MCL 2AV Power Adapter

[CharlieWednesday]

I want a power adapter for an MCL2AV but I can’t seem to find the right one.  I’m no electrician, so don’t want to get it wrong and fry the damned thing.

The MCL 2AV unit is printed with ‘DC 15v, Max 250mA’, and while it is easily possible to find a power supply of 15v, the output in amps is always far greater than  250mA.

Any ideas?

[Guy]

If you look at the adaptor, you can see the model number A31530B

A search for that part number soon comes up with this similar looking, correctly rated adaptor: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/274422759276

EDIT:  When I had that adaptor in my eBay ‘Watched Items’ the seller sent me an offer with a couple of pounds off a few days later.

But if you look closely at the diagram at the bottom the polarities are reversed; for the MCL2AV the positive needs to be the outer part of the connector.  Simply reverse the polarity of the cable and you should be fine.

Alternatively, send an email to https://www.quality-dream-audio.co.uk/ and see if they have one in stock that is not listed on their website.  They often have MCL2 equipment.

[CharlieWednesday]

I already asked Quality Dream Audio – they don’t have one.

Thanks for this though – the one you found is 300mA rather than 250mA, and that’s the trouble I’ve been having – I can find them close, but not quite right.

I’m not sure how much difference an extra 50mA would make, but I don’t want to risk frying it!

[Guy]

The one in my photo is the original adaptor that came new in box with an MCL2AV.  I think that the ‘Max 250mA’ on the MCL2AV itself refers to the maximum current drawn.

[Madskp]

I have used a 15V 400 mA one for my MCL2AV, and that has not caused trouble for me yet. I think that the right polarity has far more concern.

My best guess is that the 250 mA might be a limit for what the MCL2P can deliver if that is used to supply power to the MCL2AV

[CharlieWednesday]

Ahm that makes sense now, thanks.  As I said, I’m no electrician!  Forgive me though – what is MCL2P?

[Madskp]

On CharlieWednesday said

Ahm that makes sense now, thanks.  As I said, I’m no electrician!  Forgive me though – what is MCL2P?

MCL2P is an anplifier that has powerlink in and passive speaker output, so it can be used for driving passive speakers on anything with powerlink. As it was part of the MCL2 system it also has a 15V power out to power a MCL2AV so you only need one power outlet for using these two units togheter.

 

 

 

[CharlieWednesday]

Ah, B&O made a lot of these various black boxes but I’ve never seen anything referred to as MCL2P before today.  Good to know as I do plan to use the MCL2AV it with passive rather than active speakers (I have active main speakers, but the link room speakers will be passive CX50s).  The ML2AV does have normal speaker outputs for passive speakers, but I assume that would just use the amplification from the Beocenter/Beomaster (in my case, a Beocenter 8500), like the MCL2 does.  Using MCL2P would, I assume, allow me to control the volume of the second set of speakers independently.

Can’t find anything called MCL2P on eBay, but I’ll keep looking – does it have the usual 16** model number that would help me find one?

[Madskp]

You are correct in your assumptions. However in order to use the passive speaker outputs in the MCL2AV all the extra functions will be disabled making it the same as a MCL2A.

Alternatives to the MCL2P is either a Beolink passive or ML/MCL converter (same product with different name) type numbers in the range 1651-1653 and 1656-1658.

They both can work as an amplifier as the MCL2P, however the power supply functionality for the MCL2AV is removed. Other than that they can also be used as a Masterlink zone for passive speakers with the addition of an IR eye

[CharlieWednesday]

I have found an MCL2P for sale, but I don’t know if it include it’s own power adapter yet (I’ve asked the seller) so I might encounter the same problem.

What I can’t understand however is how the MCL2P supplies power to the MCL2AV, if I were to use both together?

[Madskp]

CharlieWednesday wrote:

I have found an MCL2P for sale, but I don’t know if it include it’s own power adapter yet (I’ve asked the seller) so I might encounter the same problem.

The MCL2P has a mains connection with a standard figure 8 power connector, so no separate power adapter for it.

CharlieWednesday wrote:

What I can’t understand however is how the MCL2P supplies power to the MCL2AV, if I were to use both together?

The MCL2P also has a 15V out conenctor of the same type as the 15V in connector on the MCL2AV, so you will need a cable with a matching connector in both ends to connect them. Hope this makes sense

 

[CharlieWednesday]

Ah, that was not clear from the seller’s photo thanks – it does not show the figure 8 power input, it only shows a socket marked 15V so I assumed that was a power input rather than an output!

