Tube or SS preamp use with SS amp???

I can't imagine that there would be anything wrong with using either preamp from the same company. Krell use to recommend against using tubes with their amps, but they didn't make tube preamps. Why not contact Mac and get their opinion directly? It is very hard to predict in advance just what effect a change will have because each part of the playback chain will have an effect and will interact differently.

Go for it, I have the C2200 with my 1201's and used it with my MC352. It was a major improvement over my MX130 and C38. Another benefit is of course tone controls over the C100 if you decide to use them. Its a great sounding pre-amp and IMO Mcintosh's best to date. Regards, John

check the previous threads

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?aamps&1072843320&openflup&5&4#5

The only reason Krell cautions against tube preamps is because their amps have no coupling capacitor. A lot of tube preamps leak DC and will activate Krell's protection circuitry. Krell now has a way to use tube amps with their gear. But, I have used tubes in front of my Krell amp for years and have never had a problem.

I prefer not to mix tubes and solid state. I think you lose some of the magic of either. It is all a compromise in the end but if I go tubes I want the most benfit they offer, things like focus and lack of grain. The same goes for solid state, I think tubes rob some of the immediacy and extension. This opinion is formed with a limited amount of experimenting on my own system and a friends but is my opinion nevertheless.

Phil

I run the 352 along with the C2200 and it was my choice as I liked the warmer non digital sound it creates. It will tame the 352's. I would like to know more about your system and running the pair of 352's and what the rest of your system might be. ( dadt531@aol.com ) Possibly I should run a pair?
Dave

Vallyplastic,

I run a Mac C100 connected to two MC352's via
XLR cabling throughout, to keep it all balanced as that is one of the 'special' features of these components in that they keep the signal separated throughout each stage, never mixed. (does the C2200 do this?).

I would highly recommend you adding another MC352 to your system, and then vertically bi-amping them. (one amp for each side L/R....and one channel for high and mids, the other channel for lows.

I've done this with TMC gold speaker cable to a pair of Tannoy D-700's, and the sonic improvement over just one amp (the MC 300) was dramatic!

I also run a pair of stereo subwoofers (400watters) directly from the pre-amp also, filtered down using the subwoofers electronics to blend with the D-700's. This is nice as it adds bottom end down to 20Hz without messing around with the signal to the Tannoy's at all...they're still given full spectrum to produce what they can.

The resulting music is very very pure and exactingly clean, even at very very high volume. You can really blast a flute and guitar duet, for instance, and it sounds real.

I am currently waiting for a pair of Tannoy Supertweeters I've ordered from Audio Classics, and will wire these in parallel with the D-700's, to bring the total spectrum way up there in frequency akin to the latest speakers.

Why do you think the MC352 needs to be 'tamed'??

And, I'll ask my question again, what would exchanging the C100 with the C2200 do for this setup?

John

Jbatlanta
The C2200 also keeps signal separated by the XLR's. All my connections are XLR.
I should not have used the term "tamed". With my system the 352, C2200, 205 Changer and I use Revel Studio's the sonic change I hear is a more analog, warmer sound over using a SS pre amp. I had auditioned the Mac SS pre at the same time I auditioned the C2200 and there was no question in my mind when I heard the difference that the C2200 was the answer. I also contacted McIntosh before making the final commitment and they also felt that the C2200 would be their choice as they confirmed the warm analog sound I was hearing. They also felt this was the "best" pre amp they have ever produced.
May I ask, what size room is your system in?
Dave