New amp for Altecs needed.

[aeyb701]

I'm listening to a CD of vintage DC-6 prop-liner sounds using a McIntosh MC2200 (200 wpc) with Autoformers (not sure if it's capitalized as I think the word may be proprietary to Mcintosh?) through 604-8K's in SH V-style cabs. It sounds rich, warm, and plenty of gut-punching bass. Can be had for 600-700 US on eBay most days of the week.
Last month same setup with rebuilt Scott 299C tube integrated (biased 7591 output tubes to 30 watts/channel dissipation) which also sounded wonderful; different in subtle ways but neither better nor worse overall. Such an amp, with replaced under-chassis capacitors and a new silicone bias supply rectifier (to replace the supposedly failure-prone OEM germanium one)500-600 USD on EBay.
Often the MAC1900 SS receiver shows up for 400 or so on eBay-a very stable and smooth sounding 55 wpc performer from the mid 70's, with the best tuner section of ANY receiver I've ever had.
The Sansui 9090DB is an excellent choice sound-wise, and quite reasonable ( I researched it a while back).
The Sansui AU-717 Integrated is usually a bargain on eBay at 85 wpc and one of their nicest sounding amps just before their lamented downturn in quality in the early 80's.

---digression here---
Anybody remember when "WKRP" did a live remote at Del's Discount Stereo-names like Yakasoni, Sansuchi, Vibertone...?

Also checkout Audiogon.

Hope that helps,
Jon Archibald
PS I've also used them with my A-7 (retuned port opening to about 75 sq inches for lower bass cutoff) with fine results.
Will soon try one or more of the above amps with an A-5 variant (804B horns, 288-8L drivers, N12018A or N801-8a networks and 515-8G woofs in 828 cabs)

[DaveCan]

If you do a search at Decware for Eli Duttman (amp building guru), he really digs the Hybrid amps.. I couldn't remember which brand he linked before that he likes , it could be Van Alstein but not sure.. Also check out Jim McShane's stuff for some highly regarded rebuilt classics http://pages.prodigy.net/jimmcshane/ If your like me ,and not really electronically gifted, get ready for a brain melt when reading Eli's post's lol, same with Eddie Vaughn.. Those dudes know their stuff!!

Dave

[Nipper]

Some of you seem fearless of old or used amps..... Is my concern unfounded?

Not to hijack my own thread but how long can an amp last?

I know this is a loaded question but...
If you were to purchase an older Sansui amp what would you do or have done to it to insure its reliability? I realize any of them could go poof anytime but it seems a new unit would be my best bet.

Where does one find someone who is a master at rebuilding 35 year old equipment? If you find this person, will they be able to get parts?

[GM]

I'm listening to a CD of vintage DC-6 prop-liner sounds using a McIntosh MC2200 (200 wpc) with Autoformers (not sure if it's capitalized as I think the word may be proprietary to Mcintosh?)

I don't see how they could with the term 'auto-former' (AKA auto-transformer) since it's been used as long as big electric motors have been around to start them off at reduced voltage.

GM

[GM]

Thank you all again.

Maybe a McIntosh MA2275 Integrated tube amp would do the trick.

Has anyone actually gotten a dealer to loan you an amp to try?

I would make me deathly ill to spend 4k on an amp and find out I didnt think it was great.

I know the speakers do the talking but mine change drastically with different amps.

1. Sansui AU-9500 integrated amp, a Sansui 9090 receiver and a Pioneer SX1010 receiver.

3. A newer Sony ES (something) receiver. I didnt care for this at all.

You're welcome!

You want reliable and considering tubes?!

I never had any trouble getting demo components with just my charge card on record, though sometimes the unit would be a floor demo, so couldn't get it just any time. I haven't done it since '96 IIRC, so things may be different now. WRT Mac, I remember I could buy new and swap up-down with no penalty within some time frame (30 days?), but don't recall whether there was a return policy or not.

I hear ya about prices, in the early '70s we sold my wife's pristine '64 Ford Falcon Sprint convertible that we kept as a spare car for a down-payment on a MC2300.

Right, the amp's topology and how it interacts with the speaker's impedance can have a profound effect on its sonic character.

Yeah, some of those Sansui, Pioneer, etc. units were quite good as they wanted to get some respect with the high end crowd and buy a piece of it with lower pricing, but it didn't work, so after awhile they really cheapened them up to hold prices during the high inflation that followed a few years later.

I haven't auditioned any Sony audio and very little video gear since the mid '70s that I wanted, though I did buy a DVD player ~6 years ago based on a recommendation from someone I trusted and have no complaints except for being a bit 'bright' sounding like all their audio gear I've auditioned over ~the last 25 yrs..

Anyway, none of this changes my recommendation.

GM

[Nipper]

You're welcome!

You want reliable and considering tubes?!

Thats a great question GM!
I wanted to keep things civil. I need advice here and dont want to start any flame wars or make enemies by asking something like that. We both know that would start an argument.

I see a lot of really old tube amps still around and ASSUMED it was because they were.

But... I suspect some of you guys with this older equipment are electronic technicians who could probably build their own amps. This is exactly why I am asking here. Some salesmen will tell you anything to close a deal. Technicians know what is really going on. I couldn't fix one if my life depended on it. There are a lot of nice old cars running around too but in most cases their owners are mechanics. I can be honest... I'm not qualified, its just a passion.

GM... your original recommendation is good with me. I cant find one in stock within 200 miles. I need to figure out how to get one here to try or at least hear before I spend that kind of $$. Local (and only) Mc Intosh dealer here does not stock much. The only integrated they have is a floor model MA6900. They will understandably only order one for me.