re: Audiophile/Vinyl Thread - Post Pics, Advice, Questions, Setups, etc.

The MC2105 amps came out of Bruno's bar uptown about 20 years ago. They were sitting in the attic there for a while unused. I don't know what happened to the pre and the tuner (they used to exist). They were pulled down and cleaned thoroughly, but had no parts replaced. They are 100% original as of now.

Back in the day, both Bruno's and T.J. Quill's (across the street), had big Mac stacks in locked cases with plexiglass windows--looked pretty cool in a dim lit bar. As an under aged high school kid getting liquored up, I used to look at it and say "one day I will have a rig like that"--little did I know then that I would have that very rig--or at least part of it!

I always used the 2105 as a secondary amp, as I always had newer and better power amps for the main rig (Cary, ARC, Conrad Johnson). I did use it over the years to drive many of the speakers that came and went, more as a "I wonder how the 2105 will drive these xxx speakers?"

They have driven Focal, Maggie, Spendor, Mirage, Wilson, B&W, JBL, ElectroVoice, Canton, Paradigm, and a few others I can't recall. I never hooked them up to horns as I did not want to risk damage to fragile horns in case something went squirrley with the amp.

I remember when I got the MC501 monos and was using them with the big Focals for a few months--I then swithced the amps back to the 2105 for shits and grins--this made me realize just how much better Mac had gotten with their amps over the years. It wasn't even in the same ballpark! I put the 501s back in a half hour later.

But, in all fairness, it was a 35 year old amp at the time and had seen thousands and thousands of hours of use. It really is a workhorse of an amp. That is why I am looking forward to having a thorough rebuild (caps, pots, resistor banks, and probably LED lighting)--I am betting after this is done, they will actually put out a really nice sound. They can drive just about any loudspeaker out there (within reason--no SoundLab or Infiniti IRS Beta systems--though not much will drive those).

I miss this man every day. Every day. One of the greatest artists of our time. I think time will prove this to be one of the greatest live albums ever. Our generations "Live Rust" almost. This is just a stone cold killer of an album. I always feel physically and emotionally drained after I finish all 4 sides where I've really invested and listened.

Magnolia Electric Co - Trials and Errors



Miss you Jason.

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Marco Esquandolas

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Thanks for posting your shelves! Very cool. I heard Circles Around the Sun for the first time over the weekend, very interesting. Might have to pick that one up before it gets too rare. In the middle of a move, got the main rig packed up but picked up a new headphone tube amp for the interim:

So I've still never pulled the trigger and upgraded amps. I currently have a receiver with pre-outs (Marantz sr 6008) pushing a 5.0 with B&W 803 Matrix (original series/series 1) towers. I've been looking/teetering on an Odysssey Stratos (2 channel version for the mains). I see one on eBay now from a reputable seller (has an external website and all) going for $600. They claim it's in great sonic condition but the front panel light does not function.

Would the folks here think that $600 for a Stratos 2.0 from Odyssey be worth it if I wasn't so concerned about the light, or would buying direct from Klaus be worth the $400 more (~$1000 new) given the circumstances?

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Hopeful Doc

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There is another active member of this thread that very recently ordered an Odyssey amp new from Klaus. I believe he is still awaiting its arrival. Maybe he can chime in once it arrives. He told me shortly after speaking with Klaus..."man, I'm impressed--this guy really knows what he is talking about". I agree.

I have spoken with him as well--at audio shows, and he is a close second to Ralph Karsten of Atma-Sphere audio for "mad scientist" level of knowledge.

...and man, what a bang for the buck. Does the used amp you are looking at have the power supply upgrades? It does make a difference, especially when driving a speaker that presents a not so easy load such as the original Matrix.


On a side note--the new June Audiophile magazine showed up this past Saturday, and on the cover is the new B&W 802D...wow...they did a hell of a job with it. It is totally redesigned, but I am sure you are probably already aware of that.great looking and measuring speaker.

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segs584

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Dynaco ST-70

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FYI... Not a 70, but a 120 ...I am willing to bet many of the upgrade parts will work in both.

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Does the used amp you are looking at have the power supply upgrades?

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It does not. And upon closer examination, it appears to be an "ODL" amp and not an authentic Odyssey (though it says Odyysey at least a few places on the amp and the add). I knew that it would've been too good a value. Knowing that, I'll just pony up for the Stratos series as a gift to myself if I pass my boards and get more along the lines of what I want. And with a functioning light!

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the new B&W 802D...wow...they did a hell of a job with it. It is totally redesigned, but I am sure you are probably already aware of that.great looking and measuring speaker.

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They're gorgeous. And they seem to have "bumped up" the 803 to finally get a Marlin-head speaker to set it apart from the 804. But now it looks almost exactly like the 802!

They're like a piece of ultra-modern art. I'll act like my living room has a different motif that would clash so as to not signal that I'm nowhere near affording those bad boys- thus my interest in what is likely the best amplifier sub $3500.

This ST-70 was a full rebuild...Not much besides the chassis and transformers reamin. I run it with a quad of old 60's Mullard EL34's.

edit: Wasn't running quite right for a while due to user error Replacing the quad cap and tweaking the bias circuitry got it all back in good order.

Out of all the mainline power tubes (KT-88/120/150, 300B, 845, c6550), I have always preferred the EL34 powered amplifiers.

Many designers have gone the way of the bigger KT-120/150 now to squeeze the last bit of power out of the design, but they just don't give that nice tone throughout the entire bandwidth sound that you get with a well designed, simple EL34 amp.

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The MC2105 amps came out of Bruno's bar uptown about 20 years ago. They were sitting in the attic there for a while unused. I don't know what happened to the pre and the tuner (they used to exist). They were pulled down and cleaned thoroughly, but had no parts replaced. They are 100% original as of now.

Back in the day, both Bruno's and T.J. Quill's (across the street), had big Mac stacks in locked cases with plexiglass windows--looked pretty cool in a dim lit bar. As an under aged high school kid getting liquored up, I used to look at it and say "one day I will have a rig like that"--little did I know then that I would have that very rig--or at least part of it!

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Great story here

Spent way too many early mornings shutting old Bruno's down