C1100T Prototype on show in Hong Kong.

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Steve

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Well on the face of it, this prototype looks like a replacement for the revered and fabulously engineered C1000T pre-amp.

Interestingly, the C1100T looks like a hybrid of the 500T and C2300/2500 designs.

Will it marry to a soon to be announced C1100C? Will several of them marry to a soon to be announced MX160? It would be exciting to contemplate the integration possibilities of the latter... We McFans talked about an MX160 wish list a few years ago now...

Obvious design differences are the apparent 3 tubes per channel for both the front porch line stage and the now exposed MM/MC phono stage tubes. The 3rd tube inclusion is the 12AT pairing with the 12AX. The photo shows a bank of 12ATs on the front porch.... For tube rollers, does this mean the end of the formidible NOS Tesla E83CC and Telefunken ECC803S NOS hunt? Plenty of cheap 12AT NOS out there still, sigh... they are not the 12AX and I am surprised to see them, in this pre-amp....

The 12AT in the phono stage is shared by both the Moving Coil and Moving Magnet circuit selections. Do the phono tubes still burn when the source is not selected in the new design? I would hope not...

It is disappointing to see McIntosh departing from their robust and beautifully crafted aluminium chassis design with the 3d facia and thick glass. The CNC and gold underlay craftsmanship of the McIntosh logo on the shielded aluminium lid is gone in favour of the cheaper tin chassis of the current mainstream product range.

The proposed flagship replacement IMO appears to be a serious departure from the classic build quality and well earned status of the C1000C/P/T. I also doubt that we will ever see the beauty of the C1000 build quality again in future McIntosh products. I hope I am proven to be wrong because it could be argued that C1000 was considered one of the best pre-amplifiers ever built in the USA.

Why depart for the cheap? IMO, McIntosh should have built on top of the successes of the entire 1000 series. Even the DAC and transport could have evolved into the relevancies of today, i.e. SACD,DSD,USB. I would have spent the money.

So as McIntosh transitions its relevance within a highly competitive global landscape in a digital consumer age, have there been further product quality design compromises under the new regime? Apparently so at the flagship level...I am therefore thankful to be and to remain the proud owner of a C1000C/T combination. I often wish that I bought more 1000 series products which I feel will become highly sort after and classic collectibles in the future.

Why the unveiling in Hong Kong? Perhaps that is where the market is now for popular American muscle?

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I would like to see the controller. Tone controls ?

I am also curious if a 1100P will be released.
To me, the C1000P is a much better preamp than the 1000T.
I do not miss the 3D face.
Although very nice looking, it was a bit bling bling. I like the simplest look of the 2D faceplate.
Now from the name of it, the 1100 should be an improvement over the 1000.
But the MCD1100 was not better than the MDA1000, to say the least.
To improve over the 1000 preamp, that takes a bit more sparkle and life and a slightly more speed and dynamics. The C1000P is a stunning preamp. Just a little too "relaxed" for my ears compared to more exuberant designs like the Manley 300B Neo Classic and the Shindo Giscours.
What I mean is that improvements over the C1000 are possible. I hope that McIntosh made them.
 
Steve.......Thanks for the photos. Very interesting to see two 12AX7 tubes and one 12AT7 tube in each channel of the line stages and phono stages. It makes me think McIntosh has revisited Sidney Coderman's impedance matching tube buffer circuit.
 
Dan...That appears to be the case in the phono stage BUT the front porch is banked with 12AT not 12AX, so I am confused. Perhaps the prototype on display is a rudimentary non-working mockup with many inaccuracies, however it is powered and has signal connectors patched into something behind the curtain.... Maybe early days and a C1000C is giving it juice back there...

The facia can be a personal thing. I am of course biased towards the 3d facia and aluminium chassis. If I were to sign off on the chassis design, I would go for a one piece extruded aluminium block, CNC machined with the classic 3d facia, blue meters, front porch and chrome accents. Flagship should ooze luxury and shiny bling IMO, just like a fully optioned Harley Davison.

