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RE: Ken Kessler compares vintage vs reissue MC275

Tesla, here are some differences Ken Kessler noted on Macintosh's Gordon J. Gow Commemorative MC275, compared to original, in November 1993's Hi-Fi News & Record Review: 1) "Gold-plated XLR inputs for balanced operation, fixed at 2.0V for rated output, have been fitted to allow for use with modern pre-amps; 2) An increase in gain to accommodate the balanced inputs, and a resultant change in the valve complement, were necessary. The 12AU7 tubes were replaced with 12AX7s and the 12BH7s were replaced with 12AZ7s. Power, though, is still derived from KT88s/6550s; 3) Alongside the unbalanced RCA type phono inputs, positioned as per the original on the vertical section below the sloped panel, are switches for choosing between balanced and unbalanced operation and mono or stereo operation. The level controls for the unit remain in the same position as per the original; 4) Screw tags for the speaker connections (4, 8, or 16ohms stereo or 2, 4, and 8ohms mono) were retained out of some sense of purist, anachrophilic masochism, but they now run horizontally instead of vertically. They still suck; 5) Removed during the updating process were the octal output socket connected to the high impedance transformer taps, the three-position mode switch, the balance control and the mono control (the left/right level controls deal with balance, while the right channel becomes the mono channel in single-channel operation; 6) Internal upgrades include close tolerance film resistors, polypropylene coupling capacitors and fiberglass printed circuit boards". Kessler refrained from differentiating between auld vs new because "... the 1993 version of the MC275 contains far too many updates in the signal path to allow for valid comparisons - the tube changes alone are enough to alter the performance substantially". 73s para Sactown


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  • RE: Ken Kessler compares vintage vs reissue MC275 - FRG7SWL 16:06:42 10/15/14 (0)

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