PART 2. Good Suggestions for Tube Pre/Amp for $6000


Thoroughly enjoyed the original post and would like to pose a similar question specific to my setup/needs. 

I desire a warmer more lively sound for my 1988 Klipschorns- thus tubes. 

My current SS system is crisp/sharp and harsh in my opinion. 

I am currently running Clearaudio Concept MC with McIntosh C33 and MC 2505.   All the components are in excellent condition.

My rectangular room allows the Klipschorns to be placed in corners 18 feet apart and the main focal listening point is 12 feet from the wall with the Klipschorns  

I do enjoy mono records as well but don’t want this to be a deal breaker if the setup doesn’t have that capacity  

I greatly appreciate. 

ndancer

Thanks for asking.

More depth, realism, elongated, soundstage sound (right or wrong) over a digital crisp sound?  Warm over bright?

This Leben would be a great match with your K-Horns. It's in your price range new. No phono preamp, but you can buy a matching MM preamp from Leben

https://lebenhifi.com/products/cs300xs.html

@ndancer what about room acoustics? You got that covered? Made me think of acoustic treatments when you mentioned soundstage. 

I sold my McIntosh SS, MC2250 amp and C28 preamp (had McIntosh certify them prior to sale), and bought a McIntosh Vintage Tube Tuner/Preamp, mx110z.

Enjoyed it for a while, then sent to Audio Classics for refurb (not upgrade, just back to original performance). In addition to some resistors and capacitors they replaced all the rca jacks with new gold plated ones, terrific idea (old McIntosh jacks corrode)

It is the best piece I own, maybe ever owned, wonderful sound, feature full, and for MONO, the mode switch gives you two options: Dual Mono out of both L and R, and often better, Mono out of only 1 speaker, you pick, all only L or all only R. That is of course how it was experienced before stereo, and It does 3 important things:

1. you stop the habit of seeking imaging if you stay in your normal listening chair

2. you can listen anywhere in the space or nearby space

3. IF any slight tonal variations/frequency responses exist between your L/R speakers (or the slightly different combo of reflections from their less that totally symmetrical locations), when using MONO L&R: a less than solid dual mono will result, i.e. certain vocal frequencies of a singer’s voice, rock solid l/r except ____? frequency gets to your ear slightly stronger from one side, grabs your brain as stereo, some imaging, rather than a single source.

btw, LP’s, I learned here, and it is true, get thee a true Mono cartridge, they react to horizontal movement only, a stereo one, will find and add noise from some vertical motion even from a mono lp. A small to very large difference, depending on the LP of course.

this convinced me:

https://positive-feedback.com/Issue77/vintage_mcintosh_experience.htm

berners

http://www.berners.ch/McIntosh/en/MX110.htm

lowest currently for sale hifishark, 3,300 CAD = $2,450 USD (make offer) looks in darn good condition. you might need to register a free kijiji account to view it.

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-systeme-de-son/laval-rive-nord/preamplificateur-mcintosh-mx110-serie-z/1646667096?uli=true