McIntosh C2800
McIntosh valve preamplifier fitted with a DA2 digital module and two configurable phono inputs, for high-end multi-source hi-fi systems.
Description
The McIntosh C2800 is a valve preamplifier designed to sit at the heart of a complete hi-fi installation, providing the link between several analogue and digital sources and one or more power amplifiers. It houses four valves (three 12AX7A and one 12AT7) within its amplification circuits.
The unit offers nine analogue inputs and seven digital inputs, sixteen inputs in total. On the analogue side, there are three balanced inputs, four unbalanced, and two configurable phono inputs for moving coil or moving magnet cartridges, with adjustable gain in 6 dB steps from 40 dB to 64 dB and RIAA equalisation. On the digital side, the DA2 module incorporates a quad balanced 8-channel 32-bit DAC, with HDMI ARC input, two coaxial inputs, two optical, one USB and one MCT input dedicated to McIntosh series SACD/CD transports; the coaxial and optical inputs decode up to 24-bit/192 kHz, while the USB supports DSD512 and 384 kHz DXD. The DA2 module is designed to be replaceable should digital standards evolve. On the output side, three balanced and unbalanced variable stereo sets allow three separate audio systems to be fed simultaneously. Harmonic distortion is rated at 0.005%, with a signal-to-noise ratio of 100 dB and a frequency response ranging from 20 Hz to 20 kHz (0/-0.5 dB) and up to 100 kHz (0/-3 dB) in extended mode.
This preamplifier is aimed at enthusiasts seeking a centralised hi-fi installation, capable of handling one or two turntables at once, a variety of digital sources (streaming, CD/SACD player, television via HDMI ARC) and several power amplifiers, in a scalable, multi-room configuration.
Technical specifications
| Total harmonic distortion | 0.005 % |
| Frequency response | 20 Hz to 20 kHz (0/-0.5 dB) and 15 Hz to 100 kHz (0/-3 dB) |
| Output voltage | 16 V RMS (balanced) and 8 V RMS (unbalanced) |
| Phono input sensitivity | 4.5 mV |
| Balanced input sensitivity | 900 mV |
| Unbalanced input sensitivity | 450 mV |
| Gain | 15 dB |
| Balanced input impedance | 44 kOhms |
| Unbalanced input impedance | 22 kOhms |
| Signal to noise ratio | 100 dB |
| Valves | 3x 12AX7A, 1x 12AT7 |
| Dimensions (W x H x D) | 444.45 x 194 x 419 mm |
| Weight | 12.5 kg |
What to check before buying used
The 12AX7A and 12AT7 valves are wear parts that should be tested or checked, as their ageing can result in background noise, microphonics or reduced gain. It is worth checking that both phono inputs work correctly with both cartridge types (MM/MC), as well as the gain adjustment in 6 dB steps. As the DA2 digital module is designed as a removable component, confirming that all its inputs (HDMI ARC, coaxial, optical, USB, MCT) function correctly is one of the points to check before purchase.
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