My Audio and Jazz History The 27th episode: "McIntosh control amp C46, Chapter 2 – Encounter" By Kenji Kondo on August 12 I first saw the McIntosh control amp C46, which I have used this time, at the "Osaka High-end Audio Show 2004" in November, 2004. The McIntosh booth was full of enthusiasts. "How popular it is!" – I re-acknowledged the powerful popularity of the McIntosh model. At the booth they were just offering a demonstration combining a new power amp MC501 (monaural) and a control amp C46. I listened to the jazz piano and vocal in the demonstration and was impressed by the refreshing piano tones that sounded beautifully on the whole floor. The piano tones were not thick but clean, extraordinarily quiet, and clear. Besides, the nuance of spatial expressiveness was reproduced as well. I said to myself in my mind, "The McIntosh tones this year seem to be different from the previous tones." When I asked a person in charge at the importer Electori Co., Ltd. afterwards, he said, "McIntosh audio equipment as well has to have its tones improved to meet the requirement of the present time." The demonstration gave me an impression that on and after the latest power amps MC501 and MC402 the tones have changed to be compatible with digital sound. He also said, "We cannot do without digital audio equipment nowadays." |
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Now I realize that we cannot see from now on those power amps of the McIntosh with unique, thick and rich tones! (Is this the current of the present time?) The feature of the McIntosh power amps were typically shown by the MC500, MC1000, MC1201 and MC602 consecutively with that original sound that was magnificently great. When I think of that sound doomed to disappear gradually with the time going on, I cannot bear the fact and feel very sorry for it. According to a grapevine, production of the MC602, which was said to be an astounding power amp overwhelming listeners completely, will be terminated in August this year. (Sad news for me.) (Shown in the photo is the monaural power amp MC1000, reused from the database of the past information.) |
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However, there remained a helping hand, that is to say, the control amp C46. The C46 helps the more accurate reproduction by the MC500, which now I use, of rich tones. It has totally taken over the quality and technology from the C200 and offers music more richly with more advanced manipulation than the C40 or C42. The original McIntosh display of the C46 employs the traditional glass panel, and the latest LED (light-emitting diode) and fiber, three of which make the display uniform and beautiful, and that beautifulness makes our pleasure to own the C46 even stronger. |
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The eight band equalizers are really good! It is increasingly enjoyable that the control with +-12dB at each frequency of 20, 35, 70, 150, 300, 600, 1200 and 4000Hz is allowed. This is nothing but a fun especially when the McIntosh feature has been weakened in the power amps. I was fascinated by the beautifully brightening glass panel of the C46, saying to myself, "I will use this as something valuable." |