Mac MC7150
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New member Username: ChrisgwdCalifornia Post Number: 10 Registered: Aug-06 | Jan, Anyone? I am thinking of picking up a Mac MC7150 to add into my system. It would replace an Adcom amp and run the main channels in my system with a MC7106 powering the surrounds and center. Speakers are older M&Ks. I am looking at also replacing the M&Ks with either B&W or Sonus Faber sometime. Any comments on the MC7150? Is mac just mac? Any issues with this model? Thanks, Chris PS - I know there are Mac bashers out there. I just really like their sound. Some big blue meters would also add a nice touch to my system. |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 5695 Registered: Feb-05 | Not many Mac bashers here.... Go for it, it would be an order of magnitude improvement over the Adcom. Jan will likely be here soon to comment. |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 9343 Registered: Dec-04 | CG, mac is mac. That model is not high in the list, so far as I have seen, but still runs like a Mac. |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittIrvington, New York USA Post Number: 2322 Registered: May-05 | Ever hear a bad Mac? Neither have I. |
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Platinum Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 11808 Registered: May-04 | . CG - Plenty of reasons why you should buy the amplifier. Do you have any reason to think you shouldn't? |
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Bronze Member Username: ChrisgwdCalifornia Post Number: 11 Registered: Aug-06 | Thanks guys... The only reason is...I am only going to buy one Mac Amp...is this the one? I think I have a fair price on what seems to be an amp in exceptional condition. It's at the low end of the power range I was looking at (150-250 WPC). I don't see much chatter about this model number, so I am just doing a little due diligence. Thanks again guys. |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 9345 Registered: Dec-04 | CG, the amp will give you what you put into it. The input voltage is only 1.4v, so you might want to be careful of what your preamp puts out. There is the usual front mounted gain, however, so there is still some flexibility. 150w is a lot of power, and 60 lbs does put this amp in the smaller end of Mac stuff, but it is rated in typical Mac fashion and will deliver that power into 2,4 or 8 ohms.It doesn't care about the speaker load too much. Nice. |
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Platinum Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 11809 Registered: May-04 | . I think it's safe to assume Mac is Mac in this case. |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 9349 Registered: Dec-04 | yup. |
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Bronze Member Username: ChrisgwdCalifornia Post Number: 12 Registered: Aug-06 | OK guys, any guess on how much improvement I will notice in the mains or two channel mode? I am currently powering these channels with 2 of the 100Wpc outputs of my Mac MC7106. The Adcom is powering the two rear channels of a 7.1 theater system. I will push the MC7106 around to those and power the mains with the MC7150. |
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Platinum Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 11811 Registered: May-04 | . "OK guys, any guess on how much improvement I will notice in the mains or two channel mode?" 67.53% . |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 9363 Registered: Dec-04 | CG, do you have a SACD? Or is this a HT? |
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Bronze Member Username: ChrisgwdCalifornia Post Number: 13 Registered: Aug-06 | No SACD. I tried to put together a HT system that performs well as a 2 channel system within my budget. Right now I am upgrading the Amps. I figure they are pretty much timeless. Next I'll work on upgrading speakers and sources. |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 9369 Registered: Dec-04 | CG, I don't know your budget, but yes, Mac amps are very seldom a bad nvestment, as you have seen from the asking prices going around. But, if you are working towards a 2 channel/flex kit, that is a hard and expensive way to go. I ditched the 5.1 quite a while ago, and focused on the 2ch Classe setup. Classe ain't Mac or vise versa,but the cash is the same, a solid idea of where you want to go and what you want to hear is a good starting point before the line of credit gets whipped out. Just my .02. I have burned a lot of cash on this hobby, and hope the experience I have can help someone else avoid the same traps. Focus on the result, know where you want to go, and then make it happen. You have my apologies ahead of time if this note seems inappropriate. |
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Bronze Member Username: ChrisgwdCalifornia Post Number: 14 Registered: Aug-06 | Nuck, No worries. That's why I posted here for advice. The nice thing about this Amp is that I could abandon the flex approach and still use the amp. BTW guys, you convinced me. I bought it today. Shipping from Texas in a few days. Thanks Guys, Chris |
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Silver Member Username: Mike3Wylie, Tx USA Post Number: 907 Registered: May-06 | I suppose that makes all the sense in the world since I had my MAC shipped from California.  |
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Bronze Member Username: ChrisgwdCalifornia Post Number: 15 Registered: Aug-06 | Jan, Nuck, What do you guys like for speakers? Just curious, it may be my next upgrade. Chris |
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Platinum Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 11823 Registered: May-04 | . I built my own to replace the one's that were thirty years old so I'm not the one to ask. Generally, I like cheap speakers that don't sound it. |
