McIntosh C2200 w/ solid state amp?

I use the Mac C2200 tube preamp with the MC402. They make beautiful music together. I strongly agree with Valleyplastic. A definite keeper! Tube sweetness along with solid-state crunch. As far as I am concerned, the best of both worlds. Go and listen and decide.

Hallo I am Jan (46)
I have buy a new Focal Utopia Diva and MC 402
and need preamp - having a big question!!
take C46 or C2200

Thank you about your opinience !

and.. CD?.
Teac DV 50?
CD Mac MPV 861?
MCD 205,?
MCA 201 (new one)
or Accupgase DP67?
Thank you about your opinience !
Jan

Sorry about garbelked post.To much cabernet or lack of sleep.I sold Mac for 6 years getting out just as they were introducing the glass products.While the $12K amp they started with may have been to pricey the new products based on the 275/KT88 's are great amps.If you can choose your speaker in the shop and have them demo both tube and solid state.But like I said if you want to economise and balanced amp within past 10 years will give you same house sound new piece woould.Guess my last garbled line was how nice a pair of the new Quads would sound with this set up and very FAST pitch accurate sub(though you could go with much less power.One thing that's great aboput the 2200 is that you can pre -program volume settings for each source component).The one thing that I found was that if not the last word in resolutioon the Mac line was and is highly musical and sounds great with a very broad line of speakers from a Thiel to a Quadl,B&W etc.Some amps like Krell might match up great with some speakers but certainly not a Thiel.But like Levenson the Mac seem to be forgiving and can do justice to all but the most laid back speakers.Like I said I'd vote the new Quads and VERY good sub and that would satisfy me for as long as the gear lasted which should be 30 or 40 years.Only advances in digital we can't forsee which is years off ( even though some products like the DEQX are allready producing amazing systems in speaker component integration and room correction) this gear you mention will allow you to be pleased for quite some time.Hell some folks still swear by Thorens 124 II tables,Quad ESL 57's and vintage Mac or Marantz tube gear and are pleased as puch feeding sources into systems that were current in 1960.They don't want to change a thing because their systems sound great.The future MAYBE digital but I don't think you'd be as quick to give up your rig as many others with the "latest and greatest" gear.Go for it!!!!!!!
Best
Chazzbo

I own both the C2200 and the C46, also have the Mac 252 ss amp, both sound mighty nice into the 252, also have alinn ss amp and again both sound nice...I really like them both and glad I have both...they do sound different but both share the Mac sound...if someone put a gun to my head and said pick one...I would say...shoot

I've got the C2200 and used it first with Bel Canto Evo200.2s., two of them. Absolutely gorgeous. I am now running into powered Linn Artikulats--same result. I've also heard this preamp drive the MC402, a Mac solid state amp, lots of times. I sell the stuff and it was how we demonstated the C2200. Again, sublime. I'm probably going to put my C2200 up for auction, however, as I'm intrigued by the C2300's upgraded phono section. It's not clear that the C2300 is any better for the line stage. The guy at McIntosh said he's pretty sure he heard that the line stage measures better but he'd not heard it himself to say it was any better than the C2200. The McIntosh specs that I've seen don't seem any different.