McIntosh $14,000 C1100 Preamp and Special Announcement!
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- Опубликовано: 27 авг 2024
- Adrian and Vilip discuss their thoughts of the McIntosh C1100 preamp.
Stay tuned to the end for a special announcement!
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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 and audio luminaries like Daryl Wilson of Wilson Audio, Paul McGowan of PS Audio, Paolo Tezzon of Sonus faber, Wendell Diller of Magnepan, John Atkinson of Stereophile, Dan D'Agostino of D'Agostino Master Audio Systems, Nelson Pass of Pass Labs and others.
Our website is www.audioexcellence.ca
Contacts:
Adrian@audioexcellence.ca
Vilip@audioexcellence.ca
Jerry@audioexcellence.ca
I’ve had my c1100 for almost a year and love it. It’s everything described in the video and more. Thanks guys
I’m in awe just listening to Vilip. What a brain and what a vocabulary-unbelievable! Sometimes I totally forget what the video is actually about. Keep it up guys!
About a month ago I upgraded from the c2700 matched with a pair of mc611s to the c1100 matched with a pair of mc901s. I am driving the Focal Meistro Utopia. The combination is nothing short of magical. With the old gear, I had almost decided to ditch vinyl and convert 100% to digital music. However, there is something about the sound of vinyl with this gear that I can't stop listening to. Bottom line, I have decided not only to continue with vinyl, but I am upgrading my turntable and cart. I am planning to audition the Sonus Faber Aida in the next couple of weeks. I can't wait for your review of the Sonus Fabers paired with the c1100 and the 901s. I love your reviews. I think they are the most ensightful on RUclips. Keep up the good work!
You guys are absolutely delightful. Wish you had a doppelgänger on the US NorthEast Coast
Congratulations on your 30 years of audio excellence. I was going to ask when do you find the time to do these videos? Now I know. Thank you for taking the time. I always enjoy Vilip’s take on gear(you too Adrian) because you can sense the passion. Not everyone finds this kind of passion in their occupation but both of you clearly have.
Wow, 30 years in November!!! And Adrian, you haven’t aged a bit. I’m sure you’ll get many congrats, so I’ll give you one now, and again in November. Congratulations!
This was so close to being a great episode. Then Adrian besmirched all the great Geographers out there fighting the good fight!!! ;-) It was the great geographer Roger Tomlinson and his work with the Canadian federal gov't that gave the world computerized mapping and thus GIS which led to GPS navigation systems that we now can't live without. Be kind to your geographers Adrian!!! :)
Congratulations Guys on your 30th Anniversary. Awesome effort.😎👍
Congrats on 30 years. That is a long time to be in any business, especially Hi Fi. It is also quite obvious about your 30 years of knowledge, that should put people at ease when they come to buy from you. Nothing but the best for you guys, I love watching your reviews.
Would you guys be willing to do a review of McIntosh D1100?
Happy Anniversary!!
Greg might be right about his c1100. One is new one is used. Sometimes with time new gear gets better.
Loving all the content!
I would suggest that the Luxman CL-1000 is a slightly better tube preamp, although it costs $10,000 more than the C11000.
Heartbeat of America is the Chevy truck commercial tagline...
Nice to get to some long standing experience on the items.
Hi guys, compliments, I really like your videos. You focus on the emotions that the equipment gives us rather than the technical aspects.
I live in Saudi and can not audition these kind of systems but I am looking to buy the McIntosh 462 with either the C1100 and the SabrinaX or the 2700 with the Yvette. I have a room on the smaller site and I listen to mainly vocal music. No classic!
What would you recommend?
Dac is the TT2 and Mscaler.
SabinaX will definitely be more suitable in a smaller room.
Yay finally the C1100 review. I run mine with the MC1502 after Adrien recommended it to me as a replacement for my MC462. Everything that Vilip, Adrian and Angus described in this video is spot on! I am running the D1100 as a DAC.