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Bronze Member Username: ChrisgwdCalifornia Post Number: 16 Registered: Aug-06 | Jan, Don't get me started...I researched doing that about 15 years ago. It sounds like a fun project. I have Electrical Engineering degrees from RPI on the East coast and Stanford and I love to tinker. My tinkering ideas far outstrip my free time and this is only one of my expensive hobbies. |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 9392 Registered: Dec-04 | CG, Mike here is into Anthony Gallo ref 3.1a speakers, and I was a breath away from them as well. Not cheap, but not much they cannot do. With Mac power too! |
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Silver Member Username: Nickelbut10Post Number: 835 Registered: Jun-07 | Last Months Home Theater Mag gave the new Anthony Gallo speakers an amazing review. |
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Silver Member Username: Mike3Wylie, Tx USA Post Number: 915 Registered: May-06 | Thanks Nick, I will see if I can chase that down. Maybe I can find another gem like the Dave Grusin CD I discovered when I read the Stereophile review of the Gallos. |
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Silver Member Username: Nickelbut10Post Number: 837 Registered: Jun-07 | For sure. I will pull the magazine out tonight and post the actual model of them. They did a whole home theater setup with them. Looked sweet. |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittIrvington, New York USA Post Number: 2336 Registered: May-05 | "Generally, I like cheap speakers that don't sound it." Don't we all. Define "cheap" in your own terms. |
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Platinum Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 11827 Registered: May-04 | . "Define "cheap" in your own terms." Anything that's available in the checking account. The Hornets cost me less that $100 to buy and build. They ain't bad. The new subwoofer for the HT system cost me $138 and the cabinet will cost about $20 plus labor. I have an over abundance of amplifiers and crossovers so all I need is the driver and a cabinet. . |
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Bronze Member Username: ChrisgwdCalifornia Post Number: 17 Registered: Aug-06 | Jan, you just can't leave well enough alone, can you? laughing. OK, now I am curious. Can you point us at info your using to build these speakers? Chris |
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Silver Member Username: Nickelbut10Post Number: 839 Registered: Jun-07 | I would love to build my own speakers some day soon as well. |
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Silver Member Username: Nickelbut10Post Number: 843 Registered: Jun-07 | Michael Wodek- December Issue, page 114. Anthony Gallo Acoustics Reference AV Speaker System. Ranked in the High End Category, they scored: Build Quality : 95 Value : 93 Features : 94 Performance : 91 Ergonomics : 93 On Performance they said : "Its not just the spectacular treble detail, astonishing midrange presence, and powerful yet nimble bass; it's the way the TR-2 sub's sound so perfectly integrates that makes for a winning combination. OVERALL : 93 "A high-end home theater speaker that even die-hard audiophiles will love. The compact TR-2 sub-woofer reaches deep and still sounds great with music. The Gallo's round revolution rolls on." They also said they needed a few days break in to sound their best. |
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Platinum Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 11829 Registered: May-04 | . "Can you point us at info your using to build these speakers?" My main speakers are single driver, full range systems so they merely require placing a driver in an appropriate enclosure. In this case a transmission line system. http://search.yahoo.com/bin/search?fr=ybr_sbc&p=zigmahornets And I have to admit someone else did all the calculations for this system. My next step is to build a dipole version of this system. OK, two drivers ... uh ... oh, yeah, double the enclosure volume. Duh! My subwoofer(s) for this main system are currently in vented enclosures that only require determining the enclosure volume and port volume to get the low frequency extension desired. Once again the company producing the drivers had a basic scheme on their web page and there's only so many variations from the basic design that will give you the low frequency response you desire. The TS parameters provided with any driver you buy today will guide you towards what to build. So that's reasonably simple. These two drivers will eventually go into a quarter wave pipe - a variation of a transmission line - and TL's require simple math with a $10 calculator, a good saw and lots of joining and sealing products. This is a project that basically says, "draw a line between point 'X' and point '2' and then build that." Keep in mind what I'm building are individual systems, a full range main speaker and a dedicated subwoofer. I made an educated guess at whether the sub driver would sound balanced with the single driver main speakers and got lucky. But that combination is not a highstakes wager. Deciding which drivers to mate in one cabinet is far more difficult than what I'm doing. That's where the data bases and information on the web have made speaker building for the ameteur much more consistent in getting decent results than the process was not that many years ago. The new HT sub is a sealed enclosure which is the simplest of all speaker enclosures to "design" and build. Figure out the bass entension you desire and then plug the numbers into a basic formula to get the size of the enclosure you require. Go build