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Mcintosh C-2300 first impressions

I bought an C2300 from an authorized mac dealer with return rights minus shipping. I have 11 days to listen to it. My current preamp is the Counterpoint SA-5.1 that has had the line and phono stage upgraded by Mike Elliott (the original designer/engineer of Counterpoint gear). Since I use a low output cartridge, I also use the Counterpoint SA-2 in conjuction with the SA-5.1. My amp is the Jadis Defy 7 MKII. What I was hoping to achieve was to retain all of the sound quality of the SA-2/SA-5.1 combo while lowering the noise floor compared to my current phono section (the line section of the SA-5.1 is very quiet).
My initial impression from my first night of listening is that the C2300 has a refined, polite presentation in a button-upped British sort of way with a sweet top end. However, it sounds thin much like a SS preamp sounds and it doesn't have much in the way of a bottom end which can even be heard on acoustic bass. Forget any type of wowie-zowie bass punch with this preamp. Voices also don't sound as real as my current preamp. And these listening impressions come from listening to LPs, CDs, and 15 ips 2 track tape. I guess if I didn't know any better I could be happy with this preamp, but unless things improve soon it will be going back.
For those of you who own and love the C-2300, I would love to know what preamp it replaced in your system. I love all of the creature comforts this preamp has to offer with 8 inputs, 4 sets of balanced inputs, a cool remote, etc. I do think it is a bit garish looking in person with different shades of green lights as well as blue. If this preamp doesn't start fleshing out more of the music, it will be going back. And please don't tell me that it takes magic Telefunken 12AX7s to make this preamp come alive. I have heard mixed reviews with some owners not liking the Telefunkens at all and actually preferring the Mcintosh selected 12AX7s while others who are hooked on Telefunkens of course swear by the improvement they expected to hear.

Mark
mepearson
audiolui
294 posts
 
Give it some time. My CJ preamp bloomed after some 50 to 100 hours of play time. I almost packed it up for sale during the first few hours of listening.

I don't have any experience with McIntosh, but do hope it sounds better within your return window.
tricon_dave
95 posts
 
Once the preamp has broken in a little more, you really should try different tubes to see if YOU like the difference. Forget what others have said, it really just depends on what you hear in your system.

I've had my MC2300 for over two years and for me, in my system, the Telefunkens made a very nice improvement in both the line stage and the MC phono stage.
oscar44
130 posts
 
Agree with all the others that you need to give this some time, and within your window of auditioning that means playing music through it 24/7 while in your possession. What I am less clear on is why you imagined this preamp would be a significant step up from what you have? If your goal is to match the Counterpoint linestage but get lower noise floor in the phono stage, I think there have to be better options than spending all that money on a new C2300. Why not keep the line stage you like and invest in an alternative phono stage? Further, the MAC has lots of functionality which you may or may need but is part of its price. I considered one but at the end of the day did not want to pay for lots of inputs and features that I did not require in my system -- everything that's extra costs, and with dealer mark up, it means compromises of some kind in the areas that matter most in your system.
tzh21y
1,654 posts
 
The one thing that I found with the Mac Preamp is that it is very neutral. I have the C220. I used to have an ARC LS 16 which had a more tubey sound. I like the C220 much better than the ARC unit. The teles make a huge difference period. You will not know until you try. The stock tubes are not very good. Unfortunately, the stock tubes can give you the wrong idea regarding what the preamp is capable of. If you don't like it then maybe it is not for you. I had a similar experience with the Marantz KI Pearl SACD player. It seemed as though it went back in the box as fast as I took it out. It sounded lifeless in my system. Maybe it was not broken in but it did not have what I was looking for.
mepearson OP
100 posts
 
Oscar, I never thought the 2300 would be a significant step up from the SA-5.1. I was just hoping it wouldn't lose any of the magic while providing the extra inputs and features you mentioned. The 5.1 is a tough act to follow in terms of its sound quaility and it appears the 2300 is not up to the task. What I was most interested in is if others who own the 2300 think there is anything missing on the bottom end and if they think it is rather on the thin side across the audio band or if this is just my perception.
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