McIntosh autoformers vs direct-coupled output
Weren’t the amps in the Acoustat X output transformerless?Yes but also deadly as they supplied the HT to the ESL’s stators via the speaker cables, instead of the esl voltage step up 1:50 audio transformer (attached). https://ibb.co/wcVZGSV Imagine if you have a normal ESL and the amp gives out 20v for music then the 1:50 stepup makes this 20v 50 x higher 1000v!!!!! and this is what travels on the speaker wire in direct drive ESL's like the Acoustat X Cheers George |
The Acoustat direct drive amps are transformerless with solid state input and tube output. They put 5000V on the panels. I use them on my Acoustat Model 2 in place of the magnetic (transformer) interface. I have Zero’s between my Atma-Sphere’s and Quad 57s and have a Music Reference OTL with built in autoformer (although the soon to be released MR OTL won’t have one). No ill effects using either. Actually building an autoformer volume control as we speak to replace my Beveridge direct coupled preamp so I’ll have plenty more wire in the signal path. |
Personally I donot find McIntosh that much better sounding then average ,especially for the price ,they meters do you kool though. i sold Macintosh for 2 years in Europe , the Danish Amplifiers as well as German beat them hands down , the Auto formers are not exceptional by any means , . Look at the parts quality a mass of red $7 wima capacitors , as well as power electrolytic caps plain decent quality caps ,nothing inside is top of the line .it sounds reasonably good ,and very dependable ,thst is why doctors ,and lawyers have bought them faithfully for years . Pass Labs for sure is a better product, watt vs watt, parasound Halo, and for sure Boulder in U.S amps ,as well as the Ampzilla monoblocks ,that don’t get much press since Jim B passed away. McIntosh is a good product but overpriced considering the interior parts quality. having many products modded ,I know parts quality very well vs the competition. |
With much respect for the technical discussion, I'd like to get back to the focused point of my inquiry: Mac Autoformer amps vs Mac Direct Coupled. I'm contemplating acquiring a pair of Martin Logans, and I'm hearing that these bi-polars prefer Direct-Coupled, that the Autoformers have some difficulty in the mid-base region - just about the low end of the M.L.'s panel's low end. Is this just another of those opinions masking subjective bias, or is there techical substance here? Any help on this issue will be greatly appreciated! Bo |
