McIntosh MT10 Turntable

Clear Audio does make a table with similar performance to the MT10 which of course is in the same price range. Turntable design is all about materials used and distributing resonances so the construction of the table does not reinforce specific resonant frequencies. The construction of the MT10 is very good in this respect and much care was taken in materials used and dampening of the same. When you play a record the goal is to pick up the music vibrations from the LP grove not the turntable vibrating.
If any of you have not looked at the Ceramic / magnetic platter bearing used in MT5 and MT10 it is a brilliant design. The chassis and platter have opposing neo magnets that repel each other so the platter floats off of the chassis. This eliminates the platter thrust bearing that is used on all conventional designs. Since the thrust bearing is air no noise can be generated. If you push down on the MT5/10 platter you will see that it feels like it is on a spring which it is, a spring of magnetic levitation.

McIntosh did not make any secret of partnering with Nakamichi on the MCD205 and MCD7008. These were very popular players that are cherished to this day. The Music Bank system works well to meet the needs of many. It was a big step up from plastic solutions used in other five disk players of the era.

Thanks again,
Ron-C

BITD, my local dealer was quick to point out that the MCD7008 was based on the Nakamichi Music Bank technology, even before they took delivery of their first unit - they were proud to tell customers this!

My biggest frustration with this hobby is how here say turns into the gospel so quickly. The old saying is, "Believe nothing of what you hear and half of what you see."

I think it's a major disservice to companies like McIntosh to come into a forum like this one and disparage a product with nothing more than speculation and opinion (the words "McIntosh tax" offend me as they should any loyal McIntosh owner - especially when it turns out to be unfounded). Sure, I absolutely enjoy a debate about why one product may be better suited for an application than another but this is totally different.

I suggest that if you have questions about a particular product from any company, that you first ask some questions. There are many knowledgeable folks in this forum. If you don't get the answers you're looking for, then you may choose to visit your local dealer with the same questions.

In this case, Ron-C was able to quickly and easily share factual information with us. McIntosh as a company has always been proud of their accomplishments and never chosen to hide anything from its customers. I have stacks and stacks of McIntosh product brochures (dating back to the '70s) at which they share intimate details of the product. I for one applaud their efforts.

damacman said:

BITD, my local dealer was quick to point out that the MCD7008 was based on the Nakamichi Music Bank technology, even before they took delivery of their first unit - they were proud to tell customers this!

My biggest frustration with this hobby is how here say turns into the gospel so quickly. The old saying is, "Believe nothing of what you hear and half of what you see."

I think it's a major disservice to companies like McIntosh to come into a forum like this one and disparage a product with nothing more than speculation and opinion (the words "McIntosh tax" offend me as they should any loyal McIntosh owner - especially when it turns out to be unfounded). Sure, I absolutely enjoy a debate about why one product may be better suited for an application than another but this is totally different.

I suggest that if you have questions about a particular product from any company, that you first ask some questions. There are many knowledgeable folks in this forum. If you don't get the answers you're looking for, then you may choose to visit your local dealer with the same questions.

In this case, Ron-C was able to quickly and easily share factual information with us. McIntosh as a company has always been proud of their accomplishments and never chosen to hide anything from its customers. I have stacks and stacks of McIntosh product brochures (dating back to the '70s) at which they share intimate details of the product. I for one applaud their efforts.

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Yeah, I don't take crap on the internet so personally I guess. Especially not about my choices in electronics. I wrote a very favorable review of the MC601s because such info wasn't widely available from a *personal* perspective rather than fluff pieces in the usual suspect audio publications. I have some very positive things to say about the C2300 as well. Yet, I feel that subjects are treated with kid gloves here and I'm not afraid to call any company out if I feel there is a possibility that whatever I believe to be the case might be. That's the whole point of discussion forums in the first place. This is precisely why it's so difficult to get answers in places like the Apple support forums. Any dissenting opinion is quashed, factual or not. If McIntosh chooses to have their own forums they are welcome to silence anyone however they wish. Also, it isn't written anywhere that any particular member is the bible of information for a particular brand. So if I believe something is a certain way, you can damn well bet I am going to ask the question however I wish to do so. That's why it was posed as a question and not as a fact in the first place, but a question educated by the other information I had already dug up.

So it has proven not to be the case (at least on the surface. I am also not going to call out others who have posted their info as outright liars, either, as that would be disrespectful. And that includes Indy). And again, no one refuted any of this before, but I bring it up and I get the sharp end of the axe pointed my direction. Oh well. We move on.

Some sources: http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threa...-its-sounding-good.292490/page-2#post-7937332

Spoke to Martin at Clearaudio this morning regarding cartridge manufacturing in Erlangen, i.e., is it all in-house R&D & are any of the cartridge assemblies purchased off site & used in cartridge construction/packagaing.

He informed me they do all R&D, manufacturing & construction in-house and use NO parts from outside vendors, i.e, Japanese Denon, etc.

Again, he confirmed McIntosh receives the top 10% of all tested Talisman cartridges for the MT10 (MT10-5).

