McIntosh, C28 Solid State Preamp "All the Mac Magic"

Vintage McIntosh preamplifiers and amps – I’m talking ‘50s, ‘60s, ‘70s – are imbued of a rarified authenticity for high fidelites akin to the original Grateful Dead lineup of Garcia, Weir, McKernan, Lesh and Kreutzmann with Deadheads: No matter how phenomenal or mediocre their performance, fans worshipping their sound will not be silenced. And while vintage McIntosh designs are closer to my sonic aesthetic than the Dead, both carry unique weight with me. Like Art Taylor’s coveted voice on the ride cymbal, there seems to be something about McIntosh amplification powering the beat.

While much has been made of the marque’s valve components over the years, particularly amplification designs like the MC30, the MC225 and the C22 preamplifier, the company’s solid state designs have developed a loyal following, especially as the valve gear continues to price itself out of the hands of music lovers and into the collections of fetishists. The C26 and C28 seem to be thought of as the solid state preamps of choice, usually paired with MC2505 (50w/channel) or MC2105 (105w/channel) solid state power amps of the same vintage. If you want to own any of these you might want to move quickly as prices on the used market continue to skyrocket and deservedly so as they are extraordinary.

This spotless C28 comes again from the Richard K collection and is breathtakingly exquisite. The condition is near flawless and a better example has not been experienced by this writer. We have a lot of vintage Mac pass through this shop but this one of the all-time great pieces. Has been extensively checked and tested and it performs to spec. If I were looking for a vintage Mac preamp this would be the one. When I say no disappointments with this piece, I mean ZERO. The 1st person who comes to the shop to demo this unit is leaving with it - of that I'm certain.

Come see this extraordinary piece of McIntosh audio history here at the Lawrence showroom or buy online via this website.

McIntosh, C28 Solid State Vintage Masterpiece: $1899 + applicable sales tax