McIntosh C500 User Manual

Controller/Preamplifier/Tube Preamplifier

C500

Owner’s Manual

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

The lightning flash 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 sufficient 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
apparatus (including amplifiers) 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 third grounding
prong. The wide blade or the third prong are
provided for your safety. If the provided plug
does not fit 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.

NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS

INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO

QUALIFIED PERSONNEL.

To prevent the risk of electric shock, do not remove cover or

back. No user-serviceable parts inside.

11. Only use attachments/accessories specified by the
manufacturer.

12. Use only with the cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or
table specified 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 qualified service personnel.
Servicing is required when the apparatus has been
damaged in any way, such as power-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 filled 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, fire or the like.

2

Thank You

Your decision to own this McIntosh C500 Controller to­gether with the Preamplifier or Tube 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.

Table of Contents

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

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

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

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

Important Information and Connector Information ........... 4

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

Performance Features ....................................................... 5

Dimensions ..................................................................... 6-8

Installation ........................................................................ 9

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:

Dealer Name

Purchase

Date

Model

Numbe r

Serial

Numbe r

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:

Connections:

C500 Rear Panels ............................................................ 11

C500 Controller Rear Panel Connections

(Separate Sheet) ......................................................... Mc1A

C500 Preamplifier and Tube Preamplifier

Rear Panel Connections (Separate Sheet) .................. Mc2A

How to Connect the C500 Controller and

Preamplifier and Pasthru Mode .................................. 12-13

Μ Μ

Connection Diagrams (Separate Sheet)......... Mc3A,

Μc

Μ Μ

3Β3Β

3Β

3Β3Β

Connection Diagrams (Separate Sheet)......................Mc1

Front Panel Features:

C500 Controller Front Panel Controls,

Displays and Push-buttons ............................................... 14

C500 Preamplifier and C500 Tube Preamplifier

Front Panel Displays and Jack ......................................... 15

Setup:

How to Operate the Setup Modes ............................... 16-25

Remote Control:

Remote Control Push-buttons .......................................... 26

How to operate the Remote Control ................................. 27

Operation:

How to Operate the C500 ........................................... 28-32

Additional Information:

Technical Description..................................................33-36

Block Diagrams (Separate Sheet) .............................. Mc2

Specifications ..............................................................37-38

Packing Instruction .......................................................... 39

ΒΒ

Β

ΒΒ

ΒΒ

Β

ΒΒ

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

Copyright 2007 © by McIntosh Laboratory, Inc.

3

Important Information

WARNING: The McIntosh C500 is a two chassis design,

with separate Preamplifier and Controller
chassis. There are custom interconnecting
cables and custom chassis sockets used to
connect the two chassis together.
Use ONLY the custom interconnect cables
supplied with the C500 to connect the chassis
together.
DO NOT connect the C500 Left and Right 25­Pin Chassis Sockets to any other component.
Failure to observe the above warnings will

result in damage to the components connected.

1. The C500 System consists of two separate chassis, one
Controller and one Preamplifier. The C500 Controller
Chassis will be referred to as the C500C throughout this
Owner’s Manual. In a similar manner, the C500
Preamplifier (Solid State) Chassis will be referred to as the
C500P and the C500 Tube Preamplifier Chassis will be
referred to as the C500T throughout this Owner’s Manual.

2. For additional information on Audio Connections, refer to
the Owner’s Manual(s) for the component(s).

3. Connecting Cables and Connectors are available from the
McIntosh Parts Department:

Data, Power Control and Trigger Cable Part No.
170-202

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

Controller to Preamplifier Cable Part No. 171-872

Three foot, shielded 23 conductor, male-to-female
custom cable, two required between Controller and
Preamplifier. Do not use any other cable when
connecting the C500 Controller to the C500
Preamplifier or C500 Tube Preamplifier. This cable is
for use only with the C500 Controller and Preamplifier.

