looking at the block diagrams of both c1100 and mp1100,
c1100 uses 3 tubes per channel for a total of 6 tubes for the phono stage. 1 for mm, 1 for mc and another these two feed into. c1100 is unbalanced for the phono section. There is an unbalanced to balanced converter after the unbalanced input selector which the phono inputs are connected to.
mp1100 uses 2 tubes per channel for a total of 4 tubes. It is not very detailed on the block diagram but mcintosh clams fully balanced from input to output. I am not sure how equalization and filters are done in balanced.
they are surely different designs. c1100 appears to be a more minimalistic design with more tube influence whereas the mp1100 has more solid state components and also fully balanced. It seems the amplification for low output mc cartridges are done in solid state at least.
Mcintosh doesn't offer any turntables with balanced interconnects, nor does the mp1100 has balanced input connectors for the phono inputs. Phono cartridges are neither balanced, nor single ended. they are actually floating and can be differential. I wouldn't be surprised if c1100 beats mp1100 in sound.
|