A Complete Set MR78, C32, MC2205

Cantilope

Member
About 8 weeks ago I picked up a set of speakers and a C32/MC2205 in a neighboring state. Took the better part of a day, but I drove over and picked them up. The speakers are quite rare and were worth the drive to me. At the time the seller was keeping the MR78. I got a message from him last night that he is offering to sell me the MR78 at a really good price, throwing in a walnut case with slant legs. He is willing to meet me at the border.

One of the first responses from this forum on my new gear was to try and get an MR78 to complete the package. However, my own person usage would mean the MR78 would probably never be used. This purchase would simply be to have the complete set. I never listen to the radio, I have a tuner in my Sunfire that I have only used once about a dozen years ago. There is a good chance this system my not end up in a beautiful display case. The MR78 probably going unused.

Can I get some opinions on this purchase? Would I be foolish to “let it go” and there by splitting up the set that was originally purchased together. Or should I move forward only collecting the things that I truly use in my system. I do not have the available funds, but can get them, however, I think the drive is the part that I am having a hard time of convincing myself.

What would you do?
 
Last edited:
Many of us here could also say we never listened to the radio ... before owning a McIntosh tuner. Assuming the MR78 is in excellent operating condition, be prepared to add FM to your list of audiophile sources.
 
Depends on the price I guess...

Otherwise, I agree with damacman - a great tuner makes all the difference to your FM enjoyment.

Chances are it will need a good alignment in order to perform its best.
 
Not a bad price - depending on whether serviced recently and especially, cosmetic condition.

If needed, servicing will probably run around two to three hundred dollars.

Good luck.
 
If you don't need it, you don't need it.

IF you do want it, order a $50 box from McIntosh and just have the guy ship it.

10 hours, man...you're paying to buy.
 
As much as I like McIntosh gear I won't purchase something I won't use simply because it is so branded or came as part of a larger setup.

The MR78, though, is a fine tuner and that is a very fair price. It may be worth the cost of getting a box sent to the seller and have it shipped to you, even for the value it would bring out on the market.
 
Completed the Set!

I appreciate the very good advice... For good or bad I ordered a box from McIntosh and went ahead and made the purchase. FWIW it is in excellent condition just like my other units.
 

Attachments

  • MR78 Front.jpg
    MR78 Front.jpg
    44.8 KB · Views: 102
  • MR78 Top.jpg
    MR78 Top.jpg
    58.1 KB · Views: 61
I appreciate the very good advice... For good or bad I ordered a box from McIntosh and went ahead and made the purchase. FWIW it is in excellent condition just like my other units.

Congratulations on your purchase.

Make certain the seller does NOT ship the tuner installed inside the cabinet.
 
It's amazing to me that even with the McIntosh box, so many people don't know how to use it correctly and therefore the piece gets smashed. I have had at least 5 people send a Mc piece to me either with the original Mc box or with a Mc supplied box, and they don't know how to pack it in there. Baffles the mind.
 
Indeed.

Cantilope,

Your seller should also be aware that a set of feet must be installed on the tuner prior to packaging the unit. The feet are absolutely necessary to hold the tuner in place against the lower plate otherwise it will slide about creating the perfect opportunity for damage.

Hopefully the feet will be enclosed in the box when it was ordered. Just make certain he puts the feet on!

Ideally the unit should also be bolted to the skid plate for the best protection but that's normally only necessary with the heavier amplifiers.
 
I appreciate the very good advice... For good or bad I ordered a box from McIntosh and went ahead and made the purchase. FWIW it is in excellent condition just like my other units.

FWIW, I would have done the same thing :thmbsp:
That's a fine hi-fi that you've got there. Enjoy.
 
The older boxes used to have a diagram printed on the inner box. Even still, people rarely follow it. I had SO many sellers get frustrated with me as I spelled out in plain English to them how I wanted them to pack the unit.

The last piece of Mc I bought that was shipped to me was an MR75. The seller (a Mc dealer) tossed it into a Denon receiver box with minimal packing and shipped it. Thankfully, it arrived unscathed . . . I got SUPER lucky.
 
Neither me nor the seller want to see anything bad happen to this... can you point me to some directions on packing this up. Especially if there wont be any in the box. I'll try and look around myself this morning to see what I can find.

I spent some time with my C32 and MC2205 last night, just cannot get over how great it sounds. I am sure I wont regret buying this, McIntosh has yet to let me down.
 
Just saying: the layperson typically doesn't have much experience bolting 100 lb amplifiers to wood for shipping, y'all.
 
Back
Top Bottom