4. The Main AC Power Cable going to the C500C and any
other McIntosh Component(s) should not be connected to
an AC Power Outlet until all the system components are
connected together. When the C500C 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. Failure to
do so could result in malfunctioning of some or all of the
system’s normal operations.

5. Up to two sensors can be wired in parallel for Remote
Control of the C500 from other rooms.

6. 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.

7. Sound Intensity is measured in units called Decibels and
“dB” is the abbreviation.

8. If the C500P and/or C500T Preamplifiers 23-conductor
custom interconnect cable(s) becomes temporarily
disconnected from the C500C when it is On or in Stand-by
Mode, a cable error message will appear on the C500C.
Remove the AC Power Cord from the C500C, connect the
disconnected 23-conductor custom interconnect cable(s)
and then reconnect the AC Power Cord. The C500 System
will automatically reset itself to the previous configuration.

Connector Information

XLR Connectors

Below is the Pin configuration for the XLR Balanced Input
and Output Connectors on the C500 Preamplifier. Refer to
the diagram for connection:

PIN 1: Shield/Ground
PIN 2: + Signal
PIN 3: - Signal

Pin 2

Pin 1

Pin 3

Main Power Control Connectors

The C500’s Power Control Outputs provide a +5 volt sig­nal. An additional connection is for
controlling the illumination of a Power
Amplifier Output Meter. Use a 1/8
inch stereo mini phone plug to connect
to the Power Control Input on other

Power
Control

Meter
Illumination
Control

Ground

McIntosh Components.

Trigger Control Connectors

The C500’s Trigger Control Outputs provide either a +5
volt (default) or +12 volt signal (refer to
page 18). Use a 1/8 inch stereo mini
phone plug to connect to the Power
Control Input on McIntosh and/or non­McIntosh components.

Trigger
Control

N/C

Ground

Data and IR Port Connectors

The C500’s Data Port Output provides Remote Control Sig­nals. Use a 1/8 inch stereo mini
phone plug to connect to the Data
Port Inputs on McIntosh Source
Units.

Data Signal

N/C

Data Ground

Introduction

The C500 Preamplifier with a Controller is one of the finest
audio preamplifiers McIntosh has ever created. No design
compromises were allowed in the quest for a preamplifier,
both Solid State and Tube with absolute accuracy, total
sonic purity and virtual elimination of distortion and audible
noise. For those who have been searching for the “Best in
Preamplifiers”, your wait is over.

4

Performance Features

Introduction and Performance Features

••

• Dual Chassis with Dual Mono Design

••

The Dual Chassis design completely separates all power
supply, microprocessor and control circuits from the pure
audio circuits for total noise isolation. To further aid in
channel isolation the circuitry for both channels is totally
separate, physically isolated and shielded. The C500 incor­porates two identical power supplies one for each channel,
to help assure total channel isolation.

••

• Balanced and Unbalanced Inputs/Outputs

••

Four balanced high level inputs and three balanced main
outputs are provided. Four high level unbalanced inputs,
two unbalanced outputs as well as listen and record proces­sor loops are included.

••

• Moving Coil and Moving Magnet Phono Inputs

••

The C500 contains two different shielded precision Phono
Preamplifier Circuits. One is designed for low output Mov­ing Coil Phono Cartridges and has selectable resistance
loading. The second Phono Preamplifier is for Moving
Magnet Cartridges and has selectable capacitive loading.
Both circuits use the latest designs to provide the lowest
possible noise and distortion. The RIAA Correction Equal­ization Circuitry utilizies 0.5% tolerance resistors and 1%
capacitors for an extremely flat frequency response.

••

• Precision Parts

••

All resistors are precision metal film type. Low dielectric
absorption film capacitors are used in all critical circuit lo­cations.

••

Passthru Mode

•

••

The Automatic Passthru Mode allows the C500 to become
part of a Multichannel Sound System for DVD-Audio,
SACD and Home Theater Movies.

