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Mcintosh MR 71

97.44.66.113
Posted on August 31, 2016 at 14:15:27
dirtyvinyl
 Any owners here who did the Moddaderi upgrade to their MR 71?

I've read the testimonials on the website and just like to read some more current opinions.

A recent acquisition for a very clean and fair priced unit is arriving tomorrow.
While I've heard these units and will enjoy it stock, any real audio geek ALWAYS has curiosity about hot rodding even great gear.

My true desire is a 10B or the REL Precedent. Just not going to happen unless I stumble across an estate sale, and the widower is about to throw it the the garbage since no one is interested!

If it is all that the claims and pics indicate, I've got a recently cleaned/tuned, clean faceplate, nice case unit which subjectively, for a fraction of the cost approaches sound quality of
my unobtanium tuners.

 

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    ...
The antenna is? ;-)! , posted on September 2, 2016 at 15:28:27
Timbo in Oz
Audiophile

Posts: 23221
Location: Canberra - in the ACT - SE Australia
Joined: January 30, 2002
 Coudn't resist.


Warmest

Tim Bailey

Skeptical Measurer & Audio Scrounger


 

RE: Mcintosh MR 71, posted on August 31, 2016 at 18:01:00
Michael Samra
Dealer

Posts: 36118
Location: saginaw michigan
Joined: January 30, 2005

" Forget the 10B..They are trouble and I sold mine 5 years ago..I bought the Scott 4310 which is more rare and now more money however,a much better tuner all the way around and easier to align.Your MR-71 is a great tuner and I do about 7 a year as far as repair and upgrades..Just enjoy it.
"For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong" H. L. Mencken

 

RE: Mcintosh MR 71, posted on August 31, 2016 at 18:24:24
dirtyvinyl
 The Scott is one of those unobtanium pieces now.

Yours like like a great unit. I've only seen them in pics. Does it really give the 10B a run for its money?



 

RE: Mcintosh MR 71, posted on September 1, 2016 at 11:45:13
Michael Samra
Dealer

Posts: 36118
Location: saginaw michigan
Joined: January 30, 2005
 It not only gives the 10B a run,it squashes it like a bug.10Bs you can pick up pretty reasonable by comparison these days..I got my tuned and working decent and sold it because I didn't want to deal with it anymore.It was a PITA to align and there was not enough info on the alignment procedure so I had to fudge a few things I knew from aligning other tuners.. The sound of the 4310 is so open and elegant by comparison.
"For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong" H. L. Mencken

 

RE: Mcintosh MR 71, posted on September 1, 2016 at 18:04:21
dirtyvinyl



You can see here, what I've upgraded from.

For $199 new, it's actually a decent tuner. I am going to miss the RDS feature(title display) and of course the remote!

Sound wise-fuhgedaboutit! The MR 71 is like reuniting with a long lost friend! My jazz and classical station sound fantastic. DJ voices sound human,very quiet,great bass, near holographic voices. This is with the $14.99 indoor antenna! I will do a proper rooftop setup and Im sure more sonic surprise.

Man, this thing sounds great! I have the unit plugged into a power plant, so I don't know how much it's contributing to its beautiful sound.

Haven't taken a peek inside yet. Just looking from the opening, chrome is nice and shiny, I think I see some 'funken/RCA glass inside.The faceplate is flawless-glass isn't hazy or scratched.Case is chip free and very clean.

Regarding the panloc system-do you simply push the 2 buttons and pull the unit out?
Is replacing as simple- slide unit back in and push the buttons?

 

RE: Mcintosh MR 71 panloc, posted on September 14, 2016 at 14:08:18
Bill Way
Audiophile

Posts: 1884
Location: Toms River NJ
Joined: May 28, 2012
Contributor
  Since: December 14, 2012
 If you have the panloc brackets screwed in the cabinet, press the buttons to pull the tuner out. It will come out a couple inches, then press them again to pull it all the way out. The two-stage thing was for components that had controls on the top, like your dim/bright switch.

WW
"Put on your high heeled sneakers. Baby, we''re goin'' out tonight.

 

RE: Mcintosh MR 71 panloc, posted on September 14, 2016 at 19:57:31
dirtyvinyl
 Thanks for the response. What a clever design! Pulling the unit out, I didn't find the Mac loaded with old Teles or RCA's, but a full compliment of those RAM relabeled new tubes. Is the audio section (6BL8)sensitive to tube rolling?
The unit sounds great, so likely I will just leaving it as is.
Otherwise, the chrome appears quite nice with one minor speck of rust that I will try to cover with one of those rust treatment solutions and a Q-tip.

Although the display looks nice in the evening, I prefer it toned down, so I did use that dimmer switch.

The Mac has been getting a workout as a daily driver. I forgot FM still sounds great.Not many choices, so I just switch between the public jazz and classical station.

 

RE: Mcintosh MR 71, posted on September 2, 2016 at 21:58:40
Michael Samra
Dealer

Posts: 36118
Location: saginaw michigan
Joined: January 30, 2005
 I have an MR71 and the reason you can pick them up for a grand or less is because there were a ton of them made.For what Mcintosh gives us in build quality,sound,and mass,Mcintosh is a bargain because you'll never lose money on them.
"For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong" H. L. Mencken

 

RE: Mcintosh MR 71, posted on September 3, 2016 at 07:27:02
dirtyvinyl
 "the reason you can pick them up for a grand or less is because there were a ton of them made."

