Note that this is a discontinued product. You may want to visit the brand's page here to browse their newer products.
What reviewers think
Bloggers and YouTubers have tried this product—so we've summarized their strongest opinions below. Links to full reviews follow.
Product Strengths
- It uses four 12AX7A valves, two per channel with stainless steel individual cage surrounds
- Delivers deep and dynamic sound, while retaining clarity in the mids and a sweet, yet detailed treble
- It can separate instruments and vocals, at the same time preserving the coherence of the mix
- Detailed, dynamic, and very musical
- Has five analogue inputs, 1 on XLR, 2 on RCA, and user adjustable MM and MC inputs also on RCA
Product Considerations
- The reviewer had issues selecting XLR inputs initially, which required a factory reset
- The sound was initially warmer than the reviewer remembered from other McIntosh products
- Probably not for heavy metal aficionados, and not for those that like crisp clarity over a warmer style
- It can be overly warm if paired with certain cables
Takeaway: The C8 is a detailed and dynamic preamplifier that combines tubes and solid-state, so it can deliver a great listening experience if one is looking for a musical pre-amp. It has flexible connectivity, and it may be just what one is looking for as a long-term investment.
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Manufacturer details
- Number of Channels: 2
- Total Harmonic Distortion: 0.08%
- Frequency Response: +0, -0.5dB from 20Hz to 20kHz, +0, -3dB from 15Hz to 100kHz
- Maximum Volts Out (Balanced/Unbalanced): 16V RMS / 8V RMS
- Signal To Noise Ratio (High Level): 95dB
- Signal To Noise Ratio (Moving Coil): 75dB
- Signal To Noise Ratio (Moving Magnet): 80dB
- Input Impedance (Balanced/Unbalanced): 44K ohm, 22K ohm
- Power Consumption: 50 Watts
- Unit Dimensions (W x H x D): 12-9/32" x 7-5/8" x 16-1/4" (31.2cm x 19.4cm x 41.3cm)
- Unit Weight: 18 lbs (8.2 kg)
- Shipping Weight: 25 lbs (11.3 kg)
Brand highlights
Taking a step back to look at reviewers' thoughts of the brand's entire lineup—not just this product—what stands out most is the following:
- McIntosh products blend classic, retro aesthetics, reminiscent of their 1970s designs, with modern materials and cutting-edge internal components, offering a unique visual appeal.
- The brand's amplifiers are known for their substantial power output, often exceeding specifications, and their ability to drive a wide range of speakers across varying impedance levels due to their unique Autoformer technology.
- McIntosh offers a high degree of customization and control through features like multi-band equalizers, adjustable input sensitivity, and advanced settings accessible via dedicated apps or web interfaces.
- They distinguish themselves with a focus on long-term reliability and customer satisfaction, with products built to last for decades and supported by a dedicated dealer network.
Select products
MHT300
- Positioning: Positioned as a versatile home theater receiver in McIntosh's lineup, suitable for custom installations or standalone display.
- Description: Supports 8K/60Hz and 4K/120Hz video, making it ideal for modern home theaters. Unlike other McIntosh products, it offers 7.2 channel audio with expandability to 7.2.4, providing flexibility for future upgrades. This makes it perfect for users looking to integrate advanced video capabilities and immersive audio in a custom home theater setup.
MHA200
- Positioning: A compact, high-quality headphone amplifier designed for personal audio enthusiasts.
- Description: Uses vacuum tube amplification, delivering a warm and detailed sound that is distinct from solid-state amplifiers like the MC462. Its compact size and multiple impedance settings make it versatile for various headphone types.
MC462
- Positioning: A powerful stereo amplifier, offering robust performance for high-end home audio systems.
- Description: Features a Quad Balanced design with McIntosh Autoformers, providing 450 Watts per channel with low distortion. Compared to the MC1502, it offers a solid-state solution with increased dynamic headroom.
MC1502
- Positioning: A high-power vacuum tube amplifier, ideal for audiophiles seeking classic tube sound.
