Sometimes it's good to go and visit friends,
especially when they're into similar hobbies,
or in this case addictions.
This guy makes any of my past stereo posts look small-time,
which they are in comparison.
Sean is a guy obsessed with McIntosh sound equipment,
which led him down the dark path towards the Grateful Dead,
who had the biggest Mac based sound system in history,
the Wall of Sound.
Here's an early version - 1973.
If you look close there are amp stacks peppered all around.
Here's something close to the final incarnation of the WOS.
Notice it's about 12 feet higher with the radial center speaker array.
Almost 50 of those blue faced MC2300's powered this beast!
If you look in the background,
you'll see how stacks of amps were layed out to power certain instruments.
It must have been fun to wire this thing up.
While I have more of the musical obsession,
Sean's got more of the gearhead obsession.
He's so deep into it,
that some of the pieces are actually from the GD setup.
*******************************************
Jerry Garcia & Merl Saunders - I was made to love her - 1973
Well this song doesn't have much to do with this post,
but we did talk about it that night,
and it kinda goes with Oldies Month since it's a Stevie Wonder cover!
*******************************************
With the collection overflowing his small bungalow,
it was time to get some documentation.
Another friend Chip and I happily lent a hand,
or back in this case.
Each one of these amps is about 130+ pounds.
By the time I got there the 5 tall stack was already bowing the floor,
even with the plywood reinforcement.
Figure a 7 stall stack is right under a 1000 lbs.
A half ton on a 2'x2' section of the floor!
Not only does he have 2 actual GD mc2300 amps (top ones)
he's also got an early Travis Bean guitar similar to the 1975 model,
and some speakers used on stage.
The lower left double speaker cabinet was actually in Egypt 1978!
To top it off,
he also scored a bitchin Mcintosh MC-225 tube amp,
actually used in the GD studio about 1975!
I'm not sure where Sean was stashing all this stuff!
He had so many early JBL speakers it was crazy.
Finally an intimidating mini Wall of Sound was set up.
Funny thing it was so big there wasn't enough distance
in his living room to take a good cellphone shot!
Sadly we didn't have time to actually hook everything up,
but it would have been fun to blow the fusebox.
It's only 4600 watts of power!
Now Sean is getting a book together to document all the stories
from his acquisitions.
He's met with so many of the brains from this time period,
it will be an interesting read.
TP
especially when they're into similar hobbies,
or in this case addictions.
 |
| holey chit |
This guy makes any of my past stereo posts look small-time,
which they are in comparison.
 |
| travis bean #996 |
Sean is a guy obsessed with McIntosh sound equipment,
which led him down the dark path towards the Grateful Dead,
who had the biggest Mac based sound system in history,
the Wall of Sound.
 |
| grateful dead wall of sound - november 1973 ripped photo |
Here's an early version - 1973.
If you look close there are amp stacks peppered all around.
 |
| grateful dead wall of sound - march 1974 ripped photo |
Here's something close to the final incarnation of the WOS.
Notice it's about 12 feet higher with the radial center speaker array.
Almost 50 of those blue faced MC2300's powered this beast!
 |
| jerry garcia - may 1974 ripped photo |
If you look in the background,
you'll see how stacks of amps were layed out to power certain instruments.
It must have been fun to wire this thing up.
 |
| bob weir - may 1973 ripped photo - m. parrish |
While I have more of the musical obsession,
Sean's got more of the gearhead obsession.
He's so deep into it,
that some of the pieces are actually from the GD setup.
*******************************************
Jerry Garcia & Merl Saunders - I was made to love her - 1973
Well this song doesn't have much to do with this post,
but we did talk about it that night,
and it kinda goes with Oldies Month since it's a Stevie Wonder cover!
*******************************************
 |
| chip and mcintosh mc2300 short stack |
With the collection overflowing his small bungalow,
it was time to get some documentation.
Another friend Chip and I happily lent a hand,
or back in this case.
 |
| Sean and mcintosh mc2300 tall stack |
Each one of these amps is about 130+ pounds.
By the time I got there the 5 tall stack was already bowing the floor,
even with the plywood reinforcement.
Figure a 7 stall stack is right under a 1000 lbs.
A half ton on a 2'x2' section of the floor!
 |
| me with tall mc2300 stack and travis bean guitar |
Not only does he have 2 actual GD mc2300 amps (top ones)
he's also got an early Travis Bean guitar similar to the 1975 model,
and some speakers used on stage.
The lower left double speaker cabinet was actually in Egypt 1978!
 |
| Mcintosh MC2300 + grateful dead speakers + preamp |
To top it off,
he also scored a bitchin Mcintosh MC-225 tube amp,
actually used in the GD studio about 1975!
 |
| grateful dead studio mcintosh mc-225 tube(less) amp vince welnick's speaker box |
I'm not sure where Sean was stashing all this stuff!
He had so many early JBL speakers it was crazy.
Finally an intimidating mini Wall of Sound was set up.
Funny thing it was so big there wasn't enough distance
in his living room to take a good cellphone shot!
 |
| sean marcy's 4600 watt wall of sound |
Sadly we didn't have time to actually hook everything up,
but it would have been fun to blow the fusebox.
It's only 4600 watts of power!
Now Sean is getting a book together to document all the stories
from his acquisitions.
He's met with so many of the brains from this time period,
it will be an interesting read.
TP
Hey man! This is SO rad. I would love to hear more about this set up from Sean!
ReplyDeleteAny Chance we can get in touch via email? You can reach me by email at TheMopedGuys@Gmail.com