[morzh]

I went to Canada today, and then back. 385 miles one way. Brought  back this.

   

[GarySP]

Nice score Mike!  Hope you had a good trip, EH???  Take care, Gary

[morzh]

If it weren't for the Quebecan border guards, it would be even better.
They are...sonething.
But...screw them. I have my amp!

[Arran]

If it weren't for the Quebecan border guards, it would be even better.
They are...sonething.
But...screw them. I have my amp!

 I wonder what they would have thought of a Russian from New Joisey? That must have fouled up their world view? Knowing you, you probably spoke to them in proper French which confused them.
Regards
Arran

[morzh]

Arran,

No, not that I am fluent in French; I said "bonjour" but the guy proceeded to speak English. And in fact one of the guards spoke perfect Ontario English.
He is, while my car was being trashed, asked me "Do you own any guns?".
I said "No".
"Not any? Not even a hunting rifle?".

I had to say "No. But I support the second amendment".
he said "well, isn't it a contradiction?"
I said, "No."


Anyways, why did they ask me that? Don't they allow in Canada people who own guns in the US? What was the purpose of it? Even if I own one but they did not find any in my care, what did it matter?

[Ron Ramirez]

Don't they allow in Canada people who own guns in the US? What was the purpose of it? Even if I own one but they did not find any in my care, what did it matter?

...let's not go there...political (although I agree with you)...

Now. Different subject:

Have you found the gold bar in that amp yet? (Although your gold bar, being Canadian, will be worth less than a US gold bar.) I am convinced there must be gold bars hidden in every McIntosh product...else why are they so doggoned expensive?

But seriously...congratulations!

[morzh]

Ron

I have not even unpacked it yet. In fact I won't be able to check it 'till I buy a 1) pre-amp, and 2) a table to situate it on.

If I were so foolish as to try to perch it on top of my current stereo cabinet, it would certainly come down crushing everything in its way

As for the gold bar and it's being so doggone expensive.....even if you price it as you were scrap metal by a pound, there would be a few hundred bucks right there. It took two of us to lower it in the box, I barely took it out of my car when having come back, being afraid every moment my back would give up, and then used my trolley I bought last winter to lower it to my basement. And after having done the same to 38-690, gotta tell ya, that was a walk in the park compared to the Mac. When lowering it down the stairs I thought it would un-socket my shoulders or elbows, or both.

If anyone could recommend a good table for a stereo setup......

Oh...and the bar....it is probably made of uranium or plutonium, not gold, that would explain the weight. Or......maybe it is made of Lord Nibbler feces (you know who Lord Nibbler is, right?)
I wonder what I will do with that bar if it is plutonium: as you know, today Russia stopped processing it for us, so I would have to bury it in my own backyard. Well...maybe that will kill the moskitos

[Eliot Ness]

Mike,

That picture of a cardboard box doesn't do it much justice, and until your story of how heavy it was I hadn't bothered to look up exactly what you brought back until now..... WOW.... a very impressive piece:

[Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOXk5OwJbu4]

[morzh]

Oh...yeah. It's a beast.

Another piece of good news, I got it without the tube cage (same perforated sheet metal piece as we see on many tube amps, like Dynaco or Eico). I texted the owners (as they were obviously original owners of that) and they confirmed they have it and asked for my address so they could send it to me. I hope it comes undamaged, though this is not the most important part, still would like to have the complete thing.

Meantime, trying to research a pre-amp for it.

Likely candidates, in the order listed, are

McIntosh C22
Marantz 7C
Dynakit PAS-3X

[jerryhawthorne]

Mike, all my younger years when I couldn't afford a Mac, I always loved them, just their looks and quality. Now older, I can probably afford one but just don't have the room. What a great looking amp and congrats.
Nice to be able to get the tube cage but I certainly wouldn't want to put it on. That is just too pretty to cover up.
Best, Jerry

[morzh]

Jerry

I agree, it should stay open, and this is likely the reason many of them are sold without the cage, folks take them off and then lose them.
Just nice having the thing complete.

[KCMike]

 Congrats on your purchase of the amplifier. Looks like a really nice one.

[Arran]

Meantime, trying to research a pre-amp for it.

Likely candidates, in the order listed, are

McIntosh C22
Marantz 7C
Dynakit PAS-3

 How about a home brew Morzh A-1 pre amp, the name sounds like something technical and audiophoolish?
In looking at the picture I'm surprised that it doesn't have any pre amp circuitry built into it, it looks like it has a row of seven 12AX7s.
Regards
Arran

[morzh]

I was thinking of a whole home brew system but that takes time, and then I am not the most experienced tube amp designer, I used to dabble in the solid state design but that is very different.
So I would have to do what other designers did, trial and error and that takes huge dedication and time I do not have right now. And simply copying someone's design, be it the best of them (and the best is the subject to opinions), will cost me at least half the price of the actual thing just with parts.
Methinks I will buy something reputable that is pre-made

[gregb]

I have a McIntosh MX110 with my setup and am very pleased with the sound and it has an FM tuner. They have gotten really pricy in the past few years but may be a good match to your amp.

Gregb