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  #231  
Old 09-10-2017, 07:02 AM
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Speaking of the C2600 and the C52, has anyone here moved from the 2600 to the 52, and why? I read a post elsewhere recently from someone who made that move and cited low-end performance as a reason. I don't remember where I saw that post (I'll look for it when I have time) but another seed has been planted. I have to be careful around here!

I never actually auditioned a C52. The 2300 was growing on me due to my tube and power cord machinations, and the time to go somewhere where I could have an audition is scarce. But if the difference were significant enough to my ears, I would consider trading in or selling the 2300 and putting the credit or money toward a C52, even with my earlier comments about the too-big (in my view) ground connection for the phono section. Even though the connection was clunky and I didn't like it, it did seem to work.
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  #232  
Old 01-26-2018, 10:58 PM
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I am considering a system reconfiguration brought about by turntable footfall issues. In this scenario, I would change out the pillars on the middle shelf of my Sanus Euro rack from 8" to 5", shortening the rack in hopes of providing a bit more stability to assist the recently-purchased Gingko platform my VPI HW-19 Mk IV sits on. This would necessitate removing my Aragon phono preamp from the then-shorter shelf (it and my VPI SDS are stacked on the shelf currently) and going into the 2300's phono inputs; though I've said previously the large ground terminals on the 2300 make for an awkward fit for the ground spades of my tonearm cable, I'm willing to do it.

However, a thought has occurred to me: does anyone here use a McIntosh phono preamp with their McIntosh preamp, 2300 or otherwise? Or is that overkill? I am intrigued somewhat by the MP100, which is $1K cheaper than the Parasound JC3+, yet Mac preamps generally have good phono stages, and the 2300 is no exception; just change out the phono tubes and keep going, end of story. Maybe this is just the eye-candy idea of another Mac component, too. And the 100's digital outputs suggest some possibilities.

But then, having an MP100 would create some logistical problems with system configuration—where will my VPI SDS go, since the MP100 would need its own shelf? Did I just talk myself out of the whole idea? Not quite, but it may be a start.

Anyway, back to the question: does anyone here use a Mac phono pre with a Mac preamp? If yes, what's your reason for doing so?
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  #233  
Old 01-27-2018, 12:12 AM
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Charles.......Go with what you presently own and see how that works out. The phono stages (moving magnet and moving coil) in the C2300 are very good. Why spend money on a MP100 before you've given the C2300 a fair run for the money. I'd be will to guess you will be quite pleased with the phono stage performance of the McIntosh C2300, especially if you use quality tubes in the phono stage. My Ortofon Cadenza Blue moving coil cartridge sounds amazing with my C2300 in the living room system. I have no desire to go elsewhere.
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STUDIO - McIntosh C1000C/P, MC2301 (2), MR88, Aurender N10, Esoteric K-01X, Shunyata Sigma spdif digital cable, Sonos Connect, PurePower 2000, Stillpoints, Furutech Flux 50, Michell Gyro SE, Michell HR Power Supply, SME 309, Ortofon Cadenza Black, Wireworld, Sonus faber Amati Anniversario
LIVING ROOM - McIntosh C2300, MC75 (2), MR85, Magnum Dynalab 205, Simaudio MOON Neo 260D-T, Schiit Audio Yggdrasil, Aurender N100H, Shunyata Sigma USB cable, Micro Seiki DD40, Ortofon Cadenza Blue, Nakamichi BX-300, Sony 60ES DAT, PS Audio P10, Furutech Flux 50, Sonos Connect, Stillpoints, Wireworld, Kimber, PMC EB1i, JL Audio f113
VINTAGE - McIntosh MA230, Tandberg 3011A tuner, Olive 04HD, Sony DTC-59ES DAT, McIntosh 4300V, JBL 4312A
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  #234  
Old 01-27-2018, 01:53 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jdandy View Post
Charles.......Go with what you presently own and see how that works out. The phono stages (moving magnet and moving coil) in the C2300 are very good. Why spend money on a MP100 before you've given the C2300 a fair run for the money. I'd be will to guess you will be quite pleased with the phono stage performance of the McIntosh C2300, especially if you use quality tubes in the phono stage. My Ortofon Cadenza Blue moving coil cartridge sounds amazing with my C2300 in the living room system. I have no desire to go elsewhere.
Before I got to bed last night I'd decided to make the changes, not merely "consider" them. The first step is going to be changing out tubes and rearranging everything, then giving a listen. And even as I got up this morning, I realized the MP100 thing was due to the "eye candy" factor mentioned earlier. The MP100 would be cool to have, definitely, but I have to be past the point of being seduced in that way. I had laser surgery on my right eye yesterday, and that helps bring home the idea of having priorities in order; a new phono stage isn't one of them, not even in an audio context. That might fall to the Sanus Euro racks vs. some Salamander Synergy racks to replace them.

