I own a C2200. When I made the purchase, I listened to the C220 and C2200 in a side-by-side comparison. The C220 is obviously a very nice piece of equipment. But the C2200 offered a sound that was much more three dimensional. The sound simply had more presence.
I know that you asked about the C2300. But you also said that you will not be spinning vinyl. With that in mind, you can still probably get a NOS C2200 for considerably less than the C2300. Audio Classics is still offering them. I suggest it as an alternative to consider. I know . . . it doesn't have the green lights. But I wouldn't trade my C2200 simply for that feature, and in-store listening to the C2300 hasn't convinced me to make a trade either. That said, most of the reviews for the C2300 found in this forum are positive.
Good luck with your search.
I compared the C220 and C2300 and found them to sound alike.
The C2300 a bit more precise, the C220 more lush and for me with a tad more musicality.
Maybe it sounds a little absurd because the C220 is the "budget" pre but it doesn't sound budget or worse than the C2300 only different.
As long as you don't need the meters on the pre and the MC-option for vinyl, I don't see any reason to go for the C2300.
Even as vinylist and admiring the meters I chose the C220.
But it will be your decision and I can only advise you to compare by yourself.
You can push the C220 (and most other equipment) to a much higher level with the exchange of the micro-fuses.Thanks for great responses. I guess i'm gonna get the C220 and save the money for a new CDP
You can push the C220 (and most other equipment) to a much higher level with the exchange of the micro-fuses.
I use special silver micro-fuses and they transformed my C220 to a Reference Pre.:thmbsp:
This has much more impact than the most expensive mains cables or tubes.
Just try it, you won't regret it.
You only regret that you haven't done it before, so I do.:tears:
What fuses? The white ones? Hi Fi tuning? In your amp as well?