A long time customer writes:
“A funny thing happened on my way to buy a McIntosh MC-240 stereo tube amplifier. I knew exactly where I was going to purchase my vintage tube amplifier; Classic Tube Audio. I have been working with Pat Hickman, Head Tubeologist, at Classic Tube Audio for more than a decade with Pat bringing my C-28 Preamp to factory perfection, he then worked on my MR-78 followed by my Thorens TD-125 turntable. While looking at the 240 I noticed there was a pair of sorry looking McIntosh MC-30’s on the floor. My very first McIntosh system included a pair of MC-30’s and I immediately remembered the warm beautiful sound the 30’s produced. They were in pretty bad shape but I told Pat the story of my first really good stereo. Pat volunteered that we could switch the project to the MC-30’s and I immediately jumped on the offer. What a wonderful decision! Pat brought this pair of sorry looking monoblock amps to perfection. All visible areas were addressed; transformers were expertly brought to perfection including filling in any dents or dings with Bondo, sanded, primed and painted. The transformers were top-offed with absolutely accurate decals, the epitome of attention to details. What turned these MC-30’s into the beautiful amps are the addition of new chrome chasis with correct decals. They just gleam in the their perfection. Every detail to match high quality capacitors, tubes, and all new components so that the closest matches were distributed between the two amps. This makes a tremendous sonic equality between the amps. To sum it all up the amps are visibly and electronically equal. Like everything Pat does these amps were returned to perfection. They look like brand new MC-30 monoblock amplifiers. I do have a history of McIntosh amps that include my MC-2105 to the behemoth of all amps a MC-2300 that gives me a unique outlook on sound quality.
I worked in the Audio Industry initially as the owner of Quicksilver Audio repair shop in the House Of Music in Salt Lake City, Utah. I quickly found that with my electronic technician education (ATN) in the U.S. Navy and ability to listen well I was a formidable audio salesman. I quickly became a top salesman and later the Manager of The House Of Music. The pinnacle of my audio career culminated in 3 day trip to McIntosh in Binghamton, NY. Each day we were expertly guided on the many facets of McIntosh Laboratories by Gordon Gow. We saw manufacturing, speaker research, marketing support, got to meet Frank McIntosh and every other facet of operations. After the guided tour the evening was spent with Gordon Gow dining on Haute Cuisine followed by nightcaps back in the hotel. The evening nightcap sessions were the liveliest and most informative sessions of the day.
The majority of my career was spent in the Personal Computer industry ranging from retail sales, software support finalizing in my 20+ year career at Central Washington University Computer Support Services. My computer career only heightened my appreciation for vintage audio equipment with the introduction to digital music. While opening many technologies digital advances always came at the expense of fidelity. The pure sound of vinyl produced by tube technology became even more important in my quest for a really good sound system.
I’ve found that the value of power output has been become extremely corrupted with systems reporting output in the thousands of watts per channel. One only has to sit down and listen to a whopping 4.2 watts of pure sonic perfection produced by the Whammerdyne “Truth” amplifier to understand fidelity wins every time over wattage.
I know that I have ingredients to build a sonically excellent system. I owe so much of this to the wonderful advice and mentoring Pat Hickman has provided during our personal/professional friendship. “Glowing Tubes All in a Row perfection”
A heartfelt thank you, Lynn
Dr Tubeology
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