whitecap

Responses from whitecap

Soooooooo many possibilities...!
With your Mac amps, be careful of impedance issues with many of the non-Mac tube pre-amps out there  --  for example the CJ ACT II is a great pre-amp, but did not play well at all with our MC452.  I ended up using the C2500 with the MC452 to very ... 
power for mc452 and c2600
We have owned the C2500/MC452 combo for two years, and I drive that amp pretty hard  --  sustained cranking at 275+ watts for entire live recordings (what's that you say?  speak up, I can't hear you).  I join the group that says the answer to the ... 
Mcintosh C2600 preamp tube upgrade
I recently replaced the stock Mac tubes with Telefunken in the C2500.  Huge improvement  --  should have done it two years ago.   
Most Beautiful Receiver / Integrated - Ever was... ?
Best looking receiver?  Pioneer SX1980.  Hands down.   
Pioneer House Sound from the 70s
Here's another vote to go out and find an original and enjoy the real thing; they're out there, often in very nice condition.  In the office for the past five years I've been listening to an SX1980 driving Joseph Audio Pulsars with a Velodyne SP... 
Best way to Crossover JL Audio F110 into system
Not sure either of these helps with your budget question, but I have used them both with the JLA F110 to great results, and I offer for your consideration.  Pass Labs makes a great external crossover, the XVR1, which although a bit complicated to ... 
Need Help: What In My Home Electric System Killed the Sound?
Yes, all is finally right with the system.  After extended checking and rechecking with the electrician about the home's electric system, I then did a component by component process of elimination  --  saving the amp for last because of size/weigh... 
Conrad Johnson--Best used Model
Watch out for impedance mismatch when pairing a CJ tube preamp with Pass.   The CJ Act 2.2 did not do well at all with the Pass X250.5.  I later inserted the Pass external cross-over (XVR-1), and it fixed the impedance issue (as well as split the ... 
Unravelling the CJ preamps
I can vouch for the Act 2.2 as terrific, with the added bonus of its high WAF; the thing is serious eye candy that your friends will ooh and ahh.  Just be mindful of proper impedance matching to the amp when dealing with CJ tube preamps.  
Need Help: What In My Home Electric System Killed the Sound?
Thanks for all the suggestions and comments.  Alas, we are still in the process of elimination.  Since my OP, the electrician has retraced every step and assured proper connections and grounds, etc.  Importantly, he has checked the voltage with a ... 
Comparing the Pass Labs XA30.5 to the XA 30.8
Sonicray:Add me to the admirers of your OP.  Really well done and informative.  Now, giving all due respect to this great maker of amplifiers, I suggest that you experiment with other preamplifiers.  True, the XP20 betters the XP10; but how about ... 
Dedicated Line(s), One Line or Two?
Many thanks for the helpful comments.  As it turns out, there would be just too much tearing out and redoing brand new soffits and walls, etc.  So, I am going to stick with the single dedicated line.  I will explore the various suggestions offered... 
Dedicated Line(s), One Line or Two?
I should add:  no TV, no AV.  Its strictly for the 2-channel rig. 
Dedicated Line(s), One Line or Two?
ARC CD-8 (CDP)Einstein Tube PreampEinstein Light in Dark, hybrid ampMcIntosh MEN 220 Room CorrectionKEF Reference 201/2JL Audio F112 Sub 
1990s speaker recommendation
Polk Audio SDA series. I like the SDA 1C.