Mcintosh C500 preamp enroute

Joey_V
Joey_V Posts: 8,552
in 2 Channel Audio
The Mcintosh c500 preamp is enroute... Looking forward to comparing against the Cary 05.

I went with tubes on the c500. It is a dual chassis preamp, fully dual mono design through and through.

Will post impressions. 480eir5o4h7a.jpeg
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Magico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R
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  • Joey_V
    Joey_V Posts: 8,552
    http://www.tonepublications.com/review/mcintosh-c500-control-center/
    Magico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R
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  • lightman1
    lightman1 Posts: 10,788
    Man!!! That thing is tougher than socks on a chicken!
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  • WagnerRC
    WagnerRC Posts: 2,157
    That is beautiful. Can't wait for the review.
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  • teekay0007
    teekay0007 Posts: 2,289
    I find myself saying, about twice a week, "I thought he was done!" :o:p
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  • Joey_V
    Joey_V Posts: 8,552
    teekay0007 wrote: »
    I find myself saying, about twice a week, "I thought he was done!" :o:p

    I haven't exactly broken the news to the boss.
    Magico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 25,441
    good thing your a doctor you might need your expertise
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  • Joey_V
    Joey_V Posts: 8,552
    edited January 2017
    pitdogg2 wrote: »
    good thing your a doctor you might need your expertise

    I'm not self healing, man! Didn't get the wolverine genes
    Magico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R
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  • Joey_V
    Joey_V Posts: 8,552
    edited January 2017
    DSkip wrote: »
    You might want to check the boss's browsing history once this news is broken.

    Crapola... Good thing my life insurance was just increased...
    Magico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R
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  • tratliff
    tratliff Posts: 1,701
    That is a awesome Pre Joey. Can't wait to hear how it compares to the Cary.

    You know I changed from the SLP-05 to the C50. Both had/have pros and cons but I can't say I am missing the Cary. The C50 fits in my system very well since I had the 601's.

    Let me know when I should be over to give it a listen.
    2 Channel Rosso Fiorentino Volterra II, 2 REL Carbon Limited, Norma Revo IPA-140B, Lumin U2 Mini, VPI Prime w/SoundSmith Zephyr MIMC, Modwright PH 150, Denon DP-59l w/Denon DL-301MKII, WAY Silver 3 Ana+ Speaker Cables, WAY Silver 4+ Interconnect Cables, AudioQuest Niagara 7000 w/Dragon and Hurricane Power Cables
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  • oldrocker
    oldrocker Posts: 2,590
    What a visual!!!
    Can't even imagine the sound.
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  • Willow
    Willow Posts: 11,010
    Joey Joey Joey, you are no longer an proud member of the been banned club!

    Heck neither am I. Iasted about 2 weeks on the wagon! With my dac magic then my fiio e18 and my grados
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  • kharp1
    kharp1 Posts: 3,453
    I'm a big fan of Mac stuff. Fire that baby up!
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  • vcwatkins
    vcwatkins Posts: 1,993
    Beautiful. Looking forward to your thoughts.
    b]Beach Audio[/b]: Rega RP6 (mods) - AT33PTG/II - Parks Budgie SUT - PSAudio NPC * Eversolo DMP-A6 * Topping D90iii * Joule-Electra LA-100 mkIII * Pass Aleph 30 * MIT S3 * Polk SRS 2.3tl (mods) * PSAudio PPP3
    Beach Study: Pro-Ject Stream Box S2 Ultra & Pre Box S2 * Pass ACA * DH Labs SS Q10 * Brines Folded ML-TQWT RS 40-1354 * PSA Dectet
    Beach Master: WiiM Pro * Dayens Menuetto * Zu Libtec * Dynaudio Audience 50
    Beach Den: Bluesound Powernode 2i * DH Labs SS Q10 * Zu Omen DWII * Richard Gray RGPC
    Town Study: WiiM Pro * Chord Qute (Pardo) * Elekit TU-8600 * MIT S3 * Revel M22 * Beyer DT-990 * Shunyata Hydra 2
    Town Den: Music Hall mm5.1se - Denon DL-103r - Jolida JD9ii (mods) * WiiM Pro * Cary xCiter * Rogue 99 Magnum * Schiit Aegir * MIT S3 * Polk SRS 1.2tl (mods) * Dectet * Bottlehead Crack - Senn 600
    Town Porch: WiiM Pro Plus * Sunfire Sig II * Canare 4S11 * Magnepan 1.6 * Dectet
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  • indyhawg
    indyhawg Posts: 1,642
    Sweet looking pre. Looking forward to the review.
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  • MrBuhl
    MrBuhl Posts: 2,419
    I obsess over McIntosh gear, I've never had the pleasure, but was born in Binghamton, and it's just legendary in my mind. I can't wait to hear your thoughts!

