well kept secret. I have a very nice Elac built changer that was sold under the Realistic name. If you are not hung up on brand names, you can get some great looking and performing equipment under both brands, you just have to watch what you buy.

My date sticker says 801, so it was built 2 months before yours. I guess the screws were added later. Post a pic of yours. I would like to see how it looks with screws.
 
Ok, here's a fuzzy picture of mine. It's kinda hard to see it, so the second pic is one I grabbed off of ebay a while back.
 

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I have one of these in my cube at work. Great sound, very nice tuner. I paid $5 for mine at a garage sale. Definitely a quality unit.
 
You have a nice example of MCS's gear, HTHMAN. I personally think that the brand is overlooked when it comes to MOTL gear. The pieces that I have had pass through here held their own with a lot of better known brands. And I'm a Sansui freak through and through.

I have noticed that major changes were made in controls & looks in the receiver line from one generation to the next. Example, take your 3253 and look at any previous or future version as far as controls and such. Now this may be because of different manufacturers producing the MCS line I :dunno:. But I can say that the pieces I've owned (receivers and TT's) did not disappoint me. One of my favorites was your models little brother, the 3245. I loved its looks and performance in all aspects. Hell, it pushed a pair of Cornies and sounded very good doing it, and probably one of the 1st ones to have triple tone controls.

MY MCS 3245


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I also picked up an MCS Receiver not to long ago, I have to agree. It looks amazing. the build quality is sort of cheap. It needs a few new caps as of right now. but I cleaned it up, and WOW. it looks awesome!

Mine is a MCS 3245

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Makes me wish the Shack would get back into the 'Stereo' business :yes: I miss going there and dreaming.

Nice receivers, guys! :thmbsp:
 
87RangerXLT said:
I also picked up an MCS Receiver not to long ago, I have to agree. It looks amazing. the build quality is sort of cheap. It needs a few new caps as of right now. but I cleaned it up, and WOW. it looks awesome!

Mine is a MCS 3245
Click to expand...

I've been wanting to compare a 3245 to my 3253. Both have great looks, but aren't made by the same company. I believe the 3245 was made in Taiwan, not Japan like the 3253 - so I wonder if that has anything to do with the build quality differences.

On the plus side, the tuner in the 3245 is reportedly VERY good - 4 gangs on the FM side - not something you find on mid-pack receivers everyday.

Great pics!
 
After looking at pics of some NEC equipment, the switches and knobs are the same as those used on the 3253, so I am sure that was who made at least that model.
 
I grew up with an MCS 3253 in the house pushing some Altec Boleros.

That was my introduction into what music was supposed to sound like...

"Good stuff."
 
I think I lucked out on this one. The only issue I have encountered other than the dirty contacts was the tuning meter. It was working intermittently. I poked around inside and found a cold solder joint. A tap on the solder with a soldering iron and the problem seems to be solved. I will rotate this receiver into one of my systems and check out all the inputs but I have full confidence that all is well.
 
This was my High school Stereo. It was from JC Penney. It served me well! Wattage was 53 with total harmonic distortion of less than .5%, but went way beyond that and sounded great.
 
I like the looks of the 3253 ... just the right amount of extra buttons/switches! I like the funky layout too ... almost looks like a piece of electronic test equipment.
 
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