Home
AudioAsylum Trader
Amp/Preamp Asylum: REVIEW: McIntosh C712 Preamplifier (SS) by aball

Looking for a new Amp or Preamp? If you're after tubes, post over here.

For Sale Ads

FAQ / News / Events

 

REVIEW: McIntosh C712 Preamplifier (SS)

63.50.200.22


[ Follow Ups ] Thread:  [ Display   All   Email ] [ Amp/Preamp Asylum ]
[ Alert Moderator ]

Model: C712
Category: Preamplifier (SS)
Suggested Retail Price: $1500
Description: Simple active preamplifier with awesome sound
Manufacturer URL: McIntosh
Manufacturer URL: McIntosh

Review by aball ( A ) on December 18, 2002 at 21:28:00
IP Address: 63.50.200.22
Add Your Review
for the C712


Lovely little preamp. Was recently made in the late 1990s and I got mine NOS. It has everything I wanted like bass, treble, and loudness controls, balanced outputs, several inputs, slim design, a cool look, and awesome sound. The sound turned out to be a heck of a bonus. The highs are crystal with no hint of bite, the mids are liquid and have excellent presence and coherence, the bass is strong and powerful, the soundstage is very real with excellent depth, and the imaging is holographic. I just love it. I have the matching amp MC7100 and they look perfect together - with one of the best sound I have yet to experience in this price range ($3k for the pair). Better than the C15 (and balanced connections to boot) in build quality. Also generally nicer than my previous Krell 250p, especially in timbre and body, although the remote is not much better. The C712 is an excellent piece of top quality audio equipment.


Product Weakness: slight sibilance on some CDs but it may be my floors. Remote is not up to par with the preamp. That is really it.
Product Strengths: sound quality as described above, features without being over-the-top, awesome look


Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier: McIntosh MC7100
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): McIntosh C712
Sources (CDP/Turntable): Sony CA80 ES CDP
Speakers: Paradigm Studio Reference 100.2
Cables/Interconnects: MIT biwire and balanced
Music Used (Genre/Selections): Electronic, Jazz, Classic rock, techno
Room Size (LxWxH): 14 x 15 x 8
Room Comments/Treatments: hardwood floors, paintings on all walls
Time Period/Length of Audition: 1.5 years
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner




This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:
  Sonic Craft  



Topic - REVIEW: McIntosh C712 Preamplifier (SS) - aball 21:28:00 12/18/02 ( 1)