And you're right, I didn't hear anything to complain about when I used the C2300's phono stage before, albeit briefly. I thought it was comparable (at minimum) to my long-in-the-tooth Aragon, purchased in 1994. And there have been changes to the system since that mini-comparison, notably the Transparent power cords and interconnects. So the sound will be different.

I'm waiting for the replacement to my defective Gingko platform (Mr. Vu said he'd e-mail me when the replacement ships), but I'll take up the project of re-tubing and hooking things up when I have the time. Since my threads interrelate on some levels, any significant impressions I have will probably end up in my tube thread and here, though tailored to each thread. The 2300's phono section is under scrutiny more than anything else, yet how the tubes sound in the new environment is also under scrutiny.
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  #235  
Old 03-10-2018, 07:33 AM
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The Black Diamond tubes, having been reinstalled, sound quite good in the 2300, as they did before in their first go-round. I haven't played a ton of vinyl since installing them in the MM stage, but enough to suggest there's no real need to get an outboard phono preamp or re-install the one I have. The recent addition of a MCD500 adds to the great sound (to my ears) I hear. It is actually more fun to turn on the system to play music, though a bout with the flu or cold or whatever this is has dampened the enthusiasm a bit. After messing with tubes, interconnects, and power cords, I might have hit a sweet spot for this preamp, finally.

What has still NOT gone away yet is the lingering curiosity over whether a C52 would give me more dynamics or slam on the low frequencies. One thing the tube odyssey taught me is that the 2300 itself is a good unit, but maybe only as good as the tubes in there in terms of final sound. The BDs opened up the sound some; brass has a bit more bite, for example. But though I enjoy the sound overall, the C52 still lurks in my thoughts from time to time. Perhaps, if the C52 doesn't go away, I need to put an end to this and try getting a direct comparison between the C52 and C2600 at some point. Or take a hard, practical approach and acknowledge that money would be an issue with such a radical move so don't bother.

Maybe the whole C52 thing will go away and I just haven't given it enough time yet. But the next time I play a DVD, Blu-ray or CD that seems to have a bit less thump than before when I used a solid-state preamp, I know it could come back.
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  #236  
Old 04-22-2018, 05:29 AM
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Like others here, I've seen the review of McIntosh's C52 in The Absolute Sound. I received my copy Friday. While not reading in absolute depth, I've been over it a couple of times. the verdict . . . I kinda want one.

Oddly enough, what the review did also was give me a bit more appreciation for the C2300 I have now, due probably to Paul Seydor's extolling of the McIntosh brand overall in his review. Through messing around with tubes, interconnects and power cords, the C2300 is at a place where it sounds pretty good, not to mention the upstream improvements to CD playback in particular with the MCD500's arrival. But I wonder if the C52's equalizer would come in handy with addressing the room mode I have where the bass drops off if I'm standing versus sounding fuller when seated, or is that just because ear height changes. I wonder if those same lower frequencies would have even more punch with the solid state unit over the C2300.