    But... jeeze man. You must have a very different boss than me!
    VA HT HK AVR20II, Sony S9000ES CD/DVD/SACD, Polk Audio RC80i / Polk Audio CSi3, 60" Panasonic Plasma, Nordost / Signal Cable A2 / Wireworld / Pangea / Magic Power
    VA 2 Channel Focal Electra 926 speakers, Pass Labs X150.5 Amp, Eastern Electric MiniMax Preamp (Tutay mods), Eastern Electric Minimax CDP (Scott Nixon mods), Music Hall mmf 5.1 Turntable, Parks Audio Budgie Phono Pre , Audioengine B1 streamer, MIT S3 IC's / MIT Shotgun S3 Speaker Cables / PS Audio power cables
    Noggin Schiit Valhalla, Pangea, Phillips Fidelio X1, Polk UF8000

    Polk SDA1c modded
    Polk CRS+ 4.1TL modded (need veneer)
    Polk SDA2BTL (fully modded)
    A/L 1000VA Dreadnought Canare 4s11 SDA cable
    SACD Marantz DV8300
    Sony S9000ES CD/DVD/SACD
    Yamaha YP-D6
    Soundcraftsmen PCR800
    Audible Illusions L1 Preamp
    Vincent MFA based Cocci Tube Preamp
    Pho-700 Phono Pre
    Signal Cable Silver Resolution IC's






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  • stangman67
    stangman67 Posts: 2,289
    I would say someday i will be able to afford gear like you get on a monthly basis and then i come back down to reality. Count me jealous
    2 Channel in my home attic/bar/man cave

    2 Channel Focal Kanta 3 I Modwright SWL9.0 Anniversary Pre I Modwright PH9.0X I Modwright KWA-150SE I VPI Prime Signature w/ Soundsmith Zephyr MIMC I Lumin U2 Mini I North Star Designs Intenso DAC I Audience OHNO ICs/Audience Furutech FP-S55N and FP-S032N Power Cables/Acoustic Zen Satori I Isotek Sirius
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,962
    DSkip wrote: »
    You might want to check the boss's browsing history once this news is broken.

    8prlahdlo8xj.jpg
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
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  • Joey_V
    Joey_V Posts: 8,552
    These arrive in a week... Headed to Disney world so u had to slow the shipment down.

    Looking forward to this one. Let's see what's up.
    Magico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R
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  • mikeyb128
    mikeyb128 Posts: 2,885
    Looks awesome! I hope the Cary loses and you finally sell it to me :open_mouth:

    Just kidding I'm
    Broke
    2 channel:
    Bryston 4B3, Bryston BDA3, Cary SLP05, Shanling CDT1000SE with parts conneXion level 2 mods, Nottingham analogue ace space 294, soundsmith Carmen MKii, Zu DL103 MKii, Ortofon MC 20 MKii, Dynavector XX2 MKii, Rogue Audio Ares, Core power technologies balanced power conditioner, Akiko Corelli power conditioner with Akiko Audio HQ power cable, Nordost heimdall 2, Frey 2, interconnects, speaker and power cables, Focal Electra 1028 BE 2, Auralic Aries Femto, Black diamond racing cones, ingress audio level 1 roller blocks, JL Audio E110 with Auralic subdude, Primacoustics room treatments.
    Theater:
    Focal Aria 926,905,CC900, SVS PB ultra x2. Pioneer Elite SC85, Oppo BDP93, Panamax M5400PM, Minix neox6, Nordost Blue heaven LS power cables.

