McIntosh C32 Vintage Preamplifier with Phono

Free Shipping on *ALL* Electronics (Excluding Speakers, Contiguous 48 US States Only)

The C32 is somewhat rare in the vintage McIntosh world, and this is actually the first one we've seen in our shop.

It was produced in the mid 1980's and originally sold for $1,649.

If you have vintage speakers or want to get a bit more out of your modern speakers, than you will likely appreciate the front mounted 5-band EQ built into this preamp.

It arrived in our shop in need of a bit of TLC, where we initially discovered a blown resistor in the power supply upon power on.

We invested a significant amount of time and effort to bring this beauty back to spec.

Notes from our in-house guru:
• R774 Burnt

• Pulled IC705/706 and tested - Seemed like no shorts and diode check like transistors.

• Refreshed IC705/706 thermal compound an reinstalled - repaired damaged trace which used to connect to R774

• Found shorted 100uF 25V cap in both + and - 18V rails.

• Replaced (4) 100uF 25V caps w/ Nichicon PW

• Replaced 3.9 ohm resistors

• Cleaned and Lubricated all controls

• Tested all I/O good including Phono

• Tested headphone output

• Listening test PASS

We can also provide a McIntosh matching wood cabinet for an additional $300. Please contact us if you'd like this added before checking out.

The SkyFi Testing Process for Preamplifiers:
We start with a visual inspection of all internal components to make sure there are no signs of stress or aging. Capacitors are checked for telltale sings of bulging or leaking, resistors are checked for signs of overheating or cracking, and transistors are checked for signs of stress or damage. Special attention is paid to the power supply which is the most common source of failure for preamps. We then power up the unit and run a simple 1k sine wave while monitoring the low voltage output on an oscilloscope for signs of distortion or noise to get a baseline.

At this point we will lubricate and clean all switches and potentiometers (that are not sealed) with a high quality contact cleaner, and then re-test all functions for any signs of noise or scratching.

Final testing involves putting actual music through the preamplifier. We have learned over time that some issues are only noticeable to a trained ear while listening to a familiar source material. Our test bench has reference vintage KEF speakers that we are super familiar with which will quickly reveal any discrepancies. Some preamps will then move into the listening room where they will be tested with our in-house reference system.

Please click here for detailed specifics regarding our specialized packing process that separates us from the rest.