2. amps-preamps
  3. 1396581499

Mcintosh D100 + MC 452. Which interconnects?

After years just listening to music, I decided to upgrade my modest system, taking advantage that my pocket now allows some higher flights. Currently: Audio Aero Prima CD, Odysseys’ Tempest/Stratos pre/amp, Anthony Gallo Nucleus Reference 3.1, cables from Fusion Audio, Supra, Van den Hul, Acoustic Zen, etc. My first upgrade arrived 2 weeks ago: a MC452! I know there may be something better for the same price or less, but I always dreamed to have those blue meters, and the 452 is a dream come true! Due to costs, the only one McIntosh preamp I can buy is the D100, and it seems a good choice, since I want to get out of the time capsule I’ve been for the last years and move from my jurassic CD player based stereo to something more modern, like music servers/DACs/HD tracks/external HDs, etc. As my doubts are extensive, I decided to split them. For this thread I’ll ask you guys:
>which brands/models of interconnects should work well w/ these 2 Macs? My best interconnect is the Supra Sword RCA, but 2 dealers and Ron C (from Mcintosh) told me that I should go for XLR between these 2 macs, not RCA, since both are quad balanced. Any recommendations? My budget is about U$500, and I want to buy it used here at Audiogon.
>Silver or copper?
>Is there anyone using these 2 pieces together? Should I expect good results? Or do you think I should go for a used C48, instead of the D100 despite I don’t have (and don’t intend to) any analogs.
Thanks in advance
rogertmac

Showing 1 response by rogertmac

rogertmac OP
7 posts
 
Thank you very much Denman. The problem is: the more I read (here, audiokarma, audioaficionado, etc) the more I have doubts! I've read that the preamp section on the D100 is not that good, so I don't know if it will be a good match for my MC452. Then I started to consider the C48, but there are several threads reporting problems w/ its USB inputs (the same for the C50). I think i could stretch my budget to get an used C2300, that I read it's an excelent pair for the MC452, but in that case, I would stay in the same jurassic CD player based system I am nowadays because I wouldn't have money to buy a DAC. Maybe (w great effort!) I could buy an Oppo 105 latter and use its Dac to start playing w/ digital files, streaming, computer audio, etc, but I know its DAC doesn't compare w/the D100's, so I ended up w/ more doubts then ever! Lol! I could summarize my new state of uncertainty like this: which would be a better for my poor pocket, an excelent DAC w/ a not so good preamp (D100) or an excelent preamp w/ a not so good DAC (C2300 + Oppo 105)??? Or should I forget the
C48 USB issues and buy one (used)??? Doubts doubts doubts!
More to discover