Good Pre-Amps For McIntosh


Any suggestions for a "synergistic" combination between McIntosh MC 601 monoblocks? I have some pre-amp problems and am thinking of replacing the pre-amp.

Stick with a McIntosh pre-amp? Go with something else? Tube or solid-state? The input impedance on the 601's is 22K. Speakers are Revels Ultima Salon 2's with a pair of Rel Subs.

Thanks.

PS
If you hate McIntosh there's really no need to post. Heck, I already know that I'm an uncultured idiot who can't hear real sound and wasted my money etc. I originally wanted the Levinson 53's, but they were out of my range. 

Ag insider logo xs@2xnab2

Showing 3 responses by nab2

Thanks for the suggestions. I'd be interested in more. I was driving these with a Conrad Johnson 17LS2 (4 tubes) and sometimes with a CJ 18 SS. I liked the 17LS better. For some reason something weird has happened to both so I've sent them to CJ for diagnostics and perhaps repair. I'm tempted by the C53 because it's upgradeable and has an equalizer (miss that from years gone by), but it's not tubes and I wondered about the potential "sameness" of sound. As for price: I don't know as yet. The AR 6 is about $15k list, that might be a bit steep the 53 is $8,000 list. I've looked at the recommendations and will continue to so thanks!

Any other thoughts?
The second sentence of my post should read "even though my ears are going" - that: they are getting worse.
I appreciate all the suggestions and hope for more. I just wish I could afford buying them all and switching all of them out and picking the best one for my room and setup. Alas. Less children or more audio? I opted for more and less.

I suppose it's a good thing my ears are going, but you know, I think that when you can listen and do listen; the brain keeps that information and brings it back even when the ears don't.

I'm a professor and I often bring students into my office at the University and let them listen on my small system there (still good) and some of them (if they have the ears for it) are "blown away" (because no one listens to good stereo reproduction) or many (perhaps most) don't really *hear* the difference. It's amazing. I often let them choose their own music, but often find that the mix of the music is awful (try Imagine Dragons first album - definitely done on a home computer).

I might have to start a thread on this topic in another forum to see other folks experiences. Right now I have one good friend and my Brother (who has a fine system and who lives 2 hours away) who can really *hear* like I do. It's not just the style of music, it's the engineering, mix, production, and dimensionality, etc. of what is in the music and can be reproduced with the proper equipment. 

One day the studios may disappear, and the budgets dry up, and we'll all be condemned to MP3 quality files. It will be "high-end" stereo's fault. I bought "high-end" as a 20 something - nah not $20,000 equipment, but good enough to really hear good sound. There were good audio stores in relatively small towns. Of course, back in those days a bunch of mushrooms or a few hits of acid made a big difference on a high/low end system ;). Not that I would ever do something like that even though it was legal at the time.

Thanks again!