Thoughts on a McIntosh C-40 Preamplifier
- Thread starter One911Guy
- Start date
kevzep
Its all about the Music
I liked the C40, but it does have its issues, usual intermittent controls, the audio path goes through controls on the front panel, I had to clean the controls every now and then, the balance was particularly bad on mine.
It does have the reed relay switching though which is good.
I found it annoying without a remote.
The balanced outputs were wried out of phase to each other from the factory, not that that was an issue as I just corrected it, but an interesting issue.
BUT it is an excellent pre-amp. Plenty of flexibility that the newer pre-amps don't have.
So a fully functional one is a great unit apart from no remote.
Also depends how much you are paying for one, they don't come up for sale that often and are often overpriced in my opinion.
It does have the reed relay switching though which is good.
I found it annoying without a remote.
The balanced outputs were wried out of phase to each other from the factory, not that that was an issue as I just corrected it, but an interesting issue.
BUT it is an excellent pre-amp. Plenty of flexibility that the newer pre-amps don't have.
So a fully functional one is a great unit apart from no remote.
Also depends how much you are paying for one, they don't come up for sale that often and are often overpriced in my opinion.
One911Guy
Active Member
twiiii
Lunatic Member
C-40 was built during a period of time that some folks thought Mac sound was becoming kind of stale, maybe tired, to laid back. People were hearing new sounds of Threshold and Krell for instance. Amps were becoming more analytical and autoformers seemed a waste and a hindrance. But for those of us that had grown up listening to analog and tubes, we weren't buying what was being said. I found C-40's to be one of the best pre-amps Mac ever made during that period. Its only short coming. Not having a MC input was my thought then and now. . LPs were such a small small percentage. of the market in our area that short coming was of no concern. If I had the room in my cabinet, the C-34V would be gone and a C-40 would be taking its place. I doubt there is that much difference performance, but its always been a dream of mine. The C-37 is said to be the best 16" pre-amp Mac ever made. The C-40 came after that with the flexibility of the C-32,33,& 34 pre-amps. It was the last of the fully functional analog manual pre-amps. After the C-40 Mac SS pre-amps changed and evolved as all Mac Products have. When the C-22 SE was reintroduced it was an answer for Mac owners who felt Mac SS were straying away from the sound they thought was more musical more true to the performance. I never heard issues with the C-40. In some respects I find fault with both SS and tube pre-amps of today. But we are talking small differences. That can be compensated by the choice of amplifiers. With autoformers, without autoformers, or with tubes will effect the sound. If you want the sound of a C-28 with A MC 2205, without the difficulties, maybe you want a C-52, with a 275, or 2301's. Or from the other direction a C-2500 and a 452. If you want a older tube sound a C-2200 with 275's.
My speakers like higher damping factors, that's why I use 207's to tri and bi-amp.. I could be using others. Where would I put 14 301's or 7 MC 152's. I like my C-34 but prefer the phono section of my MP 100.
A C-40 is. great pre-amp, but I wouldn't give up my MP100. It gives me the MC input and allows me to tune the sound of the phono inputs in addition. It also has a digital out put I use to feed my MX 151 or Marantz CD recorder. I also have a 11 band Graphic EQ to handle the areas the C-34 graphic controls don't. 1500 to 10 K region needs at least one more control. That goes for the C-50 and 52 also. Some of the earlier pre-amps have a 4K control but no 10 K control. That I still don't understand. Where do men loose their hearing?
My speakers like higher damping factors, that's why I use 207's to tri and bi-amp.. I could be using others. Where would I put 14 301's or 7 MC 152's. I like my C-34 but prefer the phono section of my MP 100.
A C-40 is. great pre-amp, but I wouldn't give up my MP100. It gives me the MC input and allows me to tune the sound of the phono inputs in addition. It also has a digital out put I use to feed my MX 151 or Marantz CD recorder. I also have a 11 band Graphic EQ to handle the areas the C-34 graphic controls don't. 1500 to 10 K region needs at least one more control. That goes for the C-50 and 52 also. Some of the earlier pre-amps have a 4K control but no 10 K control. That I still don't understand. Where do men loose their hearing?
Last edited:
Bill Ferris
Lunatic Member
If only the C37 was put into the C30/32/33/34 or even C40 body & faceplate, with all the features of both, they would have knocked it out of the ballpark.
A major plus of the C37 is the motor driven volume pot instead of pushbutton volume on the C31/35. I just can't seem to get over the style which doesn't match the rest of what I have. But it would sure be nice not to need a CR7 for remote operation.
A major plus of the C37 is the motor driven volume pot instead of pushbutton volume on the C31/35. I just can't seem to get over the style which doesn't match the rest of what I have. But it would sure be nice not to need a CR7 for remote operation.
Bill Ferris
Lunatic Member
Bill Ferris
Lunatic Member
Yes, to some extent for me, as well, at first Eric, because, it and the MR-7083 tuner, were wider than the other rack mounted Mac preamp, tuner, and MCD 7007 installed there.
Plus the added expense, of having to buy new Middle Atlantic rack face plates for their fitment in the rack, but I got over the annoying expense, and the visual width difference.
Nobody, that I recall, that stopped by, ever commented : "What`s the deal with the different width Mac gear"?
The deal offered me for the in the box new preamp & tuner, and the rest of the Mac gear were too sweet to pass up..
quartersaw
Super Member
I have a C-31v, and two C-35's. I hate the rocker switch style volume control, and apparently, most everyone else does. Hence, the relatively low resale price. They are GREAT preamps, and a lot of bang for the buck, which is important in my world.
Bill Ferris
Lunatic Member
Bill Ferris
Lunatic Member
The C-31V "rocker style" volume control (really buttons) never really bothered me, mostly because I always used the remote, and enjoyed knowing that that logic volume control circuit would never need to be sprayed, with it`s super precise L/R volume tracking..
That, in it`s self, sure made replacing the C-28 preamp(*with it`s well known volume control tracking issues !) that I had owned since 1977 worth every dollar spent on the C31V ! Plus a Mac preamp with a remote control, a pleasant + when you`re a cripple like me..
That 32 year old, in daily use, with 10`s of thousand`s of hours of use(from my work shop ~ living room ~ bedroom ~ to where it resides currently), Mac preamp is still working perfectly in my Radio/computer room driving a Crown DC-300 II, with only the front panel lights being replaced/upgraded to LED since it`s purchase in 1987..
captouch
Addicted Member
Hoping this doesn’t derail the thread, but quick question on your C-35’s. I have one as well.
When using the remote, even very brief button presses to adjust volume results in two step changes not one. Does this happen on yours as well?
