McIntosh C2300 noise

@scorpio1951...………………………

I have the C2500 preamp  with the stock tubes.  A lot of the Mac guys are telling me the Gold Lion tubes are the best for the preamp.  You seem to really like the Telefunkens though.  Are they that good?  I had bought a pair of Telefunkens from Upscale for a Rogue preamp and they were noisy and that was their Platinum grade.  I sent them back and tried 2 more, but they were even noisier.

It was a Glade Plug In air freshener.

 I tracked it down to an apple tv being too close to the preamp

I moved the 2300 to a different room - no sources or amp connected - still same behavior. Infact I used the dedicated refrigerator AC line - still same issue. 

I have a C220.  Although I did not have a severe noise issue like you, I did replace the 4 tubes in this pre with Mullard reproduction 12AX7s, and the preamp got quieter and sounds better in many respects.

I would try this:  If you are using the main single-ended outputs to your amplifier, try using one of the other outputs and see if there is a difference.  I had these outputs fail on both my first C220 and the replacement, which I still have, but use one of the other outputs, not the main one.  As far as I can tell, my long runs of ICs to my amp were stressing the RCA output jacks on the C220, and they failed, resulting in a very loud hum (a short, I guess).  I now suspend the cables to relieve the stress on the C220's output jacks, and have had no issues in about seven years.

Lastly, if your dealer can't figure it out, I have found calls to McIntosh to be answered promptly and helpfully.

@Pistha  - If you had no sources or amp connected to it, how could you hear the buzz?  Is it a transformer hum from within the preamp itself?

^^^^^^Excellent question.