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McIntosh binding post

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clear_energy

New Member
I own a pair of 1.2KW mono blocks and find the binding posts to be of low quality. You just can't seem to get a good tight crimp with a spades connection and the 2,4,8ohm posts are too close together to tighten with pliers or a tool even thought there are tightening teeth on the posts themselves. For a pair of $25K mono blocks you'd think McIntosh would just get it over with and use WBT or Levinson high quality binding posts instead of the current application.

Does anyone know of good aftermarket binding posts that would work better than the OEM ones? They would have to bolt on as the current OEM ones do not require any soldering per the pic I have supplied. I took the bottom metal floor plate off and they would be easy to replace but need the right ones. Some audiophiles even say better binding posts can improve the sound.

Another issue - why is the bottom metal floor plate perforated with fin holes? The units dissipate plenty of heat from the top so I don't understand why holes on the bottom floor plate. This prevents owners of purchasing high quality aftermarket micropoint or triplepoint Mapleshade brass footers. You can use threaded but triplepoint and especially micropoint sound better than threaded. A terrible design, I guess threaded footers are tons better than the OEM plastic feet though at a minimal. You can get away with doing it on some components but not 160 lb. monos.

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Sorry to hijack, but does anyone know if the binding posts on the MC275 MKV are also connected this way (non-soldered). I have the plastic hex binding posts which came off early production of the MKV and would like to swap them out for the all-metal ones.
 
Those look like good jacks to me. But seeing as they bolt to the chassis, I think you could easily replace them with WBT or whatever. Stupid question. On the 500 preamp you have... where are the controls?
 
A wrench will not work. The outside part you tighten has teeth for something to grap like a pair of pliers. A wrench would only work with a bolt, there's only a bolt on the inside to dis-assemble the entire post. Why the heck would Mac put teeth on its binding post if you can't even grab it with pliers because the other post are too close to each other? A lousy set-up. :sigh:

As for the hijacker of the MC275, it is soldered - you would have to take it to a professional or mail the unit to Binghamton.
 
Hi
The binding post on McIntosh looks like WBT too me, just a wild guess. Don't have any problems with them.
About the footers, it don't improve the sound a bit. If it is brass or any other material. Just my opinion.
Thanks
 
Sometimes I wonder if anyone at McIntosh (the factory) actually tries to use the equipment they build -- or simply leave managing the obvious design flaws and oversights to their dealers (who usually don't have a clue, and defend some of this nonsense with the same arrogance as the factory!)

OK, rant over :yes: I would not, on principal, modify McIntosh or similarly high-priced equipment, IF there is a satisfactory workaround; as there seems to be in this case.

First make sure to check the nuts on the inside end of each binding post are tight. Locking banana plugs that accept large spade connectors is what you want. Although, if your cables won't be disturbed a lot, you can get away with high quality, but less expensive non-locking types.

WBT and Eichmann and many other make high quality examples:
http://www.thecablepro.com/cableDetail.php?cID=107&cgID=1

Here is how I used the really terrific (i.e. sturdy and stay put!) non-locking PS Audio adaptors: http://audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=102809

Footers are basically mechanical diodes (they let vibration drain away in one direction but not return in the opposite direction.) I agree with McTwins, not much help under amps and non-moving-parts equipment. However, for amplifiers with large power transformers -- especially tube amplifiers with large power transformers -- it's not a bad idea to use a resonance absorber. And though I think McIntosh power transformers are probably the most mechanically inert on the planet :yes: I nevertheless have my MC275 on Stillpoints. I replaced the plastic feet with the (similarly threaded) Stillpoint cups and just set the unit on the Stillpoints. No muss, no fuss! At the very least, they allow more cooling air to get into the bottom of the amp :thmbsp:
 
Also to the OP, why don't you use a socket, extension and rachet to tighten. Any good audiophile has a 1/4" 3/8" rachet set. How do you mount your phono cartridges without one?
 
Whatever happened to zip cord and screw type binding posts?...lol... Crimp a spade on your 14 gage wires , snug then with a flat blade to the amp and viola...musical sounds...!


I had to say it..sorry..:music:

Thanks, Phil
 
Sir.Byrd said:
I'll echo my last post... why not terminate your speaker wires in :banana: plugs?
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Because he wont be able to tighten the bananas to the wire tight enough and the connection wont be as firm at the amps binding post as well...I'm guessing..


007
 
nsgarch said:
Footers are basically mechanical diodes (they let vibration drain away in one direction but not return in the opposite direction.)
Click to expand...

I've got to disagree with you on this one. Just because a footer looks like a diagram of a diode, it doesn't follow that it works that way. Diodes don't restrict the flow of energy directionally because of their shape; they restrict the flow because of their electrical properties.
 
carbonman said:
I've got to disagree with you on this one. Just because a footer looks like a diagram of a diode, it doesn't follow that it works that way. Diodes don't restrict the flow of energy directionally because of their shape; they restrict the flow because of their electrical properties.
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Graham, I used the term "mechanical diode" metaphorically, not literally :yes:
 
The binding post on Mcintosh amps looks like a Connex model. I am ordering some Vampire copper post to see how they fit. You could use a binding post wrench to really tighten the Vampire post. They should fit. I ordered a single binding post from Mcintosh so that I can see them side by side before I pull anything apart.
 

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clear_energy said:
I own a pair of 1.2KW mono blocks and find the binding posts to be of low quality. You just can't seem to get a good tight crimp with a spades connection and the 2,4,8ohm posts are too close together to tighten with pliers or a tool even thought there are tightening teeth on the posts themselves. For a pair of $25K mono blocks you'd think McIntosh would just get it over with and use WBT or Levinson high quality binding posts instead of the current application.



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WBT informs me that there post match the exact thread pitch and count as the Mcintosh binding post. The mounting holes are also the same size. Any of the WBT post would be easy to fit.
 
That wrench should work well with the Vampire post. WBT and the stock Mcintosh post can only be hand tightened.
 
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