2. amps-preamps
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Should I replace my Conrad Johnson PV-2 with a McIntosh C-28

Have a chance to buy a Mcintosh C-28 preamp at a good price in excellent condition.  Current set up is Conrad Johnson PV-2 to go with two McIntosh MC2100 as monoblocks driving a pair of Dahlquist dq-10 and a McIntosh MC2105 driving two JBL L100s.  Play mostly vinyl.  Like tubes better, but I will admit it - I am a sucker for the look of the Mcintosh. 

Wondering if anyone out there thinks the C-28 is an upgrade over PV-2?  (dont want to buy it just to try it).  My heart says YES, but my head tells me it will be another piece of gear in my current graveyard of unused gear and I will go back to the CJ.   
fredyl
fredyl OP
3 posts
 
thanks, decided to stick with PV2
mjcmt's avatar
mjcmt
711 posts
 
You'll never know if you like it better until you live w/ it for a while. If you're able to buy a nice example of the C28 for a good price, you can buy it knowing that in a few months or more you can resell it if it doesn't satisfy while making a few bucks for your trouble. You will also be more experienced and wiser too. Mac synergy is well known, so you may find that it is everything you are hoping for. My 2¢
karlthomasmoore's avatar
karlthomasmoore
2 posts
 

This thread is super old, but if anyone comes back now and reads it, I've heard both McIntosh and Conrad Johnson preamps back to back with multiple different models. Both times the Conrad Johnson preamp was far better, thicker ,warmer, and overall the bandwidth of sound sounded wider. The McIntosh just sound like they miss a lot of information in the song, by comparison. I'm very lucky to own a PV-2 and Mc240 after listening to lots of different pre and power amps and am happy with both. Mesa Boogie power amps are also fantastic, especially for the money. If you replace the fan with a silent fan and put hifi tubes in them, they sound just as good as McIntosh and better than Naim, IMO.

goose
714 posts
 

I had a C28 and Mac 2205 driving Dahlquist DQ-10's.  Even at 200 watts per side it wasn't enough for the DQ-10's but that's another story.  Unless the C-28 has been recently gone through it .  will need some work with solder point touch ups and other caps and resistors so I would be inclined to stick with the CJ if all is well.  

russ69's avatar
russ69
3,548 posts
 

You'll need a Cary SLP98 or better to surpassed the CJ PV2.

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