Recommendations for a Preamp to Pair with a 2105?

[PhilC]

Hello - I am purchasing an MC-2105 this weekend (my first McIntosh piece!) and plan to build a new system around it. There seems to be a lot of choices out there for quality vintage preamps and I'm hoping some of you with more Mac experience can recommend some preamps that might be a good mate to the 2105. Also, more broadly, wondering if there is any advantage to choosing a preamp that is tube vs SS, given the 2105 is SS. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance.

 

[eedork]

I have an MC2100 and an MC2505. Until just a few weeks ago, I used a C30 preamp with both of them (mostly with the MC2505). I thought the combination of C30 and MC2100/MC2505 sounded fantastic.

I sold the C30 in order to purchase a newer preamp with a remote. I settled on a C712 which arrived from AudioClassics earlier this week. The C712 is also a great preamp.

I don't think you can wrong with any of the vintage McIntosh preamps, provided they are up to spec. The C27, C29 and newer all have improved volume controls, which are nice. At one point I also had an MA5100 with the old style volume control, and it was not well balanced, especially at low levels. The newer volume controls are much better, in my opinion.

-Matt

 

[MX117.MC7150]

If you also want a McIntosh tuner, don't turn your nose up at one of the MX113 thru MX117 tuner-preamp units. I've been very pleased with an MX114 and now MX117. The key is to have someone (Terry DeWick in my case) go through and clean, align and recap, as needed. Will be about $200+/- well spent, depending on needed work. The MX113-115 are a mix of the MR73 & MR74 tuners and C26 preamp and the MX117 is the MR75 tuner & C504 preamp. Excellent sounding and performing units and a great match to the MC2105.

 

[rcarlton]

I'm using an Outlaw 990 with my MC250s and MC2100. Works really well.