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This top of the line Mac is a fabulous preamplifier. I've used it for more than a year now and haven't found anything to criticize. It's very transparent and allows you to listen deep into the subtle nuances of the recording. Living with it I came to realize that my previous preamps were a limiting link that didn’t let me see what my system is really capable of. Now, everything is much more open, the soundstage extends far beyond the walls of my room (especially depth has to be commended). I would say that the overall character is neutral, no part of the spectrum seems to be highlighted or subdued. The bass has great extension and nice slam, always in control, never boomy or soft (way better than Conrad Johnson Premier 14 that I had before). The mids are very nicely fleshed out, rich and refined. The mids are actually very tube-like in character, making voices sound very palpable and real. The top end is well extended, clean and very smooth, again with no grain or glare that so often plagues solid state designs. The C-100 in the midrange and treble sounds like a very good tube preamp (considerably better than BAT VK-5i and Conrad Johnson Premier 14), but the bass and dynamics are solid state at it’s best. In my opinion it’s a much better preamp than the units down the McIntosh line. I owned the C-41 briefly, and although it’s a good preamp for the money, it simply couldn’t even approach the beguiling naturalness and liquidity combined with great transparency that the C100 offers. To me it’s one of the best preamplifiers ever made and I will probably hold onto it forever.
One last thing: this unit greatly benefits from a good power cord. Elrod EPS-2 worked great for me. Strengths:
Incredibly natural and transparent high resolution preamp, with tube-like rich and refined midrange, great imaging and smooth and extended treble. Weaknesses:
Buttons on the remote could be placed better. Similar Products Used:
BAT VK5i, Conrad Johnson Premier 14, McIntosh C-41.
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