McIntosh C70 vs C2700 tube preamps. Which is better?

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We compare 2 of the most popular McIntosh preamps, the C70 and the C2700. Both are tube designs with ostensibly similar circuits, yet they sound somewhat different.
Thanks to Natalya for joining us and giving her feedback!
If you liked the video, please subscribe and turn on the notification so you will know when we upload a new video.
Each of us listened independently, making sure that levels were matched. As always, this video is unscripted, and represents our personal thoughts.
The system we used was Roon playing Tidal, Lumin T2 Server, analog out to the preamps under test, and the 70th Anniversary all-tube McIntosh Mc2152 power amplifier driving the Sonus faber Serafino speakers. Cables were all Nordost Valhalla V2.
As always, we would love to hear from you, so please leave your comments and feedback below. If you have suggestions for future topics, please let us know.
Audio Excellence Inc. is a high end audio/video store in Markham, Ontario, Canada, a suburb of Toronto. We've been in business since 1991.
Check out our interviews with designers like Daryl Wilson of Wilson Audio, Paul McGowan of PS Audio, Paolo Tezzon of Sonus faber, Wendell Diller of Magnepan and others.
Our website is www.audioexcellence.ca
Contacts:
Adrian@audioexcellence.ca
Vilip@audioexcellence.ca
Jay@audioexcellence.ca

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6 янв 2020

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Комментарии : 47

@brandonburr4900 4 года назад

I enjoyed hearing from customers/clients you have. I think you should do more of these if they are will to give feedback. If nothing but just to show what typical customers ares looking for when looking for systems. It's great to hear from folks on the other side and their take on our hobby. Thanks Adrian!

@jamesepler7156 4 года назад

This was brilliant... Thank you, for all the time and effort that you put forth. When you talked about John, being in the room. A command performance. How could you not get teary eyed . Both McIntosh pieces are truly beautiful and make a serious statement for the room or even a home... Thanks again.

@markwilliford7471 3 года назад

Bring on more Natalia. Please try a comparison of the C2700 vs. C59 or C53 paired with McIntosh solid state power amp - preferably the MC462.

@emanon321 3 года назад

Audio EXCELLENCE indeed! Thanks again for another wonderful presentation. Missed Vilip but loved Natalya.

@seedood 4 года назад

Fantastic review. Thanks guys! 🙂

@4444999955555555 3 года назад

Your channel is superb: you all clearly enunciate what you hear, why you like/dislike, and it is not far-fetched to gauge our personal likes based upon your reviews. Sorta like finding a great movie critic's reviews before having seen the film itself: you may not agree with everything they say , but you can fully understand WHY you agree or disagree. So major points here. And this is just a true with this review. You all are experts, yet you do not condescend. You speak in layman's language. The reasons for preferring the C70 (or vice versa) are explained in both technical, and most importantly, experiential/emotional terms. So many reviewers (music, film--name the art) forget this: we are buying EMOTION, not numbers. Hats off to being secure in your artistry as audiophiles to have a highly educated yet non-professional client on-board to review. She obviously is a trusted friend, as well as a client. And it has nothing to do with her gender (although a strong argument can be made that women start with the spiritual--which is what art is--while men have to work past the zeroes and ones first). More of her, please. She knows what she likes and knows how to communicate WHY she likes it.

@mmdusa 4 года назад

Great overview and review. Love having a woman's perspective. She should be a regular contributor to your reviews. (if she is willing) Thank you all.

@louawalters 4 года назад

I love these videos - please keep them up. I live in Hamilton, Ontario, and love that a Canadian company is doing these videos. -so this may be a very un-reasonable request, but I own the PS Audio DS DAC with Bridge 2 streamer. I have a very optimized digital front end (network / server), and I would love to see a video comparing a properly optimized PS DS DAC against a Lumin X1. Lumin is a chip based DAC versus the FPGA based DS DAC. Would be interesting to see a comparison of these two network streamers.

@vladipp2850 Год назад

Interesting review, though I am confused now! My Mc dealer stated that the C70 and c2700 are essentially the same preamp, except the c70 has no DAC. But here you point to significant sonic differences. So who is right ?

@OrganNLou 4 года назад

THANK YOU FOR GETTING A WOMAN'S PERSPECTIVE!! THANK YOU NATALYA!!

@markwilliford7471 4 года назад

Thank you for the great vid. I love the way you guys break things down and convey actual listening experience. I would love to see a similar comparison of the C49 to the C2700. I may have an opportunity to trade up and would love your thoughts. I am very sensitive to high-end distortion and yet of course I love clean sound. Thank You!

@monopsonynovass3107 4 года назад

Thanks for your great reviews guys as always! I’ve got a question for you .what do you think about the Revel Salon 2 speakers pairing with PS Audio BHK 300 and Bhk preamp? Thanks

@AUDIO.and.SCOTCH 4 года назад

👌another amazing review.

@jeremyhughes6485 4 года назад

It is tough to compare tube amps as the tubes control the flavour. I rolled dozens of tubes in my C2600 before settling on what works for me. I could make it sound like SS with old Telefunken and dull and overly vintage tubey with Mullards and in between with JJ’s and others. I think Mcintosh use JJ in the box. I settled on old RCA’s probably rescued from a vintage organ. I was able keep things smooth but slightly more resolving than SS in everything except the bass. Like Jay say - everything sounds smooth and great but I definitely gained resolution everywhere except slightly less tight in the bass compared to SS. (This bass is likely transformer output related rather than tubes but the extra resolution elsewhere is probably tube harmonic related - harmonics or overtones tell our ears/brain about fundamentals and in crowded mid rangey rock music a bit of harmonic bloom can add intelligibility)

@wilsonlow3458 4 года назад

Pure solid state vs tubes, as mentioned, either more bottom end up or top end down, both has it own signature, the best comparison is to, RTA both pre amps, using one sound curve, and perform a AB test again. Otherwise, never ending..

