Opinions from the members here: McIntosh tube gear vs. solid state

joeinid

Well-Known Member
I am just curious what you guys go for when buying McIntosh gear or does it matter? Tubes vs solid state.

Long term, do you gravitate towards solid state for ease of maintenance or prefer tubes no matter what?

I am a tube guy at heart, but I usually lean solid state because my system is on 12-16 hours a day. Obviously not all of it is active listening and some of it I am probably sleeping through. I just love to have music playing.

So what do your systems mostly consist of?

Thanks!
 
I am just curious what you guys go for when buying McIntosh gear or does it matter?
What matters for me is the speakers I need the power for. I'm not going to drive hungry speakers with low watt tubes.

Long term, do you gravitate towards solid state for ease of maintenance
Yes and during the summer not wanting the added heat, while I have tubes they are not flea watts. Also I don't want added cost when it's not as critical just having music playing or watching TV.

or prefer tubes no matter what?

Nope

So what do your systems mostly consist of?
Half and Half
 
I've had a few different Mac pieces. Presently I use a MX110(M series)tube pre with a MC250 ss amp. I would love to try out some of the classic Mac tube amps, like MC30's or 60's, but can't afford them at this time. So I use a pair of Dynaco MKIII's with my MX110 when I want to hear a full tube rig. But the 250/110 pairing is fantastic, and I don't plan to ever sell either of them.
 
It is all about the match. The quad balance Mc amps I have are hot hungry beasts but my speakers might start waking up with a MC3500.

Do what you love best.
 
I played the tube game with Mc for 15yrs. I've had LOTS of it, still have an MC225. Today, it's all Mc SS for me as I no longer have the time to maintain the tube gear.

Sound wise, I enjoy both!
 
Overall, I have owned about 65% SS and 35% tube. For McIntosh gear, I have gravitated towards SS. It simply comes down to what sounds best to me. Going a little deeper, I prefer the direct coupled amps over the ones with autoformers. My speaker brand of choice has been Vandersteen. For me, I like the direct coupled amps with Vandersteen because, to me, the bass sounds tighter and little more controlled.
 
All ss for me although I did own an MX110 several years ago. I'd love to try out or better yet own most any of their newer tubed gear such as a C2500-MC2000. Economics completely squashes that idea though.
 
I've only owned SS McIntosh gear but have heard many Mac tube amps in other's systems. Tube gear sound is just too subdued and slow for my tastes. Solid state also opens up a lot more options for what is still the most important component in any system....speakers. Tube gear pretty much backs you into the high efficiency speakers only corner.
 
Tube gear pretty much backs you into the high efficiency speakers only corner.

Eh....not really. An MC275 will play louder than most people will want to listen. I don't think I have ever had a Mac with meters go past about 5 watts, and I've owned several speakers in the 85dB +/- sensitivity range. Granted, I have a small listening room; however, most of the time the meters only peak at around a couple of watts.
 
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In instantaneous A/B switching, I have found little to no sonic differences between the tube and SS McIntosh amplifiers in my signature - when having been electronically restored and operating to spec.

I enjoy collecting vintage tube equipment for mainly for its classic beauty, plus the fact that it will retain its value.

Sidney Corderman once said that if tube and solid state equipment is designed properly, it should sound the same. I could not agree more. :)
 
Solid state also opens up a lot more options for what is still the most important component in any system....speakers. Tube gear pretty much backs you into the high efficiency speakers only corner.
Exactly,

Eh....not really. An MC275 will play louder than most people will want to listen. I don't think I have ever had a Mac with meters go past about 5 watts, and I've owned several speakers in the 85dB +/- sensitivity range. Granted, I have a small listening room; however, most of the time the meters only peak at around a couple of watts.
Everyone has different taste in music, how they use their systems and and speaker dependance of power.

In instantaneous A/B switching, I have found little to no sonic differences between the tube and SS McIntosh amplifiers in my signature - when having been electronically restored and operating to spec.
This is also true when comparing mac ss and tube power.
 
In instantaneous A/B switching, I have found little to no sonic differences between the tube and SS McIntosh amplifiers in my signature - when having been electronically restored and operating to spec.

I enjoy collecting vintage tube equipment for mainly for its classic beauty, plus the fact that it will retain its value.

Sidney Corderman once said that if tube and solid state equipment is designed properly, it should sound the same. I could not agree more. :)
These ears couldn't hear the difference between an MC240 and an MC7270 in an A/B/X setting. Neither could anyone else's that listened. Trust me when I tell you that A/B/X listening sessions have no place in high end audio!
 
I am just curious what you guys go for when buying McIntosh gear or does it matter? Tubes vs solid state.

Long term, do you gravitate towards solid state for ease of maintenance or prefer tubes no matter what?

I am a tube guy at heart, but I usually lean solid state because my system is on 12-16 hours a day. Obviously not all of it is active listening and some of it I am probably sleeping through. I just love to have music playing.
So what do your systems mostly consist of?
Thanks!
I've run tube gear for my guitars since the early '70's, and I followed suit in the hi-fi world. All that I have left is an early '60's 4X EL-84 receiver in terms of hi-fi tube gear. My restored solid state stuff is simply awesome, and I wouldn't go back unless I could buy one of the high powered Mac tube amps. I'm not going to hold my breath for that to happen.
An Mc452 would be much more likely of a purchase of choice for me.
Wishful thinking right now, but maybe in a few years.. (My wife already thinks that I am nuts with what I have now) :)
 
The main proponent for ABX comparison would not allow us to use 1 or 2 DOB tubed MC240s......he refused. We ended up using a MC752 and a PSE 100 watt amp. Still 12 out of 35 listeners matched A to A and B to B, 5 or 6 out of 6 times.

Of coarse he fudged the figures to wash out those that could hear a difference.
 
Chris...were any ABX tests conducted by any McIntosh personnel between Mc tube and Mc SS units back in the day of which you're aware? I'm sure the OP would find that most interesting, among others.
 
Tube gear pretty much backs you into the high efficiency speakers only corner.

I sure don't feel like I'm backed into a corner with my Altec's. Now my Carver Platinum Amazings will back you into a corner, a corner that requires many hundreds of watt's to make them come alive.
The Altec's play well with 3.5 watt SE tube amps as well as my 40 watt MC40's. Heck, I could run them with the 600 watt Carver amps I have. Just need to use the volume control carefully. Besides, in my book nothing beats the big sound and dynamics of my Altec's. Only downsides are there size and they are very reveling of the source material.

BillWojo
 
Chris...were any ABX tests conducted by any McIntosh personnel between Mc tube and Mc SS units back in the day of which you're aware? I'm sure the OP would find that most interesting, among others.

None that I ever heard of......with engineering's adamant position on exceeding all empirically measurable specifications it should not be surprising that early Mac transistor amps had a similar sound as their previous offerings. Wild aberrations from linear frequency response would not have been tolerated in any case for example, even though the sales people on the dealer's sales floor might have yearned for a response that might make a profitable unit stand out. This was a common practice in regards to speaker offerings.....
 
Tube gear pretty much backs you into the high efficiency speakers only corner.
Gee, I don't find that to be the case at all with 300 watt (or greater) tube amps. I use VTL MB-450s with my stats and have heard 2301s driving (the heck out of) Scaena 1.6s in a superb system. :)

scaena1.6.jpg
 
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