Mcintosh MC352 / 2102

I have a mc352/c42 combo, I do agree sticking with the 352 it has the tube sound in a SS amp but takeing the source signal and running it through a tube preamp make`s great sence, thats what I`m going to do replace the c42, but with what preamp, my three pre`s in this order BAT vk51 (could be upgraded to a SE later) Mcintosh c2200, LAMM LL1 the LAMM is single ended but no remote. I`ve ran xlr and single ended and I felt xlr`s were a little better for my ears. My first tube peice was a BAT vkp-5 phono stage and I was amazed with the results so Im going with tube`s for a preamp but I`m keeping the 352 I may try a Virtual Dynamic power cord, it`s got a PS Audio statement on it now, thank`s for the tip Sinosin. David

Hagbert: I use Tara Labs Air 1 XLR between my VK51SE and the MC352. Both the Mc352 and VK51SE are true balanced design. I do like the sound better with the balanced connection, the sound was already great using single ended cable (with an adapter) but when I put in the XLR it gave me more of everything, not by much but more and quietier. But like you said cable is so system dependent. It sounds good in one system does not mean it sounds good in the other. When I was auditioning all those preamps I got a hold of a Tara Labs The One XLR cable. It did not like to be in between the Mc352 and VK51SE. All the air, the harmonic went away, the sound stage collapsed. But then I put it in between the ARC Ref2 MKII and the MC352, it did wonders, unbelievable is the word and if I were to buy the ARC I will have to buy that cable too. System matching is the key.

I agree with all the above. I'm running a used Counterpoint 7.1 preamp with my MC352 and the sound staging and resolution are wonderful. Tubed preamps seem to work better 99% of the time with solid state amps. If I could afford it I would own a 2200.

Not to spoil anybody's enthusiasm for tubed preamps, but when I compared the 2200 to the C200, I found the C200 to be the better preamp: as natural as the C2200, but more structured with large symphonic music, more slam and better bass definition with piano, pop music, you name it.