Which is the better McIntosh preamp to mate with a pair of MC30 power amps and Khorn speakers? I am considering the MC20 and MC11; the 22 is out of my price range. Or, should I look for something newer like the Audible Illusions 3a?
The C11 is identical to the C22 only without certain features which aren't critical. If you play 78's the C20 is a good preamp. There are 2 versions of the C20 but both are circuitwise identical.
All 3 preamps you've mentioned are excellent choices. I would also consider a Cary slp 90,94, or older 98 to fit your budget. The vintage mcintosh preamps were a little to soft and lacked resolution, the Cary gave my MC30's a little more bite and were a great mix. Was using Klipsh Forte and Heresy at the time and was able to do an A B comparison with the c20 and Cary slp90. Also had an MX110 at the time and the Cary won hands down for me.
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