Anyone here have a C2500 McIntosh, listen to vinyl often, and use tone bypass?

[McGuyDLF]

asking because I understand that as an "audiophile" (which I clearly am not ), you should be using tone bypass. Most of the "better" equipment doesn't even seem to have bass and treble controls. When I listen to spotify via my TV into my preamp, which is rare, with tone bypass on, sounds great. With vinyl, it sounds dull. I've changed the capacitance levels for my 2M Blue cart and it doesn't make a big difference. Using this with my VPI Prime Scout TT and MC402 amp. Wonder if I should roll tubes (which I am loathe to attempt) or maybe it's just my ears...

[Audiophilehi]

I’ll have to disagree with you. You most definitely are an audiophile. The equipment you show in your signature proves it.

That being said, I’ve owned the c2500 and loved it. In my much younger days I used to mess around with tone controls but as my system improved I lost interest in using tone controls. I would never use them now and definitely bypassed them in my c2500.
Hope this helps.

[urei]

Interesting. When I used one years ago, it was mainly for vinyl and don't remember it sounding dull. I would double check the tubes......

BTW, from your signature, you definitely qualify as an audiophile.

[McGuyDLF]

Thanks guys. I keep turning bypass on and hate the sound! I wonder if it's the tubes that were "upgraded" before I bought it or I'm just not used to it. But I did listen with bypass on for a few weeks, never got used to it.

[Msegal]

Check your TT and cartridge setup before rolling tubes.
If it sounds OK with another source it’s not your tubes.

[McGuyDLF]

probably. I set the MM cart up correctly and even changed the capacitance, no real improvement. again, could just be my ears. I ordered some gold lions from amazon, so I can return them if I don't see a real difference, which i most likely will not

[Antonmb]

Originally Posted by Msegal

Check your TT and cartridge setup before rolling tubes.
If it sounds OK with another source it’s not your tubes.

Second that. Set the capacitance to Ortofon’s recommendation, and check your cartridge alignment and tracking force. Also how many hours are on your cartridge? If you’re up over 1000, you could have a wear issue. If you know anyone else with a TT that you can try with your pre, that would be the ideal test.

[McGuyDLF]

Thanks for the suggestion - cart probably doesn't have more than a few hundred hours on it but then again, getting an MC cart soon anyway, just debating which one - Hana SL, dynavector 20x2 or cadenza red

[W9TR]

Just use the tone controls until it sounds best to you!

Set the load capacitance to minimum....your phono cable provides all the load capacitance this cartridge needs.

Roll in the GL’s - they are an improvement over the stock tubes.

Check your VTA. Is the arm tube roughly parallel to the platter? Raise the rear of the arm tube if possible.

Reduce tracking force to low end of the recommended range. This has the same effect as increasing VTA.

See if some or all of these get you an incremental improvement.

Please report back. Thanks.


I’m not a fan of the low end Ortofon carts so go ahead and get a decent MC cart - you will be pleased with the difference.

[McGuyDLF]

Thanks for the advice. Arm tube is parallel. As for VTA, tracking force, etc., I really should not own this nice of a table as I do NOT know how to adjust anything, it was set up in my home by Music Direct and I do not want to monkey with it.