- Description: Delivers 150 Watts per channel using vacuum tubes, offering a rich, warm sound that contrasts with the solid-state clarity of the MC462. Its Unity Coupled Circuit ensures consistent performance across various speaker impedances.
MC901
- Positioning: A unique dual mono amplifier, combining both vacuum tube and solid-state technologies.
- Description: Integrates a 300 Watt vacuum tube amplifier with a 600 Watt solid-state amplifier, providing the best of both worlds for bi-amping loudspeakers. This hybrid approach is unlike any other McIntosh product.
MC21KW
- Positioning: A flagship monoblock amplifier, representing the pinnacle of McIntosh's power amplification.
- Description: Delivers 2,000 Watts of power, making it suitable for the most demanding audio setups. Its tri-chassis design and advanced technologies like Autoformer and Power Guard set it apart from other amplifiers.
Our take on the brand
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Used
McIntosh
What if you spend more?
Product Strengths
- Wide range of inputs, including digital (USB, HDMI ARC, optical, coax) and analog (RCA, XLR, phono)
- McIntosh has kept the classic blue and green look
- An app for iOS and Android is available for setup and control
- High drive headphone amplifier and HXD technology add dimension to the headphone listening experience
- Excellent performance with no sign of valve quirkiness
Product Considerations
- Setting up a turntable requires entering stylus details
- Complex array of connections and settings may not appeal to users seeking a minimalist design
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Vs C55: The C2800 is a tube preamplifier, while the C55 is solid-state, with a multiband equalizer, at the same price point
Takeaway: The McIntosh C2800 is a versatile preamp with lots of connectivity and flexible features, allowing for a rich and bold listening experience. With its blend of clarity and focus, it delivers exceptional performance and user-friendly operation.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Product Strengths
- Richer, denser, and harmonically more expressive sound than previous models, having a warmer and sweeter sound reminiscent of earlier McIntosh products
- Emotionally engages the listener, drawing them into the music and making them feel more involved
- Excellent build quality and distinctive McIntosh design ethic makes it visually appealing
- Can be controlled via the Connect app, offering convenient access to functions
- Boasts 16 inputs: 7 analogue, 2 phono, 7 digital
Product Considerations
- It is big and not minimalist
- The numerical displays were different when measuring the output of the pre-amplifiers, so if the C-53 was set at 40, the C-55 would have to be adjusted to 44-45 to get the same output level to the amplifiers
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Compared to the C53, the C55 sounds richer, rounder, denser—and more forgiving
Takeaway: The C55 is a high-quality preamplifier that offers a richer, warmer sound and greater emotional engagement compared to previous models. It is packed with features and user-friendly, making it a great centerpiece for any high-end audio system.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Product Strengths
- Offers a wide range of features rarely seen in a component of this type, including a high-performance DAC, analog preamplifier, BluOS streaming, Dirac Live room correction, and a high-quality phono stage
- Includes Dirac Live Bass Control for up to four independent subwoofers, allowing for optimized bass performance and integration, and Dirac Live improves clarity and bass definition
- Uses ESS Sabre DAC chips, known for wide dynamic range and low noise/distortion
- Features a modular design that lets one expand its capabilities, helping to ensure product longevity and up-to-date functionality
- Offers versatile connectivity with a comprehensive array of inputs and outputs, including balanced XLR, AES/XLR, and HDMI eARC
Product Considerations
- BluOS is limited to a maximum resolution of 24-bit/192kHz
- Does not offer home-theater bypass, though it could be implemented in a future upgrade
- Dirac Live iPhone app not always successful at recognizing microphone
- Touchscreen does not behave in the same way as an EverSolo or a FiiO, because one cannot browse music libraries with it, it is really just for input and settings and just the kind of nitty-gritty of daily use, but not music playback
- Some found the styling a bit overdone, while others appreciated the display
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Is considered better overall than the Anthem STR due to a more sophisticated room correction system and a fully featured multiroom streaming platform with wireless capability
- Sounds more lit up top to bottom with greater avidity than PS Audio, and it better exposes surface textures, and layer separation is more easily seen
- The MC input quite clearly resolves more finer detail and it better inks tonal colors compared to the MC phono stage built into the Cambridge Audio Alva TT 2 turntable
Takeaway: The NAD M66 is a sophisticated and feature-rich streaming preamplifier, offering a versatile set of tools for audiophiles seeking precise sound reproduction and optimized bass performance. With its modular design and future-proofing capabilities, the M66 is a great choice for anyone building a high-end hifi system.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Product Strengths
