McIntosh C2700 2-Channel Preamplifier and MC462 Power Amplifier Review
When I was initially contacted to review the McIntosh C2700 Preamp, I declined because I didn’t own a power amplifier that I thought would gel well with it.
But luckily, McIntosh offered to send along their newly released, top-of-the-line, MC462 Power amp along with the C2700. This is not an offer one passes up. It’s McIntosh!
The McIntosh C2700 Preamplifier is a beast. It sports 16 inputs (9 analog + 7 digital), 5 12AX7A and 1 12AT7 vacuum tubes, it supports files up to DSD512, it comes with DA2 Digital Audio Module installed, it… it has a whole bunch of amazing features that I’ll need time to absorb.
The monster that is the MC462 amplifier replaces the highly regarded MC452 amplifier because it somehow wasn’t powerful enough. The MC462 blasts out 450 Watts per channel. With a dedicated McIntosh Autoformer™ connected to each audio channel, the full 450 Watts is available to any speaker regardless if it has 2, 4, or 8 Ohm impedance.
Introduction
Before I get into the details of the McIntosh C2700 Preamp and MC462 Power Amp, let me put something in perspective. Together, these components cost about the same as the brand-new Kia Rio I just bought to replace an unfortunately charred Mini that spontaneously combusted in my driveway one day… Le sigh.
This review will be something of a discovery for me since I’m not accustomed to such high-end gear. My reference is a Cambridge Audio CXA60 Integrated Amplifier. The question I’m going to explore – is the C2700/M462 combo a Kia Rio better than my Cambridge?
Design
Let’s start with the looks. Build quality is an area where McIntosh just shines. I’ve secretly admired their components from a distance for years. At local hi-fi retailers, if they were ever on display, it was in private rooms by appointment only. On occasion, I might see one powering speakers in a clothing store or restaurant, and recently I saw one on an episode of ‘Chef’s Table’ on Netflix featuring Massimo Bottura. Both the C2700 Preamplifier and MC462 Power amplifiers are very distinctly McIntosh. They are both unapologetically big. They both feature shiny, black glass front panels backlit by direct LED lighting, blue meters, rotary knobs, an illuminated logo, aluminum end caps, and a polished stainless-steel chassis. It’s all classic McIntosh, and it’s a design that never strays far from its roots. Every product looks and feels related to the other. Another thing before I dive into the massive feature set of both components; I love that McIntosh has spent a lot of time annotating their components with all kinds of detail. Every side is adorned with printed on specs and descriptions, not just the inputs and indicators, but everything. For example, on top of the amp front and center, you’ll find the name of the device, and a ‘Precision Crafted…” blurb. On either side of that, you’ll find the Power Output, Dynamic Headroom, Input Sensitivity, and Signal to Noise Ratio. Above that sits the Power Transformer bookended by Autoformers™ each with their specs presented for your reading pleasure. Both components would look stunning in a modern minimalist or even Brutalist setting. They have so much character that they deserve to stand on their own and be shown off.
On the C2700 Tube Preamplifier, six alluring vacuum tubes can be viewed through a glass panel located on the top of the chassis with, you guessed it, printed specifications on the glass! It’s sexy as hell. The C2700 features a wide array of connectivity. First on the list is the DA2 Digital Audio Module, which replaces the popular DA1 Digital Audio Module. The DA2 features an expanded set of capabilities. It is powered by an audiophile-grade, Quad Balanced, eight-channel, 32-bit Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) that has improvements in both dynamic range and total harmonic distortion compared to the DA1. It offers seven digital inputs including all the same connections found on the DA1 (two coaxial, two optical, one USB, and one MCT) and an audio-only HDMI Audio Return Channel (ARC)1 connection to connect to a compliant TV. The TV we have downstairs is old, so I used one of the optical connections.
But wait, there’s more. Multi-channel audio formats from Dolby® and DTS® are supported and will be expertly converted to two-channel audio for proper playback. The TV remote can control the power and volume of the C2700 when CEC communication is enabled in both the preamplifier and the TV. A USB input increases DSD playback support up to DSD512 compared to the DSD256 limit of the DA1. The coax and optical inputs in the DA2 can decode digital music up to 24-bit/192kHz for playback of high-resolution audio. Finally, the DA2 has a McIntosh exclusive MCT input that offers a secure DSD connection to any of the MCT series of SACD/CD transports to deliver the best possible sound quality of the high definition audio from SACDs.