I have an MC275 and was considering a C220 or a C2200. Both are great and I loved the sound they put out with my amp and speakers. Whether that combo is too tubey will probably depend on what speakers you drive.
However I ended up getting a Lamm LL2 Deluxe preamp. To my ears it sounds a lot better than either of the Mc preamps. The downside is poorer ergonomics: no remote, no meters, no electronic input level matching, etc. So I opted for a unit that deployed all the budget on the sound rather than other features. Not everybody's cup of tea.
But the sound is fantastic!
I hope this helps.
However I ended up getting a Lamm LL2 Deluxe preamp. To my ears it sounds a lot better than either of the Mc preamps. The downside is poorer ergonomics: no remote, no meters, no electronic input level matching, etc. So I opted for a unit that deployed all the budget on the sound rather than other features. Not everybody's cup of tea.
But the sound is fantastic!
I hope this helps.