2. amps-preamps
  3. 1153103959

What am I missing?

Stereophile this month has a review of a new McIntosh preamp set up that has, apparently, all-but-identical digital and tube-based versions of a preamp, controlled by some equally-expensive "control center". All told, the setup is $27K.

The review didn't make any attempt at explaining who this is being marketed to (other than people with a lot of money). Is this for people who just, literally, can't make up their mind? After years of debate, has the audiophile community decided that the answer is to have parallel paths, one with tubes, one with SS, to be able to select as desired betweent the two? The ultimate "they're both right!" answer?

It would seem like the same amount spent on a single box would yield better results, presumably on several fronts.
kthomas
mrtennis
3,295 posts
 
one of the capabilities often not designed with electronics is flexibility.

tone controls, tube and solid state signal paths and other user controlled options would be a welcome addition to today's purist designs.

part of enjoying the hobby is experimenting and playing.

the more options the better, provided the cost is reasonable, whatever that is.
onhwy61's avatar
onhwy61
5,247 posts
 
It actually makes a good deal of sense to me. Is it really any different than a tetrode/triode switch or defeatable upsampling?
kthomas OP
911 posts
 
It must just be me, then - maybe it's the fact that it's 3 separate boxes, with the third one (the control center) seemingly only necessary due to having the two preamps as separate boxes.

The review uses a CDP (a MF) with the dual output stage as well, giving the reviewer a cornucopia of choices which he too seemed to enjoy.

Personally, I'd be more likely to go towards a dedicated $26K preamp if that's the kind of money I had to put into it - something from Boulder or Halcro or something.
macrojack
1,303 posts
 
Perhaps I think differently, but I would sooner put my $26K toward a dedicated room for my existing gear. I would expect that to provide more improvement all the way around than ANY preamp upgrade could insure.
rlwainwright
1,904 posts
 
Smartest reply so far, MacroJack...

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