McIntosh C49 Pre-Amplifier
- Free Mainland UK Shipping on orders over £100
- Official Hi-Fi Retailer since 1973
- Usually in stock and dispatched in 1-5 working days
We offer free delivery on all orders over £100 to mainland UK. Orders under £100 are subject to a £6.50 shipping charge.
Delivery is available across mainland UK. If you are located outside mainland UK and would like a shipping quote, please get in touch before placing your order.
We aim to dispatch in-stock items as soon as possible provided that we physically have the stock - but please note that sometimes we have to order from our supplier for certain products, in which case delivery should take place within 1-5 working days of the order being placed.
Tracking details or estimated delivery timescales will be provided once your order has been processed. If there are any delays due to stock availability, we will contact you as soon as possible with the option to wait or receive a full refund.
Please note that certain products may be subject to specific distance selling or delivery regulations. If you are unsure about a product or its delivery terms, we recommend contacting us before purchase.
You can cancel your order within 14 days of receiving your goods, in line with UK distance selling regulations. Once you’ve notified us, you have a further 14 days to return the item. Please contact us by email, phone or in writing before sending anything back.
Items must be returned in original condition and packaging, including all accessories, manuals and any promotional items. The cost of return is your responsibility and we strongly recommend insuring the goods, as refunds cannot be issued for damaged or incomplete returns. If items show excessive handling, are missing components, or cannot be resold as new, a reasonable deduction may be made.
Please note that used headphones (for hygiene reasons) and custom or special-order items cannot be returned. If you need assistance arranging a return, we’re always happy to help.
Product Summary
The McIntosh C49 is a premium solid-state pre-amplifier designed for customers who want a true high-end control centre for a serious two-channel system, with the flexibility to handle both analogue and digital sources in one beautifully built component. It is aimed at listeners who want more system-building freedom than an integrated amplifier can offer, while still keeping day-to-day use straightforward and refined.
A major part of the C49’s appeal is how well it bridges classic hi-fi and modern digital listening. It offers balanced and unbalanced analogue inputs, moving magnet and moving coil phono stages for vinyl, and a DA1 digital audio module with USB, coaxial, optical and MCT inputs. That makes it a strong choice for customers who want one premium pre-amplifier to sit at the heart of a system built around turntables, digital transports and computer audio alike.
The C49 is also designed with long-term ownership in mind. Its modular digital section gives it an upgrade path for newer formats, while bass and treble controls, headphone support and Home Theater PassThru all add useful everyday flexibility. For customers who want a sophisticated, feature-rich McIntosh pre-amplifier with real system versatility and classic brand presence, the C49 is a very compelling option.
Key Benefits
- Separate pre-amplifier design gives you more freedom to build a higher-performance system around your choice of power amplifier
- Balanced and unbalanced inputs make it easier to connect a wider range of source components in one system
- Moving magnet and moving coil phono stages make it a strong choice for customers building a serious vinyl setup
- Adjustable phono loading helps you get better cartridge matching and more from your turntable
- DA1 digital audio module adds high-quality digital playback without needing a separate DAC
- Upgradeable digital module design helps protect long-term ownership as digital formats evolve
- Bass and treble controls let you fine tune the sound to better suit your room, speakers and personal taste
- High Drive headphone output with HXD supports more immersive private listening without adding another component
- Home Theater PassThru makes it easier to integrate a premium music system with an AV setup
- 3 years manufacturers' warranty
Technical Specifications
Pre-Amplifier Section
- Product Type: Solid-state 2-channel pre-amplifier
- Number of Channels: 2
- Total Harmonic Distortion: 0.005%
- Frequency Response: +0, -0.5dB from 20Hz to 20kHz; +0, -3dB from 15Hz to 100kHz
- Maximum Output Voltage: 16V RMS balanced, 8V RMS unbalanced
- Sensitivity: 900mV balanced, 450mV unbalanced, 0.45mV moving coil, 4.5mV moving magnet
- Signal to Noise Ratio: 100dB high level, 80dB moving coil, 82dB moving magnet
- Voltage Gain: 15dB high level, 60dB moving coil, 40dB moving magnet
Inputs & Outputs
- Total Inputs: 13 analogue and digital inputs
- Analogue Inputs: 2 balanced, 3 unbalanced, 1 moving coil phono, 1 moving magnet phono
- Phono Loading: Moving magnet adjustable from 50 to 800pF in 50pF steps at 47k Ohms; moving coil adjustable at 25, 50, 100, 200, 400 or 1,000 Ohms with 100pF
- Upgradeable Digital Audio Module: DA1 fitted as standard, optional dealer-installed DA2 available
- Digital Inputs via DA1: 2 coaxial, 2 optical, 1 USB, 1 MCT
- Digital Support: Optical and coaxial PCM up to 24-bit/192kHz; USB up to PCM 32-bit/384kHz, DXD 352.8/384kHz and DSD256
- Outputs: 2 balanced variable, 2 unbalanced variable, 1 unbalanced fixed
- Headphone Output: 1/4 inch High Drive with Headphone Crossfeed Director (HXD)
- Home Theater PassThru: Yes
- Input Level Match: Yes, +/- 6dB
Control & General
- Tone Controls: Bass and treble
- Tone Bypass and Input Assign: Yes
- RS232 Control Input: Yes
- Power Control Output: 1 main, 2 trigger
- Rear Panel Data Ports: 4
- Rear Panel IR Input: Yes
- Power Consumption: 30 watts
- Construction: Single, two-layer chassis
Weight & Dimensions
- Dimensions: 44.4 x 15.2 x 45.7 cm (W x H x D, including feet, front panel, knobs and cables)
- Weight: 10.4 kg net
- Shipping Weight: 17.0 kg
What’s in the Box
- McIntosh C49 Pre-Amplifier
- McIntosh HR085 remote control
- AC power cord
- Owner’s manual and product documentation
