McIntosh C22 (1963–1968)
A vacuum tube preamplifier with pure analog construction, produced by McIntosh Laboratory during the mid-1960s.
Overview
The McIntosh C22 is a stereo vacuum tube preamplifier made by McIntosh Laboratory from 1963 to 1968. It was the company’s top tube preamp before the introduction of the C2200 and served as a companion to amplifiers like the MC275. The unit features all-tube circuitry with a tube complement of one 12AT7 and five 12AX7A valves. It is noted for its pure analog construction, legendary build quality, and warm, engaging vintage sound. The C22 includes tone controls, loudness compensation, and filters for rumble, high, and low frequencies, all managed in part by PEC (Packaged Electronic Circuit) devices.
Specifications
| Production years | 1963-1968 |
| Original price | $279.00 |
| Product type | Vacuum Tube Preamplifier |
| Configuration | Stereo |
| Tube complement | 12AT7 and five 12AX7A valves |
| Output impedance | 250 Ω |
| Input Sensitivity / Impedance Line | 900mV/22k Ω (balanced) 450mV/22k Ω (unbalanced) |
| Input Sensitivity / Impedance Phono (MM) | 4.5mV/47k Ω |
| Gain Line → Preout | 15 dB |
| Gain Line to tape output | 0 dB |
| Gain Phono MM → Preout | 55 dB |
| Total harmonic distortion factor | 0.08% |
| Input terminal Line (RCA) | 7 lines |
| Input terminal Line (XLR) | 2 systems |
| Input terminal Phono MM | 1 system |
| Recording output terminal RCA | 1 system |
| Pre-out terminal RCA | Route 3 |
| Pre-out terminal XLR | 1 system |
| Power consumption | 75W |
| Dimensions (Width x Height x Depth) | 445 x 152 x 415 mm |
| Weight | 9.6kg |
Design
The signal is amplified using the 12AX7A vacuum tube, and the unit employs pure analog construction throughout. The preamplifier includes PEC devices that handle tone controls, loudness compensation, and filter circuits. It features a rumble filter and separate high and low filters. The original power supply design includes 210uF of effective filtering and contains three twist lock capacitor cans, with reference voltages at 310V, 290V, and 268V respectively. An automatic turn-on delay mutes the output until the tubes are warmed up, reducing startup noise.
Context
The C22 was McIntosh Laboratory's flagship tube preamplifier before the C2200, which marked the company’s first entirely new tube preamp design since the C22. It was positioned as the companion to high-end McIntosh amplifiers such as the MC275 and represented the pinnacle of the company’s tube preamplifier lineup during its production run.
Market
The C22 is considered highly collectible and is likely the most sought-after vintage McIntosh preamplifier. Common issues include degraded performance due to aging capacitors, particularly in the 45-year-old power supply, where original twist lock cans are no longer available. Replacement PEC devices are also unavailable, making repairs challenging. A known operational flaw reported by owners is the rumble filter cutting off one channel when engaged. Rebuilds typically involve replacing diodes, upgrading power supply capacitors, and rewiring the rumble filter circuit with shielded cable.
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