Preamp for mc275le. Need advice, please

Hey. That's a great wife!!

I'm sure the C50 is a good pre - haven't heard it. But preamps are a mature technology, just like amps, while DACs are changing very fast. Hence I don't think it's a good idea to buy a pre with DAC inside unless you don't mind replacing it in 2 or 3 years.

I have a 275 as well, and although at the time I thought the C220 or C2200 would be the preamps for me, after auditioning I opted for a Lamm LL2. Clearly the Macs have better ergonomics, but can't argue with the sound from preamps like the LL2. Of course I'm not saying the LL2 is in a league of its own. It's not. There are several preamps that focus on sound. You can dig the threads I posted at the time if interested.

The Mac preamps are very user friendly. Like everybody else they make decisions about how to spend the budget they have for a given price point, and they tend to prioritize ergonomics (at the expense of sound) more than other brands.

You need to think what is most valuable for you. I myself, would never give up my Lamm unless I was getting rid of the preamp altogether or upgrading big time.

As for DACs, there are plenty of good ones available, at relatively low prices. Macs sell at a premium, so think about that too. As for recommendations here, you would need to tell us more about the intended use and budget. Will you be using an Apple laptop, iTunes, CDs only or high rez, etc.

Ghasley,

Clearly DACs don't have expiration dates. But take a look at what kind of sound a $1k DAC bought you 10 and 5 years ago, and what it gets you today. That's my point. The same can be said at any given price point.

A C2200 (to take Mc, since the OP is looking at them) is about $3.5k today used, it was maybe $4k 3 years ago (used), and will likely not loose much value in 5 years. Can't say the same for DACs. How much are synch USB DACs worth today compared to their price 5 years ago?

Having said that, we do have very good sound from relatively affordable DACs today. I agree with that. But just like asych USB rendered synch USB obsolete on the last 5 years or so, who knows which of today's accepted technologies will be deemed obsolete in a few years?

Godunovs,

We've been on a similar path! I used to have a Rotel pre and a Rotel RB1080. I upgraded my speakers and they were revealing enough to show the weaknesses in the 1080 I had not noticed until then. I bought a MC275, and was thrilled. I drove it with my Rotel pre for a while and did my research for a new pre. McIntosh preamps are nice sounding but to me their highest point is their ergonomics: really nice bells and whistles, but they do come at a cost. I ended up buying a Lamm LL2 pre, which has no bells at all (no remote, two volume attenuators...) but sound is supreme. A lot better than my Rotel pre - and I mean a lot! Then sound further improved with upgraded tubes both in the 275 and LL2.

So don't knock out all higher end or tubed preamps because you didn't like one. Maybe it's the tube sound in the preamp you don't like? A good solid state preamp should sound a lot better than the Rotel (reasonably so, given the price difference).

Now if your statement about the car stereo sounding better is really true, I would have the C2500 checked out. It might be faulty...