With the constant shrinking of quality broadcast, the tuner market must be softening.
I can't believe how low the bids are on this one.

Im gonna be upset if the winning bid is $300! I paid a bit over double that amount, which is a good deal, but this is may be a deal of the year! Maybe it will go nuts last hour of bidding?

 

As of this post, the auction you linked has 5 days left..., posted on September 3, 2016 at 11:15:02
Steve O
Audiophile

Posts: 12357
Location: SE MI
Joined: September 6, 2001
 ...and current bid is $305. Since all significant bidding usually occurs in the last few seconds, this 10B will surely go for >>$305. OTOH it will probably not go for the $2K+ it might have a decade ago. Same can be said for just about any HiFi tuner today except the rare low volume collectibles like REL Precedent, Fisher FM1000 and maybe Scott 4310.

Can't speak for your locale but in mine the greatest advantage of a really nice vintage tube tuner is that they're visually attractive when all lit up. A friend "restores" vintage audio equip for fun and profit. When he gets a tuner he replaces caps and bad tubes but doesn't bother with alignment. Owners refuse to pay for it and probably couldn't tell the difference if they did.

 

RE: As of this post, the auction you linked has 5 days left..., posted on September 4, 2016 at 09:32:16
dirtyvinyl
 Up to $700!

This one will be interesting to follow. I'm guessing winning bid will be north of 2k,but not over 2500.

 

RE: As of this post, the auction you linked has 5 days left..., posted on September 4, 2016 at 18:02:37
Steve O
Audiophile

Posts: 12357
Location: SE MI
Joined: September 6, 2001
 My guess is $1,500 - $1,800. However………much early bidding action by apparently "experienced" bidders indicating possibly overseas interest. If so, anything could happen.

 

Well, I guess I was wrong about final selling price..., posted on September 8, 2016 at 19:25:35
Steve O
Audiophile

Posts: 12357
Location: SE MI
Joined: September 6, 2001
 ...it went for $1,826 and not the max of $1,800 I predicted. I wonder if the non-stock case had anything to do with it.

 

RE: Well, I guess I was wrong about final selling price..., posted on September 8, 2016 at 20:18:37
dirtyvinyl
 Good call.

I gues if it's all the listing describes, a fair price. With shipping, still under $1900. Too much for me, but for someone serious about a tuner, nice score.

Even nicer if that unit has zero issues at least a year or so,and doesn't require the $500-1000 tuneup the local tech said I would end up needing if I get a 10B.

My Mac is a daily driver, and supposedly got a clean bill of health, hopefully I get a minimum of 5-7 years of trouble free use.

 

RE: Well, I guess I was wrong about final selling price..., posted on September 14, 2016 at 19:48:39
6bq5
Audiophile

Posts: 4379
Location: SF Bay
Joined: August 16, 2001
 I agree with the comment that ' with the decline of FM, the tuner prices should come down...'
However here in the Bay area there is a 71 that has been for sale for a while at $1200, and now 2-3 74s for $750
plus a Kenwood Trio for $1100
that is not soft in my book....
Happy Listening

 

RE: As of this post, the auction you linked has 5 days left..., posted on September 4, 2016 at 07:37:12
dirtyvinyl
 I would bid $100 for a nice looking dead unit to fill an empty slot in the rack just because it's a 10b.

Other than that, the Mac sounds and looks great.

 

might I, humbly, suggest the HH Scott 310(E), posted on September 1, 2016 at 07:24:27
mhardy6647
Audiophile

Posts: 16006
Location: New England
Joined: October 12, 1999
Contributor
  Since: October 23, 2016

One of the local gurus has one (perhaps, knowing him, somewhat tweaked). He brought it over to my house one day -- I was impressed.

These aren't cheap, but they're not in the rarefied territory of the 10B, the REL (there are a few of those floatin' around up in this neck of the woods) or the Scott & Fisher broadcast monitors, either.

Highly recommended for sound quality (which is my primary consideration in a tuner, fwiw).

There are lots of really good FM 'radios' from a reception/technical standpoint... that just don't sound that good.

... and, sadly, in... I dunno... 10 years (maybe less) they'll probably all be doorstops :-(

(needless to say, the tuner in the image above, sadly, ain't mine -- photo from www.hifiengine.com)

all the best,
mrh

 

RE: might I, humbly, suggest the HH Scott 310(E), posted on September 1, 2016 at 11:46:35
Michael Samra
Dealer

Posts: 36118
Location: saginaw michigan
Joined: January 30, 2005
 Excellent tuner in the 310E..It is very similar to my 4310 in many areas and that also outperforms the 10B IMHO.
"For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong" H. L. Mencken

 

RE: might I, humbly, suggest the HH Scott 310(E), posted on September 3, 2016 at 15:12:50
Lee of Omaha
Dealer

Posts: 1800
Location: Omaha NE
Joined: September 8, 2006
 My 310E was the first tuner I ever heard an actual stereo image (not just separation) on. Classical station in the 1980s using Quad ESL57s (which can, given the right source, IMAGE!)

 

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