We should not be seeing sheet metal/tin boxes at this product level.
 
Steve said:
Dan...That appears to be the case in the phono stage BUT the front porch is banked with 12AT not 12AX, so I am confused. Perhaps the prototype on display is a rudimentary non-working mockup with many inaccuracies, however it is powered and has signal connectors patched into something behind the curtain.... Maybe early days and a C1000C is giving it juice back there...

The facia can be a personal thing. I am of course biased towards the 3d facia and aluminium chassis. If I were to sign off on the chassis design, I would go for a one piece extruded aluminium block, CNC machined with the classic 3d facia, blue meters, front porch and chrome accents. Flagship should ooze luxury and shiny bling IMO, just like a fully optioned Harley Davison.

We should not be seeing sheet metal/tin boxes at this product level.
Click to expand...

Steve.......Upon closer inspection I see the 12AT7 tubes in the front porch window. Thanks for pointing that out. I can't make out the tube designation of the third tube in each window. You may be correct that this might be a prototype. This certainly an interesting new approach.

I am with you on the premium case and trim for a flagship model. At this level in their lineup the preamp should be a true statement piece. It appears to my eye that the top cover is aluminum and is recessed in an extruded lip area of the side panels so it may be an aluminum case after all. Time will reveal its secrets.
 
Production runs can me different from prototypes.

Mc might have simply wanted to get something out to show.

Why didn't they show a controller? Prototype not ready yet???
 
Hello Steve

I was over at another board. I am the guy with the Goldfinger as well. Great to see you again.

I just called Mcintosh, they stated that this item will be coming out soon, although not within the next 90 days.

I am excited to see and eventually get this thing.
 
Now available on the Mac site. This site will not allow me to post the link as I have fewer than 10 posts here.
 
Wow! What a preamp. Hmmmm.

12 tubes, (6) 12AX7a and (6) 12AT7
 
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I assumed that a successor to the fine C-1000 was due from McIntosh. Instead it looks as if they have produced a companion pre-amp for the MCD-1100 disc spinner/dac. Like the CD player they have removed the 3D look and no SS option is offered. I am not sure where Mac believes this unit sits in their line-up but in my opinion it still takes a back-seat to the venerable C-1000.
 
still-one said:
I assumed that a successor to the fine C-1000 was due from McIntosh. Instead it looks as if they have produced a companion pre-amp for the MCD-1100 disc spinner/dac. Like the CD player they have removed the 3D look and no SS option is offered. I am not sure where Mac believes this unit sits in their line-up but in my opinion it still takes a back-seat to the venerable C-1000.
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Jim.......I agree. I also think this introduction of the C1100 preamp reflects McIntosh's sales figures for the C500 tube version preamp versus the solid state model. I suspect the tube version outsold the solid state preamp, hence their commitment to this new model. Lots of folks are mesmerized by that tube window. I had the opposite reaction when I owned both the C1000C/T tube preamp and the C1000C/P solid state preamp. In comparing them both directly, as well as in two separate systems, my preference was for the performance of the solid state preamp. I sold the C1000C/T and still have the C1000C/P. It isn't going anywhere.
 
I also agree. The chassis is built at a lower cost. Interestingly they went with parallel cables for the umbilicals.
 
Is the new retail price of the C1100T really $13,000? Confused.

And if that's the case, doesn't it effectively kill off the C500T going forward?
 
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Joe, it could be $13,000 per module??? Controller, tube, SS. $39,000 in total if you wanted the full stack?
 
It is 13,000 total, $6500.00 per chassis. Although, I have seen them raise prices (MSRP) after an item comes out.

I have one on order and will let you guys know how it is soon.
 
AM123 - did your dealer give you an idea of where this new 1100 fits in the line? Clearly the new competitive pricing is going to cause more than a little confusion. If the 1100 is clearly a step up from the 1000, then it will be a bargain.
 
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