McIntosh MC402

I just tried to run a Benchmark DAC-1 I bought for a friend to run into my MC402. It worked fine, actually. The Benchmark´s output level can be adjusted, in fact, by switching internal jumpers. I listen to vinyl, too, and I only had the Benchmark briefling in my house and system, but I was surprised at how good the sound was.

"The integrateds sacrifice NOTHING sonically vs the seperates" - my own experience is quite different. I had the MA6500, then bought a C200, then added a MC402. I listened to a MA6900 in comparison to a C200-MC352-combo, too, before upgrading. Every step made a clear difference, that is improvement. The preamp-section of the MA6900, good as it is, is not on a level with a C46, not to speak of a C200. The same is true for the power amp-section of the MA6900 compared to a MC402. I was in fact astonished how big the difference in bass control, better voices, and soundstaging are. I remember that I spoke to Hinton as well, and he told me much the same that he told Benfmd. When I compared, I found however, that it was not true. It is not the first time I found the Mc-people being better in designing their components than describing them. For example, Ron Cornelius told me the sonic difference between a C42 and a C200 was negligable - I found the opposite to be true. Hinton or his colleague told me power cords and speaker cables made no difference because they were all the same. Naturally, both have made a huge difference in my system. So I rather think anybody interested should go hear for himself.

The C200 adds more air around voices recorded in a natural environment, more bass slam, better soundstaging, and an even better seperation of instruments. Another reason I went for it was the high class MC-phono stage. As far as the PCs are concerned, click on my system. The best is the Shunyata, closely followed by the Eichmann. As far as value for money is concerned, the clear victor was the LAT. However, when I added the Exact Power, the improvement was even more dramatic, and it became next to impossible to tell the different PCs from another. From what I know today, I would rather go for an excellent power conditioner first, and spend less money on PCs.

Benfmd, in fact the PC testing I did, in two different systems, with several friends, was blind testing. Everybody agreed the differences were as clear as changing an amp, for example. As for differences between amps - one cannot explain what one does not hear. Enjoy your integrated, then.