Best preamp for MC240
cy...@my-deja.com
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
1de...@my-deja.com
MC240 is quite sensitive and matches well with most preamps.
I used M7 before getting quite good before. As a matter of fact, none
of the preamps I used have matching problem with it. I really can't say
which one is the best match. It all depends on your budget, taste,
speaker and room size...etc.
GUCCIPHILE
Tim
With the C22 (or C20), you will get the 100% McIntosh sound. But it
depends on whether that is the best sound for you.
Unlike Maranrz 8B, MC240 is a much more flexible power amp and you can
pretty much match it with the best pre-amp in your own view.
And as in our pre-amp party, I don't think you can get any group of
people to agree on which is the best sounding pre-amp - vintage or
modern.
Tim
GUCCIPHILE
> > How about Mac C22?
>
> With the C22 (or C20), you will get the 100% McIntosh sound. But it
> depends on whether that is the best sound for you.
Editor Chan said C22 is not as good sounding as M7 by a margin. C20 is
even worse.
> Unlike Maranrz 8B, MC240 is a much more flexible power amp and you can
> pretty much match it with the best pre-amp in your own view.
I thought you said in previous postings that Mac doesn't work well with
Marantz.
BTW, how come I don't see a whole lot of Mac preamps/poweramps for sale
these days? There's a flood of Marantz gears on eBay.
jekyl...@my-deja.com
cy...@my-deja.com wrote:
> What is the best preamp to match MC240? No matter modern or vintage.
I agree all preamps sound good with 240.
It is great to match it with C22. I disagree with Editor Chan in that I
rate C22 higher than M7.
Mr Tsang of Wai Lee always said the best for the 240 is the WL preamp,
and there are people doing that. BTW, WL has the 240 there so you can
ask for a combination test on the LS3/5A. Don't do it unless you are
prepared to spend money! :-)
--
Used to be doctorjohn, now Jekyll and Hyde
Tim
GUCCIPHILE <gucci...@aol.com> wrote:
>
> > > How about Mac C22?
> >
> > With the C22 (or C20), you will get the 100% McIntosh sound. But it
> > depends on whether that is the best sound for you.
>
> Editor Chan said C22 is not as good sounding as M7 by a margin. C20
is
> even worse.
Editor Chan was totally wrong on this. C22 (original) and C20 is in the
same league as the original M7.
> > Unlike Maranrz 8B, MC240 is a much more flexible power amp and you
can
> > pretty much match it with the best pre-amp in your own view.
>
> I thought you said in previous postings that Mac doesn't work well
with
> Marantz.
This was according to your most-trusted Mr YK Chan. I believe MC240
maybe the exception here. Furthermore, the most problem seem to be
matching Mac pre-amp with Marantz power amp rather than the other way
round.
> BTW, how come I don't see a whole lot of Mac preamps/poweramps for
sale
> these days? There's a flood of Marantz gears on eBay.
No, there is on average at least two MC225 and one MC240 on sale on eBay
every week for the last 2 years.
What Marantz gears? M1/2/3/4?
Tim
GUCCIPHILE
> > Editor Chan said C22 is not as good sounding as M7 by a margin. C20
> is
> > even worse.
>
> Editor Chan was totally wrong on this. C22 (original) and C20 is in
the
> same league as the original M7.
He said no matter you use the best tubes or heavily modify it, C22
still is not transparent enough. It's like you are listening behind a
smoke screen. C20 is even worse. You don't get HF and LF extension.
The sound is very muddy. It's only good for those who really want to
listen to the vintage sound.
> > > Unlike Maranrz 8B, MC240 is a much more flexible power amp and you
> can
> > > pretty much match it with the best pre-amp in your own view.
> >
> > I thought you said in previous postings that Mac doesn't work well
> with
> > Marantz.
>
> This was according to your most-trusted Mr YK Chan. I believe MC240
> maybe the exception here. Furthermore, the most problem seem to be
> matching Mac pre-amp with Marantz power amp rather than the other way
> round.
I asked you the other day whether M7 will work well with MC275 and you
said no.
> > BTW, how come I don't see a whole lot of Mac preamps/poweramps for
> sale
> > these days? There's a flood of Marantz gears on eBay.
