Opinions on the Mcintosh C500T?

3 weeks living with C500T. My first impression...it looks so cool during the day and at night when I do most of my serious listening. Even my 13 year old daughter commented "Dad your new equipment looks cool."

C500T has remarkable clarity, depth, and details with focused images of the music. Dead quite component. You really notice piano notes and cymbal decay which I've repeated on several tracks because they sound so live like.

I have a below average listening room but there was no lack of three-dimensionality soundstage in my smallish room. Instruments (drums, piano, guitar, percussion) have lots of air and separation. The bottom-end has weight to it that challenges my idea of upgrading to larger fullrange loudspeaker...but only on certain CDs.

This past weekend I played Dire Straits "On Every Street" track 4 "Fade to Black." Wow!! Knopfler's voice and guitar simply amazing and the drummers brushes and cymbal work you can hear front-to-back in the soundstage. Knopfler voice is so well defined and focused..very live like. So much depth in the soundstage on that song.

I've been traveling every other week. If you need additional info just email me offline.

Pierre

Thats very good to hear. I've never owned mc stuff til recently so I am just worried. From the sound of what you described, I'm going to love it. Knopfler is the best... My power should be done tomorrow and then waiting on stands, Hope to be listening by next week end.

Thanks,
beerdraft

Hi Pierre

Sounds like the 500T is a winner. Are your comments relative to the C46 you had before? Or did you have a different preamp before your 500T? Just trying to figure out what your reference point is. Thanks

Arthur

My reference was the C46. I also considered:

McIntosh C2300
Aesthetix Calypso Signature (Did not audition)