Audio Video News

A few weeks ago it was the stately XRT2.1K tower speaker, a revamp of its flagship XRT2K. Then came the beastly MC611 600-watt monoblock amplifier.

Now the iconic brand has introduced a specialty item for audiophiles who prefer their hi-res audio in physical form: the MCT500 two-channel SACD/CD transport ($4,500).

The MCT500 features classic McIntosh styling with a polished stainless steel chassis, black-glass front panel, illuminated logo, and aluminum end caps. It’s a digital only unit with four digital outputs: industry standard balanced, coax and optical outputs, and McIntosh’s proprietary MCT connector.

For CD playback, the player can be paired with any product that has standard digital inputs and a digital-to-analog convertor (DAC). SACD playback requires connection of the MCT output to a McIntosh preamp or integrated amplifier with an MCT input (cable included).

The transport supports playback of “all common disc types,” including SACD, CD, CD-R/RW, and DVD-R as well as popular files such as AAC, AIFF, ALAC, DSD (up to DSD128), FLAC, MP3, WAV (up to 24-bit/192kHz), and WMA from CDs, DVD data discs, and USB flash drives. A USB input is located on the front panel for easy access.

Disc handling is described as smooth and quiet thanks to the use of a precision die-cast aluminum tray, and the transport uses an advanced digital servo said to provide fast, quiet, and accurate operation. The transport reads audio data off the disc at twice normal speed for improved disc tracking and error correction, according to McIntosh.

For more information, visit mcintoshlabs.com.