2. amps-preamps
  3. 189174-144981

Tubes Recommendation for McIntosh Preamp

Hi,  I recently purchased an used McIntosh 2-chassis C1100 tube preamp.   So far I'm pretty happy with it.    

I'm thinking about replacing the line level stock tubes.  They are 2 12AT7 and 1 12AX7A per channel.   

I'm looking for recommendation from fellow members here.   I would like something on the warm side (definitely not bright sounding), and good solid and tight bass.   

Also I wonder if I need matching.  e.g. do I need 2 matched pairs of 12AT7, with each matched pairs for each channel.  Or do I need matched quad of 12AT7 for both channels.   Same question for the 12X7A.  Do I need them to be matched.   I don't seem to see any information available in the user manual on tube replacement.

Thanks very much in advance!

128x128xcool

Showing 3 responses by immatthewj

immatthewj
1,189 posts
 

@xcool  , did you replace your SLP-05?

immatthewj
1,189 posts
 

@xcool

I was told it was only a little over a year old. Of course I can’t verify that. I just have to take his words.

if this is important to you (and I am not saying that it is) you could probably call or email the people at Mac and if you gave them the serial number they could probably give you date of manufacture and possibly other odds and ends.

He said the unit hasn’t been played for a while, and it will require some break in time again.

If it had been recently retubed, perhaps?  I've also read posts abour capacitors needing some running time for them to "reform."  I cannot personally attest to that, it is just what I have read about on this site.

 

 

 

 

immatthewj
1,189 posts
 

I sort of remember a thread up not all that long ago by someone bitching about the quality of the stock JJ (I think they were 12 ax7s) tubes in his Mac (I cannot remember if it was an amp or a pre).  That was making me think that Mac was putting JJ small signal tubes in from the factory.  Anyway, fwiw, not too long ago I put some JJ 6SN7s in my pre, and I don't think they sound all that bad.

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