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  #21  
Old 07-29-2012, 04:32 PM
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I am beginning to lean away from the tube units on the above list. I just saw in another thread where someone experienced a failed tube in a C2300. That isn't the first time I've seen such, though it's not the norm, I'm sure. Still, it can and does happen on occasion, and feeds into one of my reasons for avoiding tube equipment in the past. Unless the current mindset changes, the list will be down to the C48, C50, and JC 2. These three are the core of the list and I realize that. And while I'll still think about the others, in the end if I take the plunge odds are strong it'll be one of these three.
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  #22  
Old 08-03-2012, 12:37 AM
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Prepress, I've been on and off considering a standalone preamp (as opposed to going for an upscale prepro), and there are a lot of great options out there in your price range, especially "swiss knife" types like the Mac C48/50. To that end, I'd heartily suggest the $5k Classe CP-800, which has gotten spectacular reviews. It's an excellent preamp, but it also has a great DAC, supposedly incredible asynch USB to DAC implementation for PC-sourced audio, and has sub out, crossover/bass mgmt, EQ, tone controls, etc. Google the reviews.

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  #23  
Old 08-03-2012, 05:16 AM
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Originally Posted by jeffkad View Post
Prepress, I've been on and off considering a standalone preamp (as opposed to going for an upscale prepro), and there are a lot of great options out there in your price range, especially "swiss knife" types like the Mac C48/50. To that end, I'd heartily suggest the $5k Classe CP-800, which has gotten spectacular reviews. It's an excellent preamp, but it also has a great DAC, supposedly incredible asynch USB to DAC implementation for PC-sourced audio, and has sub out, crossover/bass mgmt, EQ, tone controls, etc. Google the reviews.

Jeff
I've heard of that one, even took a brief look. I'll take a closer one. Of special interest will be how it might work with MC501s.
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  #24  
Old 08-03-2012, 02:56 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jeffkad View Post
Prepress, I've been on and off considering a standalone preamp (as opposed to going for an upscale prepro), and there are a lot of great options out there in your price range, especially "swiss knife" types like the Mac C48/50. To that end, I'd heartily suggest the $5k Classe CP-800, which has gotten spectacular reviews. It's an excellent preamp, but it also has a great DAC, supposedly incredible asynch USB to DAC implementation for PC-sourced audio, and has sub out, crossover/bass mgmt, EQ, tone controls, etc. Google the reviews.

Jeff
Jeff
I just browsed the review of the Classe CP-800 in the September '12 issue of Sterephile.

This sound like a very capable and interesting pre-amp and at a surprisingly low(?) price of $5k.

I do like the Classe design too.

Jim
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  #25  
Old 08-03-2012, 04:33 PM
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Having looked at the CP-800, the connectivity is interesting. Most of my sources aren't balanced, and there aren't enough RCA inputs to go around on the 800's rear panel. But my BDP and CD have coax out (the CD has balanced outs also), so it could work if I'm willing to buy the extra cables in addition. I'd rather not have to, but the possibility is there.

Next would be to determine how it might fit with the rest of the system (MC501s in particular) and such. And if I'm comfortable with the look next to my other equipment (more radical than the JC 2 would be).
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  #26  
Old 08-04-2012, 11:26 PM
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Originally Posted by Still-One View Post
Jeff
I just browsed the review of the Classe CP-800 in the September '12 issue of Sterephile.

This sound like a very capable and interesting pre-amp and at a surprisingly low(?) price of $5k.

I do like the Classe design too.

Jim
Jim, I found the Stereophile review, although obviously positive, to be oddly subdued considering well it fared against the dcs and other components he compared it too. Google some of the other reviews out there and they are absolutely gushing about this unit. There's at least one UK review and one US review that call it a revolutionary product for it's flexibility and sound quality at such an affordable price. It's certainly got my attention.
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  #27  
Old 08-06-2012, 04:10 PM
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Having read a couple of reviews and seen it demoed by Classé's President, I'm not sure if the CP-800 is good for me, though I probably could make it work in my setup. I'm a plug-and-play person, and the CP-800 doesn't seem to fit that mold. So far, reviews and demos emphasize the digital/DAC workings. A more traditional preamplifier might suit me better, but I'm not ruling the Classé out yet.

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  #28  
Old 09-05-2012, 05:54 PM
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Because of sheer exposure on this forum, I'm reconsidering the C2300 (things change). But I have a question. Tubes are not usually associated with home theater, and my setup is both dual-purpose and 2-channel. Does anyone use a tube preamp or amp in a home theater context? Not as a pass-through, but actually driving amps. Would solid state, at least in theory, be a better choice?
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  #29  
Old 09-05-2012, 06:21 PM
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Charles.......In my living room sound system I feed the Oppo BDP-83SE analog stereo signal to the C2300 that drives my MC601's. The two channel sound system plus the JL subwoofer makes a convincing movie sound presentation. I set this up because Marlene prefers this over the 5.1 system in my home theater. I think I play the 5.1 system a bit too loud for hear in the theater. None the less, the two channel system in the living room, using the C2300, MC601's, Fathom f113 subwoofer and PMC EB1i speakers, gets the job done in spades. I have zero issues with the C2300 tube preamplifier as part of the my living room movie experience. It also goes without saying, the C2300 also performs exceptionally as the control center fro my two channel music listening in the living room.
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STUDIO - McIntosh C1000C/P, MC2301 (2), MR88, Aurender N10, Esoteric K-01X, Shunyata Sigma spdif digital cable, Sonos Connect, PurePower 2000, Stillpoints, Furutech Flux 50, Michell Gyro SE, Michell HR Power Supply, SME 309, Ortofon Cadenza Black, Wireworld, Sonus faber Amati Anniversario
LIVING ROOM - McIntosh C2300, MC75 (2), MR85, Magnum Dynalab 205, Simaudio MOON Neo 260D-T, Schiit Audio Yggdrasil, Aurender N100H, Shunyata Sigma USB cable, Micro Seiki DD40, Ortofon Cadenza Blue, Nakamichi BX-300, Sony 60ES DAT, PS Audio P10, Furutech Flux 50, Sonos Connect, Stillpoints, Wireworld, Kimber, PMC EB1i, JL Audio f113
VINTAGE - McIntosh MA230, Tandberg 3011A tuner, Olive 04HD, Sony DTC-59ES DAT, McIntosh 4300V, JBL 4312A

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  #30  
Old 09-05-2012, 08:55 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jdandy View Post
Charles.......In my living room sound system I feed the Oppo BDP-83SE analog stereo signal to the C2300 that drives my MC601's. The two channel sound system plus the JL subwoofer makes a convincing movie sound presentation. I set this up because Marlene prefers this over the 5.1 system in my home theater. I think I play the 5.1 system a bit too loud for hear in the theater. None the less, the two channel system in the living room, using the C2300, MC601's, Fathom f113 subwoofer and PMC EB1i speakers, gets the job done in spades. I have zero issues with the C2300 tube preamplifier as part of the my living room movie experience. It also goes without saying, the C2300 also performs exceptionally as the control center fro my two channel music listening in the living room.
It sounds like the C2300 can blow things up, too. That's not a surprise. It's been my belief that any equipment that handles music well should be able to handle movies, too.
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