New C49 Preamp

[Dave B.]

Got enough tape loops? $5,000.

Dave

 

[Brice]

No meters... Nice preamp though.

 

[MACKIE1975]

No airplay or iPod USB

 

[kevzep]

Got enough tape loops?

Dave

ah......no.

but I want one!!

 

[ODS123]

I'm sure it functions perfectly and it seems to have a pretty extensive feature-set. HOWEVER! I for one really prefer having several dedicated switches and knobs to having one or two push-and-scroll multi-function knobs, which this seems to have. It is a much more satisfying tactile experience having one solid switch or knob for each function than one wiggly push/scroll knob for a multitude of functions.

Has mac EVER made a better looking pre-amp than this??



By comparison, the new C49 is a total snore aesthetically. ..And no matter what any of us might say, appearance does play a role in our enjoyment of Mac gear.

C'mon McIntosh! Your silver/black knobs are a huge part of your iconic aesthetic! Quit looking for ways to get rid of them!

 

[JWJW]

Whoever at Mc decided to discontinue the C22 should be fired. JMHO.

 

[Dave B.]

Has mac EVER made a better looking pre-amp than this??

Dave

 

[damacman]

View attachment 1515097

Dave

While I really admired it when introduced, the latest incarnation of the C22 above is just aesthetically perfect in every way.

 

[kevzep]

Well, a C22 is no good for me, but the C49 is, so there is the reason they make it. They are covering all their markets, except they stopped making the C22, which may not have been the best move, but maybe they weren't selling as many as they needed to make it viable for McIntosh....
I am actually seriously considering it, I am going into the dealer to check one out if they have them in stock.

 

[twiiii]

MAC has never built a pre-amp that does it all, though a C-40 came close, all it needed was an adjustable MC input. C-49 doesn't have Graphic tone controls, separate left and right tone controls, a C-22 type mode selector, record selector or an easy to use loudness control. The C-49 ought to be more dependable as it has very few moving parts. But its phono inputs are pretty noisy, wonder why. There doesn't seem to be any improvement in performance either. I'll stick with my C-34 for analog and my MVP players, MX 151 for digital and HT and MP100 for phono inputs to feed both the mx 151 and the c-34. I don't stream. I have compared a lot of streaming with my CD's I'll stick with CD's. If they can't stream a CD correctly how can you count on them to stream even higher resolution files correctly. It also could be the fault of my server. Was Spectrum, now AT &T, and friends use Verizon and Sprint, but I don't see any improvement there either. I know every ones waiting on 5G but do you wan't The Chinese snooping on everything you do, say, or write???? Analog is still improving today and digital is also. But why hasn't the sound quality really improved lately. I blame that on artists, producers and techs. But then I was complaining when analog was the only format. We had analog tape decks with 80+ db dynamic range. By the time it got to the consumer we were lucky to have 45 to 55 db.

 

[frodaddi]

I really liked the look and feature set of the C48. 5 band EQ, no meters.

 

[stahle]

For those wondering why the C22 was discontinued, the decision was based upon a parts supply issue. The rocker switches on the front panel were no longer being produced by the supplier so McIntosh couldn't keep making it. The C70 was made as its replacement. If you notice, it has the newly designed rocker switches. Anyway, this information came from a McIntosh rep that was at a local McIntosh event I attended so if I'm wrong, he lied to me.

Personally, I like the C49 with the exception of the cosmetics, as others have mentioned, it's way too plain.

 

[kevzep]

I like the stripped back and clean look of the C49, no need for gaggles of knobs and switches everywhere. I would not miss the 5 band EQ at all, as I never use it, I wanted the 5 band EQ and really believed it was a feature I would use, but it simply isn't, the better the gear is, the better digital reproduction you have and the better the system is set up, then I find the less you feel the need to "fiddle"....
The C49 knocks it out of the park for me at least. I really like it.....No need for meters on the pre-amp, the amplifier has meters....
I am seriously thinking the C49 is my next move.

 

[stahle]

No need for meters on the pre-amp, the amplifier has meters....

There are those of us that own an MC275 which doesn't have meters.

 

[kevzep]

There are those of us that own an MC275 which doesn't have meters.

Oh, I could have worded that better, I meant to say, in my case I don't need the meters....Now I have a conundrum, what if I buy some MC275's ......then I will need meters!!

 

[stahle]

I was kind of surprised when I first saw the C49 that it didn't include meters and look more like a D1100. That would have been kind of cool but would have probably added a lot to the cost.

 

[kevzep]

I was kind of surprised when I first saw the C49 that it didn't include meters and look more like a D1100. That would have been kind of cool but would have probably added a lot to the cost.

Yes to be fair, they actually could have put some slim meters on it, there is definitely enough real estate for it.

But I will be definitely pricing one up when they are available here.....the local dealer doesn't have them yet, I might call and find out when they will...