Power amps

[jenkins]

So I ahve ecided i want to go with the Mcintosh. Probably a MC2105 or a 2205

On the vintage Mac's, how do you input from your preamp? The inputs on the macs are Phono jacks i think. SO I would just get a 1/4inch to Phono converter, correct?

Is that how jerry did it?


And on the new mcintosh amps they have RCA inputs. Has anyone tried converting 1/4" to RCA cables?

Pretty much the RCA cables are keeping me away from the newer macs. But for some reason I thought the vintage ones had 1/4" jacks. WHen i was about to buy one i noticed th whole phono input thing.

How did Jerry wire his MC2300? what kind of wire was he using to run form his preamp to the power amp?

[willmusic]

RCAs and phonos are the same thing. I've used 1/4 inch to RCA cables in many applications with good results. As long as the quality is good, you should have no problems.

[jenkins]

thanks a lot willmusic.

I thought they looked the same.

What brand convertor have u used?

It looks to me like the newer macs are basically the same thing as the vintage, except for price.

Is there any reason you shouldn't use one of the newer mac power amps for live sound?

Has anyone arund here ever even heard a new mcintosh that was made in the last 10 years?

[steve6string]

Just make a set of cables the correct connectors on each end (1/4" and RCAs?). That way you don't have to worry about the converters loosening-up.

-s

[jenkins]

willmusic.

Te reason I thought they were ifferent is because when u look at a vintage mac., mc275 for example. There are 2 "phono" inputs. which is 2 spots, one for each channel.

On the newer mac amps which have "RCA" there is 4 spots for 2 channels. 2 red, 2 black.

Am I missing something here?

Are those two "phono" inputs on the vintage that I think are two channels really only one channel and the input for the other channel is located somewhere else?

When u said phono and rca are the same that mae sense to me. Then when i compare the vintage and the new ones it still looks different.

Thanks a lot for the info.

[jenkins]

Just make a set of cables the correct connectors on each end (1/4" and RCAs?). That way you don't have to worry about the converters loosening-up.

-s

So far that is my plan.

Does anyone know exactly how Jerry wired his MC2300??

[jenkins]

Nobody knows how Garcia wired his MC2300????

Post '93 whn the GD started using in ear mic's and removed all speakers from the stage. How did Garcia still use his mc2300? Did he run that straight to the soundboard? In pics from 94 and 95 u can see no cab but there is still his mc2300 there.

RCAs and phonos are the same thing. I've used 1/4 inch to RCA cables in many applications with good results. As long as the quality is good, you should have no problems.

hey willmusic. Are you sure they are the same thing? How would I plug RCA's into a mcintosh? There are twon plugs, one for each channel. With RCA's I have 4 males; but On the mcintosh there is only 2 female inputs. How would I hook this up.

[steve6string]

RCAs are the same as "phonos" and "1/4" plugs/jacks are the same as "phone" plugs/jacks. It all has to do with the history of who designed them and what they were originally used for. The # of connectors has nothing to do with the device name.

[jenkins]

so how would I connect RCA cables to mcintosh.

I would go 1/4" to RCA. So for my channel I would have 2 males(one red, one black) But for input on the mac has only 1 female plug.
Which male would I plug in to the input? red or black? What would I do with the other male? just let it sit there?? Wouldn't that mess up the ground if it hit the chassis of the amp?

I'm not saying you guys are wrong here, i really just don't understad how it works.

[waldo041]

Just make a set of cables the correct connectors on each end (1/4" and RCAs?). That way you don't have to worry about the converters loosening-up.

-s

So far that is my plan.

Does anyone know exactly how Jerry wired his MC2300??

in the grateful gear book they speak of modding the mac's for banana plugs, so, i imagine this is how jerry's was wired up. at least at first, they may have adapted to 1/4" jacks later on.

1/4" "phone" jacks ARE NOT the same as RCA "phono" jacks.


also, post 93 with the MC2300 at the bottom of the rack. it was not used in the GD, it was in the rack for JGB shows or other appearences where his gear would be needed. all that rack needs is a speaker cab from the mac, or direct from the TRIOS.

peace,
waldo

[jenkins]

in the grateful gear book they speak of modding the mac's for banana plugs, so, i imagine this is how jerry's was wired up. at least at first, they may have adapted to 1/4" jacks later on.

1/4" "phone" jacks ARE NOT the same as RCA "phono" jacks.


also, post 93 with the MC2300 at the bottom of the rack. it was not used in the GD, it was in the rack for JGB shows or other appearences where his gear would be needed. all that rack needs is a speaker cab from the mac, or direct from the TRIOS.

peace,
waldo

The banana plugs are how they connected the mc2300 to his speaker cab. I want to know how he connected his preamp and effects to his mc2300, Which has a "phono" input. not 1/4"
Did Garcia use a 1/4" to Phono convertor or did he modify the mac to take a 1/4"?

I didn't think he was using the mc2300 when he started going direct into the soundboard.

[waldo041]

my guess is he modded the mac for 1/4" input. not the best pic but one of scant pics of the rear of jerrys gear.

peace,
waldo



notice he is using the blackface twin here. and also at the closing of winterland!

[jenkins]

Thanks for those pics waldo. Very interesting.
I agree that they most liely modified the mac's t have 1/4" inputs. Im sure that isn't too tough to do.

Phil Describes the wall of sound in his book as 25,000 watts of solid-state mcintosh power. 6 independant channels, 1 for each instrument, 1 for the vocal.
That gave them bout 4,250 watts per channel.

Does anyone around here know how you would wire more than one power amp at a time per channel? How did they get all those mac amps working together?