Initially I had the D1100 connected straight to the MC462. Sounded great. Got the C1100 and I could tell everything had soul and was palpable and more musical.
The MC462 was excellent with great punch and detail with the C1100. But combining the C1100 with the MC1502 is just phenomenal. More holographic and even sweeter human voice and tone of instruments.
My analogue source is SME 20/30 with Lyra Delos and my digital streamer is Aries Auralic G2.1 The speakers are Harbeth 40.2 anniversary.
😎
How would you compare MC1502 vs MC462? How does bass sounds in 1502?
@@Waitaminutesilly for my described system, the MC1502 provided better bass than the MC462. The tone of MC1502 is also better. It is also detailed just like the MC462. I think the MC462 is more for larger room and very demanding speakers. The MC462 has a larger headroom compared to the MC1502. So you will notice this if you have big demanding speakers on a large room when you are playing loud. The MC1502 is very powerful as well. It’s sometimes hard to explain why, but the tubes sounds better to my ear than the MC462 transistor. Good luck 👍🍀
Lol you boy's are hard on Angus but funny Adrian. 😂 Nice video sounds like a beautiful preamp. I thought Vilip was going to get emotional there at one point.😂👍🎧
Hello from Montreal, I presently have the Mcintosh C2600 which you probably know which is a tube pre but with a digital side ie built in Dac. I’m assuming that the C1100 is a step up in the Mcintosh line (no digital). I went with c2600 and the Mc462 power amp at the time 2 years ago. I got a great deal for the two…
Maybe you can discuss in the future comparisons with tubes and solid state in the preamp and the power amp. Also maybe you need to outline what a component like this needs to be matched or paired with. Another idea would be doing complete systems of different levels.Your videos are great, very personal and helpful. Thanks
Very nice review. Amazing, how prices of high end audio gear have gone up in recent years. 16.000 Euro for this preamp over here in Europe. I am using a chinese made preamp/buffer with no op-amps but pure tube amplification: the 50 Euro "fx-audio tube-01", combined with a very decent external linear power supply (100 Euro). It uses one 6AK5 tube per channel. This tube is a "cost no object" pentode from the past, also used in some famous microphone preamps. I am using two russian voskhod 6ж1П tubes (50 Euro). What my preamp does, it opens up the soundstage really 3D and kind of "sweetens" the sound with a great bass response with these russian tubes and preserves at the same time the amazing detail of my Transrotor ZET, Graham Slee Reflex Era Gold combination. So I am wondering, how much better has this McIntosh preamp to be for the insane difference in price ?! 🤣🤣🤣
I hope you guys get the C12000 to unbox soon. It looks like a great improvement over the C1100.
What is the improvement? Have you compared the sound quality?
Take the tubes from your C1100 and swap them out with his. See if that is the difference.
Dammit! I just bought a C22 and now I have to return it for one of these! 😂
I know this is off-topic for this video, but have you guys ever reviewed the McIntosh XR100 Speaker? It seems to use a similar design as Tekton, which is a large number of small dome mid-range drivers. A lot of people (especially including your former employee, Jay) think highly of Tekton, and I was wondering what you guys think about XR100.
It is an excellent speaker. Quite interesting in that its design can be raced back to the original McIntosh line array speaker - XRT-20 circa 1979 - the Tekton uses some of those concepts pioneered by McIntosh in the late 70s.
@@vilipmak3973 Back in 1982 I had a pair of ADS L810's that had a dome midrange, and I regret getting rid of them. They didn't image well due to horizontal mounting of tweeter and midrange, but were extremely transparent sounding. I was using a Hafler amp and pre-amp, which I also regret selling.
