Opinions on the Mcintosh C500T?

Put your VP of Marketing hat on Mitch.

C500 was built as a more reachable product for "audiophiles" like myself that feel the C1000T is out of their price range.

BTW...nice system. I will post several question on your thread regarding your tweaks with tubes and PC.

The C1000 differently weighs more...not sure why it maybe the 3D glass front it's almost 3" thick. I don't think the transformers are larger.

Which Shunyata the VRay or Hydra 8?

Congrats on the MC2301 and C500T.

I have new tubes coming in for the C500T. I'll let you know how the tube rolling goes and if it improves the sonics.

3 weeks living with C500T. My first impression...it looks so cool during the day and at night when I do most of my serious listening. Even my 13 year old daughter commented "Dad your new equipment looks cool."

C500T has remarkable clarity, depth, and details with focused images of the music. Dead quite component. You really notice piano notes and cymbal decay which I've repeated on several tracks because they sound so live like.

I have a below average listening room but there was no lack of three-dimensionality soundstage in my smallish room. Instruments (drums, piano, guitar, percussion) have lots of air and separation. The bottom-end has weight to it that challenges my idea of upgrading to larger fullrange loudspeaker...but only on certain CDs.

This past weekend I played Dire Straits "On Every Street" track 4 "Fade to Black." Wow!! Knopfler's voice and guitar simply amazing and the drummers brushes and cymbal work you can hear front-to-back in the soundstage. Knopfler voice is so well defined and focused..very live like. So much depth in the soundstage on that song.

I've been traveling every other week. If you need additional info just email me offline.

Pierre

My reference was the C46. I also considered:

McIntosh C2300
Aesthetix Calypso Signature (Did not audition)

Mitch I asked that same question.

Checked the manuals and they are the same. The output stages are the same and the schematics look the same. I do not have TT so you need to ask Rick (Mac Temptation) about the sonics.

C1000 has more "Kwel" visual presentation (3D glass, metal remote, branding on the top of components). Packaging is also a bit different you get the components wrapped in a valet type of material once you get it out of of the outstanding boxed set.

Great to here Mitch.

Yes the noise factor is dead quite on my C500T as well. The dynamics are stunning even at low levels listening to Dave Weckl drum patterns late last night. I have to agree on the piano observation...sounds real with longer decay and depth.

Try spinning Dire Straits On Every Street...airy spacious sound stage, details, transparency, depth, breathy. Really incredible recording...and this is coming from my two-way with smallish soundstage.

Congrats again on the C1000.