McIntosh C-22 Owners manual

McIntosh Laboratory, Inc. 2 Chambers Street Binghamton, New York 13903-2699 Phone: [phone] www.mcintoshlabs.com

C22 60

th

Anniversary

Stereophonic Preamplier

Owner’s Manual

The lightning ash with arrowhead, within an equilateral
triangle, is intended to alert the user to the presence of
uninsulated “dangerous voltage” within the product’s en­closure that may be of sufcient magnitude to constitute
a risk of electric shock to persons.

The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is
intended to alert the user to the presence of important
operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the
literature accompanying the appliance.

WARNING - TO REDUCE RISK

OF FIRE OR ELECTRICAL

SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE

THIS EQUIPMENT TO RAIN OR

MOISTURE.

IMPORTANT SAFETY

INSTRUCTIONS!

PLEASE READ THEM BEFORE
OPERATING THIS EQUIPMENT.

1. Read these instructions.

2. Keep these instructions.

3. Heed all warnings.

4. Follow all instructions.

5. Do not use this apparatus near water.

6. Clean only with a dry cloth.

7. Do not block any ventilation openings. Install
in accordance with the manufacturer’s instruc­tions.

8. Do not install near any heat sources such as
radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other appa-

ratus (including ampliers) that produce heat.

9. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polar­ized or grounding-type plug. A polarized plug
has two blades with one wider than the other.
A grounding type plug has two blades and a

NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS

INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO

QUALIFIED PERSONNEL.

third grounding prong. The wide blade or the
third prong are provided for your safety. If

the provided plug does not t into your outlet,

consult an electrician for replacement of the
obsolete outlet.

10. Protect the power cord from being walked on
or pinched particularly at plugs, convenience
receptacles, and the point where they exit
from the apparatus.

11. Only use attachments/accessories specied by

the manufacturer.

12. Use only with the cart, stand, tripod, bracket,
or table specied by the manu­facturer, or sold with the appa­ratus. When a cart is used, use
caution when moving the cart/
apparatus combination to avoid
injury from tip-over.

13. Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms
or when unused for long periods of time.

14. Refer all servicing to qualied service person­nel. Servicing is required when the apparatus
has been damaged in any way, such as power-

To prevent the risk of electric

shock, do not remove cover or

back. No user-serviceable parts

inside.

supply cord or plug is damaged, liquid has
been spilled or objects have fallen into the
apparatus, the apparatus has been exposed to
rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or
has been dropped.

15. Do not expose this equipment to dripping or

splashing and ensure that no objects lled

with liquids, such as vases, are placed on the
equipment.

16. To completely disconnect this equipment from
the a.c. mains, disconnect the power supply
cord plug from the a.c. receptacle.

17. The mains plug of the power supply cord shall
remain readily operable.

18. Do not expose batteries to excessive heat such

as sunshine, re or the like.

19. Connect mains power supply cord only to a
mains socket outlet with a protective earthing
connection.

2

Thank You

Your decision to own this McIntosh C22 Stereophonic
Preamplifier ranks you at the very top among discrim­inating music listeners. You now have “The Best.”
The McIntosh dedication to “Quality,” is assurance
that you will receive many years of musical enjoyment
from this unit.
Please take a short time to read the information in
this manual. We want you to be as familiar as pos­sible with all the features and functions of your new
McIntosh.

Please Take A Moment

The serial number, purchase date and McIntosh Dealer
name are important to you for possible insurance
claim or future service. The spaces below have been
provided for you to record that information:

Serial Number: _______________________________

Purchase Date: _______________________________

Dealer Name: ________________________________

Technical Assistance

If at any time you have questions about your McIntosh
product, contact your McIntosh Dealer who is familiar
with your McIntosh equipment and any other brands
that may be part of your system. If you or your Dealer
wish additional help concerning a suspected problem,
you can receive technical assistance for all McIntosh
products at:

McIntosh Laboratory, Inc.
2 Chambers Street
Binghamton, New York 13903
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Customer Service

If it is determined that your McIntosh product is in
need of repair, you can return it to your Dealer. You
can also return it to the McIntosh Laboratory Service
Department. For assistance on factory repair return
procedure, contact the McIntosh Service Department
at:

McIntosh Laboratory, Inc.
2 Chambers Street
Binghamton, New York 13903
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Table of Contents

Safety Instructions ..................................................... 2

Thank You and Please Take a Moment ...................... 3

Technical Assistance and Customer Service ............. 3

Table of Contents ....................................................... 3

General Information .................................................. 3

Connector and Cable Information .............................4

Introduction ................................................................ 4

Performance Features ................................................ 4

Dimensions ................................................................5

Installation .................................................................6

Rear Panel Connections ............................................. 7

How to Connect the C22 ............................................ 8

Connection Diagrams (Separate Sheets).... Mc1A and

Mc1B

How to use the Remote Control ................................. 9

Front Panel Displays, Controls, Switches

and Jack .................................................................... 10

How to Operate the C22 .......................................... 11

Specifications ........................................................... 14

Packing Instruction .................................................. 15

Copyright 2009 © by McIntosh Laboratory, Inc.

General Information

1. The C22 uses Vacuum Tubes for amplifying the
audio signal. The C22 is designed to have only

qualified Service Personnel perform any part(s)

replacement including all the vacuum tubes.

