Soundcraftsmen CX4200

A preamp/equalizer that promised studio-grade control for the cost of a decent cartridge - and a phono stage quiet enough to actually hear the difference.

Overview

The number that stops an enthusiast cold is buried in the phono stage: -97 dB of noise, across four completely independent mono phono preamp sections. That is an aggressive figure for a component of this era. Soundcraftsmen built the CX4200 as a preamp/equalizer combination, and the phono section is where the design earns its keep. Four separate mono sections mean two turntables can be connected and run with very low distortion.

The capacitance loading is fully adjustable from 50 to 800 picofarads. That lets a user match a cartridge instead of accepting whatever the manufacturer baked in. It matters most for moving-coil types, which the CX4200 accommodates. A built-in CX decoding circuit handles the CX-encoded audiophile records of the period, and a low-impedance headphone amplifier is on board for private listening. Inputs for audio from VCF or videodisc are provided, and the unit supports cross-dubbing between three tape decks. A sub-sonic filter operates from 15 Hz down.

The equalizer half of the CX4200 is octave-band. Soundcraftsmen built it around precision wire-wound inductors in the octave-filter circuits instead of the ordinary IC chips used elsewhere. The company's advertising claimed this approach yields greater gain, the lowest possible noise and distortion, and neutral sonic qualities. That is marketing copy, but the inductor-based topology is a real design choice. The exclusive Differential/Comparator circuit lets the user adjust the equalizer for maximum headroom. It is aimed at CX-, dbx-, Digital-, and Dolby-encoded recordings, where an EQ curve can eat into headroom in a hurry. The adjustment reads out to 0.1 dB and uses balancing LEDs for visual verification. Audio (August 1982, p.87) ran the company's line in its pages, describing the Differential/Comparator as eliminating the possibility of clipping music signals as they pass through the equalizer. Soundcraftsmen also used the same circuit in its Scan-Alyzers for room analysis.

The signal-processor patch bay ties the whole thing together. It allows any combination of sub-sonic filter, CX decoding, equalizer, Mono A&B, and any external signal processor to be engaged for either listening or tape recording by pushing buttons - no cable switching.

Pricing put the CX4200 at $699, and Soundcraftsmen's advertising positioned it as "The Ultimate Preamp" while noting that other Soundcraftsmen preamps with similar features and performance started at $419. The company leaned hard on the American-made angle, billing the line as "The World's Finest Stereo Components Are Still... MADE IN U.S.A.!" The CX4200 was sold as "The World's Most Versatile Component."

The CX4200 packs a four-section phono stage, adjustable loading, an inductor-based octave equalizer, and a patch bay that routes any processor in or out without touching a cable into one chassis. The rest of the package is period-correct Soundcraftsmen: busy and button-heavy.

eBay Listings

As an eBay Partner, we earn from qualifying purchases. This helps support our independent vintage technology research.

Related Models

• Soundcraftsmen DX4200
• Soundcraftsmen P100
• Soundcraftsmen PE2217
• McIntosh C104 (1950–1954)
• McIntosh C20
• McIntosh C200 (2000–2006)
• McIntosh C22 (1963–1968)
• McIntosh C35
• McIntosh C40 (1993-1999)
• McIntosh C47 (2020-present)