Using a Variac to power amp your CJ amp

[admin]

Still have the Evolution 2000. I listed it only as local sale and although I have a good number of inquiries, they all want me to ship it! It's so big I just don't want to hassle with the freight shipping.

[AnotherJohnson]

If people were offering you your asking price if you would ship, figure out how to ship. I’ve never seen one sell that high in the last decade. It won’t be that hard to ship. Buy the original shipping materials from CJ. If they no longer have them for sale, your local Mailboxes Etc or clone should be able to pack it.

[AnotherJohnson]

I just looked it up. At 114 pounds, it’s entered McIntosh domain.

FedEx Ground can handle up to 140 pounds though.

Packaging is problematic though. Probably good to palletize it.

You’d think there’d be a market for local pickup if you’re not far from Boston.

At the current asking price ($2100) for local pickup, it has some competition.

Another point on which others will disagree … stuff sells within a few months at fair market value. That’s sort of the definition of fair market value. A lot of amps have sold this past year, so there is an active market.

If stuff sits for 6 months or more, you have to decide whether it’s priced realistically or not.

FWIW, eBay collects sales tax these days, so that hurts pricing too.

[AnotherJohnson]

Offer it to The Music Room in Erie, Co.
they will figure out how to ship it, and they will pay for shipping, including palletizing if needed. They will arrange for pickup too.

You don’t have to accept their offer, but it’s a data point that can be enlightening. You might get more in a direct sale, but you might not too. People will buy it from TMR because TMR will test it and guarantee it, as well as allow trades towards it. They can get more for it than you will.

[admin]

The truth is I've been kind of lazy with it. It's heavy and cumbersome. I can't move it by myself and my wife had surgery this year and is not allowed to lift anything heavy. So if I had to ship it, I would need somebody to come over and help me pack and move it. I currently have it sitting on a moving dolly in the corner of the room. On a subconscious level I think I still have an emotional attachment to the unit which is not helping with the impetus to spend time on selling it. I had received interest but again, they all wanted it shipped and I just said "no" even before considering it.

I should probably just lower the price and open it up to shipping,... and then also look into resellers as AJ suggests. Procrastination is a terrible thing...

[Big Dog RJ]

Letting go of something is really hard, tell me all about it!

From the Premier series amplifiers to top PV series preamps, the MV series power amps, the SS amps, the LP series amps, the premier series preamps, the top of the ART's on trial, GAT/S2, the loans, the demos and the list goes on...

I think the most difficult thing to let go was the ACT2 S2, which I knew I would never be able to acquire again. That's the reason behind modifying & upgrading nearly every possible component in the CT5, except the trannys.

I nearly cried, actually I was in the wifey thought I had lost the plot! So eventually when these items were passed along, I would visit the persons house, set it up for them and make sure that the unit performed flawlessly in their systems. Just making sure they were happy as! It was like giving away a child... not that I know anything about that.

Not to worry Admin, I know exactly how you feel. Look at it this way though, you've managed to get CJ's SOTA monoblocks, which they no longer make. They don't even offer monaural amplifiers anymore. The only ones offered are the ART300's, and those aren't for everyone.

Move the Evo 2000 on... you'll be delighted when some cash comes in!
(And get those proper fuses!)

Cheers mate, RJ

[MLAS]

The truth is I've been kind of lazy with it. It's heavy and cumbersome. I can't move it by myself and my wife had surgery this year and is not allowed to lift anything heavy. So if I had to ship it, I would need somebody to come over and help me pack and move it. I currently have it sitting on a moving dolly in the corner of the room. On a subconscious level I think I still have an emotional attachment to the unit which is not helping with the impetus to spend time on selling it. I had received interest but again, they all wanted it shipped and I just said "no" even before considering it.

I should probably just lower the price and open it up to shipping,... and then also look into resellers as AJ suggests. Procrastination is a terrible thing...

That's a remarkable honest answer. I know how heavy it is (56 kilograms) and I injured my back when I lifted out of my trunk and had severe backpain for two weeks. I probably sold mine to a Swiss guy and at a price (in Europe) that is lower than I bought it for.
I developed a somewhat emotional attachment (Shinto believe every object has a soul...) with my Premier One b (not because it is even heavier than the EVO 2000, I learned my lesson in the meantime) but it such a treat every time I backtrack to it when I thought to have found an SS amp that surpassed it, which it didn't, not in the mid high section. As AnotherJohnson kindly pointed out their are certainly tube amps of modern make that will stop my PREM One b in it's track and leave it far behind in terms of resolution and refinement and reliability. I do not have the resources to embark on that journey as I rather drive to the horizon with a open '66 Pontiac GTO than with a Tesla 100D.
Your health and that of your loved ones outweighs the quick 2.500 USD you can probably get for the sale of your EVO.

[MLAS]

Letting go of something is really hard, tell me all about it!

From the Premier series amplifiers to top PV series preamps, the MV series power amps, the SS amps, the LP series amps, the premier series preamps, the top of the ART's on trial, GAT/S2, the loans, the demos and the list goes on...

I think the most difficult thing to let go was the ACT2 S2, which I knew I would never be able to acquire again. That's the reason behind modifying & upgrading nearly every possible component in the CT5, except the trannys.

I nearly cried, actually I was in the wifey thought I had lost the plot! So eventually when these items were passed along, I would visit the persons house, set it up for them and make sure that the unit performed flawlessly in their systems. Just making sure they were happy as! It was like giving away a child... not that I know anything about that.

