McIntosh C7 (1979–1981)
The McIntosh C7 is a solid-state stereo preamplifier built from 1979 to 1981. It comes from a transitional stretch for McIntosh. The company was still a few years away from its glass-fronted "modern" look, and the C7 is a straightforward, no-frills control unit. It has two phono inputs (Phono 1 and Phono 2, both with identical specifications), two auxiliary inputs, and two tape monitor loops with playback capability. The phono stage was designed for moving magnet cartridges as well as high-output moving coil types.
The spec sheet, dated January 6, 1981, lists a rated output of 1.5 volts with a 10-volt maximum, distortion of 0.1% maximum, and frequency response of 20Hz to 20kHz ±0.5dB. Signal-to-noise is given as 70dB below 1V output. Classic Audio's catalog listing cites separate figures of 80dB (phono) and 85dB (high level), likely from different measurement methods. Input sensitivity was 2.5mV for phono and 200mV for high-level sources.
Documentation on the C7 is thin. No period magazine reviews of this model have surfaced in the archive, and no original retail price, dimensions, or weight are recorded in the standard reference sources. Period advertising from Audio (January 1991, p.83) described McIntosh's broader design philosophy of technical superiority combined with human operational requirements. The C7's claim to "new circuitry" and low-noise phono design was typical of the era's marketing language.
Known specifications:
- Output: 1.5V rated, 10V maximum
- Distortion: 0.1% maximum
- Frequency response: 20Hz–20kHz ±0.5dB
- S/N: 70dB below 1V output (hifi-wiki/vintageshifi); 80dB phono / 85dB high-level per Classic Audio
- Input sensitivity: 2.5mV phono, 200mV high level
- Inputs: Phono 1, Phono 2, Aux 1, Aux 2, Tape 1, Tape 2
- Outputs: Two main outputs, tape output jacks
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