McIntosh C12000C / C12000ST

The McIntosh C12000 is a high-end preamplifier split into two distinct units: the C12000C controller module and the C12000ST preamplifier module. This physical separation between the audio section and the control and power supply sections aims to isolate the signal from any electrical interference linked to the driving circuits. The two units communicate via a pair of specially designed shielded cables, while operating as a single unit, controllable from the remote control or the controller's front panel.

Inside each chassis, the left and right channels are electrically and mechanically isolated from one another, with two separate power supplies and a dual microprocessor: this is a complete dual mono architecture, designed to maximise stereo separation. The preamplifier module offers twelve analogue inputs (six balanced XLR, four unbalanced, two phono), with a universal MC/MM phono stage whose capacitance, resistive loading and gain (adjustable in 6 dB steps, from 40 dB to 64 dB) are adjustable. The output can be selected between a tube path and a solid-state path, each driven by discrete amplifiers: six tubes (two 12AT7 and one 12AX7A per channel) for the preamplifier's tube stage, and four 12AX7A tubes dedicated to the balanced phono stage with built-in RIAA equalisation. Four outputs are available in total, including one fixed output and one output programmable as tube or solid-state.

The circuit benefits from high common-mode rejection, limiting noise introduced by interconnect cables. A high-efficiency High Drive headphone jack is built in, with a selectable Headphone Crossfeed Director (HXD) mode to enrich spatialisation when listening on headphones. A Home Theater Pass Through function also allows the unit to be integrated into an existing multichannel home cinema system.

This preamplifier is aimed at a high-end system built around several sources, particularly vinyl, where the flexibility of the MC/MM phono settings comes into its own. The choice between tube output and solid-state output allows the sound colouration to be adapted according to the musical programme, the other components in the chain or listening preferences, making it a unit for audiophiles wishing to retain control over the character of the sound rather than a preamplifier fixed to a single technical stance.