McIntosh Goodness From Scratch

[Rosinante]

I am guessing there is a premium for originality. In other words, you pay for the "McIntosh" nameplate. An MC-anything goes for upwards of $5000. I'm guessing a guy could commission a clone-build for $3000.

Discuss.

[20to20]

My next project will be my first, and I barely understand volts, amps and watts.

Your starting point is very, very much like mine was about a year ago. I saw a photo of a 275 and I was taken by its glory. Then I saw how much one was goiing for and I bought a Dynaco ST-70 instead and took the plunge into learning about tube amps. I had prior training in electronics and 'tricity and have tuned up old radios but getting into the history of old classic tube amps and the amps from old console stereos has really been a fun ''expedition.'' But I've found it's too easy to get caught up in an idea and find out it won't turn out the way you expect. Put everything on paper before you spend a lot of money. It's very hard to seperate the need to know how an amp works from the amp ''kit" / results when you have to troubleshoot what seems like a problem. Satisfaction is NOT guaranteed.

[M Gregg]

Nostalgia is a strange thing.
I wonder if anyone has built a Mac that is “good” sounding.
I must admit I find it strange ( I like the old wax smell of vintage gear)

[20to20]

Originally Posted by M Gregg

Nostalgia is a strange thing.
I wonder if anyone has built a Mac that is “good” sounding.
I must admit I find it strange ( I like the old wax smell of vintage gear)

A set Radio-Electronics magazines from 1958-1961 is a genuine time machine. Stories about the ''new'' tubes. Circuits explained. All the kits for everything you wanted. The future sucks.

[Rosinante]

Originally Posted by 20to20

The future sucks.

I am 53 years old. Had a fantastic childhood and a wonderful adult life, but I'm starting to get tired and I DON'T like some of the changes I see. At some point in the next few decades, I will check out. Willingly. I feel sorry for my kids.

[20to20]

Originally Posted by Rosinante

I am 53 years old. Had a fantastic childhood and a wonderful adult life, but I'm starting to get tired and I DON'T like some of the changes I see. At some point in the next few decades, I will check out. Willingly. I feel sorry for my kids.

...and now we have a smartphone with ''SURROUND SOUND"!!! Tomorrow we get a HD / 3-D Ipod that will store all of our medical data and transmit it in the background to all the insurance companies because we ''agreed'' to the usage policy on F***B**k.

[Yvesm]

Originally Posted by Rosinante

I am guessing there is a premium for originality. In other words, you pay for the "McIntosh" nameplate. An MC-anything goes for upwards of $5000. I'm guessing a guy could commission a clone-build for $3000.

Discuss.

Probably some guys posting here could be able to do that but . . . I suspect they are more interrested in new design than copying an old (as good as it can be) one.

About cars, some guys are probably able to rebuid a "Citroën Traction Avant" (I name this one because I'm French) from the scratch but would they do ? And if yes at which price for something that will stay a copy ?

Yves.

[tryonziess]

Rosinante,
One of the nice things about the Mac amps is the output transformer lets you dial in the impedance of your speakers. If you have this information on hand before you build you can get output transformers which are not multi-filar wound and will drive just the speaker load you need. You may still want Bi-filar windings. This will save money. Also, the early units were Point to Point assembled without complex PCB's which makes diy even easier. If you can get a good legible schematic and a chassis the correct size all of the other components are rather common. You will also have access to superior capacitors, wire, tube sockets, resistors.

You should be able to construct a very high quality Mcintosh clone, will not be cheap, that surpasses you own expectations. Much attention to detail, ask questions here and choose you components very carefully. Also, follow all of the basic practices when routing power and signal wires.

This is a fabulous hobby and very rewarding. Tad

[smoking-amp]

Search DIYaudio for Norman Crowhurst's "Twin-Coupled Amplifier". Probably a few threads here. Same thing as Mac, but using ordinary off the shelf output transformers. Several magazine articles online too. Then you can decide whether to go whole hog for the $$$$ Mac OT, or stick with the Twin-Coupled, or even disassemble it for parts and make ordinary amps using the Twin-C OTs.

[Rosinante]

Thanks. At this point I am like the 4 year-old asking "why, why?" Simple questions need asking, sometimes. In the meantime, I will be addressing my general electronics ignorance problem.