Not to worry Admin, I know exactly how you feel. Look at it this way though, you've managed to get CJ's SOTA monoblocks, which they no longer make. They don't even offer monaural amplifiers anymore. The only ones offered are the ART300's, and those aren't for everyone.

Move the Evo 2000 on... you'll be delighted when some cash comes in!
(And get those proper fuses!)

Cheers mate, RJ

It's even harder when you sell all you CJ stuff because than it is not longer legitimate to team up with your guys on this forum!
That's why I'm searching for a PV9A just in case I would be tempted to sell my One b

In the loss you will find the value of the things you ones cherish. As long as you don't loose your soul, you're relatively okay I think...

Kind Regards to you all,

Robert

[AnotherJohnson]

AnotherJohnson kindly pointed out their are certainly tube amps of modern make that will stop my PREM One b in it's track and leave it far behind in terms of resolution and refinement and reliability. I do not have the resources to embark on that journey as I rather drive to the horizon with a open '66 Pontiac GTO than with a Tesla 100D.

I understand. And make no mistake, I do realize that there’s more to life than SOTA audio systems. A late 20th century system can be far more enjoyable than the best of today’s run of the mill mass market systems. There is something very satisfying about using great, vintage artifacts.

[MLAS]

AnotherJohnson kindly pointed out their are certainly tube amps of modern make that will stop my PREM One b in it's track and leave it far behind in terms of resolution and refinement and reliability. I do not have the resources to embark on that journey as I rather drive to the horizon with a open '66 Pontiac GTO than with a Tesla 100D.

I understand. And make no mistake, I do realize that there’s more to life than SOTA audio systems. A late 20th century system can be far more enjoyable than the best of today’s run of the mill mass market systems. There is something very satisfying about using great, vintage artifacts.

Great response. We understand each other that there's room for bot approaches.

[AnotherJohnson]

If I thought I could get an actual fully functional C22, pair of Mc240s, and MR71, with a pair of Bozaks, I’d love to have them as an auxiliary system. But that ship (properly working gear from the 60’s) sailed around 1990.

But even not up to snuff, that gear would increase in value if persistence prediction is a valid model.

I sold an MX110 several years ago for nearly four times it’s original msrp in 1965. Today the auctions close at six to seven times original msrp.

Buy the best, and cry once …

[roberto]

But, I will not trade my now system for any vintage goods. New circuits and much better components are used now.

[AnotherJohnson]

But, I will not trade my now system for any vintage goods. New circuits and much better components are used now.

Of course not. Mid 20th century McIntosh vs 21st century CJ … not even close, but fun in different ways.

[roberto]

I Have in my junkyard a C22 with a 2105. Big meters there. I loved watching them moving along with the music...quality sound? Naaaa,

[roberto]

I Have in my junkyard a C22 with a 2105. Big meters there. I loved watching them moving along with the music...quality sound? Naaaa,

Happy listening!

[AnotherJohnson]

I Have in my junkyard a C22 with a 2105. Big meters there. I loved watching them moving along with the music...quality sound? Naaaa,

You did note that I said properly working. And that this was an unlikely state for that gear for the past 30 years. And you did note that I would want them as a second system, not as a primary system.

FWIW, the 2105 was harsh and unpleasant right out of its original box. That was a terrible amp.

The C22 was state of the art for 55 years ago. But it was known more for it’s control features than for its great sound.

That doesn’t mean they’re not fun to own. Especially to listen to an MR71.

But not in a main system. You guys that are busy streaming will ba surprised how good the MP3 files sound on old McIntosh gear.

[MLAS]

Have had the McIntosh 2105 also, a MC7270 and a black MC2500. They were no good on my Acoustat Electrostatics but it looked nice.
MR-80 tuner was brought to me by Fedex but seller forgot to disattach the panlock so the glass frontplate was completely shattered when I opened the carton...

[AnotherJohnson]

I hate when that happens. Tom Manley may have them. I’ll check.

He has the outer glass for $215.

http://www.mcintoshaudio.com/

[MLAS]

I hate when that happens. Tom Manley may have them. I’ll check.

He has the outer glass for $215.

http://www.mcintoshaudio.com/

Thanks. But this was years ago and I sold the Mac as is to an American.
Here the FM broadcasting is all but gone. I still have a German Revox and America Spectro tuner but I don't even bother to sell them.

[AnotherJohnson]

I had abandoned my tuners when we moved to a valley in the countryside 15 years ago. We barely have a cell signal, and the TV/Radio over the air radiation is virtually nonexistent.

In a different house in an urban area nearer to Nashville, we have a Denon Home 350. I bought it to stream my CDs to the ground floor since the Marantz N8006 was upstairs.

It works remarkably well using the free HEOS app. More interesting, at least to me, was that it gave us access to a large range of streaming services. And also the concept of worldwide digital radio.

I used to run a Grundig shortwave set to keep up with family and friends and their local cultures around the world. With email and a digital radio, the Grundig is, for now, “relegated to the dustbin of history.”

Many of the digital stations appear to be counterparts of “over the air” stations broadcasting in their country of origin, but some seem to stand alone.

As it turns out, streaming via HEOS allows me to monitor the quality with both eyes and ears if I care to. When my ears believe there is a problem, I look … and I nearly always find that the super quality I had asked for has been compromised to a much lower level. My wife couldn’t care less. If the fidelity is just normal, she’s fine because the information she seeks is still present in the lower quality mass market music signal. But it bugs me enough to turn it off as a distraction, unless I’m really digging the program.