••

• Remote Control

••

The Remote Control included with the C500 allows remote
operation of the Preamplifier along with controlling various
other McIntosh Source Components and Processors.

••

• Optional External Sensor Input

••

There are provisions for connecting external sensors, which
allow for enjoying your McIntosh System from another
room(s) in your home via the remote control.

••

• Power Control Output

••

A Power Control connection for convenient turn-on of
McIntosh Source Components, McIntosh Power Amplifiers
and accessories is included.

••

• Input Level Trim Adjustment

••

All the C500 Inputs can be matched in volume level, so
there are no abrupt changes in volume levels between the
different inputs.

••

• Precision Tracking Variable Rate Volume Control

••

Volume levels are controlled by a Multi-Stage Precision
Digitally Controlled Attenuator System with an Optical En­coder Rotary Control. This helps to assure a tracking accu­racy between channels of 0.1dB, while providing 213 indi­vidual 0.5dB steps of change in the volume level and all of
this with no noise as the volume level is changed.

••

• Balance Control

••

The Balance Control Circuitry allows for precise and re­peatable change in channel balance in 1dB steps.

••

• Alphanumeric Fluorescent Display

••

The Multifunction Front Panel Display indicates the Listen
and Record Source Selection, with Volume indicated in dB
or percentage and Balance Levels in dB. Setup Mode Selec­tions and Adjustments are also displayed.

••

• Glass Front Panel with Fiber Optic Illumination

••

The famous McIntosh Illuminated Glass Front Panel en­sures the pristine beauty of the C500 will be retained for
many years.The Illumination of the Front Panel is accom­plished by the combination of custom designed Fiber Optic
Light Diffusers and Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs). This
provides even Front Panel Illumination, together with the
extra long life LEDs.

• •

• Extruded Side Panels

• •

The sides of the VP1000 are extruded aluminum panels
with a bead blast textured surface and a black anodized fin­ish.

••

• Special Power Supply

••

Fully regulated Power Supplies, one for each channel, uti­lize special R-Core Power Transformers helping to ensure
stable noise free operation even though the power line var­ies.

5

Dimensions

The following dimensions can assist in determining the best
location for the C500 Controller, C500 Preamplifier and
C500 Tube Preamplifier. There is additional information on
page 8 pertaining to installing the C500 System into cabinets.

Front View of the C500C

17-1/2"

44.45cm

17-1/16"

43.34cm

5-3/8"

13.69cm

6"

15.24cm

Rear View of the C500C

Side View of the C500C

5/8"

1.59cm

13-1/4"

33.65cm

18-3/8"

46.67cm

17"

43.18cm

4-5/8"

11.75cm

3/16"

0.48cm

4-13/16"

12.22cm

13/16"

2.06cm

3"

7.62cm

6

12-5/8"

32.07cm

1-3/8"

3.49cm

Front View of the C500P

17-

1/2

44.45cm

Dimensions

"

5-

3/8

"

13.69cm

6"

15.24cm

Rear View of the C500P

Side View of the C500P

17-

1/16

43.34cm

13-

1/4

33.65cm

18-

3/8

46.67cm

"

"

"

17"

43.18cm

4-

5/8

11.75cm

3/16

0.48cm

"

"

4-

13/16

"

12.22cm

13/16

2.06cm

3"

7.62cm

"

12-

5/8

"

32.07cm

1-

3/8

3.49cm

"

7

Front View of the C500T

17-

1/2

44.45cm

Dimensions, con’t

"

5-

3/8

"

13.69cm

6"

15.24cm

Rear View of the C500T

Side View of the C500T

17-

1/16

43.34cm

13-

1/4

33.65cm

18-

3/8

46.67cm

17"

43.18cm

"

4-

5/8

"

11.75cm

"

"

3/16

"

0.48cm

4-

13/16

12.22cm

"

13/16

"

2.06cm

12-

5/8

3"

7.62cm

8

32.07cm

"

1-

3/8

3.49cm

"

Installation

The C500C, C500P and C500T can be placed upright on a
table or shelf, standing on their four feet. The four feet, may
be removed from the bottom of the C500C, C500P and
C500T when they are custom installed as outlined below.
The four feet, together with the mounting screws should be
retained for possible future use if the C500C, C500P and
C500T are removed from the custom installation and used
free standing. They also can be custom installed in a piece
of furniture or cabinet of your choice. The required panel
cutout, ventilation cutout
and unit dimensions are
shown.

