Audio Video News

McIntosh’s 70th Anniversary Year celebration continues today with the announcement of an upscale follow-up to the RS100 wireless speaker system introduced in 2016.

Unlike its predecessor, which is a single speaker, the RS200 is an all-in-one wireless music system featuring a robust Wi-Fi-enabled streamer, 650-watt amplifier, and integrated stereo speakers. Everything is housed in a 25-inch-wide soundbar-like enclosure with an integrated McIntosh amplifier, complete with the brand’s signature power meters.

The system ships this month with a $3,000 price tag.

A number of streaming options and platforms are supported, including aptX HD-enabled Bluetooth 5.0 and multiroom streaming via Apple AirPlay 2 and DTS Play-Fi, which has a Critical Listening mode and provides ready access to Amazon Prime Music, Pandora, Qobuz, SiriusXM, Spotify, Tidal, and other streaming services. Up to four services can be stored for instant recall in preset buttons on top of the RS200.

The DLNA-compliant system uses Qualcomm’s aptX Low Latency processing to keep audio and video in sync and is certified to work with Amazon’s Alexa voice platform.

On the hardwire side, the RS 200 is equipped with an audio-only HDMI input for connection to TVs that have an Audio Return Channel (ARC), an optical digital input, a USB Type-B input for playing music from a computer; and a 3.5mm minijack for analog sources. Audio from wired devices can be streamed wirelessly to Play-Fi devices on the same network.

The speakers at either end of the cabinet mate a 0.75-inch tweeter with a pair of 2-inch midrange drivers, augmented by two 4 x 6-inch woofers; 250 watts is reserved for the woofers, while the rest of the wattage is dedicated to the stereo speakers. A subwoofer output is included along with a three-position EQ switch.

For more information, visit mcintoshlabs.com.