McIntosh C22 (old & new) vs C2600

I’ve had a c2500 about 5 years with a Mc 275 tube amp. New Harbeth 40.3 speakers. Couldn’t be happier with the 2500. Great sound and the tuning options are all there. 

I have owned a C220 for about 12 years and I love it.  I did roll the tubes to some Millard reissues.  Sounds great.  I think the 2600 is similar to the C220, plus meters and a better phono section.

You cannot go wrong with the 2600. I had one for a few years and sold it for what I paid for it to get the 2700. No reason for the upgrade, just want too.

I love my C2600.  It has more inputs than I can ever use and sounds great with everything.  Besides, it’s beautiful just sitting on the shelf. I’m a sucker for those green lit tubes too!

What I find really cool is the 2600’s built-in DAC with modern circuitry.  So I was able to buy an old Macintosh MVP-851 CD player (design matching the 2600, btw) outputting through the player’s coax digital out into one of the C2600’s digital inputs. This avoids the player’s dated DAC and essentially uses it as a transport.  Anyhow, the audio quality is superb.

The C2200 and C2300 would offer better value than the C2600, and both aren’t burdened with the McIntosh DAC modules, which are easily bettered by external units of modest cost. A C2300 would come in under budget and allow for other system upgrades. Newer is not always better.

If you’re eager to spend your whole budget, than the C22 Mk V would get my vote. That will likely become collectors item in the future.