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Hello,
I was wondering if anyone owned one of these preamps. They seem to command a high price considering the age of the unit.
Are they worth considering? Please don't reply with recommendations on other preamps.
I want to know about this one specifically.
Follow Ups:
When I was a kid in the late 60's early seventies, my fathers rig was a
MR71 tuner
C28 Preamp
MC2505 amp then went to MC2205
Mc ML1 speakers with the MQ101? speaker equalizer (Bass was outstanding)
MPI4
Thorens TD126 Turntable.
I loved that system, many memories of parties cranking Pink Floyd DSOTM, and many other rock records. Wish you were here was another good one.
I thought it was a good system and like the way it sounded (After all I was about (12-16)what did I know....
But that's my memories. I think if you can find one that has been to a tech for cap and resistor clean up at $600 its not bad. BUt I would then go all the way and get a same error Mc Amp....
An idiot 15 years old kid. (borrowed the money from my Dad, and yes, I actually paid off the loan!)
Could have got a C26 but did not want those old-fangled tubes. I told you I was an idiot.
After I heard other pre-amps I knew I had made an expensive mistake but it sure LOOKED neat. It had to be good, it was MacIntosh ...
It was not very good in 1971 and could only be considered awful at this point in time.
when my experience is negative, but I will echo your comments.
I heard a system using a C28/2105 along with an MPI5 "maximum performance indicator" that looked super cool with all the blue lights, but was disappointed by the sound. While it wasn't offensive like Crown gear of the day, it was insipid. Boring.
If someone wants a 70s vintage preamp, I would recommend an Audio Research SP3a, Mark Levinson JC-2, an H-K Citation 11 or a DB Systems. Didn't you have one of the latter back in Fat Julian's Audio day?
It is probably a good thing you did not buy that particular C26 that had tubes. The C26 is all solid-state.
I am incredibly surprised to see the responses regarding McIntosh but I'm glad I asked the question.
Thanks to all that responded. I'll pass on a Mac.
I owned one for years. It was far from transparent but I didn't know that until I tried something else. Compared to a modest CJ that replaced it, it sounded thick and veiled. Build quality was outstanding and it's flexibility was ridiculous if any of that matters.
I have a Yamaha C-60 for the last 30 years. The circuit board itself, not a component, is showing signs of stress losing a channel every now and then. I think for the $600 I paid in 1985 or 1986, I got my money's worth.
However, it's time to replace it and the curiosity then becomes, which era?
From reading many posts, it appears they've improved significantly over the years but the Phono section on the Yamaha is superb.
Once again, a CJ or Adcom has crossed my readings.
...will pale in comparison to your Yamaha. A giant step backwards.
Consider a Yamaha C2a. I've been using one for years and prefer it to my Audio Research SP-9 III, which was quite good.
The C2a is the same vintage as the C28 ...about 1976/78 or so.
Dean.
reelsmith's axiom: Its going to be used equipment when I sell it, so it may as well be used equipment when I buy it.
I never cared for it. It was a little more open sounding than the C26, but that isn't saying much. A friend's PAS 3x blew both the C26 and C28 out of the water. (This was in the early 70's.) Then along came ARC and that was a whole 'nuther ball game.
I never owned the C28, but sold Mac gear when it was current. I did buy a C26 direct from the factory, and lived with it for a number of years.
WW
"A man need merely light the filaments of his receiving set and the world's greatest artists will perform for him." Alfred N. Goldsmith, RCA, 1922
After reading all of these posts- I am now thinking that I will gut mine- remove all the tone controls etc. and then put a tube pre-amp curcuit in the chassis - there is lots of room and the PS has a variety of voltages: 6 volts for the bulbs, and 17 off the bridge for the medium voltage and 150 of the High voltage bridge- this should drive a 12AX7 based circuit quite well - and w/ the right caps - could make the box sing...
Happy Listening
...wish I had the electrical smarts do to something like that.
Sounds like a neat project.
Dean.
reelsmith's axiom: Its going to be used equipment when I sell it, so it may as well be used equipment when I buy it.
I owned one and it was blown away by the little Quad preamp, not to say that the Audio Research SP-3 was in a whole other world. These early transistor products from McIntosh and other companies were not nearly as good as their tube products they replaced.
Beatnik's stuff http://web.me.com/jnr1/Site/Beatniks_Pictures.html
...the C28 was nothing special when new and is less so now.
They command a high price because the glass is pretty and they say McIntosh on the front.
Just my 2-cents and worth half what you paid.
Dean.
reelsmith's axiom: Its going to be used equipment when I sell it, so it may as well be used equipment when I buy it.
I owned one for awhile and really liked it with out having been restored. As far as volume controls are concerned maybe the original part is not available but there are a lot of high quality controls that surpass the stock McIntosh control.....
"maybe the original part is not available but there are a lot of high quality controls that surpass the stock McIntosh control...."
But will not have a power switch.McIntosh selected their controls before they went into stock, the majority were rejected and sometimes showed up on the surplus market.
You would need to use a power strip when using an aftermarket control.
The C26, while it has the same control/switch issue, at least sounded better.
The C28 is mainly prized for the symmetrical layout of the controls on the front panel, not its sound.
Edits: 10/01/15
Of all the McIntosh gear I liked the earlier C-26 and C-28 preamps.I think they are pretty good for their age and type. However they really - and I can't stress this enough!!! really need a good restoration by a professional. Their lytic caps are WAY past their safe use point as well as sonically degrading the sound quality.
But yes a good preamp!
charles
Edits: 10/01/15
Thanks for the tip. Given this model is around 35-40 years old and restorations can cost a small fortune, I think I'll look for something newer.
A full restoration will run in the $400 range. But in the end a good preamp typically does cost about $1500 and up.
So $800 for the C-28 + $400 restoration. You're in the right range.
charles
The volume control is one part that is no longer available and given its age this could be an issue, I would stay away from this model.
Vahe
Thanks for the heads up!
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