Your price range, give or take a few bucks, might fetch you a nice used McIntosh C220 preamp. I own this preamp, and like it a lot. $80 worth of Mullard reissue 12AX7 tubes brought the sonics up a big notch, too. Check this site, and also reliable used McIntosh sellers, like Audio Classics (where I bought mine from Ryan - great customer service!). I have to think the C220 and the MC402 would be a good pairing.
CA Azur 840E preamp or Vincent SA-T8 for MC402 ?
Hello,
I am a bit new/naive in the audiophile world, and definitely need some advice and feedback on what can be done to improve the musicality of my equipment.
I bought a MC402 a few months ago, and am still trying to get the "wow" out of my equipment- So far i still think the treble is too on the 'hissing" side, and soundstage is not quite there. I tried a direct connection between the Oppo 95 and the MC402 : clarity is there, but still hissing a bit. I am thinking a good preamp may help; but which one?
The budget is around $2.5K max - Constraints are: as best musicality as can be obtained in that price range, fully balanced connections, remote control.
So far i found the CA 840E, and the Vincent SA-T8. Any recommendations?
Thanks
I am a bit new/naive in the audiophile world, and definitely need some advice and feedback on what can be done to improve the musicality of my equipment.
I bought a MC402 a few months ago, and am still trying to get the "wow" out of my equipment- So far i still think the treble is too on the 'hissing" side, and soundstage is not quite there. I tried a direct connection between the Oppo 95 and the MC402 : clarity is there, but still hissing a bit. I am thinking a good preamp may help; but which one?
The budget is around $2.5K max - Constraints are: as best musicality as can be obtained in that price range, fully balanced connections, remote control.
So far i found the CA 840E, and the Vincent SA-T8. Any recommendations?
Thanks