McIntosh MX112 Vintage Preamp from ABKCO Music & Records - THE ROLLING STONES and MORE!

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This is no ordinary MX112 vintage McIntosh preamp.

This MX112 comes to you from ABKCO Music & Records, home to The Rolling Stones, Chubby Checker, Sam Cooke, and many more! 

Check out our photos to see ABKCO owner & founder Mr. Allen Klein alongside the BEATLES, with McIntosh gear prominently featured in his office and recording studios.

Born in Newark, NJ, Mr. Klein was an American businessman whose aggressive negotiation tactics fundamentlly changed industry standards for compensating recording artists. Mr. Klein also increased profits for his musician clients by negotiating new record company contracts.

He first scored monetary and contractual gains for Buddy Knox and Jimmy Bowen, one-hit rockabillies of the late 1950's, then parlayed his early successes into a position managing Sam Cooke.

He went on to manage The Beatles and the Rolling Stones simultaneously(!!!), along with many other artists, becoming one of the most powerful individuals in the music industry during his era. (Above three paragraphs courtesy of Wikipedia with some editing)

The MX112 is as capable and feature rich as the venerable MX110, but it features solid state rather than tubes and the addition of AM band reception.

It's also much less complicated in design and execution.

Cosmetically it fits the bill: large backlit tuning meter, glass front faceplate, and easy to use buttons and knobs.

Controls are just what you need too with an input selector, volume, balance, and tone adjustments.

This example is in fair condition and has been serviced in our shop for trouble-free operation.

A matching and well fitting wood cabinet is available for this MX110, just drop us a note if interested.

SkyFi Cosmetic Notes:
• Small glass blemish near volume control.
• Scratching on top covers.
• Miscellaneous  wear on metal chassis parts.

Just Serviced By Bristol Electronics BR13530
• 2 small power supply electrolytic caps replaced.

More on ABKCO Music & Records:
ABKCO Music & Records is one of the world’s leading independent entertainment companies. It is home to iconic music catalogs that include compositions and recordings by Sam Cooke, The Rolling Stones, Bobby Womack, Eric Burdon, The Animals, Herman’s Hermits, Marianne Faithfull, The Kinks, the works of Norman Luboff (Yellowbird) as well as the current songwriters Ben Margulies (co-writer of Mariah Carey), Devvon T McLeod (pka Devvon Terrell) and the Cameo Parkway masters by such artists as Chubby Checker, Bobby Rydell, Clint Eastwood, The Dovells, ? & The Mysterians, The Tymes and Dee Dee Sharp.

ABKCO’s recordings are of the highest resolution audio quality available. We were the first label to launch our entire catalogue on hybrid SACD and continue to make our catalogue digitally available in the highest resolution audio quality available, partnering with companies including HD Tracks, Acoustic Sound and HIGHRESAUDIO for DSD downloads.

ABKCO is at the forefront of new technologies in the entertainment field and is in active development of several multi-platform projects, theatrical productions and innovative educational tools to ensure its catalog is enjoyed by generations of fans for years to come.

Brand Background:
McIntosh Laboratory is an American manufacturer of handcrafted high-end audio equipment based in Binghamton, New York. The company was founded in 1949 by Frank McIntosh. The company designs and produces audio amplifiers, stereo tuners and other consumer electronics products.

Ownership:
Single Owner - ABKCO Music & Records

Connections:
RCA inputs and outputs, captive power cord

Cosmetic Condition:
6/10 = Fair. Three to four minor scratches, or one major scratch.. See our detailed rating description here.

Working Condition:
Working perfectly and tested in our lab and listening room.

Approximate Age:
1970

Link to Manual:
Click Here

The SkyFi Testing Process for Preamplifiers:

We start with a visual inspection of all internal components to make sure that there are no signs of heat stress or damage. Capacitors are checked for telltale signs of predictive failure including bulging, shrunken wrappers, or physical leakage. We also inspect the PCBs for discoloration from resistors or transistors that may have been running hot. On vintage units we often spot check select capacitors for value and ESR.

When we first power on a preamplifier we connect its RCA output to a Sencore PA81 Power Analyzer which simulates real world loading conditions and gives us an oscilloscope interface. The first order of business is checking that the volume control works smoothly throughout its entire range with acceptable channel balance. This is accomplished by feeding a 1KHz sine wave into one of the preamp’s line level inputs while monitoring the preamp’s output on an oscilloscope. We then switch to a 1KHz square wave to test the tone controls, loudness function, and filters where applicable. During this step we are watching for equal alteration of the test signal by both channels. This also helps us identify dirty controls that will need treatment. Once the basic line stage functions are verified, we test each input individually. This is especially important for devices that use relays to select their sources. If the preamp is equipped with a phono stage we test that as well. We use an inverse RIAA filter which allows us to feed a reference test signal into the phono input with the proper RIAA equalization and level. A square wave or sine sweep is used to verify that the device’s phono stage is faithfully reproducing the RIAA curve. If the preamp under test has balanced inputs and/or outputs these are tested as well.

We finish up our bench testing with a listening test with our bench amplifier and reference speakers. During this test we check for hum or hiss that may not have shown up in earlier testing. We also check that all of the tone controls and filters perform as expected. If the preamplifier has remote control functions these are also tested. Preamps with tube circuits or complicated power supply topologies are connected at our long term test rig for extended stress testing under real world conditions.

The SkyFi Testing Process for Tuners:

We start with a visual inspection of all internal components to make sure that there are no signs of heat stress or damage. Capacitors are checked for telltale signs of predictive failure including bulging, shrunken wrappers, or physical leakage. We also inspect the PCBs for discoloration from resistors or transistors that may have been running hot. On vintage units we often spot check select capacitors for value and ESR. Vintage analog tuners also have moving parts related to the tuning gang and dial string. These parts are inspected for smooth operation. 

If the unit passes visual inspection it is bench tested for a handful of key performance parameters using a Sencore SG80 AM/FM Stereo Analyzer. The SG80 allows us to “simulate” an ideal radio station using precision test signals instead of music. This device, in conjunction with an oscilloscope allows us to properly evaluate the following parameters:

1. AM Reception (Where Applicable)
2. FM Mono Reception & Tuning Meter Function
3. FM MPX Reception (Stereo)
4. Dial Tracking - How accurately the tuner dial or display indicates the actual frequency of the broadcast being received.
5. Stereo Separation - A properly working stereo tuner will have minimal crosstalk between the left and right channel.
6. Sensitivity & Signal Strength Meter Function - By lowering the output of the SG80 we can simulate weak stations and determine how well the tuner will be able to pull in weak distant stations. This adjustment also helps us verify signal strength meter function. 

If the tuner has acceptable performance related to the parameters above we connect the unit for listening tests with a simple dipole antenna. We listen for audio reproduction quality of local stations and evaluate how many stations the tuner can receive while we sweep through the dial. We are looking to verify that the tuner can decode stereo on strong local broadcasts and pick up a wide variety of local stations at the bottom, middle, and top of the frequency band. At this point we also test convenience features such as muting, filters, built in oscilloscope function, etc.

We finish up with an extended listening test on our long term test rig. We tune in a strong local station and monitor for drift over a 2-3 hour period.