2. amps-preamps
  3. 1266013850

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
davvie's avatar
davvie
81 posts
 
I guess Mr Pearson actually waited to opine until AFTER the break-in period....

C2300 Tube Preamplifier and MC2301 Tube Monoblock Amplifier - Harry Pearson,Senior Editor, The Absolute Sound

" The sound of these units is quite unlike the sound of other major tube-based electronics on the market. It is the quietest sounding combination of preamplifier - yes, it even contains phonostages for both moving-coil and moving-magnet cartridges - and amplifier in my experience with tube units. And I can hear no distortions of any kind, nor detect much in the way of character. ..The McIntoshes do have a kind of liquid sweetness that is consonant with the same quality in live music, sufficient power to encompass with sublime ease any massive recorded peaks, and delicacy at low levels-thanks to the very low distortion- that I have found seductive, but seductive because it is a kind of truth-spoken-here resolution of the quietest pianissimos"

BTW...the C2300 was nominated for a Golden Ear award by Mr Pearson.
tzh21y
1,654 posts
 
The 2300 is an outstanding preamplifier, there is no doubt about it. I have never heard the Counterpoint. If you decide to send it back, when you listen to your preamp and realize that you are missing something, then it might click. The NOS tubes are just the icing on the cake IMHO. If not, no harm done.
knghifi
1,668 posts
 

Is it possible the 2300 is a bad match for your amp? From my experience, the 2200 is a horrible match to Krell FPB600. Sound is flat, liveless, veil and NO deep bass ... impedance mismatch.

BTW, Telefunken is a must for 2200 and 2300. Major improvements in all areas ... similar to buying a new pre costing 2X 3X ...

NOS tubes are rare, limited supply and expensive so manufacturers cannot supplied them as stock. I think only very low volume Shindo design and supply there components around rare NOS.
mepearson OP
100 posts
 
Happily, this is beginning to be a tale of two preamps. Yesterday when I posted some further thoughts, I was 99.9% convinced that I was going to send the big Mac back. I put my digital music server to its best use yesterday and had it streaming music to the 2300 for most of the day. Last night when I went to sit down and listen to the system, I couldn't believe my ears that this was the same preamp. The bottom octave that had been MIA was suddenly there and the midrange had fleshed out considerably from the earlier sessions. The highs were still sweet as they were upon the first listen. If I hadn't heard this for myself, I wouldn't believe such a transformation in such a short time was possible.

As for the comments posted from HP's review, Yes, I know about them and I read the review when it first came out. That review is the one that piqued my interest in the first place. I am also aware the latest issue of TAS also gave it an editor's choice award. The other comment was that if I sent it back, I would find myself missing something and I now believe that to be true. If last night's exerience repeats itself tonight (the music server is doing its duty again today), I can see that are things I would not want to give up.

Last night I mainly listened to LPs (still using the SA-2 into the MM inputs of the 2300) and reel to reel tapes (2 track 15 ips). There was an ease and naturalness that was bewitching. I am still dumbfounded what a difference a day makes as the saying goes.

If NOS tubes really take this preamp to another level (and the reviews on that seem to be mixed with some people preferring the stock tubes to Telefunkens), this could be a scary good preamp-specially if it continues to bloom as music flows through it.
tzh21y
1,654 posts
 
I thought I preferred the stock tubes until I put the Teles in. I was blown away. Everybody is different so you never know. Sounds like it is breaking in.
More to discover