McIntosh preamp?

[blackraven]

I am considering buying a McIntosh C2200 preamp. Does any one know any thing about the sound?

Thanks!

[frenchmon]

I am considering buying a McIntosh C2200 preamp. Does any one know any thing about the sound?

Thanks!

I've read that preamp was very good.....very quiet with a very neutral sound. Might be what you need. I am one that happends to like McIntosh...some say they are too warm....I find them very musical,

[blackraven]

Here is a great review on the C2200. The reviewer does not call the preamp warm but he says it is neutral. I like the fact that it has tone controls which can be taken out of the loop. It may not be the last word in resolution but it may be what I am looking for. I had a bid on a CJ ET-3se but the guy would never respond to me on audiogon.


http://akdatabase.org/AKview/albums/...0%20Review.PDF


I was a bit concerned about the output impedance being 500 ohms but I called Pass Labs and they said the X250 would be fine with an impedance up to 1K.

[TheHills44060]

The C2200 is great. Easy setup, very quiet and I like the flexibility of being able to play around with different tubes. The tone controls w/defeat are extremely handy and could not do without them. Having 2 outputs is super for adding a subwoofer although it would be such a bonus to have a crossover for the main output and limit low frequencies to the main speakers but I realize that's rare for a stereo preamp. It does have the older style remote control which is fine but the following generation feels much better in the hand. Also I don't know why in the hell they went with the tiny 1/8" headphone jack instead of 1/4", this choice really chafes my ass to no end! Just mentioning it gets me irritated. Overall a great unit and I bet they can be had for a pretty reasonable price these days.

[frenchmon]

Raven..why dont you go and get this? You will be in heaven I can assure you!

Vincent - SA-T8 Symmetrical hybrid stereo preamplifier - Vincent-tac


Vincent - SA-T8 - Tube Hybrid Stereo Preamp-Audio Advisor


TAS 188: Vincent Audio SA-T8 Preamplifier & SP-T800 Monoblock Amplifier | The Absolute Sound

And the story gets even better with the SA-T8 line preamp. It made a very positive first impression with its precise and speedy transient reproduction, pure midrange textures, and rhythmic drive. I did initially note a bit of grain and assertive brightness through the upper registers, but as the preamp settled in after several hours of break-in the rough edges essentially disappeared. The lower treble, however, remained a bit coarser texturally relative to the midrange. Despite the fact that this is an all-tube preamp, its presentation was both direct and broadband in nature. No deficiencies were noted as far as treble roll-off or bass extension. And most remarkable of all, it evinced a velvety black background, which allowed the music’s harmonic tapestry to unfold with crystalline purity.

[TheHills44060]

Raven..why dont you go and get this? You will be in heaven I can assure you!

$2,500.00 for a featureless bare bones chinese preamp....eh, not so sure. Now used for let's say 1k then worth a shot.

[Hyfi]

The C2200 is great. Easy setup, very quiet and I like the flexibility of being able to play around with different tubes. The tone controls w/defeat are extremely handy and could not do without them. Having 2 outputs is super for adding a subwoofer although it would be such a bonus to have a crossover for the main output and limit low frequencies to the main speakers but I realize that's rare for a stereo preamp. It does have the older style remote control which is fine but the following generation feels much better in the hand. Also I don't know why in the hell they went with the tiny 1/8" headphone jack instead of 1/4", this choice really chafes my ass to no end! Just mentioning it gets me irritated. Overall a great unit and I bet they can be had for a pretty reasonable price these days.

I was just reading reviews on the latest big Rotel units and the same complaint from owners there about the 1/8 Headphone jack. It would seem that MFGs think that everybody uses cheesy ear buds or they save $0.50 on each unit by using the 1/8 in place of the 1/4 jack. Either way, that sucks.