Hope this puts that puppy to rest.:agree:

Best

Bob

P.S.1. McIntosh sends them the front glass face from NY & they use it when completing the build. McIntosh receives the sealed boxes containing the MT10 (MT10-5) from Clearaudio & does nothing to them, except send it to dealers.

P.S.2. He believes the only difference betwen a MT10 launched initially and the newer MT10-5 is the V2 Talisman. Wasn't 100% sure if something inside the massive base (platform) was tweaked (resistor, cap changed, etc).

P.S.3. It was a pleasure speaking to him again -- last contact was 4 years ago. He said he remembered us speaking 4 years ago at which time the MT10 was in its infancy. Told me to stop by for a tour & lunch (or anyone in the area visiting).

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http://atane.tumblr.com/post/5482601271/the-mcintosh-mt10-turntable-i-believe-it-is-a

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showpost.php?p=6400335&postcount=12

Is it basically just a clearaudio with metal wrapped around it?

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Even some just within the past couple of days...

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?p=8081359&posted=1#post8081359

After lurking here and wanting a Mc system for, well basically, my whole life - I broke down and did it. MC302, C2500, running BW 802ds. Sources right now are a buddy's old turntable while the MT5 is on back order (acknowledging all of the negative comments on this board about them, but I'm excited and it sounded damn good to me!)

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http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showpost.php?p=8080370&postcount=58

McIntosh are known for their amps and preamps. Their turntables are made by Clearaudio and I guess their MM phono stages didn't improve much since C2200, which phono stage, as I posted above, is "less than stellar", which in the audiophile language means "crap".

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Have to wonder where all of these opinions (and the first one certainly sounds much more like a factual statement) came from. Certainly the platter is probably the biggest giveaway to that effect. I won't even make a big discussion about the fact that there is a huge aire of mcintosh charging high prices for things in that MT5 thread.

But hey what do I know. I'm just here to spread un-researched misinformation and hurt feelings.

^ Now that I'm re-reading some of those statements, I see one VERY important detail in "cool beans'" post. He says McIntosh ships them the faceplate which they use when *completing* the build. Not that they add the faceplate to a Champion table. So it is in fact (according to that) a clearaudio piece with the Mac faceplate added to it, and Clearaudio does the other casework different than the rest of their tables. Potentially. So even that info is not as wrong as I thought it was with Ron's clarification.

As for the thing about the MusicBank. That's certainly my bad. Hell I wasn't visiting Mac dealers in 1995 as I would only have been a young pup at that point. If they were utilizing the MusicBank branding as a selling point then that's great. I respect that. Their disc players have not been historically their best products, regardless.

play - I think you and I could better serve AK if we agree to disagree here. Also, I believe you'll find the depth of knowledge in this forum in regards to all things Mc is 2nd to none. I can't tell you how much I've learned. Take advantage of it.

Now direct me to a thread that will tell me more about that interesting unit in your avatar.

damacman said:

play - I think you and I could better serve AK if we agree to disagree here. Also, I believe you'll find the depth of knowledge in this forum in regards to all things Mc is 2nd to none. I can't tell you how much I've learned. Take advantage of it.

Now direct me to a thread that will tell me more about that interesting unit in your avatar.

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Fair enough. I like you and have always respected your posts. I have no bone to pick with you. It's when I'm the most enthusiastic about things that I do things that are interpreted as being abrasive. My fault.

The unit in my avatar is the Yamaha CX-10000 preamp that goes with the MX-10000 amp and CDX-10000 CD player (and also a turntable that is rarer than hen's teeth). These are all part of the Centennial Series that Yamaha put out in 1987 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the company, and if I'm not mistaken IN 1987 the cost for each piece was around 7 to 10,000.00. Performance from everything I have seen was *absolutely* commensurate with the asking price. But being from a mainstream electronics company I would be willing bet some guys out there probably stole some as B stock or demo models that sat around at that time.

To me, as a fan of a lot of Japanese design themes and quality, it stands as the best testament to what Japan was producing at this time in history. "Hi-Fi" was an absolute understatement in my opinion. This unit had parametric EQs, LCD displays and even a digital input... way back in 1987. The sides were gorgeous wood.

The accompanying amplifier was capable of a true 200w/p ch output and is equally gorgeous. I'll see if I can dig up some threads, but that's the jist of it mostly.

Wow! Is that your unit? I have a CDX-900U from that era and it still works and sounds great.

damacman said:

Wow! Is that your unit? I have a CDX-900U from that era and it still works and sounds great.

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I wish.

Now there is an expense I can never justify no matter how much I'd like to. The last complete set of the amp, preamp and CD player that sold on Ebay, gone through by Northern California's Yamaha official service center and consigned for their customer by them, went for 12000.00. :sigh:

The MT10 may be made by Clearaudio for McIntosh but it is not just a rebadged Clearaudio table. I have seen the MT10 in person and I own a Clearaudio Avantgarde magnum turntable. The Avantgarde Magnum sold for $6,000 without a cartridge back in 2009. Plus the Clearaudio speed controller is an additional $1,500. Add a faceplate, a blue meter, a cartridge, inflation and now the MT10 is a deal.

Then mine was a bargain.

How about looking at this type of scenario in reverse? How well would a McIntosh MX113 Preamp Tuner work with today's turntables?