How many MA5100 owners?

jbjsr

AK Subscriber
Subscriber
What has been your experience with acquiring parts? My 5100 is a one owner / original condition. Sounds ok but I'm getting some unwanted controls noise. Will clean the controls and then maybe have a pro tech check it out for out of spec parts.
 
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I'm only in this forum because I had a 5100 that needed some work. My dad gave it to me about 20 years ago. I never used to use it as the volume knob only worked in 2 places and then for only 30 seconds before needing to be tapped. Several of the front switches were the same -- every few minutes I'd have to flip them a few time. I didn't get why people thought these things were good. My dad told me he thought it needed a recap when he gave it to me. I almost threw it out at an electronics recycling event, but decided to recap and deoxit it instead.

Well, it sounded so good once cleaned up that my crappy test speakers sounded better than they've ever sounded before. I hooked it up to my main system and was just blown away. I needed a remote, so I ended up getting a 6600 to replace my aging Nakamichi receiver in my main system. I still use my 5100 in my office.

If you look at this forum you can find the schematic and parts substitutions for most pieces of the 5100. The switches can probably be cleaned and conditioned no matter how bad they are. The pots maybe not so much. I think I rememeber seeing some threads here on now to rebuild the wafer using a new pot, but that may have been for a different vintage amp.
 
I have my MA5100 & MR80 in my office with Martin Logan LX16 speakers. I'm pleased with how good the 5100 performs especially considering its age.
 
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I'm actually in the middle of a MA5100 rebuild. Does anybody have a recommendation of what to replace the 1.5uf tantalum caps in the filter board with? C112 and C113. I've heard tants were a bad idea in this location.
 
I just powered up my MA5100 after a replacing all but the the two large 93000uf capacitors. This thing sounds great with only two issues now. For the first second or so, after power up, I get noise till I turn the volume knob up a bit. It will go away once the amp warms up. I am also getting allot of crosstalk in the other inputs. when I switch to an unoccupied input I hear almost a full volume audio from the Aux input. I don't have this issue when the tape monitor is on. I put in tantalums n the filter board for now but will be replacing them with Muse Electrolytics as per dewict's suggestion.
 
My 5100 is one of the few celebrity-owned Mc pieces I have. It was owned by Tommy Smothers - of the Smothers Brothers. Love it. Sounds much better than a 6100. To me, the 6100 blows. 5100 has that old timey sound.
 
Very cool, I remember the Smothers Brothers was about the only thing my parents ever laughed at. I bought my 5100 just over a year ago because my daughter showed an interest in classic rock albums and that was all the excuse I needed to go out and get a system. My budget was pretty limited and I didn't have much hope of getting anything decent but I kept searching the want ads until finally an MA5100 came up for a good price. I had an issue early on where the right channel would pop but it was an easy fix (loose transistor connection). I would never consider myself an audiophile so my opinion on sound quality isn't much use to anyone but I do know one thing - for $300 I doubt I'll find anything better. I realize its a starter mac but it still beats any of my friend's newer systems and for my needs it's awesome. My only real complaint is that it has started McIntoshitis- I now have 5 Mac components and counting. so much for my budget.
 
My 5100 is in very good condition. Bought it from the original owner. It has not been serviced / recapped. I doubt is has ever been gone through. It sounds good now, but I may get a lift in sound quality with an update.
 
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Over the years going back to the early days in the hobby I used to have them pass through the house often. They were bought in fairly decent numbers but many seemed traded quickly for either a tuner/preamps and amp or preamp and power amp. Even money common on the used shelves than the 1700.

Soundwise, I found them anything special. The 6100 was better but still disappointing. But, the 6100 could have the preamp and power amp separated. I would buy the 6100 for nil and mate it with the MC250 or mate the C26 to the power amp section and it showed each separate section was better than the whole. Never figured out why, Mybe an impedance mismatch. But at the time it was the least expensive way into McIntosh from the used equipment shelves.
 
My only real complaint is that it has started McIntoshitis- I now have 5 Mac components and counting. so much for my budget.

I know the feeling. the MA5100 started a trend that led to a MX135 pre/pro for my HT system and then a MX110 / MC240 combo that has spoiled me for life. I have trouble understanding those that don't fall in love with these amps. I've owned some decent gear but those who don't find the Mcintosh stuff more than exceptional must have some crazy gear I have yet to experience myself. To me these components sound the closest to experiencing live music. I never feel like I'm listening to an amp or ever analyzing a signal. It's simply music that I can listen to for hours and hours.

My MA5100 was part of an home office system that started to hum and was put in a closet for a few years. I got the MX110/ MC240 from my brother for a steal since they both needed complete overhauls. I recently brought the MA5100 out of retirement to rebuild and gift to my brother as he was heart broken by having to relinquish the tube gems. Just need to track down that buzz at turn on.
 
Ma5100

I have had my current unit for about 7 years. It's the second one I have owned. Sold the first when I needed money for grad school. This unit was upgraded by Terry DeWick which improved the sound in terms of resolution/detail but still keeping the tubelike warmth. I also own a mc250 Terry upgraded for me and the 5100 comps well...not as detailed but that could be a preamp impact. I think it's a keeper from a vintage pov and still rotate it thru my system ever is often. I would still like to get more modern Mac at some point but I am long on equipment and short on space so it may wait until I move in retirement.
 
I got my first Mc about 3 years ago and I'm the second owner. Po bought it from a dealer when he was in college and he said it hosted many, many events those years. The unit looks very unmolested but either it needs a full service or the Vandersteen Model 1 speakers I paired the unit with, aren't the right combo. But I'm very proud of owning a vintage Mc.
 
I talked a CL guy down from $600 to $380 for mine. I put it in place of a 2230 in my patio after using in my main system for a while. Liked it so much I upgraded to the #1 setup below as my main.
 
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