>
> No, there is on average at least two MC225 and one MC240 on sale on
eBay
> every week for the last 2 years.
I don't see a lot of MC275 and C22.
> What Marantz gears? M1/2/3/4?
There are plenty available: M1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 and 10. I've seen
it all recently.
jekyl...@my-deja.com
GUCCIPHILE <gucci...@aol.com> wrote:
> He said no matter you use the best tubes or heavily modify it, C22
> still is not transparent enough. It's like you are listening behind a
> smoke screen. C20 is even worse. You don't get HF and LF extension.
> The sound is very muddy. It's only good for those who really want to
> listen to the vintage sound.
Mac's have much better BODY than Marantz, which translates to the fact
that they have a stronger "presence" in the lower midrange and bass. The
relative presence in the lower region easily makes someone THINK treble
and resolution is inferior. This is not the case.
> > This was according to your most-trusted Mr YK Chan. I believe MC240
> > maybe the exception here. Furthermore, the most problem seem to be
> > matching Mac pre-amp with Marantz power amp rather than the other
> > round.>
> I asked you the other day whether M7 will work well with MC275 and you
> said no.
Now, I disagree with most people that M & M do not mix. I always cite
the time I used C22 with 8B and played some LP with shit Advent
speakers. The sound was so impressive the person who sold me the C22,
the same person who has all the Marantz, bought ANOTHER C22. He is STILL
using the C22 with his 8B and 9s, not the M7.
I have matched here the M7 and MC275. No problem whatsoever. Very nice
indeed.
Some people think Mac is muddy (like you?) and theoretically a Mac
preamp and a Mac amp would be disaster no? NO, the Mac setup always
sounds great. People should reflect on this.
> I don't see a lot of MC275 and C22.
I don't know what's your problem. As Tim says there is ALWAYS, at any
given moment, some Mac amp, preamp, and tuner-preamps on sale.
Concerning 275, you just missed one.
If you want cheap preamp, get an MX-110. It is VERY clear sounding.
And for your Maggies, have you considered the Mac transistor amps that
use trannies? They are tube-like.
--
Used to be doctorjohn, now Jekyll and Hyde
Tim
C20
> > is
> > > even worse.
> >
> > Editor Chan was totally wrong on this. C22 (original) and C20 is in
> the
> > same league as the original M7.
>
> still is not transparent enough. It's like you are listening behind a
> smoke screen. C20 is even worse. You don't get HF and LF extension.
> The sound is very muddy. It's only good for those who really want to
> listen to the vintage sound.
As mentioned, Mr YK Chan is total wrong on the C22 and C20. And people
who believe everything that Mr YK Chan said has to be right is even more
wrong than Mr Chan.
The C20 is more transparnent than M7 and most other vintage pre-amp in
my experience.
> > > > Unlike Maranrz 8B, MC240 is a much more flexible power amp and
you
> > can
> > > > pretty much match it with the best pre-amp in your own view.
> > >
> > > I thought you said in previous postings that Mac doesn't work well
> > with
> > > Marantz.
> >
> > This was according to your most-trusted Mr YK Chan. I believe MC240
> > maybe the exception here. Furthermore, the most problem seem to be
> > matching Mac pre-amp with Marantz power amp rather than the other
way
> > round.
>
> I asked you the other day whether M7 will work well with MC275 and you
> said no.
I have not heard the combination myself and the comment is from your
most-trusted Mr Chan as well as a number of audiophiles who claim to
have experience on this. Of course, Dr John's view is different, as
always.
> > > BTW, how come I don't see a whole lot of Mac preamps/poweramps for
> > sale
> > > these days? There's a flood of Marantz gears on eBay.
> >
> > No, there is on average at least two MC225 and one MC240 on sale on
> eBay
> > every week for the last 2 years.
>
> I don't see a lot of MC275 and C22.
There is on average a C22 and MC275 every 2 week. But of course, MC275
and C22 are much less available than MC225 or MC240. You have not spend
enough hours on eBay.
> > What Marantz gears? M1/2/3/4?
>
> There are plenty available: M1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 and 10. I've seen
> it all recently.
Nonsense. There has to be >70 MC275 I have seen on eBay in the last 2
years but no more than 5 pairs of M2 and M3.
Tim