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  #51  
Old 01-29-2023, 01:25 PM
Porsche993TT Porsche993TT is offline
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Originally Posted by miatadan View Post
I did some reading of the owner’s manual of the Magnepan’s and it states Nominal 4 ohms, so I moved the taps back to the 4ohm tap.

What I am not sure about is why there seemed to be more highs from the 8 ohm tap but deeper bass from the 4 ohm ? If choosing the tap that matches the impedance will prevent over stressing the amplifier, I will now just leave it at 4 ohms.

Charles’s your explanation helpful and does explain why many years ago , the MC302 I had in the past , was over heating at the 8 ohm tap on the Magnepan’s.

When I worked at stereo shop, I sold McIntosh many years but I am not an engineer.

Dan
all speakers and amplifiers can handle 4 an 8 ohms. an amplifier should not be getting hotter at 8 ohms than it does at 4. the lower the ohms the more current and power the amplifier will produce, thats why you have better bass at 4 than 8, more current drive and control of the lower end.
if you have more "highs" at 8ohm than at 4 its more than likely because you have less bass and control at 8 ohms and the highs are more noticeable, etc
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  #52  
Old 01-29-2023, 03:25 PM
Bob Bubeck Bob Bubeck is offline
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For what it is worth, I have been driving my Yvettes with the 4 ohm taps ever since my MC462 arrived in 2019. This arrangement was arrived at using both my listening judgement and input by my dealer upon delivery. This was found (and continues) to be optimum with my system. Absolutely no thermal issues.

Happy listening.

Bob
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Sources: Clearaudio Jubilee MC/Clearaudio Innovation Wood TT w/Universal Arm 9” and Professional Power 24V; McIntosh MCT500 CD/SACD transport; OPPO 205; NAD C446 Internet Tuner; Nakamichi 670ZX cassette deck. Electronics: McIntosh C2700 preamp w/DA2 and MC462 power amp. Speakers: Wilson Yvettes with Acoustic Diodes Headphones: McIntosh MHP 1000 Interconnects: Transparent SBL2 XLR GEN 6 balanced and SSC8 GEN 6 speaker cables; MCT - MCT500 -> C2700.Power cords: Transparent (on preamp, power amp and transport). Surge protected. Record and CD maintenance : Clearaudio Double Matrix Professional Sonic RCM; L’Art du Son CD treatment.

Last edited by Bob Bubeck; 01-29-2023 at 04:12 PM. Reason: Fix grammer.
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  #53  
Old 01-30-2023, 03:12 PM
Charles Charles is online now
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Quote:
Originally Posted by miatadan View Post
I did some reading of the owner’s manual of the Magnepan’s and it states Nominal 4 ohms, so I moved the taps back to the 4ohm tap.

What I am not sure about is why there seemed to be more highs from the 8 ohm tap but deeper bass from the 4 ohm ? If choosing the tap that matches the impedance will prevent over stressing the amplifier, I will now just leave it at 4 ohms.

Charles’s your explanation helpful and does explain why many years ago , the MC302 I had in the past , was over heating at the 8 ohm tap on the Magnepan’s.

When I worked at stereo shop, I sold McIntosh many years but I am not an engineer.

Dan
miatadan, the 462 will do a wonderful job on your speakers at the recommended tap. It's just a fact that the 611 will do a slightly better job using the recommended tap. Even though it may not get hot, the impedance mismatch will always be there. There will be many, most in fact, that will maintain that it is of no or minimal consequence, However, I think you are wise. I have always believed that SS amps should always be operating optimally and under stressed. Modern Mac amps have much larger power supplies and much more current, which is why, if you really want to, and you prefer the sound, the 8 ohm tap, with your current speakers would be OK, IMO. But not for me.