a box. So, I'm in no way a speaker designer. Certainly not in the league of Tim Forman or the guys who hang out at http://www.diyaudio.com/ Simple crossovers are just that, simple. That doesn't mean the speaker will sound good by using simple formulas. You can buy speaker building programs that start at a few dollars and go to a few hundred dollars for more advanced knowledge bases. There are quite a few freeware programs available. Martin King's MathCad program gives what I consider too much information for the beginner but is a program Tim has used quite often and I think is pretty much what was used to set the final design of the Ling. Rather than me giving places to go for information, I would suggest you just place "diy loudspeakers" into a search engine and start looking. What you want to build will determine what you might need as an information system. There are numerous kits that have the projects worked out in advance and they really provide a good starting point for someone doing a first time diy. Actually screwing pieces in place is often a better learning tool than just reading about the stuff. I wish I could be more helpful but this is sort of like asking me to tell you where I learned all the audio stuff I know. I learned it by reading this and hearing that and putting 2 and 5 together. Where you want go with the knowledge is where you'll have to look. Place "raw loudspeakers" or some such in a search engine to find driver manufacturers. They usually have plans for how to get the most from the designs and parts included on their web sites. http://www.creativesound.ca/pdf/SubDuction-plans-290307.pdf . |
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Silver Member Username: Mike3Wylie, Tx USA Post Number: 920 Registered: May-06 | Thanks Nick. P.S. Jan, I think I will stick with building ICs and speaker wire. LOL |
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Bronze Member Username: ChrisgwdCalifornia Post Number: 20 Registered: Aug-06 | Thanks guys again for your advice. Here's an update. I bought the MC7150. It was damaged by UPS even though it was double boxed. The seller refunded my money. I found an MC7300 at a fair price at a local stereo shop. Jan, does that mean I should hear more like a 304-305% improvement when I get it home and hooked up? Also, I am going to attempt to build some speakers. I am thinking of starting with a center channel: http://www.selahaudio.com/id14.html |
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Platinum Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 11892 Registered: May-04 | . 7300 - 7150 = 150% improvement. |
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Bronze Member Username: ChrisgwdCalifornia Post Number: 21 Registered: Aug-06 | OK, so how do I calculate the improvement from an MC7106 I am currently using for mains? 7106 to 7150 was 67.53% as I recall. Do I multiply or subtract? |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 9505 Registered: Dec-04 | You use your ears and your head, CG. Dump the #'s they don't mean a lot. Weight matters for Mac. More tar. |
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Bronze Member Username: ChrisgwdCalifornia Post Number: 22 Registered: Aug-06 | My ears are why I like Mac gear. The MC7300 does sound noticeably better in 2 channel. I am very happy with the purchase. I think a couple of the bulbs are out. Anyone ever looked into replacing them? I hear that difficulty varies model to model. How's the MC7300 for DIY bulb replacement? Can anyone point me at info? Thanks, Chris |
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Platinum Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 11894 Registered: May-04 | . For the most part, Mac is Mac. Looking for how much one amplifier improves upon another is a matter of how the system around the amplifier lets it work. If the speakers are difficult to drive, you'll require more power. If the speakers represent a simple load for the amplifier, the amount of watts can decrease. At lower volumes, with efficient speakers, most Mac amplifiers sound very much alike. Which is an eminently good thing. Mac has maintained their "sound" for decades; indicating a clear sense of what they believe their products should and should not do. Parts quality and CAD have improved Mac's quality, reliability and overall sound; but largely a McIntosh is a McIntosh. Other than the inherent differences between tubes and solid state, my forty five year old Mac tube amps don't sound that different when compared to a new McIntosh. That bothers some people and is a great sense of relief to others. Please remember Frank McIntosh was a Scotsman at heart. Remove the top cover to the amplifier. If the bulbs are easily replaced, they can be accessed through there. If not, I would advise letting a technician do the job as the glass face plate is somewhat fragile and is definitely costly if you chip or break it. . |
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Gold Member Username: Stu_pittIrvington, New York USA Post Number: 2366 Registered: May-05 | Chris, I grew up about 15 minutes away from RPI, in Watervliet. An interesting tidbit of useless information for you - Roger Russell, who was one of the chief engineers at McIntosh and probably had a significant part of designing your amp is an RPI alum. Anyway, I've seen that there are LED replacement bulbs for older Mac gear. They run cooler, reducing bubbling in the glass face plate, and last a lot longer. I can't remember where I saw them. Maybe eBay of all places? A Google search may bring them up. Also, Mac is a great source of information. Their techs are very customer friendly, and they can fix almost anything they've ever made. They're not cheap, but you definitely get what you pay for. |
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