3 Luxury McIntosh Preamps sound review and comparison C1100, C2300, C22,

In this Video you get to compare Sound Recordings from 3 of the best High-end McIntosh preamplifiers. McIntosh C1100, C2300, C22 Get your Headphones ready and help me decide on which one to keep.

GS11 Speakers

GabStreamer Amazing DIY music Streamer

Track: Left Alone — Airixis [Audio Library Release]
Music provided by Audio Library Plus

[jiyadas]

The C1100 has a fully balanced topology to go along with McIntosh Quad Balanced power amps. I have it paired with the McIntosh MC1.25KW after changing over 20 amps, speakers etc over 25 years, this is the first time I have no urge to upgrade anymore. The MC1.25KW amps are something else! I have Sonus faber Olympica Nova V Speakers will upgrade them in the future but the amps are here to stay.

[charlesmackay]

I have a c22. The simple switches and retro look were what got me hooked. Sound? As good as any other on my system. The phono input even with my low output mc is as good as I've heard.

[daveton]

They are all Excellent. The Choice for me is between C1100 and C22! Your DIY speakers are awesome, Thank you! 👍👍👍

[topkho]

It’s a fantastic video. I think the most refined is the C1100. It’s detailed, 3D and musical. I don’t really like the c2300 because even though it gives a lot of everything, it’s more hifi than the others. Almost V-shaped and a little bit hard. The C22 is less hifi but sweet, coherent and musical with a big midrange, even though it’s less transparent and a bit wholly . They’re closer than I would have thought but there are differences indeed. I wonder if C22 is volume matched.

[philipgreen]

I love the C-22 sound. I have a very similar C-11 which I love as well.

[danagr]

Since my stereo sounds better than my headphones I ran the YouTube through my stereo system. First time I had to listen to make sure you weren't just changing the pictures they all sound pretty close. I was finally able to hear some differences. On the first tune (on my system) I preferred the 2300 over the C22 during the drum intro. The C22 seemed less full compared to the 2300. The C1100 came across fuller yet but I seemed to like the C2300 better. I don't much care the second song and it was harder for me to tell differences on the third song.

[odizcvw]

Great video.
I found with good headphones on a pc with good sound the differences were clear. I also found C2300 and C22 very similar. I found the C2300 wooly and having a bass bump that is not well defined. While the C22 is similar, I found it a little clearer and perhaps slightly more musical. Many will prefer these as they have the old school bass heavy McIntosh sound.
The C1100 is the clear winner for me. Very transparent resulting in less perceived bass but simply better defined and textured. It's a question of taste between the C1100 and the C22. The C2300 would be eliminated. For me, I'd take the C1100 if money was no object.

[markthambas]

I think the C22 sounds more like a solid state, it's firmer and doesn't swing like other models. While the mid bass c2200 feels more pounding. The c1100 mid high is the most swinging and exposed. If i were you i would keep c1100 and c22

[charlesmackay]

I bought the c22. Sound was as good and the style cemented the deal. Dead quiet mc input.

[phillipmorris]

in this situation i think you can choose based on looks features and price as i dont think the differences would be missed, if it were me id keep the c22 as it looks better with the 275s

[careymartin]

Yes I preferred the 1100 hands down. With headphones it had more clarity which in turn gives more depth, bigger soundstage and more engaging. Between the 2300 and the 22 very close, I might take the c22 just for its history. Nice old school look and function

[davidstein]

Thanks for posting this Clint. Have you or any of your viewers yet developed any listening impressions about the two upgradable DACs that McIntosh makes..the DA1, found in this M49 Preamp, and the newer DA2?
Thanks,
David-

[alighazal]

In my opinion, it is better to check all in a very technical system first, then i perfer c2300 with my 37 years of my experience in live audio engineering that was a little bit more dynamic and a little bit live thank you for this work I wish I could have one in iran

[parttime]

I find the C22 to be forward, I like it out of the two.. Pared with a MC 2105 one would have a fabulous match with say, a set of Klipsch Cornwalls or JBL 4333's..

[lapamful]

No contest. The 1100 has the edge, at least from where I'm sitting. The reverb on those midranges of the vocals and keyboards is so much brighter with the 1100 than the other amps, it literally is louder. Maybe that's why you felt the bass on the 1100 wasn't as good as the 2300?

I listened on two sources, since I don't have headphones last night I listened on my tv and just now through my system (cambridge audio amp, dac, with Yamaha NS-10m speakers, and subwoofer). It was the same result for me.

The reason I listened on my tv is from my musician days, we would listen to recordings we'd made on a variety of systems, just to make sure the recordings sounded as good as possible on everything, no matter the quality.

But what I'm interested in is the function of those Mc275s, don't they perform the function of the power amp, or are they just better? If they do the same thing, then what's the point of the power amp? Sorry. Beginner question. I'm new to the world of high end hifi. Thanks for the great content!

[timothylindsay]

Nice video, well conceived and produced. I have bottom of the line separates, C49 preamp an MC 152 power amp paired with the MCT 500 SACD/CD transport. (I use the MCT/din connector between the onboard C49 DAC for disc playback and a 🦞BlueSound Node streamer for Qobuz streaming.)
Speakers are “lowly” Sonus Faber Lumina IIs. So, all solid state and the kicker is this system is installed on my sailboat. Even with the constraints of cabin geometry the music sounds wonderful to my old ears. I don’t think you can go wrong with anyone of the three preamps, my aesthetics favor the C22 with the MC 275s.

[BabarKhan-ohzq]

Amazing thorough video and beautiful setup! Subscribed.

[Sams]

the C1100 is probably as good as it gets in my view..

[Mark-rwkw]

The C1100 is discontinued and has been replaced by the C12000, which can operate in either tube mode or solid-state mode. Even in tube mode, it supposedly (according to reviewers) sounds much different than the C1100, as the C12000 sounds more like the MA12000 hybrid-integrated amp with a tube pre-amp stage and solid state power amp stage.

[davidgill]

Hello from Montreal, I have the C2600 tube preamp and the MC462 amplifier. It’s my first time that went with separates so I chose Mcintosh as a safe bet for it’s sound quality and that it keeps it’s price. Two things about the preamp one being that it’s very sparse inside. A big box with very little inside not what I expected. Definitely no hand to hand wiring, more like the inside of a printer. The C2300 probably looks the same inside.
Another thing that I found was a noticeable clicking noise when I used both built in mm and mc phono inputs at higher volumes. Even with no phono connected to the amp, if you turn the volume up you will see on the uv meters and hear a noticeable clicking sound out of the speakers. I took the amp to the shop, we tested the tubes all fine. Then we tried the same test on other preamps in the store. We tried a newer C2700 and even a used high end preamp by another company all made this noise with their built in phono preamp. The owner of the store was shocked. Any idea? Have you come across this issue?
Is there something inherent about built in phono preamps? Are they too sensitive?
I just thought I’d ask you. Thank you/Merci