mx135 vs. C45 mcintosh


Looking to complete my home theater system with OPPO 205 and Krell amp.
Need an analog 5.1 channel preamp
My choices are mcintosh c45 and mx135
2 channel audio is also very important to me. I intend to go analog from OPPO into macintosh preamp. Using all the processing from oppo.

1. which of these is a better for both home theater and 2 channel stereo, as well as 5.1 sacd ?
2. I know mx135 can do all this, not sure if C45 can. Not clear if it's a 2 channel or multichannel preamp.
If it can, would be as good as mx? for HT? for 2ch?
3. Which is a better value and less likely to break over time? I'm assuming it's a more completed device..

prices for c45 is 2,500 and mx135 2000 (mx seems better value, original msrp 7k)

thoughts? 
ei001h
These are two very different animals.  The MX135 was designed to be a surround processor first, with stereo capability second.  The C45 is audio only.  That means to get 5.1 out, you have to have 5.1 from the source in via 6 individual RCA jacks.  C45 also has no video switching capability.  The MX135 can take input via SPDIF or TOSLINK and will take video input from RCA, component and S-Video.  Audio output is balanced or unbalanced while video output is component only.

Both are superior units and bullet-proof reliable.  If you are going to do all of your 5.1 processing in your OPPO and run its video direct to your screen, the C45 is all you need.  OTOH, the MX135 has some serious 5.1 processing capability.  I've not auditioned the OPPO, so you will have to make your own call on whether the MX135 processor might sound better than the OPPO system.  I can tell you that the processor system in my McIntosh MAC-3 works very well indeed, and it uses an older design than the MX135.

Good luck & happy listening!
hi

i m interested in this topic too....since c45 would be more focus on audio part , may the sound quality better than mx135 if simply using 5.1 input ? 

anyone have ideas?

thanks