How can I tell if my amp is really a ms-2250?

00goobs · Post by **00goobs** » Wed Feb 01, 2012 4:32 pm

Just wondering, so is a MAC500 an MS2250? If the caps are the same and the transformers are the same...

wooferdog · Post by **wooferdog** » Wed Feb 01, 2012 5:42 pm

so no serial number on the board ? none of the pics you took were near the right corner by the ps caps were you could look for the number.

[email protected] · Post by **[email protected]** » Wed Feb 01, 2012 7:26 pm

What are PS Caps? I know what caps are but PS? Power Supply? the bundles of 6 or the big 4?

Post by **Eric D** » Thu Feb 02, 2012 3:51 am

I was told by PG many years ago the MAC500 and the MS2250TA are the exact same amp.

However, having owned an MS2250TA, I can tell you the transformers in the amplifier this thread is about are too small to be a MS2250TA. They look to be the same size as those on a MS2125.

For my MS2250TA, its transformers were the exact same core as the original MS2250, just with a lot less wire wound on them.

wooferdog · Post by **wooferdog** » Thu Feb 02, 2012 3:55 am

the power supply caps are the 2 six packs at the end. if you get some pics over that spot on the right side you might find the answer.

Post by **mhyde71** » Thu Feb 02, 2012 6:35 am

isnt this the serial # right here....?

do you not have a sticker like this (on his), on yours...?

BUT TBH... i kinda always thought the serial was here (as seen in 1st pic)

wooferdog · Post by **wooferdog** » Thu Feb 02, 2012 4:08 pm

yea, the bottom picture next to the caps.

[email protected] · Post by **[email protected]** » Thu Feb 02, 2012 5:09 pm

no stickers, they seem to have been removed

[email protected] · Post by **[email protected]** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 6:14 pm

So no end cap and you cant tell what amp you have, way to go PG

Post by **ttocs** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 7:52 pm

well that was one reason the competitors liked them back in the day.....

[email protected] · Post by **[email protected]** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 3:47 pm

so I will just say its a ms-2250 and call it a day

Post by **Eric D** » Sat Feb 25, 2012 6:44 pm

It is not a MS2250 though.

It is likely a MAC500 as another member pointed out. It may be a MS2250TA (which is really the same as a MAC500), but I personally think the transformers are too small to be a MS2250TA.

So it is probably a MAC500.

[email protected] · Post by **[email protected]** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 7:55 pm

Anyone have any info on a mac500? cant seem to find much
\

valeks1 · Post by **valeks1** » Thu Mar 08, 2012 8:29 am

What you want to know?

Virtue · Post by **Virtue** » Thu Mar 08, 2012 11:01 am

The original MS 2250 had green toroids and they were large.

The original MAC 500 had red toroids, very similar to the MS 2125. The main visible difference are the MOSFETs. The MAC 500 had used the same as the original MS 2250, which were the IRFP 054. The MS 2125 used lower powered ones: IRFP 044.

The newer MS 2250TA had similar toroids as the MAC 500. A couple ways to tell the difference are how the transistors are mounted to the heat sink. There are bars that hold down the transistors to the heat sink on the newer MS 2250TA and the speaker wires were 8 gauge red and black. The MAC 500 used the older blue and silver twisted wire and the transistors were screwed individually into the heat sink.

Ignore the rail caps, theory. This makes it confusing!

The MS 2250TA will make more power than the MAC 500. For instance, the MAC 500 will make 800 Watts 4ohms mono. The MS 2250TA will make 1000 watts 4ohms mono. But, the MS 2250TA is regulated so you can't drop the impedance further. The MAC 500 is not, so you can drop the impedance further...

Now you can tell, what amp those are. I have a MAC 500, so if you still need pictures, let me know.

Post by **Eric D** » Thu Mar 08, 2012 1:22 pm

The MS2250TA and MAC500 are both not regulated. No MS amp is regulated.

The MS2250TA will only do around 800W mono into 4 ohms as well. It only does 225W a channel into 4 ohms (less than rated), and this would only be good for a theoretical 900W bridged into 4 ohms. Since almost all amps fall short a bit on their bridged power, it is safe to plan on 800W mono out of a MS2250TA, which would be just like the MAC500.

I have a MS2250TA, and some time ago I had a MS1000TA. Both of these amps will only do 30V RMS prior to clipping.

