Enviable Audio Dilemma

[giordana93]

Seeking advice from the all-knowing brain trust.
I don't know how to make long stories short, but will try: Always had music in my life, but usually lower end decent stuff (80s Infinity bookshelfs+mini-separates @20 honest watts/vintage Yamaha receiver), but before I left Cleveland in 2009 I had been searching estates for a find and stumbled on one shortly before heading back to New Orleans area where I am now. And what a find it was: all top-end McIntosh of circa 1982--MC2255 amp C33pre-amp, a crazy speaker relay/power cord and the 2 part speakers (fat woofer and midrange in 1 cabinet, 18 tweeter column array) that are too big for smallish house/partner not into hifi that is big and "ugly".

Luckily the preamp had its own 20wpc monitor that sounded better than anything I had ever heard and I got to use it a few times over the years, but the sheer mass of the amp and lack of speakers that remotely needed its 250wpc meant it, and eventually the preamp and speakers, sat unused for a decade. Empty nest now allows deployment but omg just getting the monster up the stairs told me it is time to sell or trade. None of them have seen a soldering iron, so I am counting on "untouched, ready for your restoration choices," along with the synergy of the system to help resale value--and for better or worse requiring that the speakers (whose woofers/mids need surrounds) be part of the sale. I have no intention of putting the amp in a shipping container and just want rid of the stuff in preparation of phase2 of retirement--getting the hell out of Louisiana, where no one in the family really set down roots in the Cleveland-New Orleans move. that's another story.

So the questions in all this:
1. recommended places for sell/trade. I know of Audiogon, I would love to trade a collector for something that fills my needs of amp/pre-amp/DAC/speakers (have never owned a subwoofer) for mostly 2.1 audio in a/b or multizone, etc. Or cash sale. I know it will be tough requiring local pick up and include the speakers, but think it will be worth waiting for someone to take the "system synergy" thing seriously. This particular amp is super collectible and the pre is no slouch.

2. why not start another "please spend my money on audio gear" thread?
seriously, we went Sonos 20 years ago so have been streaming (mp3-quality) for a while. I want my soundstage back. Speaking of which, I did fire the Mac amp/pre and it turned what I considered to be fairly mediocre 90s Acoustic Research (HO 208) into angels with depth. I had never heard anything like it listening to my local NPR station's classical channel (now only on HD channel2, gone from public air). HO-LY crap. 2 weeks earlier I had sampled a pair of Sennheiser 'phones my son had gotten for gaming--AMZ effed up order and sent a nicer pair--anyway, listening to Tidal, even through Bluetooth, I heard sounds that had never existed in previous listening sessions (1000's). I still wasn't quite ready for what that MC2255 poured out at about 20-25% output. I would need hearing protection above that, but for the first time I experienced soundstage and dynamic range. full stop. now I need something I can move in a couple years, and not take the full bed of a 90s hatchback!..... so starting from scratch: where do you start?

[rec head]

Where do you start? You start with posting pics!

[giordana93]

I thought that might be borderline sollicitation but will do. It is drop dead gorgeous to me. Clearly eye of the beholder, though

[giordana93]

IMG-1574.jpgIMG-1575.jpgIMG-1576.jpgIMG-1578.jpgIMG-1577.jpgIMG-1581.jpg

[rec head]

If you were a bit more local to Chicago I'd like to talk. I just made a system for a "I don't want a sound system" type.

[giordana93]

that stuff is gorgeous. I was always a tinkerer with electronics; grandad was an electrician and I definitely have an affinity for that kind of stuff. Enough to be tempted to do some diy stuff, although not going to try my hand on vintage McIntosh as a learning project. Wouldn't quite say I fall into the "don't want a sound system" type; more like, it is time to get this stuff serviced and re-capped, etc, and there is literally not a single authorized service location in the 250 mile search radius from my house, which in itself is kinda crazy. And the amp lists at 82 lbs; if it weren't for the very valuable glass faceplate I might be more inclined to move it around but that, and the big speakers, have me in the mood to explore options.

[darkmother]

Wow, that is really some cool equipment you have there. Who makes the drivers in the studio monitors?

I can understand your desire to downsize though. I used to enjoy building my own speakers, and I ended up with some very large heavy and imposing creations that held my living room hostage. It was a bit of a relief when someone local to me took them off my hands.

[giordana93]

using these pretty pics as excuse to bump this one to the top... I was curious about the amp in this. care to share anything about parts & configuration?
would also be interested in keeping discussion of modern separates or integrated amp/pre-amps going. Anyone have good experience with class D ? I am definitely intrigued by the stuff by Schiit; amps seem to be class A.... anyway

If you were a bit more local to Chicago I'd like to talk. I just made a system for a "I don't want a sound system" type.

[rec head]

This is the amp https://www.parts-express.com/Dayton...434?quantity=1

I'm OK with soldering and mechanically doing electronics things but any further than that and I'm looking for help. I used the recommended power supply. It has adjustable voltage and I turned it to the lowest setting to help limit the overall output from the amp because it gets really loud at 9 o'clock on the dial. Both sets of these speakers/amps combos that I did are for streaming sources and we mostly use bluetooth. Everyone that has heard them has loved them. So while not an "audiophile" amp they are very nice.

I listed my main gear above and I'm using a lot of class D amps. My stereo listening and home theater are the same gear and with a 15 channel setup the size of class D amps was part of the consideration.

My hearing is bad enough that I'm not perfectionist. I'm a fairly good listener in the frequencies I can hear but sadly they don't go very high. I did that listening test that NPR did a few years ago and scored pretty high by noting the detail in the bass. Hah!I just looked it up and it was more than a few years. Damn I'm old. https://www.npr.org/sections/thereco...-audio-quality

[Peter Polack]

So the questions in all this:
1. recommended places for sell/trade....

1. Contact McIntosh direct for suggestions, or look for a McIntosh web forum or Facebook page. I'm a member of another audio group that has a "Garage Sale" sub forum. Word gets spread and items get sold. Aficionados are willing to travel considerable distances for desirable components.

2. why not start another "please spend my money on audio gear" thread?...

2. You live with a simple, movable system until AFTER you've left Louisiana and settled elsewhere. No need to worry about filling the bed of your truck. Once you've reestablished yourself, then buy new.

Or put the McIntosh system into the storage of a kind friend or relative until you find your new home.