McIntosh Preamps - Moving Coil Vs. Moving Magnet Input

The Mc phono section is very good in all the C2300/C50 and newer preamps.  The biggest decision will be whether MC or MM will get the best out of your cart/arm/table and vinyl collection.  There can be a big difference in cost between the two paths and you can also set up a 2 table rig with one of each to get the best results out of different vinyl.  That's the way I went with my C50 and it works for me.

Let us know what you have for your table rig and we should be able to give you more detailed input. 

At that price point, the 2M Blue is a great way to go, and a better choice than most of the MC alternatives I'm aware of.  On the table, I can't speak to the Pioneer,  but would suggest you also consider a Rega Planar 2 or 3, a Pro-Ject, a Thorens TD 203 (comes with the Blue) or perhaps a SOTA Comet if you're willing to stretch your budget. A better table will help the Blue deliver its full potential, which is pretty significant. If you're willing to go used, there are some very high price to performance alternatives available as well. Surf the forums here and you'll find a lot of information to consider.  Keep us posted on your progress!