2. amps-preamps
  3. 133239-541

CJ Solid State Amp with McIntosh Tube Preamp

I am curious if anyone has experience with using a solid state Conrad Johnson amp with a McIntosh tube preamp?  I have a Conrad Johnson MF2550 250wpc amp and I want to pair it with a McIntosh C2500 tube preamp.  Presently I am using the CJ amp with a Rogue RP-5 tube preamp.  My reasons for changing are I want tone controls which the McIntosh has plus I can adjust the loading of my moving coil cartridge via remote on the fly with the McIntosh preamp.  I should be receiving the preamp by the end of next week from Audio Classics.   If the sound isn't to my liking with the CJ amp, I will sell it and purchase a McIntosh power amp, but I hope I do not have to.
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4 responses Add your response
scorpio1951
189 posts
 
  Offhand, I can't see any reason why the CJ Amp and the McIntosh C2500 should work well together. I use a McIntosh C2300 tube preamp with a restored McIntosh MC2205 solid state amp, 200 WPC, and they sound great with Martin Logan Summit X speakers. BTW, Audio Classics is great to do business with. Did you tell them of your planned useage of the C2500 and your CJ amp? Maybe you can post an update and tell us of the CJ amp and McIntosh C2500.  
oddiofyl's avatar
oddiofyl
3,468 posts
 
The new generation of McIntosh preamps are really nice.... it should sound great....please report back.
kennesawjet
200 posts
 

you still have that cj 2550......

stereo5's avatar
stereo5 OP
6,266 posts
 

I owned both the MF2550and Rogue RP5. I currently own the McIntosh C2500. I love the C2500 and the RP5. I never used either with the C2500. I didn’t really care for the CJ MF2550 but I was using it with the AI Modulus 3B preamp. It sounded very slow. I was driving GE Triton Reference speakers. I did try the Rogue with a Mac Solid State amp and it was wonderful. I am currently using a C2500 and a Mac MC302 amp. If you like the sound of theCJ, then you will love it with the C2500.

I purchased the C2500 mainly for its tone controls and the ability to change the MC cartridge loading on the fly via remote. The C2500 is my last preamp. It is also dead quiet. It has plenty of inputs and outputs plus a processor loop which I needed. I experimented with boutique tubes but went back to the Mac branded (JJ) tubes as they worked best for the music diversity that I like. It is a much better preamp than the Rogue which I did like very much.

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