Sure. No problem. I’ve seen more than one guy build a setup inspired by Jerry’s. An MC2300 is a LOT of amplifier and it has two channels (which can be strapped together for mono operation with double the power of a single channel). They weigh in at 128lbs and presently sell at a premium on the used market. Keeping these old behemoths in service requires a serious commitment and a local McIntosh tech would be a must as shipping them is cost prohibitive as they need be double boxed and palletized for LTL transit. Regular shippers just destroy them.
You may find that a MC250 or MC2100 is just more accessible. Each sound indistinguishable from the big brother MC2300. McIntosh also offered both of those in single channel versions - the MC50 and MC100 (rare, but they do come up) - as well as glass faced versions, the MC2505 and MC2105. The last two were stereo models aimed squarely at the HiFi market and cannot be operated in mono without a modification to do so. Neither stopped Bill Hanley from using MC2105s at Woodstock and on the road in general.
Whatever you decide, these amps are getting up there in years and McIntosh issued many TSBs on the driver boards over the years to make them more stable. A qualified tech should give the amp a once over with that info at hand. That being said, I’ve had a pair of 2300s in daily service for two decades now and have owned a few dozen in all.
Have fun! |
I think I’ll just keep my Conrad-Johnson amps for now and concentrate on learning to play my guitar. But thanks for all your valuable input and knowledge. |
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@justbgunn Great info! Thanks for joining the discussion :))) |
Did Jerry have a fancy Mac system at home for listening? You would think he would, but then heroin isn't a cheap habit. |
In the early days they used 4 x MC240 in mono to run the PA. All 4 amps ( at 48# each ) bolted to a sheet of plywood
wall of sound is much much more than big amps and speakers, it was based on the idea of line arrays for each player and a special two Mike system ( with feedback cancelling phase control ) engineered by Alembic.
I happen to agree on the early 70’s and I love Terrepin. I have a 1961 M240, which I treasure.
happy listening all ! |
There is a very informative wall of sound article at Vice.com
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@tomic601 Thanks for the info and the tip on Vice.com |
@roxy4 Neither is a cocaine habit. I just blew thru a lot of $$ since the start of this pandemic that could have bought me some really nice audio gear... a whole McIntosh system for sure. But I finally decided to stop and enter my 7th rehab attempt. I just got home yesterday and I feel so good... like a new man! They finally got the meds I need for my anxiety and depression (and cravings) really dialed in and that has made all the difference.
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Congrats Doug on your decision to go clean. Stick with it, you won't regret it! |
Ya Doug - wishing you the best. Rack up each day one at a time ! Best to you |
Hang in there doug714.
Just to let everyone know, what we now refer to as the Wall Of Sound during the time of it`s use it was not called the Wall Of Sound that name came several years later and at a time that i was no longer involved with the band and was starting my own speaker company.
Reading thru the contributions here has brought back a lot of things that i have not thought about in decades but as with anything on the net believe about half of it, i know i was there and touched and built the equipment what is seen in one photo or video does not mean it was always that way or some writer decades later relying on second and third hand information but nowadays that can make someone an expert.
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@doug714
Yep, as Tomic stated, just take one day at a time. Not two, not three, just get through today.
24 years clean and sober here, and that is exactly how it is done. And don’t try and do it all by yourself. 👍🏼 |
my memory is that there are some good historical inputs on the Alembic corporate history page, will look at my notes later..but try to google that |
doug714,
Hi,
I just saw your post, or I would have responded earlier. I completely understand where you are. I went through 5 years of dependence on cocaine ("crush" my brother and I called it) after the loss of my mother and a friend, and I was happy to come out alive and happy on the other side.
Looking back now, I realize that there are so many people having problems with drugs that are not obvious street corner addicts. I was working the entire time, completely dependable, but doing coke secretly throughout the workday, and no one knew.
Best of luck in your recovery. If I can, you can. |
Hey all… Thanks for all your support with me getting sober and kicking my 10 month daily cocaine habit. I blew through a lot of money but luckily I had a bit saved in the bank so I’m not hurting. And this isn’t my first rodeo. I actually had 14 years clean and sober from ‘89 to ‘03. But I actually started drinking intentionally to get out of a marriage because I did not know how to talk to her... and it worked. But these last 18 years I’ve been in and out of recovery and I’ve been through Kaiser’s rehab five times in the last 13 years. But this last one was just perfect for me and just what I needed... five weeks away and in a group home in Vallejo and I feel so good now. They’ve got my meds dialed in perfectly and I have absolutely zero cravings zero anxiety zero depression. It feels so good to feel so good :-) I know this is a discussion about Jerry’s gear so don’t give me a hard time for getting off topic. I did make it to 21 live shows between 87 and 93 and I was just curious about the amp that he had behind him that he would fiddle with from time to time. I thought he was plugged into a Macintosh amp. But I may be wrong. Half of those shows I went to I was under the influence. The other half I went to I was sober and I learned about the wharf rat meetings during this set break and I went to a lot of those wharf fat meetings. They were very helpful for us trying to stay sober in that environment. I always looked for the yellow balloon to know where the meeting was being held. “What a long strange trip it’s been” |
“Bud Man” was the amp ... MC2300. Google it.
Good luck on staying clean. |
What a great thread. Thanks folks. I know I could find some examples myself, but looking to tap the expertise in here... Any suggestions for a great YouTube video (w quality video and audio) of a great GD performance? I'm collecting videos that fall into this category from all genres and don't have any Dead on there yet. https://youtube.com/user/cal3713 Thanks. And here's to psychological happiness... A constant battle for lots of us unfortunately. |
@doug714 - Thanks for starting this thread - I absolutely love all the great info it's generating/pulling together. And thanks MUCH for sharing your personal story. I was able to stay out of the deep end with substances, but I also recognize much of that was a matter of pure luck and predisposition. We're not all built alike, and I've seen several friends and family members fall into the deep end. As others have said - take it a day at a time and best to you. |
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@jayrossi13 Wonderful. Thank you! And happy to take more GD live video recommendations if anyone's got them. |
One of my most favorite Dead videos ever is the 6-21-71 Chateau d’Herouville Herouville France. Excellent time capsule of a great performance. And the YT account Voodoonola (there is also voodoonola2) seemed to me at one point, to be the official ‘unofficial’ GD video drop account, including many remastered sets and full shows, and a good handful of early footage, if you scroll through everything.
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Thanks @jriggy looking forward to listening to the show. And I've been adding all the good sources for videos to my channel too, hopefully it serves as a good resource. https://www.youtube.com/user/cal3713 |
@cal3713 hey check out He’s Gone from 7/2/89 on YouTube for a great performance of that song. And one of my favorite full length concerts to watch is from 7/10/87... just 2 weeks before I “hopped on the bus”... and after my first show at Anaheim my whole life changed. I had finally found my tribe :) |
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