# McIntosh MX406 and a bunch of other stuff



## Ncpaladin (Feb 18, 2017)

Greetings all,

Just a quick introduction. I worked in mid to high end car and home audio from the late eighties to the late nineties. Somebody here may remember me from Audio/Video Systems and Sound Systems Inc in Charlotte NC. I am now in a very different line of work. I own a selection of equipment from back in the day, and am going through it testing things to list them on Craigslist to move the stuff to others. Maybe they'll actually use them and not keep them boxed up! 

The first thing I dug out was my old McIntosh MX406 (built January 1999). It is beautiful and complete (box, installation accessories, replacement manual, etc.) As I unboxed this thing after 15 years being put away (it was only installed for about a year), I hooked up my reglated power supply and it asked for a code. Crap. I have long since forgotten the code. I looked in the box, nope. The manual is a replacement I ordered some time ago from Binghampton, so it has nothing written in it. I tried a few codes, now it is the 15 minute interval entry mode. 

Does anyone know if there is a hard reset method for when it is in the 15 minute mode? Or is this thing going to Binghampton?

On a brighter note, the Nakamichi TD-700 works like a charm. It powered up, picked up a few radio stations, so I brought the power supply into the living room and hooked it up to my main Nakamichi home stereo. The only tapes that were handy were my wife's old Christmas music tapes. Sounded just like a Nakamichi should. The potentiometers were a bit scratchy, but after exercising them they too worked well. And here I thought this would be the one thing that would give me hell and eat a tape. It played multiple tapes all the way through. So that craiglist ad is alive.

I am running my original AudioControl Epicenter in the home stereo right now. I forgot what fun that thing is!

I still have to check a bunch of a/d/s/ amps (PH15, PQ20, PH12, PQ8), 642CSi crossover, some other a/d/s/ odds and ends. But I have more faith in amps and crossovers working fine than head units. Got a Soundstream D-100 (first series), AudioControl System 90 Model 50 4 channel amp, and a bunch of a/d/s/ speakers.

Thanks for any knowledgeable input about the MX406.

With kind regards, Richard.


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## HardCoreDore (Apr 30, 2014)

I'm curious about the a/d/s speakers. Are the component sets? 

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk


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## Ncpaladin (Feb 18, 2017)

I have:
a/d/s/ 320is 5 1/4" separates
a/d/s/ 300is plates 
a/d/s/ 200i plates a/d/s/ 
S7 7" subwoofers

In the home audio stuff- 
A pair of 300i/c inwalls
A ultra rare pair of 750iL 3 way inwall speakers with the light oak finish. Try and find a set of those!


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## HardCoreDore (Apr 30, 2014)

It's too bad you haven't been around long enough to sell on the site. I would be game to buy those 320s if they are in good nick. There's a reason we require new members to have a certain post count and time-frame before they can sell on the site though. I'm sure you can understand... 

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk


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## Ncpaladin (Feb 18, 2017)

Oh, it is not a problem. I am here more so about the MX406 inquiry.
I am listing the items on Louisville Craigslist. Like many people, I am just not willing to deal with PayPal, shipping, etc. anymore. I, like the equipment, am a bit old fashioned. I rather deal face to face with people, look them in the eye and shake their hand when a deal is made. If you find you want something I am selling, I live only 2 hours north of Nashville!


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## MACS (Oct 3, 2007)

I sent you a PM about your MX406. Let me know if it helped.


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## Ncpaladin (Feb 18, 2017)

Well, I spoke with McIntosh this afternoon. There are only 2 possible remedies:
1) Send it to Los Angeles for a new chip.
2) Try up to 1296 possible combinations until it is found. Which at worst would mean a few months (given I would only be able to mess with it for so many hours a day.)

Chuck at McIntosh informed me that he has never heard of the code chip actually going bad, just that the code has been forgotten, so after about 15 years of being boxed up, why not try for a while? Who knows, I might luck out!


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## Ncpaladin (Feb 18, 2017)

BINGO!!!!

I hit the code this morning on my last available try before leaving the house for work.

Last week I printed out a worksheet of every possible combination, starting with 1111 and ending with 6666. 1296 total. I was stuck with the 15 minute interval mode, so that turned out to be about 25 tries per workday, more on the weekend. After 223 consecutive entries, I got it. Entered 2121, and the radio came on! Shut the regulated power supply off (to put it back in code lockout), turned it back on, and reentered 2121. It came on again!

Tonight, I will hook up an amplifier, speakers, test antenna, and throw a CD in and put it through its paces.

Lesson learned? Write down the bloody code! ;-) 

Technical lesson - Since the probability that the chip itself would be defective is very low, if the code has been forgotten, make a code list and give yourself a few days to a couple of months to figure it out before sending it off. As long as the thing goes back to flashing CODE after every 15 minutes of being powered up, it is OK and waiting for you to get it right. The timeout for attempts does not increase.


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## atheos (Jun 10, 2014)

Ncpaladin said:


> Lesson learned? Write down the bloody code! ;-)



I went through this process a couple of years ago, ended up ordering the eeprom from McIntosh and replacing it myself. (It's not too terrible a job, just get part# 051-1375-38 and a flow workstation).

I think you've got this listed on Craigslist, or someone has one listed in your neck of the woods. I wish I was in a position to buy another one.


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