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1.2tl's get a new pair of monoblocks

motorstereomotorstereo Posts: 1,296
in Vintage Speakers
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.

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  • pitdogg2pitdogg2 Posts: 14,309
    Beautiful set up you have there. ;)
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  • FestYboyFestYboy Posts: 3,699
    Not seeing it, but I'll assume there's a dreadnaught tucked in the rack?
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  • F1nutF1nut Posts: 42,677
    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

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  • motorstereomotorstereo Posts: 1,296
    pitdogg2 wrote: »
    Beautiful set up you have there. ;)

    Thanks; it keeps me out of trouble or sometimes gets me into it.
    FestYboy wrote: »
    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.
    F1nut wrote: »
    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.
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  • ConradiclesConradicles Posts: 5,863
    Very, very nice rig!!!
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  • oldrockeroldrocker Posts: 2,212
    Super cool stack of goodies.
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  • Mike ReeterMike Reeter Posts: 3,505
    Great set-up, impressive Stack of Mac you have! I would love to try the Monarchy Mono's one day also. N'joy
    SDA SRS 2.3TL's/SDA SRS 3.1TL's/SDA CRS+4.1TL's and some other stuff
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  • motorstereomotorstereo Posts: 1,296
    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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  • indyhawgindyhawg Posts: 1,297
    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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  • motorstereomotorstereo Posts: 1,296
    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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  • motorstereomotorstereo Posts: 1,296
    F1nut wrote: »
    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.
    80qwwz12yn4c.jpg

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  • Gerres26Gerres26 Posts: 483
    Those Monarchy's take over for powering the polks?
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  • motorstereomotorstereo Posts: 1,296
    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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  • pitdogg2pitdogg2 Posts: 14,309
    edited February 2018
    WOW THAT OUGHTA DO IT!!!!
    very nice i would love to hear them.
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  • tratlifftratliff Posts: 809
    edited February 2018
    Yep. That should do it!

    Congrats on the beasts.
    2 Channel
    Legacy Focus SE, 2 REL Carbon Limited, McIntosh C50, McIntosh MC601's, VPI Prime w/SoundSmith Zephyr MIMC, Parasound Halo JC3, Marantz SA-14s1, Oppo BDP-105, Technics RS-1500, Furman Elite 15PFi, Douglas Connection (Furutech) Alpha Interconnects, Douglas Connection (Furutech) Alpha Speaker Cables, Pangea Power Cables

    Theater
    Yamaha RX-Z9, Legacy Focus SE (same as 2 Channel system), Def Tech C/L/R 2500, Def Tech BP-2X, Def Tech Pro-Monitors, Vizio M-75

    Office
    Teac NP-H750, Parasound Ztuner, Audio Engine P4N, Grado SR80, Grado iGrado, Audio-Technica ATH-M50, PC running High Rez files

    Living Room
    Yamaha YSP-4100 digital sound projector, Sharp Aquos 60"

    Bed Room
    Yamaha YSP-5100 digital sound projector, Sharp Aquos 70"

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  • F1nutF1nut Posts: 42,677
    Somebody got a bigger hammer. B)
    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

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  • motorstereomotorstereo Posts: 1,296
    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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  • ClipdatClipdat Posts: 7,137
    Biggest VU meters EVER!
    "Electronic music is human sound adapting to indulge technology, and for some, it feels like the signature sound of energy. New and abstract sounds over hypnotic rhythms can conjure vast soundscapes for escape, pleasure, and transcendence."
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  • motorstereomotorstereo Posts: 1,296
    Clipdat wrote: »
    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.
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  • pitdogg2pitdogg2 Posts: 14,309
    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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  • motorstereomotorstereo Posts: 1,296
    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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  • audioluvraudioluvr Posts: 1,334
    edited February 2018
    motorstereo wrote: »
    fgiemryvkvvp.jpg

    That's sick! Probably better than mine...

    1gs22j4nrnyu.jpg
    Home System:
    SDA 1C's - Full mod with the help by Dave...
    1000 Va Dreadnought- w/ WireWorld Mini-Eclipse cables
    WireWorld Mini-Eclipse 7 speaker cables
    WireWorld Silver Eclipse IC's
    Cambridge Audio Azur 851N - DAC/Streamer
    B&K Reference 50 Pre/Pro
    B&K M200 Sonata Monoblocks
    BLE-Design 16mm Power Cables
    Denon DVD 2900

    Barn system:
    SDA SRS 2.3's Full mod done by myself
    Carver C-1 pre
    Carver M1.5t
    BluDenso - Bluetooth receiver/DAC
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  • nooshinjohnnooshinjohn Posts: 21,316
    Don’t think I would trust those pedestals with 150lb McIntosh amps. Congrats on the magnificent amps.
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, TriangleArt Reference SE with Pass Labs Xono Phono Preamp, Walker Precision Motor Drive, ClearAudio Goldfinger Diamond v2 cartridge and Origin Conquerer Mk3c tonearm, Polk Audio "Signature" Reference Series 1.2TL with complete mods, Pass Labs X0.2 three chassis preamp, PS Audio PerfectWave DAC MkII, Pioneer Elite SC-LX701, Oppo UDP-205 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk audio AB700/800 "in-wall" surrounds.

    Saying that it's "too hard" to pursue your dreams is no different than admitting to yourself that you are too lazy to achieve them.

    “If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.”
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  • motorstereomotorstereo Posts: 1,296
    nooshinjohn wrote: »
    Don’t think I would trust those pedestals with 150lb McIntosh amps. Congrats on the magnificent amps.
    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.
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  • motorstereomotorstereo Posts: 1,296
    [quote="audioluvr

    That's sick! Probably better than mine...

    1gs22j4nrnyu.jpg
    [/quote]

    Haha; my sickness started decades ago with a GE Wildcat with Bachman Turner Overdrive records. I've been upgrading ever since
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  • oldrockeroldrocker Posts: 2,212
    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'sfgiemryvkvvp.jpg
    the listening impressions are very favorable.

    Sheesh. Wicked looking indeed!!!

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  • Viking64Viking64 Posts: 4,235
    edited February 2018
    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. :p

    l4jeapsozc7o.jpg
    Post edited by Viking64 on
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  • motorstereomotorstereo Posts: 1,296
    ^^^^^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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  • Viking64Viking64 Posts: 4,235
    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. :p I can't even imagine what those beauties are like to lift. :o
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