I would like to replace a mega powered McIntosh amplifier with a Bang & Olufsen product.

 

I have a perfectly wonderful Beomaster 2400 and 4500, but neither are up to the challenge. The 2400 comes closest to duplicating the volume via three sets of inefficient speakers, but gets awfully hot in the process.

 

The Beomaster 4500 has an incredibly beautiful sound, but not nearly the volume of the 2400, let alone the big Mac.

 

So what would be the best choice to replace a high watt amplifier?

 

I am looking for an amplifier capable of powering a set of Linn Isobaric speakers, McIntosh ML-2 speakers, and Fisher XP-66 speakers via a speaker switch-box.

 

Any thoughts?

 

Thanks.

 

Jeff

The obvious choice is the Beomaster 8000 which certainly has plenty of power and reserves. Walloping great transformer in it! Of the others, the Beomaster 4400 is beautifully designed from an audio point of view. Frede has kindly sent me a detailed set of documents about the 4400 which I am putting on site - once scanned down a bit! The 2400 is a fine device but does fit a fairly complex package into a small pot so I am not surprised it overheats under pressure!

Thanks Peter, the Beomaster 8000 would have been my personal guess, but it feels better hearing this from you. I will also consider the Beomaster 4400.

 

As always, I really appreciate your sage advice.

 

Please note that although the Beomaster 2400 did indeed heat up considerably, it never gave the slightest hint of displeasure. You had previously assured me that the 2400 would stand up to the demand of powering these inefficient speakers of mine, along with the prediction of getting hot. Right on both counts.

 

Still considering all the problems I have been having with my McIntosh amplifier I decided to err on the side of caution and temporarily split the system up with the Beomaster 2400 powering the McIntosh ML-2 speakers, which it does at full volume (when asked) with only a tepid heat response at the back. The Linn Isobaric speakers are being powered by the Beomaster 4500.

 

Again thanks for the advice.

 

Jeff

Shame you are not in this country - I am considering selling my 8000 system - at the pre-contemplation stage before anyone gets excited! Just for you, I'll scan the 4400 documentation tonight and put it on site. Now that is something I will not ever sell!

Peter,

 

Well no one is perfect.

 

However, to find a Beomaster 8000 from you would be a terrific advantage. I would know in advance that it would be in superb condition.

 

Before I take another B&O plunge to add to my B&O obsession…. I mean collection: Beogram 4000, 4002, 4004, 8000, CDX, Beomaster 2400, 4500, Beocord 8004 and 9000 I need to see what has finally happened to my McIntosh 2255 amplifier.

 

The McIntosh amp is part of an all Mac system which I purchased new eons ago. It had been an exceptional piece of equipment giving very good service until the right channel blew out and it has been all downhill since then.

 

Four trips to a local (former) McIntosh dealer got the right channel working, but only intermittently. I then took it to Vancouver, requiring a ferry ride, to Vancouver. Four more repairs, and each time more parts required replacement. Finally is desperation the dealer asked me to ship the amp and pre-amp to McIntosh, in Binghamton, New York. That was $500 for the shipping one way for the amp and pre-amp.

 

McIntosh graciously took on my amp and pre-amp under warrantee despite the 20 years that has past since they were under warrantee. The eight repairs notwithstanding McIntosh found a laundry list of parts that required replacement, and went so far as to rebuild the entire left channel…. my “good” channel. Their tech said, “There is not one used part in your left channel.”

 

When I received the amp I had great expectations of an amplifier restored by the factory to original specs. What I found was an amp with very tinny sound (something entirely new) and pre-mature clipping protection at about 25 watts. (This is a 500 watt amp.)

 

I notified McIntosh of my discovery and they were beyond mystified and asked about the wiring and the condition of the speakers. Well fair enough, so I pointed out that my 2400 powers the McIntosh ML-2 speakers with no problem as does the 4500 with the Linn Isobaric speakers. (I think they were insulted at the comparison…. You know, after all this is a McIntosh, or some such logic.)

 

So I direct wired the Beogram CDX player as a source and the Linn speakers directly with no pre-amp, and NOT using the existing wiring which made no difference. I then tried wiring the amp to the McIntosh speakers, which produced a slight improvement in wattage, but not sound.

