2. amps-preamps
  3. 161014-148799

$7000 preamp vs $700 receiver - Is the difference THAT significant?

Current setup:
Marantz SR5005 (AV Receiver) + Peachtree Amp 500 + BluSound Node 2i + GoldenEar Trition 2+ = Current Setup

I'd like... no, want... no, desire... to add "Blue Meters" to my setup.  McIntosh haunts me.  For dozens of years.

My quandary:
Acquire a McIntosh C52/53, maybe C2600/2700... vs something like a Marantz AV7705 (or AV7706 appears it was just released).  Yes I know I'm comparing brie cheese and cheddar.  I'm more concerned with the notion that I can get "as good" sound out of that Marantz preamp, as I can from those McIntosh units... (ignore the multi-channel notions for the moment)

Is my sonic happiness "that much better served" by a McIntosh $7K unit vs a Marantz $2-3K unit?  How much difference can I expect?  
rabbottmke

Showing 1 response by hilde45

hilde45's avatar
hilde45
4,783 posts
 
I'd approach the question this way:

Why not something in between? 

If you're curious about the increase of quality from $700 to $7000, you'd probably be well served by wondering about the increase of quality from $4000 to $7000.

I think I get that you're really just alliterating with the 7's, but it's really worth wondering what happens with the slope of the quality curve up above, say, $3k to $4k.
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