McIntosh C-39
The McIntosh C-39 is a preamplifier/control center from the mid-1990s. It is the tuner-less sibling of the MX-130 AV tuner/preamplifier. Almost everything known about it comes from one contemporary mention. HiFI-Stereo (April 1994, p.61) said the MX-130 tuner/preamplifier ($3,600) had a built-in Dolby Pro Logic decoder and six output channels, and was "also available without the tuner section as the C-39 preamplifier ($3,000)." That is the whole listing. No service manual, owner's manual or further period reviews have surfaced in the public record. It presumably shares the MX-130's preamplifier circuitry and Dolby Pro Logic processing. The specifics are unconfirmed: input/output complement, frequency response, distortion figures, dimensions, weight and production years.
Most McIntosh preamplifiers from this era are well documented, so the thin record on the C-39 stands out. Nobody has recorded whether it was a short-production model, a dealer special, or a variant with limited distribution. If you own a C-39 or have documentation, the Archive would welcome the details.
Known specs (from period source):
- Type: Preamplifier/control center (without tuner section)
- Original price: $3,000 (1994)
- Related to: McIntosh MX-130 tuner/preamplifier
- Built-in Dolby Pro Logic decoder (shared with MX-130)
- Six output channels (shared with MX-130)
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