Always provide ad­equate ventilation for the
C500C, C500P and
C500T. Cool operation en­sures the longest possible
operating life for any elec­tronic instrument. Do not
install the units directly
above a heat generating
component such as a high
powered amplifier. If all
the components are in­stalled in a single cabinet,
a quiet running ventilation
fan can be a definite asset
in maintaining all the sys­tem components at the
coolest possible operating
temperature.

A custom cabinet in­stallation should provide
the following minimum
spacing dimensions for
cool operation refer to the
illustration. Allow at least
2 inches (5.08 cm) above
the top of the C500C,
C500P and C500T, 2
inches (5.08cm) below the
bottom and 1 inch (2.54
cm) on each side of the
Controller/Preamplifier, so
that airflow is not ob­structed. Allow 24 inches
(61.0cm) depth behind the
front panel1 for Intercon­nect Cables. Allow 1 inch
(2.54 cm) in front of the

C500C
C500P
C500T
Front Panel
Cabinet Cutout

Cabinet
Front
Panel

Opening for
Ventilation

C500C
C500P
C500T
Side View in a
Partially Open
Cabinet

1-

1/8

2.86cm

C500C

"

15/16

2.38cm

"

C500P
C500T
Support Shelf
in Cabinet

Notes: Center the Cutout Horizontally on the unit.
For purposes of clarity, the above
illustration is not drawn to scale.

Installation

mounting panel for clearance. When the C500C, C500P and
C500T are to be installed in cabinets refer to the illustra­tion below . Be sure to cut out a ventilation hole in the
mounting shelf according to the dimensions in the drawing.

1

Interconnect Cables are supplied with the C500P
and C500T Preamplifiers and connect to the
C500 Controller.

17-

1/16

43.34cm

2"

5.08cm

Cutout Opening for Ventilation

"

Cutout Opening for Custom Mounting

5-

13.02cm

14

-3/4

37.47cm

Cutout

Opening

for

Ventilation

1/8

"

"

9-

24.13cm

Chassis
Spacers

14-

1/4

36.20cm

1/2

"

"

4 -

7/8

12.38cm

Support
Shelf

15"

38.10cm

"

9

Notes

10

Rear Panel Connections

The identification of Rear Panel Connections for the C500
Controller, C500 Preamplifier and C500 Tube Preamplifier
are located on separate folded sheets contained in the
Owner’s Manual Packet.

C500 Controller

Refer to folded sheet “Mc1A”

C500 Controller Rear Panel

Connections

Rear Panel Connections

C500 Preamplifier

Refer to folded sheet “Mc2A”
C500 Preamplifier Rear Panel

Connections

C500 Tube Preamplifier

Refer to folded sheet “Mc2A”

C500 Tube Preamplifier Rear

Panel Connections

11

How to connect the C500

This page contains information for connecting the McIntosh
C500C to the C500P or C500T and to other audio compo­nents.

The C500 has the ability to automatically switch power
On/Off to McIntosh Source Components via the Power
Control Connections. The Data Port Connections allow for
the remote operation of basic functions using the C500 Re­mote Control. With an external sensor connected to the
C500, remote control operation of the system is possible
from another room and/or when the C500 is located in a
cabinet with the doors closed.

The connection instructions below, together with the In­put and Output Connection Diagrams located on the sepa­rate folded sheet “Mc3A/3B”, are an example of a typical
audio system. Your system may vary from this, however the
actual components would be connected in a similar manner.