Virtue · Post by **Virtue** » Thu Mar 08, 2012 2:04 pm

Hahahaha, of course the MS amps are not 'Power supply regulated'. What I was referring to, is that there is a circuit that will regulate the output power, so, it will not try and output more power at a 2 ohm mono load/1 ohm stereo load. It is set at 2 ohm stereo/4 ohm mono. All other MS amps allow itself to do that. The MAC 500 is rated at 200 watts, 4 ohm stereo. I have my birth sheet. I have in the past run my MS 2125 at a 1 ohm mono load. It will do it, but, the amp does not like it. No control. At 2 ohms mono, it will run all day if you give it the right battery power.

But for some reason, I thought the MS 2250TA does 1000 watts at 4 ohms mono. Doesn't it?

Post by **ttocs** » Thu Mar 08, 2012 2:50 pm

welcome to the phorum?

[email protected] · Post by **[email protected]** » Thu Mar 08, 2012 3:16 pm

So my amp is a ms-275 then? grey toriods....

Post by **Eric D** » Thu Mar 08, 2012 4:04 pm

Virtue wrote:Hahahaha, of course the MS amps are not 'Power supply regulated'. What I was referring to, is that there is a circuit that will regulate the output power, so, it will not try and output more power at a 2 ohm mono load/1 ohm stereo load. It is set at 2 ohm stereo/4 ohm mono. All other MS amps allow itself to do that. The MAC 500 is rated at 200 watts, 4 ohm stereo. I have my birth sheet. I have in the past run my MS 2125 at a 1 ohm mono load. It will do it, but, the amp does not like it. No control. At 2 ohms mono, it will run all day if you give it the right battery power.

But for some reason, I thought the MS 2250TA does 1000 watts at 4 ohms mono. Doesn't it?

MS amps (all of them) do not have an output regulation circuit either. What they do have are two features to shut them down if they exceed their output specifications. One is a feedback circuit from the output section which will detect the output current. If it exceeds a predetermined level on one of the channels, both of them shut down. The second feature is simply a fuse on each voltage rail. I have not seen a MS amp ever go into protect (as in light the red overload LED), but that does not mean it cannot happen. What I have instead seen is plenty of MS amps blow their rail fuses.

MS amps are some of the real "unlimited" amps put on the market. They are easy to break if you don't know what you are doing, but on the flip side you can get very high amounts of clean power from them.

The MS2250TA is indeed rated to do 1000W mono into 4 ohms, but it won't do this in real life. So far over all the PG amps I have ever tested, the MS2250TA is the first "overrated" amp I have found. It may do 1000W into 4 ohms, but it will be heavily clipped and therefor quite distorted.

Post by **Eric D** » Thu Mar 08, 2012 4:15 pm

[email protected] wrote:So my amp is a ms-275 then? grey toriods....

If your amp does not look like the photo I have posted below, it is a MAC500.

Both the MAC500 and MS2250TA are the same amp electrically. Only cosmetically do they differ.

Not including MS1000s and MS1000TAs...

Only three MS amps have 63V rail caps, the MS2250 (original), MS2250TA, and the MAC500.

Only one MS amp has green transformers, the MS2250 (original).

Only one MS amp has 4 primary windings on its transformers, the MS2250 (original).

Only two amps have "MS series 10" on the terminal side end plate, the MS2250TA, and MS2125TA.

Does the terminal end look like this?

If not, your amp is a MAC500. Your amp does not have green transformers, and does have 63V rail caps. That leaves only two to choose from, the MS2250TA, and the MAC500. Depending on what the terminal end plate looks like, you will know what amp you have.

[email protected] · Post by **[email protected]** » Thu Mar 08, 2012 7:43 pm

Grey rings, does not have 10pg on the other side.......mac500, is this amp any good? hard to find any info on it....

Virtue · Post by **Virtue** » Thu Mar 08, 2012 11:25 pm

ttocs wrote:welcome to the phorum?

Is this for me? If so, why the question mark? Did I make an ass out of myself? Would love to know...

Post by **Eric D** » Fri Mar 09, 2012 3:49 am

Virtue wrote:
ttocs wrote:welcome to the phorum?
Is this for me? If so, why the question mark? Did I make an ass out of myself? Would love to know...

You did not make an ass of yourself. 90% of what you posted was accurate information, and the point about the IRF MOSFETs is a very good one which I completely overlooked.

Post by **Eric D** » Fri Mar 09, 2012 3:50 am

[email protected] wrote:Grey rings, does not have 10pg on the other side.......mac500, is this amp any good? hard to find any info on it....

The MAC500 is a great amplifier, and is actually very rare. I think there are only a handful of them floating around.

How can I tell if my amp is really a ms-2250?

How can I tell if my amp is really a ms-2250?

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