I am getting my C1100 in a few weeks upgrading from a C2700 and using the MC1.25k amps which I currently have. In your humble opinion I would like to know my next move "up" for loudspeakers. Currently I am using the Legacy Audio Focus SE floor standing speakers also paired with a stereo pair of REL 212/SX subs. I love to play loud much of the time with the balls and punch I demand in my music with a transparency I feel I am missing with the Legacy Audio. Can you suggest the best level up in a dynamic speaker system you feel that can deliver the most uncompromising and potent high performance and satisfying listening experience please? In the past I have also used several dipoles which were excellent but had the usual quirks that I am not willing to put up with any more. My sound room is of medium size with standard eight foot ceilings and acoustics decent. One brand I was considering is the Focal either the Stella or Scalas. Open to all suggestions you may have with warm thanks.
Have you considered Rockports? I have Avior 2s with the C1100 + MC611 and it plays crazy loud without fatigue.
Rockports can be rowdy and delicate. It's a very fun speaker, especially paired with Mac gear.
Thanks, I'll look into it
Wilson Audio Sasha DAW - enough said.
Thanks Vilip!
@@vilipmak3973 DAWs are amazing, chosing between the two was really difficult. If you guys were my local Wilson dealer things might be different. I'd like to spend some more time with a pair one day.
107dB (high rating) SNR & 6 12AX7a & 6 12AT7 tubes/valves would be my guess to the soulful heartbeat of the beast.
Anything
There is no reason not to buy if you have enough money. I will buy.
Thanks for the great video; How about the companion D1100 multi purpose DAC/Preamp: Another great piece of McIntosh gear that does not get any respect or reviews: I also use the D1000 as a dac with the C1000 and the results are fantastic. You can tell that the 3 pieces have a synergy that. is unmistakeable, paired with a MC462 is a winning combination with huge a soundstage that is non fatiguing but at the same displays all the detail in the recording.
What you like about the D1000 is even more in the D1100. The D1100 is a very nice DAC. And it is unappreciated by the audiophile mainstream as only McIntosh can be.
Going from the C47 - C2600 - C2700 and now the C1100 I can attest how good the C1100 is. Much more detailed and transparent. Current set up D1100, Mc1.25k’s and Men220.
Now that's a nice system!
@@vilipmak3973 Thanks Vilip
@@vilipmak3973 for pure musicality, if you like a natural/smooth/analogue sound, is the hierarchy c70 > c1100 > c22 > c2700?
@@topkho C1100 first. I did find the C70 "warmer" and "richer" than the C22.
@@vilipmak3973 thank you so much. Your knowledge is invaluable! Last question: between MA12000 and C22 or C70/MC462, which one is better? The price is not that much different! Thanks again
Thank you! I enjoyed your take on the c1100. I am thinking about building a system around an mc462. My initial thoughts were to use a c70, but I haven't yet heard it. I don't need a dac. Do you have a sense of how the c1100 compares with the c70? Is the c70 roughly the same as the c22?
Well… they're close with the C70 a little warmer sounding. C70 is discontinued - so, unless you can find a used one, the C22 is your choice.
Thanks! Disposable income will take a bit to get this one lol
Should I keep the c1100 or update to the c12000?
i heard C1100 discontinued production this year, because they are going to release a new model preamplifier soon this month, is that true?
14k is not a lot for a really good preamp. You can tell that they are used to bad preamps, and that there are not many good preamps on the market.
Mcintosh has also for years been lagging behind on this particular part. Sounds like this one is the exception to the rule and would sound good on the mc901.
Even though I still have not heard it. I suspect that the mc901 and the c1100 is the very best Mcintosh ever, almost like a whole other brand.
How much is the ma7200 usd.
You can buy the MA7200 from Crutchfield. It is one of the few pieces they are allowed to sell on the internet. $7500.00 USD.
des discussions en saxon à la con
The lowest distortion...........and what's the price to,pay !!??..........THD etc is meaningless other than measuring repeating frequencies , sinus and other wave forms..
those measurements are only a tool........your connection to music and it's feeling of realism ......are the judge ! Listening fatigue will give you a clue.........and listening fatigue there is with many out priced high end gear...........pure sound yes..........instead of pure music experience as you will experience when listening to real music, instruments and musicians....even in not so perfect and DIFFERENT environments....
I'm homeless living in my car.. So I don't give a sh##