The original McIntosh C8 was a mono tube preamplifier/record equalization compensator that was manufactured 1955-1959.
The compensator provided adjustable equalization for the various record labels before RIAA standardization was adopted. Could also be adapted to stereo use with the addition of the C8-S.
Since McIntosh has been producing more and more "retro styled" products, I would imagine the C8 designation was chosen in tribute of the prior model.