2. For additional connection information, refer to the

owner’s manual(s) for any component(s) connected

to the C22 Stereophonic Preamplifier.

3. The Main AC Power going to the C22 and any

other McIntosh Component(s) should not be applied

until all the system components are connected
together. Failure to do so could result in malfunc­tioning of some or all of the system’s normal opera­tions. When the C22 and other McIntosh Compo­nents are in their Standby Power Off Mode, the
Microprocessor’s Circuitry inside each component
is active and communication is occurring between
them.

4. Up to two Sensors can be wired in parallel for Re­mote Control of the C22 from other rooms.

5. Balanced and Unbalanced Inputs and Outputs can
be mixed. For example, you may connect signal
sources to Unbalanced Inputs and send signals
from the Balanced Outputs. You can also use Bal­anced and Unbalanced Outputs simultaneously,
connected to different Power Amplifiers.

6. When discarding the unit, comply with local rules
or regulations. Batteries should never be
thrown away or incinerated but disposed
of in accordance with the local regulations
concerning battery disposal.

7. For additional information on the C22 and
other McIntosh Products please visit the
McIntosh Web Site at www.mcintoshlabs.
com.

3

General Information, Cable Information, Introduction and Performance Features

PIN 2 PIN 1

PIN 3

PIN 1

PIN 2

PIN 3

Power
Control

Ground

N/C

Data
Signal

N/C

Data
Ground

Connector and Cable Information

XLR Connectors

Below is the Pin configuration for the XLR Balanced
Input and Output Connectors on the C22. Refer to the
diagrams for connections:
PIN 1: Shield/Ground
PIN 2: + Signal
PIN 3: - Signal

Power Control Connectors

The C22 Power Control Output Jacks send Power On/
Off Signals when connected to
McIntosh Components. A 1/8
inch stereo mini phone plug
is used for connection to the
Power Control Outputs on the
C22.

Note: The Data, Power Control Connecting Cable is

available from the McIntosh Parts Department:

Data and Power Control Cable Part No. 170-202

Six foot, shielded 2 conductor, with 1/8 inch stereo
mini phone plugs on each end.

Data Port Connectors

The C22 Data Out Ports send Remote Control Signals
to McIntosh Source Components.
A 1/8 inch stereo mini phone plug
is used for connection.

4

Introduction

The McIntosh C22 Stereophonic Preamplifier is one
of the finest Tube Preamplifiers ever created. The
versatile Preamplifier provides connections for vari­ous input sources and outputs to drive multiple Power
Amplifiers. The C22 reproduction is sonically trans­parent and absolutely accurate. The McIntosh Sound is
“The Sound of the Music Itself.”

Performance Features

• Electromagentic Input Switching

Digital Logic integrated circuits drive Electromag­netic Switches on all Inputs and operating functions
for reliable, noiseless, distortion free switching. There
is also a Record Monitor function for checking the
progress of a recording.

• Moving Coil and Moving Magnet Phono Inputs

The C22 contains two different precision Phono Pre­amplifier Circuits. One for low output Moving Coil
Phono Cartridges with selectable resistance loading,
the other is for Moving Magnet Cartridges with select­able capacitive loading. Both circuits use the latest de­signs to provide the lowest possible noise and distor­tion. The RIAA Equalization Circuitry utilizies close
tolerance resistors and capacitors for an extremely flat
frequency response.

• Balanced Inputs

The Balanced Inputs allow the connection of a source
component using long cable lengths without a loss in
sound quality.

• Low Distortion

Distortion levels of all types are less than 0.08%. Mu­sic is amplified with total transparency and accuracy.

• Tone Controls with Bypass

The C22 allows for bypassing the Bass and Treble
Tone Circuitry.

• Output Switching

Front panel Output Push-buttons control two Switched
Outputs that allow sending signals to two separate
Power Amplifiers.

• Remote Control with External Sensor Input

The Remote Control provides basic control of the C22
operating functions and any McIntosh Source Com­ponents connected to it. Enjoy your McIntosh System
from another room in your home by connecting exter­nal sensors.

• Power Control Output

A Power Control connection for convenient Turn-On
of McIntosh Power Amplifiers, Source Components
and Accessories is included.

• Precision Parts

Only the finest precision 1% tolerance resistors are
used throughout.

• Special Power Supply

Fully regulated Power Supplies and a special R-Core
Power Transformer ensure stable noise free operation
even though the power line varies.

• Extruded Side Panels

The sides of the C22 are extruded aluminum panels
with a bead blast textured surface and a black anod­ized finish.

• Solid State Front Panel Illumination

The Illumination of the Front Panel is accomplished

by extra long life Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs).

Dimensions

Side View of the C22

Front View of the C22

Rear View of the C22

17-1/2"

44.45cm

6"

15.24cm

5-3/8"

13.69cm

4-5/8"

11.75cm

13-1/4"

33.65cm

17"

43.18cm

14-1/2"

36.83cm

15-7/8"

40.32cm

3/16"

0.48cm

4-13/16"

12.22cm

10-1/2"

26.67cm

5/8"

1.59cm

13/16"

2.06cm

2"

5.08cm

1-15/16"

4.92cm

The following dimensions can assist in determining
the best location for your C22.

Dimensions

5