MCINTOSH C500 C/P/T
Preamplifiers
Any McIntosh product can be recognized from a distance. One would not mistaken chromed retro-knobs, gothic lettering, grave black fascias and oversized blue-lit meters for anything else. One single McIntosh looks impressive in a dark room but nothing equals the orgasm of having the room bathed in the icy light of multiple McIntosh devices.
Function and form
In McIntosh they resigned on listening to the laments of both audiophile camps and developed a "dual" preamplifier for both solid-state and vacuum-tube lovers. Thus, they assume, a listener can adapt the style to its mood or to the recorded material. The set of the C500 consists of not less than three separate devices: the C500C Controller and the C500P and C500T preamps. The former is all vacuum-tube (4x12AX7A plus 4x12AX7A for phono), the latter is solid-state. All three packed in separate but identical enclosures (44,5x13,7x15,2cm). Complement them with two monoblocks and - voila - you will have impressive stack of five devices in the typical retro McIntosh style.
The connectivity of the Controller is also impressive: 4x balanced XLR input, 4x single ended RCA input, 3x XLR output, 2x RCA output and a tape loop. The preamps are controlled through the Controller so there are no controls on them. The chromed knobs on the C500C looks like analogue ones but they are not - the user can program the software options with them. I am not going to describe in detail what can be done as the manual of the 3-piece set up is thick. Suffice to say that the user can do anything (for example, to regulate the load for MC cartridges continuously between 25 and 1000 ohms, among others).
I liked how McIntosh solved the volume regulation: the position of the volume knob is detected by infrared sensors. The convertor then converts the signal from the sensors to digital pulses which are used by a volume control processor.
Bass management
The first thing I was after during this review was to find the sonic differences between C500P and C500T. According the manual the only difference is in S/N ratio and distortion (100dB and 0,002% for the solid-state, 93dB and 0,05% for the vacuum-tube).
After hours of listening it was clear that the tubed C500T leaves its signature on sound. The soundstage is wider and flatter. For example, the proportions between positions of horns and strings in Saint-Saens' Dance Macabre (Charles Dutoit and Philharmonia Orchestra) were distorted and became too compact and homogenous.
One would expect (an audiophile clichee) the C500T to be warm but it was not. The tonality of instruments was honest without any coloration. The C500T was pretty much sounding neutral irrespective of which loudspeakers were used. It were transients where I could hear the 'contribution" of the C500T. The violin pizzicato was too soft, fingers on strings blurred. The harpist as if wore gloves. The double bass lacked punch. And so on. The sound becomes muted, dark and more comfortable than it should be. My initial good impression from the weighty bass dissapereard by realizing that the definition was the trade off.
Clarity & delicacy
When I increased the volume step by step the C500T soon was short of breath. The preamplifier lost its control over the electronic sound pastiche of Nine Inch Nails at high volume levels.
Tonal accuracy
The C500T is audibly more organized. It is not huge difference but let's say it is different enough to hear the improvement. The most notable change is the absence of the dark and muted signature. The other welcome change arrived at high volumes when the C500T did not disintegrate and keep control. How about the harp? The harpist took off the gloves, thumbs up. The string's attack was faster and better contoured. The velvety soft sound was transformed into something more real, truer to the original.
Spatial resolution
The bass was also much more articulated through the C500P. The generous bloatiness disappeared, the sound was more punchy and clearer. With the C500P the soundstage was alike with the C500T - more width than depth.
I spent quite a lot of time by switching forth and back between both the preamps on voices. The C500T provided more comfort and ease, whereas the C500P was more precise and open. But hey, isn't it what McIntosh wanted to achieve? Just adapt your preamp to the program material you listen to at the moment...
Recommended resellers
HI-FI studio TYKON, Ostrava, tel. +420 723 449 894
PP HiFi Studio, Otrokovice, tel. +420 603 581 305
Manufacturer's website: http://www.mcintoshlabs.com
Associated components
- Sources: McIntosh MVP871, BMC BD CD1 a DAC1
- Amplifiers: McIntosh C500C Controller and C500P and C500T preamps
- Interconnects and speaker cables: Rapport, Luxman
- Loudspeakers: Cabasse Karissima, Usher CP-8571 Diamond DMD
- Power conditioning: Audioquest NRG-2, WSS N2 Power G
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