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Looking for my first Mac component, preamp

mrdrew said:
I’m going to switch gears into an integrated with meters and all the pretty stuff. I’d also like it to weigh 50lbs+!
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I doubt that will be a problem: To my knowledge all metered Mc integrated models tip the scales at well over 50 lbs. If you want a once-and-done lifetime integrated that allows virtually unrestricted speakers it can be used with, I'd look no further than the MA7000. It delivers a conservative 250 wpc into 2, 4 or 8 ohms and it was one of the last integrated amplifiers with analog controls and no spooky firmware to go on the fritz.

I haven't seen one for sale in a while but I would imagine a clean one will run in the $5K range nowadays. At 17.5" W x 17.5 D x 9.5" H weighing 100 lbs, you'll want a sturdy rack with plenty of space.
 
62caddy said:
Unfortunately the C40 isn't remote controlled. I wish it were.
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I never knew that!

They were contemporaries, the C40 being the upgrade with the monitor amp, compander, and 5 tone controls, ... I just always thought it had a remote like the C38

Odd choice by McIntosh, I'm sure there was a reason.
 
SaturationPt said:
I never knew that!

They were contemporaries, the C40 being the upgrade with the monitor amp, compander, and 5 tone controls, ... I just always thought it had a remote like the C38

Odd choice by McIntosh, I'm sure there was a reason.
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The C40 was the last of the series of the full featured Mc preamps with expander/compander and built-in monitor amplifier so possibly the insides were too crowded.
 
How about these two options:
C47 preamp $4000 (skyfiaudio), and two monoblock VTV Purifi 400WPC class D amps XLR

or

MA6600 integrated from Tom mcintoshaudio$5500

perhaps an apples an oranges comparison. I'm leaning towards the MA6600. Less flexibility, but I've never been scared of buying and selling equipment. I WISH I could A B test the setups.

I'd love some pearls of wisdom: thanks in advance!
 
The MA6600 is excellent. I had one for many years with a D100 and enjoyed it. The preamp stage is slightly older than the current generation of preamps so it is missing some of the newest features, like built-in DAC, high power headphone output with HXD, renamable inputs, better phono section, etc. but if that stuff isn't critical for you, no big deal. It's a fantastic piece that will last forever.

Another excellent and older preamp to consider is the C712. It is compact, has a remote, includes a variable loudness control (my favorite missing feature from current preamps) and the second version has balanced outputs as well. I had one for a few years and thought it as great.

-Matt
 
I have no direct experience with skyfiaudio, but we did have a poster a while ago who paid over market price for a used MC452 a year or so ago, it was not working correctly so skyfiaudio told him how to work around the problem instead of fixing it or offering to return/replace it, ... I wasn’t impressed.

For the money, I’d prefer audioclassics.

Another concern on the C47, IIRC there was an issue with muting the first couple of seconds of each song on USB inputs, might want to search that if you’re going to use USB (my primary digital/streaming input).
 
mrdrew said:
I WISH I could A B test the setups.

I'd love some pearls of wisdom: thanks in advance!
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At this level, any sonic difference between McIntosh amplifiers/preamps of this era (or later) is likely to be so minuscule that it would be a poor basis of choosing one over another. Far more relevant factors to your selection are power requirements, desired features, as well as size, weight and appearance. My two cents.

I don't know whether you noticed my earlier remark concerning firmware controlled units but you should be aware of the potential issues regarding models with this circuitry which may become troublesome and can only be tended by a talented few. A number of otherwise Mc devotees have sworn off the brand due to factory servicing that took so long, very little of the original warranty remained. A number of these accounts have been well detailed on other audio forums. I'll say it one final time: Get an MA7000 and be done.
 
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62caddy said:
At this level, any sonic difference between McIntosh amplifiers/preamps of this era (or later) is likely to be so minuscule that it would be a poor basis of choosing one over another. Far more relevant factors to your selection are power requirements, desired features, as well as size, weight and appearance. My two cents.

I don't know whether you noticed my earlier remark concerning firmware controlled units but you should be aware of the potential issues regarding models with this circuitry which may become troublesome and can only be tended by a talented few. A number of otherwise Mc devotees have sworn off the brand due to factory servicing that took so long, very little of the original warranty remained. A number of these accounts have been well detailed on other audio forums. I'll say it one final time: Get an MA7000 and be done.
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Yeah, I was looking at this after you mentioned it, and that is one nice integrated amp. If I was going to get something at this point, I would probably go for one of these.
 
I gambled on an untested, nicotine stained, C24 and lucked out big. It all works. Chassis is rust free, and it sounds wonderful. Super versatile with the inputs and outputs, too. It just doesn’t have pretty blue lights, but neither do my MC50 monoblocks.

Personally, I don’t think McIntosh and low distortion at the same time. I think not all distortion is bad, and it can be damn good.

I far prefer my C24 to my Parasound 200 Pre, and the Parasound is definitely the lower distortion preamp.
 
GregPDX said:
Personally, I don’t think McIntosh and low distortion at the same time. I think not all distortion is bad, and it can be damn good.

I far prefer my C24 to my Parasound 200 Pre, and the Parasound is definitely the lower distortion preamp.
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So you’re using the distortion of a Mc preamp designed at the end of the 1950s as a comparison to a modern preamp’s distortion? Sure doesn’t seem like a fair characterization, ... modern McIntosh definitely has “low distortion”.
 
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