Tube amps on the other hand really don't care if they approach clipping. The sonics don't change. A 1502 can hit 150 watts and be not be stressed at all. However, the same cannot be said for a 611 hitting say 1,000 watts. For almost all music a 1502 is totally enough power for almost any speaker. Again, I want my SS amp to loaf. For a 611 this means less than 100 watts at recommended impedance, optimally.
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Charles Updated System: Wilson McIntosh Audioquest
New gear on order: MC2.1KW Anniversary power amplifier; C12000 An preamplifier; MCD12000 An SACD/CD player; AQ 1 meter Dragon balanced IC; 2 meter AQ Hurricane HC power cord; 3 meter AQ Hurricane Source power cord; unspecified 3 meter AQ digital coaxial IC and power cord for my backup MVP851 DVD player given as a surprise gift to me by my dealer
Most recent updates: Latest is the last one posted: AQ Diamond USB replaces AQ Coffee; Wilson Audio Specialties Alexx replaced by Wilson Audio Specialties XVX Chronosonic; new subwoofer crossover; new Galaxy Grey Thors Hammer; Wilson Pedestals; heating and cooling completely reworked and reinsulated resulting in a much quieter, cooler, and more efficient room (cost about 10,000.00). McIntosh MCT 500 SACD/CD transport; Wilson Audio Acoustic Diode for XVX Chronosonic; WEL Signature digital Coaxial cable for MVP 881/D1100 digital connection replacing the optical connection; New plinth for Thor subwoofer made of X material with the Wilson Acoustic Diodes; Thor is now off my floor; MC3500MKII mono block amps (2) and two custom granite slabs; Wilson ActivXO Stereo Electronic Crossover; new 75-ohm multi-directional FM antenna for tuner; total of eight additional Wilson Audio Heavy (red) pedestals placed under the MC3500MKII mono blocks; JRiver Media Center 31
Amps: McIntosh MC3500MKII mono blocks (2), McIntosh MC1.25KW’s (3). All amps set on floor on custom made granite slabs
Preamp and DAC: McIntosh D1100
Sources: McIntosh MCT500 SACD/CD Transport, MVP881 BR player, MVP851 DVD player, MR87 tuner, Marantz 510LV Laser Disc player, ASUS laptop USB (JRiver Media Center 31)
Speakers: Wilson Audio Specialties XVX Chronosonic; custom made Wilson Acoustic Diodes
Sub-woofer: Wilson Audio Specialties Thor’s Hammer (1) horizontal lie; custom plinth of X material with Wilson Acoustic Diode feet; Wilson ActivXO Stereo Electronic Crossover
Cables main system: Audioquest WEL Signature speaker cables and balanced IC (preamp to amps); WEL Signature AES/EBU balanced digital IC for CD playback; WEL Signature digital coaxial cable for MVP 881/D1100 digital connection; Audioquest Diamond optical (1) for tuner, (1) for MVP 851 DVD player, and (1) for LD player for total of (3); Audioquest Diamond USB cable; McIntosh MCT cable for SACD playback; Dragon power cords (5 HC cords and 3 source cords for total of 8); Thunder HC power cord for MR87 tuner
Cables subwoofer system: Audioquest Redwood speaker cable (1); Wolf balanced subwoofer IC from ActivXO crossover to amp; Wind balanced IC from preamp to ActivXO; Hurricane HC (2) and Dragon HC (1) power cords
Power conditioners: Audioquest Niagara 7000 (1) and Niagara 5000 (3); (4) dedicated 20-amp lines with no. 10 wire straight out of fuse box
Isolation: Wilson Pedestals for D1100; MVP881 BR player; MCT500 transport; Wilson Audio ActivXO electronic subwoofer crossover; plinth for Thor subwoofer made of X material with the Wilson Acoustic Diodes; eight Wilson Audio Heavy (red) Pedestals placed under the MC3500MKII mono blocks (four placed under the rails of each amp)
Cabinet: Double Custom Woodwork & Design (CWD) solid walnut cabinet on large casters; holds all sources and preamp; also, Niagara 7000; 11 feet minimum distance from speakers
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AC: Dedicated to this room only, an ultra-high efficiency and quiet recently installed Ruud split system 3-ton heat pump.
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  #54  
Old 02-02-2023, 09:41 PM
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miatadan miatadan is offline
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Charles, I will leave the MC462 on the 4 ohms tap.
I agree with what you said about tube amplifier’s but the only tube amplifier I would like from McIntosh is the MC3500 MK2’s as I like the classic design, and I want the meters ….
As far as my SS amp, I can say it gets to loaf all the time as average watts I am using is between 4.5 watts and 45 watt peaks.

Dan
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  #55  
Old 03-25-2023, 11:39 AM
matias1979 matias1979 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Charles View Post
My belief is that when the 8 ohm tap is preferred it is a sign that you need a larger Mac amp. Charles


I agree with Carlos. if you need to connect to 8 its because you need more watts. I have a Sophia 2 + mc452 and I tried

8 = more highs from the 8 ohm tap + mid-high , i feel not control in the woofer.

4 = deeper bass + controlled. I feel more control in everything
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