 

McIntosh had paid for the entire repair to their distinct credit, provided brand new indestructible shipping boxes and paid the shipping…. so they were annoyed at my report… understandably so, but that doesn’t change the fact that this amp has a unresolved problem.

 

More discussion revealed the “odd” lack of volume with the gain controls on the amp in neutral. I was forced to turn the gain controls to max to get any sort of volume and as mentioned the clipping protection came on at 25 watts.

 

McIntosh then generously offered me a new amp at cost. I gave that some thought, but this is a handsome matched system with black glass and gold knobs. The new amp is arguably more modern looking with all it chrome bits, but it would stand out badly next to the older traditional McIntosh equipment.

 

So they asked for me to send them back the amp for a second try. One full week of bench testing and the 2255 didn’t skip a beat.  The factory says there is nothing wrong with it. That puts the ball in my court.

 

Therefore I thanked them, as I should for all their efforts and let them know I would try one more time setting up the full system and if it failed to perform reasonably well that I would then sell the system. Now the folks at McIntosh are really not amused.

 

With the direct wiring, that left on the amp as the source of the problem, especially when trying two sets of speakers.

 

Anyway, long, long story…. but this is why I asked about a powerful B&O amp to replace the entire McIntosh system.

 

Thanks again for all your help.

 

Jeff

Interesting problem - sorry I can not help with it.

 

I have always loved McI stuff and probably would have easily gone done that pathway had I not been sucked into B&O. 

 

Keep us uptodate with your story.........

Strange problem, sounds like a short or mutting problem but that's only a guess on my part. Here's another suggestion how about getting a Beolab 200 amplifier and run it through your 4500 via powerlink?

My McIntosh 2255 “should” be in route to me at this time. Thirty days of testing revealed no problem with the amplifier, and thus questions as the user. (Me!) [:'(]

Fair enough, but with my direct wiring the amp to a single set of Linn Isobaric speakers and direct wiring a B&O CDX player as the only source resulted in a discouraging performance…. clipping at 10% of full volume and a flat nasty sound with NO bass.

I then took the new wire and connected it to my McIntosh ML-2 speakers to similar effect.

In the mean time my “replacement” Beomaster 4500 has been doing a superb job powering my inefficient Linn speakers. Truly fantastic sound!

I have been given STRICT instructions from the factory, which I will follow to the letter.

First the amp must be allowed to reach room temperature, allowing for 2 hours, then plugged in and allowed to sit for another 2 hours with no source….. while monitoring the VU meters for any fluctuations.

Then assuming all is well, I am to connect one speaker and one speaker only. If that test goes well, then I am to connect the second speaker and see if the amp performs as it did at the factory.

Frankly, I have little hope that this test will prove successful, but if it does it would certainly simplify my life and restore my long standing faith in McIntosh products.

I purchased a virtually new Beocord 9000 with RCA plugs anticipating the return of the powerful 500 watt McIntosh amp. Realist that I am, I also purchased a set of RCA to DIN adaptors….

I will happily let you know how this all plays out.

Jeff

This is a bit of a mea culpa.

 

McIntosh Laboratories took my 30 year old MC 2255 in for repair UNDER WARRANTEE.  The repair required several months and two seperate trips to the factory for repair, however the end result is truly amazing.

 

True enough, I prefer the delightfully mellow sound of my Beomaster 4500 over the Mac, but for sheer volume and absolute clarity of sound…. well you would be hard pressed to surpass this amplifier. As such, I am no longer looking for a replacement.

 

Maybe someday I might purchase a Beomaster 8000, but I have yet another mea culpa. I had complained vigorously about the overload protection limiting the volume on my newly acquired Beomaster 4500. Well good grief, I just discovered that my speaker connectors were both shorted out with excessive solider, so this amplifier was really working hard to overcome this hard short.

 

I am hunting for proper speakers cables right now. I have connected my S-75 speakers to my Beomaster 2400 as I KNEW it could easily handle the load…. which is does while thinking the Beomaster 4500 might not.  I have a set of S-45’s ready for the Beomaster 4500, but now that I understand the volume problem, I might want to rethink this choice.

Any thoughts? 

 

Jeff