McIntosh C49 - Black glass

Description

The Solid-State Stage: Precision as a Signature

The C49 is a fully solid-state preamplifier, with no vacuum tubes, and its sonic signature reflects that choice: total harmonic distortion measured at 0.005% (roughly twenty times lower than on a McIntosh tube preamplifier in the same segment), a 100 dB high-level signal-to-noise ratio, frequency response +0/-0.5 dB from 20 Hz to 20 kHz (+0/-3 dB from 15 Hz to 100 kHz), and maximum output of 16 V RMS balanced and 8 V RMS unbalanced. Bass control is particularly firm, the noise floor is exceptionally low, and the stereo image is well anchored — three characteristics valued by listeners who follow dense, layered music and expect maximum readability of each part. The volume attenuator is digitally controlled for perfect repeatability from one session to the next, and the power supply uses a fully regulated R-core transformer for quiet operation across the full range of volume positions.

The Upgradable DA1 Digital Module With a Dealer Path to the DA2

The DA1 digital module is an 8-channel 32-bit D/A converter used in a Quad Balanced configuration, with PCM support up to 24-bit / 192 kHz, DSD256 on the USB input, and DXD 384 kHz on the USB input. Six digital inputs: two coaxial, two optical (up to 24-bit / 192 kHz), one USB (24-bit / 192 kHz, DSD256, DXD 384 kHz), and one proprietary MCT input for a direct DSD stream from a McIntosh MCT series SACD/CD transport. The DA1 module is physically replaceable and a DA2 upgrade (DSD512 and additional functions) is available as a dealer-installed kit at an authorized McIntosh dealer. It is a key element of the C49's modular design: the preamplifier can track the evolution of digital formats in the years ahead without ever being replaced.

Thirteen Analog and Digital Inputs Including Two Adjustable Phono

Seven analog inputs: two balanced XLR, three unbalanced RCA, and two phono — one for a moving magnet (MM) cartridge and one for a moving coil (MC) cartridge, with adjustable resistance and capacitance loading and Input Level Match ±6 dB per input. MC sensitivity is 0.45 mV with 60 dB of gain; MM sensitivity is 4.5 mV with 40 dB of gain. Six digital inputs on the DA1 module (two coaxial, two optical, one USB, one proprietary MCT). Each input can be renamed on screen for day-to-day selection, and the phono configuration is stored by input name so the listener can switch from one turntable to the other without re-adjusting anything. The uncommon combination of two adjustable phono inputs on a solid-state preamplifier at this tier makes the C49 a relevant pick for the listener who runs two turntables in parallel.

Five Outputs: Two Variable for Amplifiers and One Fixed for Recording

The C49 provides two balanced XLR variable pairs and two unbalanced RCA variable pairs to drive two power amplifiers simultaneously, plus one unbalanced RCA fixed pair dedicated to an external recorder. The variable outputs are designed for bi-amping a pair of speakers without any risk of accidentally muting one stage, or for driving a second listening zone with a separate amp. The fixed output lets a recorder or an analog-to-digital capture card receive the source signal, unaffected by the preamplifier's volume control. This output matrix covers the common configurations of a hi-fi system: a main stereo amp, an optional external headphone amp, an active subwoofer fed from the variable outputs, and an analog or digital recorder in parallel.

High Drive Headphone Amplifier With HXD® and Home Theater PassThru

The 1/4-inch headphone output is handled by a discrete High Drive amplifier with the HXD® (Headphone Crossfeed Director) circuit, which restores spatial imaging on headphones by simulating the inter-ear crosstalk present in loudspeaker listening. The Home Theater PassThru feature lets the front-channel signal from a home theater processor pass through the C49 at unity gain so the same speaker pair can serve stereo and cinema, without compromising musical listening in daily use and without any duplicate cabling. Any input can be assigned to that function in the menu and recalled automatically with the input selection.

A Preamplifier Hand-Assembled in Binghamton

McIntosh Laboratory shipped its first amplifier in 1949 from Binghamton, New York, and still builds every product by hand at the same site today. The C49 carries the visual signatures of the brand: black glass front panel with fiber-optic illuminated legends, machined aluminum control knobs, brushed aluminum end caps, and a polished mirror stainless steel chassis. Every unit is tested point by point before leaving the factory and ships with a 3-year limited warranty backed by the authorized McIntosh service network — a preamplifier built to stay at the heart of a system for several decades. Power draw is 30 W. Standard McIntosh footprint: 17.5 × 6 × 18 in. (44.45 × 15.2 × 45.72 cm), 23 lb (10.4 kg). Named Winner of the 2021 Editors' Choice Award by Part-Time Audiophile.

Common Questions

Where does the C49 sit in the McIntosh preamplifier lineup?

The C49 is the solid-state preamplifier in the catalog, below the C55 that replaced it at the top of the range (the C55 adds the DA2 module, an 8-band analog EQ, a subwoofer output, Ethernet, Roon Tested, and Control4/Crestron Home integrations). The C53 sits between the two (solid-state, DA2 included). On the tube side, the equivalents are the C22 Mk V (pure analog) and the C2800 (with the DA2 built in). Above them, the C12000 is a reference two-chassis preamplifier combining tube and solid-state stages (Hybrid Drive™).

Which McIntosh amplifier is intended to pair with the C49?

McIntosh places the MC152 stereo power amplifier first (2 × 150 W into 2, 4, or 8 Ω through the Autoformer®). The C49 + MC152 pair forms a compact, coherent stereo system that McIntosh regularly presents together. For a more ambitious chain, the MC312 (2 × 300 W), the MC462 (2 × 450 W), or a pair of MC611 mono blocks (600 W each) are natural steps up the range.

Which digital formats does the C49 support through the DA1 module?

The DA1 module supports PCM up to 24-bit / 192 kHz on the coaxial, optical, and USB inputs, DSD256 on the USB input, and DXD 384 kHz on the USB input. The proprietary MCT input carries a direct DSD stream from a McIntosh MCT series SACD/CD Transport. For DSD512 and the latest extensions, the DA2 upgrade is required. The C49 has no HDMI ARC input — that kind of TV integration is available on the C2800 and C55.

What's in the Box

McIntosh C49 preamplifier

McIntosh HR085 remote control

AC power cord

Documentation and owner's manual