McIntosh MA 230 versus modern integrated tube amps

Miserable sound. The early solid-state preamp section is just dreadful. Not only would it not compare to any current integrated on the market that I have heard, it was bettered by every Mac piece at the time. The sonic signature is a smeary haze combined with the classic tube uncontrolled mid-bass. My experience is as a Mac collectory BTW, who has owned one. It is just a beautiful piece to look at though. You could easily have it converted to a power amp and hear the glory of all that excellent iron.

I agree, very tubey and hollow sound. You would probably need to spend a fortune to bring it up to specs and still have a mediocre integrated at best. I had 3 Klipsch speakers at the time, Cornwall, Forte and Heresy and none sounded good with the MA230. The new MA2275 will easily crush the MA230, nice collectors piece however and there will always be a good demand for it.

My tube amps dont have uncontrolled midbass...

Jsujo, I stand corrected. Uncontrolled midbass would be an effect of the output impedance of the amp (the higher the less damping) interacting with the impedance curve of the speaker, the increase in bass impedance at the woofer resonant point being much greater than the rest of the curve causing a bass hump, the voltage divider effect at work. Perhaps a better statement would be that the amp would sound best with a sympathetic load, i.e. speakers of fairly constant impedance and good self damping, otherwise exaggerated bass response may result.

BTW, is that the original, ten tube version of the TF-10 that you have, or the later eight tube version? I really miss mine since having sold it ten years ago.

Mine is the 10 tube...9 too many costwise..:-) It is the only component that I never entertain swapping.

Mine was the ten tube as well, bypassed balance pot, upgraded volume pot. That's it, the thing just sounded great, it was silver, like yours, as well. A bit of nostalia for me there.

klipsch actually mates very nicely with mac in general.

Viridian, I hear ya,...I am selling my last of 2 Berning EA-230's...great stuff..but time to move on...maybe.

I listened to one for forty years and
it sounded great with the Tannoy Reds
it was purchased with.

Jsujo, your TF-10 is up for sale, looks like the entertaining has begun; never say "never".

I brought my MA-230 up to specs and think it sounds fantastic!
Very fast transient 3d sound.
Much more musical than most modern amps.