1.2tl's get a new pair of monoblocks
motorstereo
Posts: 2,133
I just picked up these Monarchy class A mono-blocks and I've been playing them all weekend on my Polks. Listening impressions are quite favorable. The little guys are only 70 wpc but it's class A so I'm thinking that's why they drive the Polks so surprisingly well.They do have better bass than the monster Mac's they're sitting on and at less than 1/10th the power that surprised me. They also are great little heaters as they both run at a steady 120 degrees. I originally got them to power my khorns but I figured I give them a shot at the Polks to and I'll be darned if I wasn't pleasantly surprised.
Comments
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Beautiful set up you have there.
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Not seeing it, but I'll assume there's a dreadnaught tucked in the rack?
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I see a pair of Mac monos up for sale soon.Political Correctness'.........defined
"A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."
President of Club Polk -
Beautiful set up you have there.
Thanks; it keeps me out of trouble or sometimes gets me into it.Not seeing it, but I'll assume there's a dreadnaught tucked in the rack?
Oh yes there's dreadnaught on the bottom shelf tucked behind the Mac light.I see a pair of Mac monos up for sale soon.
Actually Jesse the Mac's were up for sale for the past week but I didn't find a buyer. Of course I didn't try really hard either. I had a line on a pair of Mcintosh MC1201's and that's what I really wanted. My consolation prize are these little Monarchys. -
Very, very nice rig!!!
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Super cool stack of goodies.
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Great set-up, impressive Stack of Mac you have! I would love to try the Monarchy Mono's one day also. N'joy
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Thanks; these are my first modernish (this century) amps that I've had on the Polks and the first pair with balanced inputs as well. For 90% of my listening surprisingly to me these Monarchys would do just fine. I thought for sure they would fall on their face given their low output much in the same way my 60wpc tube integrated did when asked to drive the 1.2tl's. But I was wrong.
Driving the more sensitive khorns I have the little class A amps really shine and I've found that just one 40 wpc amp is more than adequate. Class A, made in America and the price won't rupture the piggy bank; I just couldn't say no
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Very nice setup. I have a pair of Monarchy 100 Class A Monoblocks on my Ushers. They sound really sweet. I have never ran them with my 2.3 TL's though. But I have also used the Monarchy's with some KEF 105/2's and Klipsch CF3's and they were very impressive.
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Alrighty then I'm glad to know I'm not the only one here with a pair of Monarchys. I can bet they sound great on all your speakers; why haven't you tried them on your Polks? 100wpc of Class A should really light them up.
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I see a pair of Mac monos up for sale soon.
You were right Jesse; Here they are in back of my suv on their way to a new home hopefully tomorrow.
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Those Monarchy's take over for powering the polks?
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Just for tonite; I'm in hopes of bringing home something a little bit more refined than the 2500's tomorrow.
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It's been a long and very tiring day of driving and then wrestling with heavyweight Mcintosh poweramps. The end result is my old MC2500's have gone to a new home and I have a new to me pair of Mcintosh MC1201's (1200wpc) to light up the 1.2tl's. So far what little time I've had with the 1201's
the listening impressions are very favorable. -
WOW THAT OUGHTA DO IT!!!!
very nice i would love to hear them. -
Yep. That should do it!
Congrats on the beasts.2 Channel Rosso Fiorentino Volterra II, 2 REL Carbon Limited, Norma Revo IPA-140B, Lumin U2 Mini, VPI Prime w/SoundSmith Zephyr MIMC, Modwright PH 150, Denon DP-59l w/Denon DL-301MKII, WAY Silver 3 Ana+ Speaker Cables, WAY Silver 4+ Interconnect Cables, AudioQuest Niagara 7000 w/Dragon and Hurricane Power Cables -
Somebody got a bigger hammer.
Political Correctness'.........defined
"A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."
President of Club Polk -
Thanks guys; As nice as those MC2500's were these guys are in a whole nuther league. The 29db improved s/n ratio (95 vs. 124) is one thing. These amps are dead quiet. The bass is also much improved. I have bass in familiar songs that I never knew was there. I haven't sat down for a detailed assessment yet for the soundstage but my short session seems to confirm that it has expanded as well. What did surprise me though is how much the amps show the difference in cabling. It was noticeable on the 2500's but with the quieter background now the difference is impossible to overlook. A better quality rca (MIT shotgun) beats a mediocre Kimber balanced input???? I would not have believed it
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Biggest VU meters EVER!
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Biggest VU meters EVER!
Lol and yes pics don't do them justice; they're huge almost to the point of being ridiculous just like the rest of the amp. The piece of glass covering them is a half inch thick and the amp's 148lb weight made moving them alone a challenge to say the least. -
Those amp stands are screaming for an upgrade. So did you install eyebolts in the ceiling for the block and tackle to drop them in place?
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I agree and the other electronics deserve a better rack as well. Neither are in the budget right now lol. No block and tackle. Just my tired 62 year old back wrestling them into place alone. The good thing is I didn't have to load them into the back of the car. All I did was supervise the 2 younger guys.
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Gustard X26 Pro DAC
Belles 21A Pre modded with Mundorf Supreme caps
B&K M200 Sonata monoblocks refreshed and upgraded
Polk SDA 1C's modded / 1000Va Dreadnaught
Wireworld Silver Eclipse IC's and speaker cables
Harman Kardon T65C w/Grado Gold. (Don't laugh. It sounds great!)
There is about a 5% genetic difference between apes and men …but that difference is the difference between throwing your own poo when you are annoyed …and Einstein, Shakespeare and Miss January. by Dr. Sardonicus -
Don’t think I would trust those pedestals with 150lb McIntosh amps. Congrats on the magnificent amps.The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD
“When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson -
Thanks; Well they held my 129lb Macs for 3 years with no problems. Just to be sure there'd be no problems with the new ones I bounced my 200+ carcass around on them with no damage. They're also secured to wall.nooshinjohn wrote: »Don’t think I would trust those pedestals with 150lb McIntosh amps. Congrats on the magnificent amps.
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[quote="audioluvr
That's sick! Probably better than mine...
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Haha; my sickness started decades ago with a GE Wildcat with Bachman Turner Overdrive records. I've been upgrading ever since -
motorstereo wrote: »It's been a long and very tiring day of driving and then wrestling with heavyweight Mcintosh poweramps. The end result is my old MC2500's have gone to a new home and I have a new to me pair of Mcintosh MC1201's (1200wpc) to light up the 1.2tl's. So far what little time I've had with the 1201's
the listening impressions are very favorable.
Sheesh. Wicked looking indeed!!!
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motorstereo wrote: »Thanks; Well they held my 129lb Macs for 3 years with no problems. Just to be sure there'd be no problems with the new ones I bounced my 200+ carcass around on them with no damage. They're also secured to wall.
Well now, that's a horse of a different color! If you ever want to compare those with both 1.2s and 2.3s, don't be afraid to throw them in your carry-on and fly up to Vee Tee.
Post edited by Viking64 on -
^^^^^Haha; I'm hoping I never ever have to move them again. Concert Grands take the cake as the worst speakers I've ever had to move and these amps are the worst electronics to ever make my back sore. They came from southern NH; not too far from "Vee Tee"
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motorstereo wrote: »^^^^^Haha; I'm hoping I never ever have to move them again. Concert Grands take the cake as the worst speakers I've ever had to move and these amps are the worst electronics to ever make my back sore. They came from southern NH; not too far from "Vee Tee"
I have a 50-pound tube amp and when I try to move it, it feels like there are otherworldly gravitational forces at play. I can't even imagine what those beauties are like to lift. 
