It will be a lot better. But since you're talking about buying new, why not take home the Mc on trial from a dealer and hear for yourself?
$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?
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?