Is my new amp TOO GOOD?

When buying HIFI gear at this level it should never need or have to go through a break in period to get it to go from bright, scrill, fussy, boomy or other type of BAD. It should and will go from Sounds Great to Sweeeet.

Check your cables, interconnects etc.  If all is good take the new gear back to the HIFI store a tell them you are very concerned something is wrong and need their help. I would hope they respond correctly. If not request your amp you traded in and a refund of your money. Don't be angry or rude as that would serve no good outcome. I hope all works out for you.   

You people telling him to get new cables are a joke. If you're too ignorant to offer good advice, then just don't post anything. 

As much as I have read mcintosh  tests everything that comes out assuming it's not b stock. Unlikely got damaged in shipping.

Have you considered a high definition DSP based preamplifier like the miniDSP SHD?

@mojo771 

Like you I took advantage the recent McIntosh Trade-Up Program. I traded my older MC 2600 Tub Preamp for the C2800 Preamp. For me it was a chance to take advantage of some of the new features offered by the C2800. Having done so, like you I noticed a brighter sound from the C2800 over what I had become used to with the C2600. But unlike your experience I enjoy the brightness as I related that brightness as clarity in tweeter and midrange but also in bass delivery.

Before purchasing the C2800 I was invited by my local high-end shop to bring in my C2600 and make a comparison to the C2800. They ran both preamps through a MC275 amp as I mono-block 2 MC275’s in my home system (can see here in My System). Their gear, both the C2800 and MC275 were already broken-in so I couldn’t blame the noticeable brightness on the newness of the equipment, and yet I noticed more clarity, or maybe less warmth in the sound from the C2800. Bass also has more clarity with no loss of punch which was the selling point for me in favor of the C2800. I was in a 20’ x 30’ x 12’ room with lots of air space, few furnishings with fully carpeted flooring with the C2800 and MC275 running through a pair of Wilson Audio Sophia 2’s…t’was blissful!! 

I’m hoping that the brighter/clarity sound that I’m experiencing isn’t just breaking-in because I prefer it. I also have a McIntosh MQ 112 EQ between the C2800 and the MC275’s to boost or dampen tracks that need help, otherwise I run it in EQ Control Out  mode. So even without break-in (bought the C2800 in March 2026) I’m already loving the new preamp in my system!! Perhaps the difference in our results has more to do with our systems speakers. My KEF Reference 205/2’s are 18 year old, tried and still true. One of the features of the KEF’s is that I’m able to tweak each speaker with the built-in adjustments on the speakers and then I also have the EQ when help is needed. Which, so far is minimal. I’m not sure just how much better the C2800 can get, when I’m elated with it now, I can wait for what’s coming!!

You’ve gotten some great advice in this thread.

Enjoy your new system!