Vintage Mcintosh C22 Stereophonic (Stereo) Preamplifier -
Item History & Price
Reference Number: Avaluer:14818874 | Model: C22 |
Brand: McIntosh | Country/Region of Manufacture: United States |
All vacuum tubes installed are model 12AX7. All tubes appear to be vintage, however not all were originally sold with it. 3 of the 6 tubes were likely replaced as this model was typically sold with all Telefunken tubes. One of the tubes is a Mullard, one is labelled HIT-RAY (likely Raytheon) and the third is an RCA tube. The remaining 3 of the 6 tubes are Telefunken (ECC83) and are likely the original tubes sold with the unit. Below is a photo illustrating the 6 ...installed tubes in question.
Cosmetics:
Overall this item is in great cosmetic shape given the fact it has been around for 60 odd years. The glass is free of cracks and is looking great. Though the brushed aluminum face is free of scratches or serious wear, unfortunately some of the decal lettering has come off. Due to its age the decal prints have likely become brittle and can likely smudge or chip off. Please refer to the front faceplate photos for a clear look of said cosmetic defect. added two extra photos below to better illustrate which areas have more wear to the faceplate lettering.
Other than that the aluminum face has significant surface scuff, though a good and careful cleaning will resolve this, of curse being mindful not to remove more of the decal lettering. The outer chassis is looking good being free of any dents or heavy scratches. Some thin and light scratches can be seen however and would be typical for a unit this age. Some noticeable surface marks can be seen on the backside towards the left. The The other faces may have some surface wear spots but are far more negligible. Other than that some light surface scuff and possible fingerprints can be seen throughout the external faces but of course are nothing serious. Please note that the vacuum tube cover is missing on the backside.
Inside the unit is real clean and appears to have mostly original parts. Any changes in components would likely have been long ago judging by the style of the electronic components as they certainly look vintage. I cannot be certain of this as I have no idea of its servicing history. Please refer to the second last photo as it illustrates the internal condition from the top side view.
Please note that one of the three capacitors has a broken/chipped part of its socket. Despite this the capacitor still holds to the chassis. Upon purchase heard a little rattle and noticed the broken piece inside. The reason for this is likely the result of age. The socket had become somewhat brittle and the right amount of vibration caused it to crack. Please refer to the last photo to see its condition.
Please carefully review the photos for a more comprehensive insight into the cosmetics of the unit.
Functionality:
The unit has undergone some basic testing. I have passed a signal through each input and managed to get sound out of both channels. The sound appeared a little scratchy when working some of the controls, meaning contact cleaner would be required for all controls for best sound/performance. The vacuum tubes light up and appear to work and produce an output in both channels as i already mentioned. The vacuum tubes on my unit were likely installed long ago and I cannot be certain of their life span or performance. All four lamps appear to work as demonstrated in the photo; However they appear to be original and will likely need replacing soon.
This unit was purchased at an estate sale. The previous owner has passed away with all of his assets being sold off. Unfortunately none of his family knows any other details of the item including its repair history. The only indication would be the three Mcintosh service stickers on the top side of the unit.
Despite the fact that the item appears to be in working condition in my possession, I cannot fully guarantee full functionality of this unit given how old it is including its components.Old vacuum tube amplifiers can be especially more volatile after so many years. Therefore this unit is being sold AS-IS with NO RETURNS! Any claims regarding functionality cannot be accepted as with most of my other vintage or antique listings.
Feel free to contact me with any questions or inquiries :)
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