looking at mcintosh pre-amp c2500. Can I do better for the cost of a Mac?

+1 to joeinid & mesch.  The C2500 is a superb preamp, especially if you want one of the very best MC phono sections and a top end 32 bit 192 kHz DAC all in one unit.  But do you really need that?  Yes, it's pricey, and there is a lot of stuff out there that is even more so.

Being familiar with both tube and SS preamps in the Mc line, I can assure you that you won't go wrong either way, but you do need to think about what you have to have, want to have and wish to have first.  It will save you a lot of hassle, and it is all supposed to be fun.

Good luck & happy listening!

You won't be disappointed, @macandtosh.  Make sure to give it 75 hours or so of use before you consider any serious changes to tubes or the rest of your system.  It will take at least that long to fully break in and start warming up in a reasonable time.  Patience is key now.  

With respect to the phono part, do some archive searches here and do as many auditions of LOMC cartridges as you can.  The Mc can handle them all, but some will be more suitable for your system and listening preferences than others.

You have a lot of choices with amps and speakers, too.  I'm partial to the tube preamp / SS power amp combo for most music, but like my all-SS system for my present needs.  I've also heard all-tube systems that rocked my world, but would have broken my bank.  It's always a compromise somewhere.

Have fun & happy listening!