I've never had tone control in any of my linestage stereo preamp. My current Naim Statement NAC S1 linestage analog stereo preamp does not have tone control either. All ARC linestage preamps do not have to control. Before using the ARC Ref 10 linestage preamp I was using the Dan D'Agostino Momentum linestage preamp which does not have tone control either. All high end preamps usually do not have tone control. Having tone control has to go through another circuitry and it degrades the signal purity. That's why all high end preamps including those exotic ones do not have tone controls.
McIntosh makes good amps but their preamps are too syrupy warm masking musical details and nuances somewhat and color the sound and lacking musical presence and musical drive as well as rhythmic drive. ARC linestage analog preamps are way better than the McIntosh stereo preamps they aren't even in the same league. The ARC preamps are quite a bit more expensive than McIntosh preamps though especially the ARC Reference series preamps such as the ARC Ref 10 & Ref 6.
Rogue Audio P7 linestage preamp is better than any Mac preamps.
McIntosh makes good amps but their preamps are too syrupy warm masking musical details and nuances somewhat and color the sound and lacking musical presence and musical drive as well as rhythmic drive. ARC linestage analog preamps are way better than the McIntosh stereo preamps they aren't even in the same league. The ARC preamps are quite a bit more expensive than McIntosh preamps though especially the ARC Reference series preamps such as the ARC Ref 10 & Ref 6.
Rogue Audio P7 linestage preamp is better than any Mac preamps.