- Incredibly saturated sound packed with information, resulting in a deep and detailed presentation
- Separate gain paths for MM and MC cartridges, optimizing performance for each
- Extremely silent and powerful signal transmission capabilities
- Offers a wide range of settings to optimize performance for any cartridge, including extensive gain and loading options, and dozens of equalization curves
- Parameters can be adjusted on the fly using a custom Mola Mola app
- Design allows it to get out of the way of the music, allowing the music to swell and breathe majestically
Product Considerations
- The new review sample took some 300 hours to stabilize
- A slight faltering of absolute pitch definition and texture below about 40-45 Hz
- Some may find the sound too neutral and challenging—preferring a more lush sound
- With so many parameters to adjust, people may use the unit's abilities as a tone control and stray away from the intended EQ curve
- There are so many options, that it may be changed too far
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Versus GrandiNote Celio mk IV phono preamplifier, Lupe reminded the reviewer more of their Class A GrandiNote Celio mk IV phono preamplifier than the other of my references—ESE Lab Nibiru MC
- Versus ESE Lab Nibiru MC, each of those features could be pointed out as Lupe's advantages, although they were not as prominent as with Nibiru MC
Takeaway: The Mola Mola Lupe is a versatile and high-performing phono stage that delivers a sophisticated and musical sound. Its extensive features and convenient app control make it a great choice for vinyl enthusiasts who want to optimize their listening experience.
Video review
Our take on the brand
What competes at this price?
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Exemplary build quality, with a visually pleasing design
- The StreamMagic app is well-made and capable, offering a good user experience
- Delivers music in an extremely lifelike manner, limited more by the source than its own limitations
- Offers a strong musical sense of rhythm across all inputs, contributing to a well-rounded performance
- Presents a clear, bold, and spacious presentation
Product Considerations
- The volume dial may be slightly loose
- Lacks a phono analog input
- The acceptance angle of the remote sensor is limited
- The USB has trouble with large music collections
- The high frequencies can be bright with the system
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Vs Musical Fidelity M8Xi: The M8Xi has more power output and exhibits more control over loudspeakers, but lacks the built-in streaming of the Edge NQ
- Vs Naim electronics: The Edge system is neutral, and not as warm as the Naim electronics
- Vs Gold Note DS-10: Provides a bigger soundstage and more detail
- Vs PS Audio DSD Jr: The Cambridge Audio Edge NQ and the PS Audio DSD Jr are sonically comparable, but the NQ delivers more precise lateral focus
Takeaway: The Cambridge Audio Edge NQ is a versatile, well-designed preamplifier and network streamer that delivers high-quality sound. It provides an enjoyable listening experience, making it a great choice for those seeking both performance and elegant aesthetics.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- The SP25 Prisma includes 4K dynamic HDR switching and eARC
- Eleven channels of processing and preamplification
- Dual eight channel DAC chips allow for unique digital to analogue conversion, allocating four channels of conversion when delivering signal to the pair of front left and right analogue outputs
- Versatile, with single ended analog inputs, USB, coaxial and optical digital inputs, and HDMI inputs
- Prisma streamer, wired and wireless
Product Considerations
- Good surround sound gets expensive fast
- Operation and setup can be complex
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- The SP25 Prisma lacks the power amplifiers of the SPA25 Prisma, making it only an AV processor or preamplifier
Takeaway: The SP25 Prisma is designed for cinephiles and audiophiles. It provides the best home cinema experience with carefully considered features and functionality.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Highly detailed, clear, and clean sound with musicality, but without sterility
- The KTE version includes a beautiful aluminum remote
- Truth, neutrality, and accuracy, making it fun to listen to music
- Enhanced spatial presentation, adding force and rhythmic nuance
- First class build quality
- It does not have a built-in DAC or phono preamp
Product Considerations
- The buttons on the remote are a bit loose
- It is not possible to directly select inputs, it is necessary to click through
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Compared to ModWright LS-99, the Serene KTE is more accurate and neutral, while the ModWright LS-99 is juicier
- Compared to Linear Tube Audio MicroZOTL, the Linear Tube Audio MicroZOTL added more midrange warmth and flavor
Takeaway: The Serene is a preamplifier that offers a clean and neutral sound, and it is excellent for those who want to hear the sound of other components without coloration. It is built with high-quality components.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Fully balanced design provides less noise and coloration to the sound.