It's quite helpful that I have a $702.90 repair bill for my DVL-91 player, plus the possibility of new glasses staring me in the face. Regardless of what I might like, the wallet says no. So nothing should come of this now, unless I choose to be unwise. Even if I traded in or sold the 2300, I'd still be into the C52 for a healthy four figures, unless I came across a used one perhaps. All things considered regarding the C52, now is not the time to go there.
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  #237  
Old 04-22-2018, 11:38 AM
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Charles.......I am quite confident you would regret the absence of your C2300 if you sell or trade it. I know I did when I sold my first C2300. I came to my senses and bought a second one that I still own and love. It is a remarkable tube preamplifier. And not to be overlooked, the C2300 has tone controls and tone bypass. Try using those controls before you get too excited about a multiple band EQ that you will most likely rarely use.
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STUDIO - McIntosh C1000C/P, MC2301 (2), MR88, Aurender N10, Esoteric K-01X, Shunyata Sigma spdif digital cable, Sonos Connect, PurePower 2000, Stillpoints, Furutech Flux 50, Michell Gyro SE, Michell HR Power Supply, SME 309, Ortofon Cadenza Black, Wireworld, Sonus faber Amati Anniversario
LIVING ROOM - McIntosh C2300, MC75 (2), MR85, Magnum Dynalab 205, Simaudio MOON Neo 260D-T, Schiit Audio Yggdrasil, Aurender N100H, Shunyata Sigma USB cable, Micro Seiki DD40, Ortofon Cadenza Blue, Nakamichi BX-300, Sony 60ES DAT, PS Audio P10, Furutech Flux 50, Sonos Connect, Stillpoints, Wireworld, Kimber, PMC EB1i, JL Audio f113
VINTAGE - McIntosh MA230, Tandberg 3011A tuner, Olive 04HD, Sony DTC-59ES DAT, McIntosh 4300V, JBL 4312A
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  #238  
Old 04-28-2018, 09:25 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jdandy View Post
Charles.......I am quite confident you would regret the absence of your C2300 if you sell or trade it. I know I did when I sold my first C2300. I came to my senses and bought a second one that I still own and love. It is a remarkable tube preamplifier. And not to be overlooked, the C2300 has tone controls and tone bypass. Try using those controls before you get too excited about a multiple band EQ that you will most likely rarely use.
Probably right. I'd use the equalizer in the same way I experimented with tubes most likely; I hit on an EQ setup I liked, then it would grow mold. Unless I moved.

Between rent, a Jazz at Lincoln Center subscription, AMEX bill, a repair on my DVL-91 combi-player, plus the monthly check to my church, I'm shelling out around $5.5K in a very short time. No, the C52 isn't in any danger of being acquired any time soon. Part of me would still like to get a C2600/C52 comparison out of curiosity, but that might be dangerous and I can't afford dangerous any time soon. The C2300 is good, and it's here. Why go elsewhere if I don't have to?
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  #239  
Old 04-28-2018, 09:51 PM
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Charles.......Wise man. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. .
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STUDIO - McIntosh C1000C/P, MC2301 (2), MR88, Aurender N10, Esoteric K-01X, Shunyata Sigma spdif digital cable, Sonos Connect, PurePower 2000, Stillpoints, Furutech Flux 50, Michell Gyro SE, Michell HR Power Supply, SME 309, Ortofon Cadenza Black, Wireworld, Sonus faber Amati Anniversario
LIVING ROOM - McIntosh C2300, MC75 (2), MR85, Magnum Dynalab 205, Simaudio MOON Neo 260D-T, Schiit Audio Yggdrasil, Aurender N100H, Shunyata Sigma USB cable, Micro Seiki DD40, Ortofon Cadenza Blue, Nakamichi BX-300, Sony 60ES DAT, PS Audio P10, Furutech Flux 50, Sonos Connect, Stillpoints, Wireworld, Kimber, PMC EB1i, JL Audio f113
VINTAGE - McIntosh MA230, Tandberg 3011A tuner, Olive 04HD, Sony DTC-59ES DAT, McIntosh 4300V, JBL 4312A
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  #240  
Old 05-06-2018, 06:43 AM
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Quote:
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Charles.......Wise man. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. .
I still have those infamous "bright" recordings I've mentioned in the past; that would be a reason to have an equalizer, and I think it would be helpful in that regard, after reading that section of Paul Seydor's review for the first time. So there's actually a use for it. But, all things considered, that's not enough reason to go looking for trouble.

I do know that, if I were starting from scratch and in a preamp search now, I'd get the C52 (wallet permitting) and be completely happy with it. I also think that's what I'd get if the C2300 died or went away somehow (stolen, damaged beyond repair, etc.). I hope that doesn't happen, but I know where I'll look first if it does.
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