Mac C220 or ARC LS17?

[Hauger92]

Want to get into a preamp for primarily two channel playback. I also want tubes. I'm looking at the C220 or the LS17. The Mac offers some more convenience features with a phono input and headphone jack. Anyone have any experience with either one of these? Which one would you get? Thanks!

 

[taylode]

Want to get into a preamp for primarily two channel playback. I also want tubes. I'm looking at the C220 or the LS17. The Mac offers some more convenience features with a phono input and headphone jack. Anyone have any experience with either one of these? Which one would you get? Thanks!

For me that would be an easy one, I'd go with the Mc. The C220 is a very nice amp; however, if your wallet can stand it the new C2300 is really something special and if phono is important the dual phono stages are really hard to beat. The C2300 is very high on my upgrade list. If you post this question over at the McIntosh form on AudioKarma you'll likely get several responses where folks have done a direct comparision. Here is the link http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=54 if you're interested. If I just violated protocal I appologize. Good luck!

 

[twich54]

And for me ....it's easy, I'd take the LS-17. I will admitt that I have not listened to/through the Mac C220, but the Ref3, LS-26, LS-17 pre's from ARC are my personal favorites. They are the most neutral pre's that my ears have heard to date, and that is what I like.

Another thing I prefer is the 6H30 tube of the ARC vs. the 12AX7 used in the Mac. While there are many good sounding 12AX7's out there the number of sub-par ones are numerous.

I am by no means 'knocking' the Mac, as I said I haven't heard it, therefore, please audition the two and lets us know what YOUR ears prefer, either way you can't lose !!

 

[Hauger92]

Thanks for the comments so far guys, it really helps! Anyone else want to comment on these two pieces?

 

[Hauger92]

I'll be running a pair of Audioquest King Cobra rca's to each one of my Puritys. Each one of these preamps will be ok to do that right?

 

[David Matz]

I can't comment on the ARC, but I was not impressed with the Mac. I extensively auditioned the C2200 after it was labeled Product of the Year by the elite magazines - Stereophile and Absolute sound. The C2200 is supposed to have very similar sound to the C220.

Basically it was all hype. The $5K C2200 sounded like molasses compared to the much more musical, $3K Ayre K5-Xe. In fact the SS Ayre product sounded like it was tubed, while the Mac sounded like solid state.