So I figure this is the way it works:

• Beocenter 8500 connects to MCL2P via Powerlink
• MCL2P connects to MCL2AV via Powerlink, and also the 15v connector you mention
• My CX50 speakers are therefore connected to the MCL2AV, rather than directly to the MCL2P, allowing the MCL2P to control those speakers
• If I later decide to expand my setup with some more active speakers, I could connect those via the Powerlink on the MCL2P

Have I got that right, before I buy the MCL2P!?

[CharlieWednesday]

Ah, I have found a MCL2P manual online and it seems I was wrong.  I t seems it should be like this:

• Beocenter 8500 connects to MCL2AV via MCL cable
• MCL2AV connects to MCL2P via Powerlink, and also the 15v connector you mention
• My CX50 speakers are therefore connected to the MCL2P, rather than the MCL2AV
• If I later decide to expand my setup with some more active speakers, I would no longer need to the MCL2P, but would need a power supply for the MCL2AV

[Madskp]

That is correct. I was just about to post an illustration, but it sounds like you found the right one.

 

[Guy]

CharlieWednesday wrote:

Ah, I have found a MCL2P manual online and it seems I was wrong. I t seems it should be like this:

• Beocenter 8500 connects to MCL2AV via MCL cable
• MCL2AV connects to MCL2P via Powerlink, and also the 15v connector you mention
• My CX50 speakers are therefore connected to the MCL2P, rather than the MCL2AV
• If I later decide to expand my setup with some more active speakers, I would no longer need to the MCL2P, but would need a power supply for the MCL2AV

Yes that’s all correct!

And you will need to find/make the correct 15V power lead to go from MCL2P to MCL2AV.  Each end should be fitted with a DC power connector, male plug, 5.5mm x 2.1mm.

EDIT:  @madskp beat me to it, but I was checking the DC connector size … 😀

EDIT2:  This connector should do the trick: https://www.amazon.co.uk/kenable-2-1mm-5-5mm-Connector-Power/dp/B079J67YM4

[CharlieWednesday]

Thanks both of you – I was struggling to make sense of it all but I think it makes sense now.

I think I’ll buy the MCL2P, the power cable you found on Amazon Guy, and I’d need one short Powerlink cable but I can get one of those easily enough.

I do have an MCL2A (which doesn’t require a power adapter) but I’d really like to be able to control the volume of the link room speakers independently, and this will solve it.

[CharlieWednesday]

I have not yet been able to find an MCL2P for sale, so I was thinking of buying a Beolink Passive such as the 1657, as per your earlier suggestion in this thread @Madskp.  I know that would not supply power to the MCL2AV but it would at least still work.

I think I do have an alternative though – note that I have my Beocenter 8500 connected to a 1611 converter via Audio Aux Link, then that is connected to an ML distributor box which has 3 unused sockets at present.

Could I connect a Beolink Passive such as the 1657 to that via Masterlink, or could I connect the 1657 directly to my Beocenter vas Powerlink?  I know this would mean I would also need the newer IR Eye as the older rectangular type that I already have would not work, but would this alternative (made up of newer components) work?

 

 

[Madskp]

CharlieWednesday wrote:

Could I connect a Beolink Passive such as the 1657 to that via Masterlink, or could I connect the 1657 directly to my Beocenter vas Powerlink?  I know this would mean I would also need the newer IR Eye as the older rectangular type that I already have would not work, but would this alternative (made up of newer components) work?

You can connect it to Masterlink and have it function as a link room with the IR eye attached.

If you connect it to powerlink the IR eye can not be used. When conencted to powerlink it can either function as a amplifier for passive speakers or as a converter from Powerlink to MCL which is redundant with the system you have (this option is for use with for example Beocenter 2300/2500 which does not have an amplifier built in)

[CharlieWednesday]

Ag good – at least I have an alternative then.  If I can’t get an MCL2P I’ll get a Beolink Passive and an IR Eye, and connect it to my ML Distributor.  The Beolink Passive amps come up cheap on eBay sometimes, but the IR Eye demands a much higher price.  I have occasionally seen them sold as a package through (a 1657 with an IR Eye) so I might look out for that.

[Madskp]

CharlieWednesday wrote:

Ag good – at least I have an alternative then. If I can’t get an MCL2P I’ll get a Beolink Passive and an IR Eye, and connect it to my ML Distributor. The Beolink Passive amps come up cheap on eBay sometimes, but the IR Eye demands a much higher price. I have occasionally seen them sold as a package through (a 1657 with an IR Eye) so I might look out for that.

It is possible to hook up another type of IR eye to it like the MCL type. You will loose the volume control functionality on it though

[Author]

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