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Mcintosh C-2300 first impressions

I bought an C2300 from an authorized mac dealer with return rights minus shipping. I have 11 days to listen to it. My current preamp is the Counterpoint SA-5.1 that has had the line and phono stage upgraded by Mike Elliott (the original designer/engineer of Counterpoint gear). Since I use a low output cartridge, I also use the Counterpoint SA-2 in conjuction with the SA-5.1. My amp is the Jadis Defy 7 MKII. What I was hoping to achieve was to retain all of the sound quality of the SA-2/SA-5.1 combo while lowering the noise floor compared to my current phono section (the line section of the SA-5.1 is very quiet).
My initial impression from my first night of listening is that the C2300 has a refined, polite presentation in a button-upped British sort of way with a sweet top end. However, it sounds thin much like a SS preamp sounds and it doesn't have much in the way of a bottom end which can even be heard on acoustic bass. Forget any type of wowie-zowie bass punch with this preamp. Voices also don't sound as real as my current preamp. And these listening impressions come from listening to LPs, CDs, and 15 ips 2 track tape. I guess if I didn't know any better I could be happy with this preamp, but unless things improve soon it will be going back.
For those of you who own and love the C-2300, I would love to know what preamp it replaced in your system. I love all of the creature comforts this preamp has to offer with 8 inputs, 4 sets of balanced inputs, a cool remote, etc. I do think it is a bit garish looking in person with different shades of green lights as well as blue. If this preamp doesn't start fleshing out more of the music, it will be going back. And please don't tell me that it takes magic Telefunken 12AX7s to make this preamp come alive. I have heard mixed reviews with some owners not liking the Telefunkens at all and actually preferring the Mcintosh selected 12AX7s while others who are hooked on Telefunkens of course swear by the improvement they expected to hear.

Mark
mepearson
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jgiacalo
446 posts
 
I agree with all the above observations and suggestions. It needs to break in and will take most of your demo time to do so. I have the C2200 and it improved significantly once broken, had the stock power cord replaced with something better, used some decent footers AND the stock tubes were replaced with Mullards and Amperex. There is no shortage of impact on the bottom end.
jdmeyers77
15 posts
 
On Day 10, switch out the stock tubes for some decent ones. I use NOS RCAs in my C2200. I don't have golden ears, but I heard an immediate improvement. It's a tube preamp and the quality of tubes make a difference!
pdreher's avatar
pdreher
1,212 posts
 
Like others have said... You can't expect to optimize the sound of a tube preamp without excellent NOS tubes. Selecting & installing the right NOS tubes made a night & day difference in my Aesthetixs Calypso. You will be selling yourself woefully short if you don't experiment with NOS tubes... suggest you start with Mullard CV 4004 platinums from Upscale Audio. It won't be cheap, but it will take you listening experience to a new level.
kirkus
502 posts
 
Ten days is indeed not very long, either for the equipment to settle in or to make a decision. You might call your Mac dealer and tell them your first impressions, and ask for a little more time to make a final decision - this may take off some of the mental stress and make it easier to listen and decide.

Usually, return policies are drafted for the most troublesome of customers. Most Mac dealers are independent businesses, and most independent businesspeople are very flexible if you're respectful and forthright with them. Just make sure that if you do return it, it's absolutely perfect . . .
mepearson OP
100 posts
 
I appreciate everyone's comments. I should have clarified that this preamp is either a demo unit or it is used. Audio Classics offers the 11 day return period which I think is quite fair. The salesman told me the unit was fresh back from Mcintosh in January and that Mcintosh installed new tubes when it was back. It was packaged like a new unit when I received it. This is my first dealings with Audio Classics so I can't be either a great customer or a bad customer and I certainly wouldn't feel right asking for an extension to their 11 day policy. I have never claimed to have the fastest ears in the west, but it didn't take long to figure out that the 2300 in my system has no real bottom end and lacks the dynamics that seperate the good from the great. My collection of 12Ax7s is rather motley as it is not a tube I have collected over the years (too bad its not 12AU7s as I have an outstanding collection of NOS tubes). I am not going to have time to order up some fancy tubes for this Mac before it needs to wing its way back to New York in 11 days so I will have to listen with the stock tubes. I also will not make the leap of faith that NOS Telefunken tubes will fix everything that I perceive to be lacking in this preamp and make a purchase decision predicated on that belief. It needs to stand up and sing with what Mcintosh delivered it with and they have put their name on these tubes.
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