I’d love a fully balanced version of the C52 with ...

joeinid

Well-Known Member
the new digital module for future upgradability.

Any chance of McIntosh releasing new preamps?
 
Gosh, back "in the day" McIntosh offered a basic pre-amp and a feature-laden pre-amp. Just two. Right now McIntosh has 11 pre-amps in their lineup!

Larry
 
Beautiful preamp and photos.

Unfortunately I am not seeing any for sale.

Fully Balanced
Outstanding Phono Stage
A Preamp that gets out of the way of the music, and has more inputs out puts than any other 2ch preamp.
 
Unfortunately I am not seeing any for sale.
AC I think has a C200 that's basically the same thing I think they want $4500
A C100 was on eBay about 3 weeks ago and sold for $3500.

I feel they both are in the $3000-$3600 and AC is pushing it at $4500 and the reason it's still there. It's something you search for and when you find it jump, they don't last long at a fair price.
 
Thank you so much. I will keep a keen eye out and check out the one on AC.


AC I think has a C200 that's basically the same thing I think they want $4500
A C100 was on eBay about 3 weeks ago and sold for $3500.

I feel they both are in the $3000-$3600 and AC is pushing it at $4500 and the reason it's still there. It's something you search for and when you find it jump, they don't last long at a fair price.
 
Thank you so much. I will keep a keen eye out and check out the one on AC.
I'v had new preamps but sold them in favor to keeping the C100. A few years ago Mike and I where the ones I know of that had the C100 & 200 now quite a few of us have them now. It's a hard preamp to beat even under a $10,000 cap but to get them under $4000, it's a no brainer. The phono stage is worth at least $2000 by it's self. AC has a C200 Preamp without the control for $1,000, I keep thinking it would be good to pull the SUT out of it and make it stand alone.
 
D100 and I assume the D150 are fully balanced FYI

Whats wrong with the balanced outputs on the C52? all program you listen to starts as a single ended signal...

I know about the theory and the SNR etc etc, but the operating area for pretty all the current Mc products is pretty close to perfect null...
Just saying....
 
Hi Kev,

Actually there’s nothing wrong with the XLR outs on the C52. It’s a great preamp and I loved it. Actually sorry I sold it now but the upgrade but hit and I went in a different direction.

My only concern about the XLR outs is I’m planning on separating my front end from the amps. There could be as much as 20-25’ of distance between them. I like to keep cables short, especially single ended ones. I’m assuming that fully balanced would be better in this case.
 
I had a C100. Great preamp. You'll see them on Audiogon for around $2600 - $3000. You'll have to spend a fair bit more to hear any improvement. The MC SUT is also really good, and again you'll have to spend a fair bit more to beat that. It bettered every $1000 separate phono preamp I threw at it. Only "problem" with the MC SUT is it doesn't offer variable loading, but if it's a good match for your cart then you are good to go.
 
Hi Kev,

Actually there’s nothing wrong with the XLR outs on the C52. It’s a great preamp and I loved it. Actually sorry I sold it now but the upgrade but hit and I went in a different direction.

My only concern about the XLR outs is I’m planning on separating my front end from the amps. There could be as much as 20-25’ of distance between them. I like to keep cables short, especially single ended ones. I’m assuming that fully balanced would be better in this case.

The XLR outputs on the C52 will perform well for long runs. Perhaps a C100/200 may be better, I guess its something you'd need to try....
The C52 outputs are "fully balanced" in terms of topology, they are not, what essentially amounts to "quad balanced" as the C100/200 D100 etc are....My drive for my large concert system is not "quad balanced", it is however "fully balanced", I have 24 lines in a 300ft muti-core cable going to the amplifiers without any interference issues.....Just to put things in perspective...
I think any McIntosh pre-amp with XLR outputs which is of the newer post 2012 era, will perform well over long runs.
 
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