For additional information refer to “Connector and
Cable Information” on page 4.

Note: Balanced and Unbalanced Inputs and Outputs

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

Power Control Connections:

1. Connect one of the supplied custom 23-Conductor
Cables from the C500C RIGHT OUTPUT Socket to
the C500P or C500T RIGHT INPUT Socket.

Note: After the cable connector is firmly seated into the

chassis socket, rotate the two locking screws on
either side until they are finger tight.

2. In a similar manner, connect the other 23-Conductor
Cable from the C500C LEFT OUTPUT Socket to the
LEFT INPUT Socket on the Preamplifier.

3. Connect a Cable from the C500C POWER CONTROL
MAIN Jack to the Power Control In Jack on the McIn­tosh Left Channel Power Amplifier and another Control
Cable from the McIntosh Left Channel Power Amplifier
Power Control Out Jack to the McIntosh Right Channel
Power Amplifier Power Control In Jack.

Note: There is approximately a one-half second delay

added to the Power Control Out Jack signal going
to the next McIntosh Power Amplifier, to reduce
the strain on the AC Power Line.

4. Connect a Cable from the other C500C POWER CON­TROL MAIN Jack to the Power Control In of the
McIntosh D/A Converter.

5. Connect a Cable from the McIntosh D/A Converter
Power Control Out Jack to the Power Control In of a

McIntosh AM/FM Tuner.

6. Connect a Cable from the McIntosh AM/FM Tuner
Control Out Jack to the Power Control In of a McIntosh
Audio/Video Player.

7. Connect any remaining McIntosh Source Components
in a similar manner.

Data Control Connections:

8. Connect a Cable from the C500C D/A (7) DATA PORT
to the Data In Jack of the McIntosh MDA1000 D/A
Converter.

Note: If a McIntosh MCD1000 is part of the system,

connect the SUM DATA PORT Jack to the Data
Port In Jack on the MCD1000, using a Data
Cable. Refer to figure A.

9. Connect a Cable from the C500C TUNER (3) DATA
PORT to the Data In Jack of the McIntosh Tuner.

10. Connect a Cable from the C500C DVD (1) DATA
PORT to the Data In Jack of the McIntosh Audio/Video
Player.

11. Connect any remaining McIntosh Source Components in
a similar manner.

12. Optionally connect a RG-59 or RG-6 Cable from the

C500C Rear Panel EXT Sensor connector to the McIn­tosh Sensor.

Audio Connections:

13. Connect XLR Cables from the McIntosh D/A Converter

to the C500 Preamplifier Balanced XLR D/A (7) LEFT
and RIGHT INPUTS.

14. Connect Cables from the McIntosh Tuner Fixed Audio

Outputs to the C500 Preamplifier Unbalanced TUNER
(3) LEFT and RIGHT INPUTS.

15. Connect Cables from the McIntosh Audio/Video Player

2CH Unbalanced Audio Outputs to the C500 Preampli­fier Unbalanced DVD (1) LEFT and RIGHT INPUTS.

Note: The 2CH Balanced Audio Outputs of the McIntosh

Audio/Video Player may be connected to the C500
Preamplifier CD (6) INPUTS instead of the
Unbalanced Connections.

16. Connect Cables from the Turntable (with a Moving

Magnet Cartridge) to the C500 Preamplifier Unbal­anced MM (8) LEFT and RIGHT INPUTS.

Note: If the Turntable has a Moving Coil Cartridge,

connect the cables to the MC (9) Inputs.

17. Connect the Turntable Ground Cable to the GND bind-

ing post located between the C500 Preamplifier MM (8)
LEFT and RIGHT INPUTS.

18. Connect Cables from the External Sound Processor Left

and Right Inputs to the C500 Preamplifier PROCES­SOR TO LEFT and RIGHT Output Jacks.

12