What is it about McIntosh?

[Blumlein 88]

The sound. Starts getting grainy or usually something obvious like some distortion creeping in or a tube just fails. If that happens and all the tubes are many years old I just take it as a signal to replace all of them. (If I had a tube tester maybe I'd find some or all of them are still ok, but I can't be bothered).

You really need to get a tube tester. Maybe they do and I haven't seen it, but a good product might be a modern tube tester for some company to make. Otherwise, probably have to scrounge a bit or find one on ebay or something.

 

[Sal1950]

If I had a tube tester

Remember the days when every corner drugstore had them, and tubes for sale too.
There's a crap load for sale on ebay

 

[SIY]

You really need to get a tube tester. Maybe they do and I haven't seen it, but a good product might be a modern tube tester for some company to make. Otherwise, probably have to scrounge a bit or find one on ebay or something.

There's been a few of them out there, the Audiomatica Sofia is one that comes to mind. The old TV repairman sets are pretty crude but will let you find obvious failures. Where it gets tricky is determining if the victim fell or was pushed.

 

[Vacceo]

Erin is measuring some McIntosh gear, so soon we should get some actual numbers and talk a bit beyond the aesthetics.

 

[Aperiodic]

I thought you were making a joke. I checked, and then wished I hadn't. Best Buy. Good Grief. How things have changed.

It gets worse: They make car audio equipment now IIRC, so you can make your door panels and trunk vibrate with McIntosh style.
It's just another 'name' now.

 

[JP]

There's been a few of them out there, the Audiomatica Sofia is one that comes to mind. The old TV repairman sets are pretty crude but will let you find obvious failures. Where it gets tricky is determining if the victim fell or was pushed.

You ever play with the uTracer?

 

[SIY]

You ever play with the uTracer?

Nope. I think Morgan Jones has one and he likes it quite a bit.

 

[JP]

Nope. I think Morgan Jones has one and he likes it quite a bit.

I built the first version, measured a couple tubes, and then stopped playing with tube stuff . It worked a treat though. Reminds me I should sell the Triplett 3444A.

 

[Mr. Widget]

It gets worse: They make car audio equipment now IIRC, so you can make your door panels and trunk vibrate with McIntosh style.
It's just another 'name' now.

They have made car audio on and off since the mid 90s...

Car audio is a cash cow for the audio industry. My VW's Harman Kardon premium sound system and the other Harman brands of car audio have been keeping harman's R&D going for decades. It is also likely why many of Harman International's brands still exist. Having multiple brands gives them more brands to offer exclusive rights to the different auto makers.

 

[egellings]

The sound. Starts getting grainy or usually something obvious like some distortion creeping in or a tube just fails. If that happens and all the tubes are many years old I just take it as a signal to replace all of them. (If I had a tube tester maybe I'd find some or all of them are still ok, but I can't be bothered).

In the case of output tubes that are paralleled, you would want to replace them all when any of them wear out.

 

[Sal1950]

In the case of output tubes that are paralleled, you would want to replace them all when any of them wear out.

In matched pairs when possible.

 

[egellings]

In matched pairs when possible.

Agree.

 

[Vacceo]

It gets worse: They make car audio equipment now IIRC, so you can make your door panels and trunk vibrate with McIntosh style.
It's just another 'name' now.

I wouldn't mind Hypex or Purifi creating car variants of their amps, though...

 

[OldHvyMec]

It gets worse: They make car audio equipment now IIRC, so you can make your door panels and trunk vibrate with McIntosh style.
It's just another 'name' now.

Mcintosh did make automotive amps. I had a 1972 Pantera. I installed Mcintosh gear in. As far as I know it is still in the car
working well, in the Carmel area. I used Mcintosh on 4 or 5 installs. They were all larger Cat Excavators. They were all
in quarries.

Like many Mac product the quality was very good. The amps are still sought after and fairly easy to maintain.

I use class Ds in my rides now and have for a while. From a Pantera to a Toyota in only 40 years. I still like the 2003 Camry better.
Sure get better fuel milage.

18-22mpg unless you were going 100+ with a tail wind. Easy 30mpg. Good engines. 351cid (C) Pantera.

Regards

 

[Doodski]

Mcintosh did make automotive amps. I had a 1972 Pantera. I installed Mcintosh gear in. As far as I know it is still in the car
working well, in the Carmel area. I used Mcintosh on 4 or 5 installs. They were all larger Cat Excavators. They were all
in quarries.

Like many Mac product the quality was very good. The amps are still sought after and fairly easy to maintain.

I use class Ds in my rides now and have for a while. From a Pantera to a Toyota in only 40 years. I still like the 2003 Camry better.
Sure get better fuel milage.

18-22mpg unless you were going 100+ with a tail wind. Easy 30mpg. Good engines. 351cid (C) Pantera.

Regards

I think that 1972 Pantera is a wicked looking muscle car today and I can only imagine what it looked like to the general public in 1972!

 

[MattHooper]

In matched pairs when possible.

Yep. My input tubes (and spares) are matched and my spare power tubes are quad-matched.

I have enough back ups that my tubes will probably outlive me.

 

[Doodski]

Yep. My input tubes (and spares) are matched and my spare power tubes are quad-matched.

I have enough back ups that my tubes will probably outlive me.

You have a outlier nice powerful tube amp so collecting tubes for backup is not out of reason.

 

[mhardy6647]

I wouldn't mind Hypex or Purifi creating car variants of their amps, though...

What makes their current amps "non-car"?

 

[mhardy6647]

I think that 1972 Pantera is a wicked looking muscle car today and I can only imagine what it looked like to the general public in 1972!

Like a Mangusta wanna-be

 

[Vacceo]

What makes their current amps "non-car"?

I haven't seen any implementation of Hypex or Purifi amps on a car-specific amp.