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  • Joey_V
    Joey_V Posts: 8,552
    mikeyb128 wrote: »
    Looks awesome! I hope the Cary loses and you finally sell it to me :open_mouth:

    Just kidding I'm
    Broke

    Actually, I had another forummember PM me about the cary if it loses.
    Magico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R
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  • Thorton
    Thorton Posts: 1,324
    Very nice. I've always been drawn to the McIntosh look. Can't wait to hear your comparison to the Cary 05.
    _____________________________________________________________________________________________
    Ethernet Filter: GigaFOILv4 with Keces P3 LPS
    Source: Roon via ethernet to DAC interface
    DAC: Bricasti M1SE
    Pre/Pro: Marantz AV8805
    Tube Preamp Buffer: Tortuga TPB.V1
    Amp1: Nord One NC1200DM Signature, Amp2: W4S MC-5, AMP3: W4S MMC-7
    Front: Salk SoundScape 8's, Center: Salk SoundScape C7
    Surround: Polk FXIA6, Surround Back: Polk RTIA9, Atmos: Polk 70-RT
    Subs: 2 - Rythmik F25's
    IC & Speaker Cables: Acoustic Zen, Wireworld, Signal Cable
    Power Cables: Acoustic Zen, Wireworld, PS Audio
    Room Treatments: GIK Acoustics
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  • Joey_V
    Joey_V Posts: 8,552
    edited January 2017
    Thorton wrote: »
    Very nice. I've always been drawn to the McIntosh look. Can't wait to hear your comparison to the Cary 05.

    My friend has the ARC Ref 5SE.

    We have done a demo against the Cary SLP-05 and it was close. A draw even.

    We will probably try to do a 3-way comparison.

    ARC 5SE vs Cary 05 vs Mac C500.

    Of course, for the demo, I have to revert to stock tubes on the 05. I can't cheat with the 4 popes.
    Magico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R
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  • Thorton
    Thorton Posts: 1,324
    Does the Mac have any time on it?

    That is sum pretty tough competition you have going there. I wish I could be apart of the comparison.
    _____________________________________________________________________________________________
    Ethernet Filter: GigaFOILv4 with Keces P3 LPS
    Source: Roon via ethernet to DAC interface
    DAC: Bricasti M1SE
    Pre/Pro: Marantz AV8805
    Tube Preamp Buffer: Tortuga TPB.V1
    Amp1: Nord One NC1200DM Signature, Amp2: W4S MC-5, AMP3: W4S MMC-7
    Front: Salk SoundScape 8's, Center: Salk SoundScape C7
    Surround: Polk FXIA6, Surround Back: Polk RTIA9, Atmos: Polk 70-RT
    Subs: 2 - Rythmik F25's
    IC & Speaker Cables: Acoustic Zen, Wireworld, Signal Cable
    Power Cables: Acoustic Zen, Wireworld, PS Audio
    Room Treatments: GIK Acoustics
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  • Joey_V
    Joey_V Posts: 8,552
    Thorton wrote: »
    Does the Mac have any time on it?

    That is sum pretty tough competition you have going there. I wish I could be apart of the comparison.

    Yep, it comes used from 2014.

    This will be a worthwhile comparison I believe. It should shed some light as to the general voicing of each company as these are near or at the top of what they produce.
    Magico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R
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  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,416
    Kind of overkill for your little one to play with?
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
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  • Joey_V
    Joey_V Posts: 8,552
    nooshinjohn wrote: »
    Kind of overkill for your little one to play with?

    Nah this one is mine
    Magico M2, JL113v2x2, EMM, ARC Ref 10 Line, ARC Ref 10 Phono, VPIx2, Lyra Etna, Airtight Opus1, Boulder, AQ Wel&Wild, SRA Scuttle Rack, BlueSound+LPS, Thorens 124DD+124SPU, Sennheiser, Metaxas R2R
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  • oldschlpolkie
    oldschlpolkie Posts: 101
    Wow! That is a work of art!
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  • motorstereo
    motorstereo Posts: 2,133
    What a fantastic looking piece of equipment; congrats to you. I've also got a thing for Mac gear and I must admit I'm more green with envy than those green leds are :) . I'm also looking forward to the comparison to the Cary
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  • miner
    miner Posts: 1,305
    Joey,
    My prediction is you will keep the C500 - the tube unit is especially nice. I love my C2300 but would love a separate controller and power supply.
    [
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  • kharp1
    kharp1 Posts: 3,453
    I'm going to say no. Want to wait until review to expand.
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