- Supports both moving magnet (MM) and moving coil (MC) phono cartridges with a high-performance phono stage.
- Passive ladder volume control with precision resistors provides superior channel separation, low distortion, and high signal integrity.
- Superior noise performance and extended bandwidth, with a very low THD+N and wide frequency response.
- Large, high-resolution display is visible from a distance
Product Considerations
- Limited features for its price, lacking an internal DAC, room correction, or bass management.
- Small, non-standard form factor might not match other hifi equipment aesthetically.
- Limited to one balanced input and one balanced output.
- Reviewers noted a chintzy plastic remote that needs to be synced.
- Sensitive to cable changes and may exhibit high-frequency noise if XLR cables are not connected
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- The Alto was equal in sonic performance to the Amped America AAP-1, but the AAP-1 has dead-neutral tonality.
- There is not a lot missing between the Alto and the Bricasti Design M20 preamplifier in terms of sound, but at a little more than double the price, the Bricasti Design M20 had better dynamics and ultra-fine resolution.
- Both the Alto and the Pass Labs XP-12 stereo preamp are very high-end stereo preamps that do just that—do what they say on the box.
- Trilogy's set emerged rounder, bloomier, more massive, and atmospheric against the quick snappy team AGD that prioritized dynamics, outlines, clarity, and had its spatial projections sensibly more oxygenated.
- The Alto is like the Anthem without the DAC and streamer.
Takeaway: The Alto preamplifier is well-engineered to provide clean, high-quality sound, and it's a good choice for audiophiles who prioritize core preamp functions. It offers great performance for vinyl and digital sources when additional features aren't needed.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Includes an Optical Phono Stage, which is a bargain compared to other products with just optical capabilities
- Clean and natural sound, with the internal phono stage being more than adequate for most setups
- Well-built with excellent quality inputs, including Neutrik XLR connectors, and a machined aluminum remote
- Excellent value for money, considering its build quality, features, and sound quality
- Features a built-in dedicated headphone amplifier, with the headphone output offering a good, clean, and natural sound
Product Considerations
- Only provides a single set of RCA inputs, though it has two XLR inputs
- Dip switches on the rear for determining the cartridge type are not as user-friendly as a switch
- LEDs on the front of the power supply and amp are very bright and can be distracting in a dark room
- High gain may not be suitable for high-sensitivity speakers, and a tiny amount of noise may be audible with sensitive speakers when nothing is playing
- Placement could prove tricky for some due to size
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Phono stages are more forgiving compared to Yamaha, and every album sounded better than on the Yamaha
- It is a bargain compared to Pro-Ject, which does not do optical and does not have two balanced inputs
Takeaway: The KECES S4 is a versatile and well-built preamp with a clean, natural sound and an impressive phono stage, including a rare optical cartridge input. It offers value and can be the heart of a high-quality hifi system.
Video review
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