McIntosh speaker connection questions

I really appreciate your help
The Pre amp C26 has 2 bottom speaker selector ( main and Remote) Can this be helpful with my initial idea?
I hope we can make it work.
- using the MQ101 with the other speakers? how bad would it be? please let me know
Best
Maclover

Hi Maclover . . . well now things are starting to get hairy. With the setup as you describe it, you cannot listen to one pair of speakers with the equaliser and one pair without at the same time.

What I'd suggest you do is to split off the secondary, "remote" speakers from the rest of the system. Connect your C26, source components, and equaliser as described above, but connect your "main" speakers (the XR7s)
directly to the MC250.

Then, take all your other speakers and connect them via the Niles switcher to a second receiver or integrated amp (maybe pick up a late-1970s Japanese unit for cheap?). Contact Niles for a hook-up diagram if you're unsure how to do this. You can then connect the second set of tape outputs ("tape 2 out") on your C26 to the "aux" input on your second receiver -- and leave this receiver on "aux" all the time.

Now, the equaliser will only go to your XR7s, and to "light up" the rest of your speakers, simply switch on the second receiver. Whatever music you're playing on the C26 will play through the other speakers as well, and you'll also be able to control their volume separately.

Thanks I really appreciate your help!.
I have several rooms with speakers.
Would I be able to have both speakers xr7 & B& W playing at the same time in the main room? 1 pair of speakers using the MQ101 (xr7) and at the same time have the other speakers B&W playing without the equalizer?
I would like to use the Niles to control other speakers in different rooms *at the same time I am playing the 2 pair of speakers in the main room. How can I make this connection. Any new changes to your previous answer
Thanks again!!

1. The MQ-101 connects to the C26 as if it's a tape recorder, say on "tape 1". You then select your source with the C26's selector switch, and switch the equaliser in and out with the "tape 1 monitor" switch on the C26. Just avoid the "tape 1" setting on the selector switch when you have the "tape 1 monitor" switch pushed in, or you'll get a terrific howling feedback noise.

2. Switch the "tape 1 monitor" switch off as described above.

3. You can actually do away with the Niles box and use the speaker input/output connections on the C26, the connections should be very clearly labelled. The front-panel "main" and "remote" buttons on the C26 will then turn each pair of speakers on and off.

As far as the manuals go -- McIntosh used to send them out for free! So I'd start by calling them.