@revelationsoundstudio 2 года назад

Helpful video on these two pre amps. I am curious how the C49 solid state preamp compares with these two preamps?

@Sams911 3 года назад

you guys really should do more stuff on McIntosh's solid state stuff... C53, MC462, etc..

@idolhanz9842 3 года назад

SS or tubes is the question. Im biased against tubes!

@Sams911 3 года назад

@@idolhanz9842 haha... funny, but seriously ... they never cover the Solid State stuff

@Clint_the_Audio-Photo_Guy 2 года назад

These are almost the same findings I had, when I upgraded from the C2600 to the C53 preamp.

@hamidnia7242 4 года назад

I have almost the same system: LUMIN T2, C2600, MC601 and Focal Diablo and stereo Rel Subwoofers. What I learn is if you put all tube or all solid state in your signal chain, it'll be too dull or too bright. My experience is you want to combine tube and solid state. If your pre amp is tube, your amp should be SS and vise versa. In this review we have both pre amp and amp with tube, so I can see the sound might not be balanced.

@jeremyhughes6485 4 года назад

Hamid Nia I like a tube preamp with SS power amp. Best of both worlds!

@johnbravo7542 4 года назад

Funny I have Limit to your love,on my "Dynamic Experience vol2" and the bass is fantastic

@grano71 4 года назад

what about C2700 VS C53? Tube vs Transistor? Look forward to hear from someone who hear them both. Thanks.

@enniol8043 4 года назад

They have done a MA8900 versus the MA352. Not exactly what you are looking for but it does touch that area. I would like to know as well.

@anhy10ful 4 года назад

I would like to know this too.

@WMUEngineer4 4 года назад

I also am trying to decide between the C53 and C2700 paired with an MC462. I haven't had a chance to hear it but am interested in the sonic characteristics or each. Here's hoping it's on the To-Do list.

@markwilliford7471 3 года назад

WMUEngineer4 same here. I have the 462 and find the pairing with C49 a little to bright for me at times (paired with B&W 804 D3 and B&W Sub).

@alb.1911 3 года назад

Same question 🙋‍♂️

@wzy1978 Год назад

I like your program very much. Please tell me that I have JBL4367 and L100c speakers, and I want to match the Mclntosh amplifier. How should I match it? thank you

@TheGeorgecharway 2 года назад

What mic are you guys using it sounds great

@mojo2382 3 года назад

Recall Tubes need a longer break in period compare to solid state to gain that sweet airy transparency sweet tube sound we love!!! I have a Mint McIntosh Integrated Tube Amp (2275)mated to Bowers and Wilkins 805 D speakers Amazing I also have a completely restored Kenwood 9600 Reciever which when I added Blue Tooth via tape input oh gosh so amazing immense power suggest Decades by NightWish specifically Ghost Love Score Also check out Banba by Clannad

@stephensmith3111 4 года назад

I would not go so far as to call the user interface of the C70 "dumbed down". Frankly, I prefer the direct approach of one knob/switch - one function rather than wading through a bunch of nested menus. As Jeremy Clarkson (BBC Top Gear) would say, "Old school and the better for it." Or words to that effect. Yeah, I'm an Old Dude, but not a Luddite. It is nice to get a variety of honest opinions in one video. Welcome Natalia. Get well soon Vilip.

@torchbox 4 года назад

Like listening to you guys for entertainment but I have to ask - if I came in and bet $xxx that on a double blind test I bet that it would be statistically impossible for you guys to identify C70 vs C2700 do you guys think you can do to? 🤔

@Skye_the_toller 4 месяца назад

So… what current model is as good as the C70 nowadays?

@Sams911 3 года назад

Review the C1100!!!

@teslatalk42069 2 года назад

2700 all day long....they slap that 70th anniversary and all those $$$$. this really is no contest. 2700 for the win

@AndyBHome 4 года назад

Please tell Villip that I hope he gets better quickly. But don't tell him if I spelled his name wrong.

@ysk249 4 года назад

Although I have enjoyed the sound of tube amps, you will most likely encounter problems with them. It doesn't seem to matter whether the manufacturer is large or small, built in the USA or China, tube amps all have problems. Capacitors blowing out, bad solder joints, hissing sound, sudden sound sparks, loud pops.ect... They can damage the rest of your audio system, especially the speakers.

@darkroom8317 2 года назад

Adrian continually states, “There’s not much difference between the two” Jay continually states “There’s not much difference between the two “ Natalia stated “ there’s a big difference between the two, the C70 is flat, the C2700 is much more dynamic” She is the one with a fresh pair of ears & is not trying to bowl us over, for some reason, in this video I trust her judgment more in this video that J & A’s commentary... Adrian just kept trying to force his thoughts over the other two, it turned me off so much that I almost didn’t finish watching the video.

@snomofilms 2 года назад

Villip, who’s that? 😂😎

@tritiumglo4699 2 года назад

Mcintosh is real nice until you have a problem. Then, get ready for a hell ride.

@zzwan2799 4 года назад

好沉悶！得個講！

@furnaletto 4 года назад

Another video without any kind of A/ B music test... just useless talking too much without any real information....

@stephensmith3111 4 года назад

Assuming that you could trust the sound that is coming out of RU-vid through whatever playback system you are using, whether itty-bitty speakers in a laptop or an outboard DAC with input jitter reduction feeding a well known system. You take the opinions expressed by these three individuals, which are likely honest, but they are not your own. Ultimately, although the information presented is worthy of consideration (otherwise why even be here?), you really have to be there to make your own conclusion. And then there is no guaranty that the results will be precisely the same when connected to the rest of your system in your listening space.