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Mac 275 questions........

After some months of up's and down's with my ASL Hurricanes (just seemed to never stay operational for longer then 2-3 months) I have decided o retire them and get the McIntosh MC 275 (2 amps).

I have some questions for you all and appreciate any input you may have (especially form Mac owners) but opened to all.
My speakers are Infinity RS 1-B's and I will be using the amps to drive the top end of the system (EMIM's and EMIT's). I have a Perreaux 3150B for the bass columns. The Infinities are rated at 4 ohms.
I plan to listen to one amp on top ( I will get one amp in a week) and then when I get the 2nd amp ( a week later) run both in mono.
What will I hear with each application? First with one and then with both? Also can any of you let me know if any of you compared the Mac 275 (in mono) 150 watts with the Hurricanes 200 wpc? The Hurricanes were great but I just could not live with them being up and down so many times.

Thanks to all for your input.

RWD (Rick)
rwd
rwd OP
695 posts
 
OK all you technicians and amp designers a question. I am here sitting and listening to "Mallets, Melody & Mayhem" a great percussion record (thanks to the great Sid Marks) and I am hearing stupendous bass from my woofer towers now that I have my new Mac 275's running. This is better then when I had the ASL Hurricanes. My question is the Hurricanes and the Mac's are only driving the top end of my Infinity's not the bass columns??? Is it really a sensitivity issue?

Any answers or suggestions as to why the beautiful bass is back in full swing?
rwd OP
695 posts
 
Anyone? No one to answer? Sorry if my question is confussing. Perhaps I should try a new Thread. This is an interesting question. No?

"With new amps on the top end of my system (Infinity RS1-B's) I am getting more and better bass from my system then with my ASL Hurricans. However, my bass columns are being driven by a Perreaux 3150B amp that's still in the system. How can an amp on the top affect the sound of the lower range???"
nsgarch's avatar
nsgarch
2,524 posts
 
Rick, I won't speak for the others, but I don't understand what you've got running what ;-) Are you running the 275 on the main panelsand the (what?) driving the woofer towers? And you want to know why that should result in (apparently) better bass performance than when you were driving the mailn panels with the ASL's?
rwd OP
695 posts
 
Correct, Neil.

How can a change in amps (McIntosh 275 vs ASL Hurricanes) result in a dramatic improvement in the bass when they are not even driving the bass columns. It's a Perreaux 3150B that's assigned to that duty. Someone suggest the sensitivity of the top and bottom amps were not matched. But I just don't get it?
nsgarch's avatar
nsgarch
2,524 posts
 
The short answer is: the ASL's are 200w/ch and the 275 is 100w/ch (and the Perreaux is 200w/ch.)

Since the preamp is driving the Perreaux with the same volts as it's driving either of the tube amps, naturally the bass will sound louder relative to the panels driven by the 275 than driven with the ASL's.
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