With the McIntosh DS200, the North American manufacturer has decided to integrate into its electronic interior the most essential network protocols on the market directly accessible from a suitable device - smartphone, tablet, computer, portable music player - therefore without the need for a network platform acting as a service aggregator and an associated application, a solution very often subject to more or less rapid technological obsolescence.
McIntosh DS200, main specifications££££
To ensure its role as a network player, the McIntosh DS200 displays [abc]AirPlay 2[/abc], [abc]Wi-Fi[/abc] ac, [abc]ChromeCast (built-in)[/abc], [abc]Bluetooth[/abc] 5.0 APT--X and APT-X Adaptive compatibility, not to mention Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect and Google Assistant. On a plus note, it also has Roon Ready and Roon Tested certifications.
The digital-to-analog converter section is structured from an eight-channel 384 kHz/32-bit DAC and [abc]DSD[/abc] 22.4 MHz, and in the presence of a power amplifier, it can act as a pre-amplifier (hence the volume knob on the front) provided that only digital sources are connected to it. In this configuration, it is a question of opting for the variable output mode (the DS200 is configured in fixed output mode at the factory).
McIntosh DS200, connectivity££££
The McIntosh DS200 is rich in connectivity, there are eight digital inputs: two [abc]optical[/abc], two [abc]coaxial[/abc], one [abc]USB[/abc]-B asynchronous, one [abc]Ethernet[/abc] port, one [abc]HDMI[/abc] [abc]ARC[/abc] and one pro AES/EBU input. In terms of outputs, there is one stereo [abc]XLR[/abc] and one stereo [abc]RCA[/abc]. It is also worth mentioning an [abc]RS-232[/abc]C socket, a data in port, control ports… Namely, the [abc]Dolby[/abc] and [abc]DTS[/abc] tracks carried by the HDMI connector are downmixed in stereo.
Of course, we find the timeless aesthetic of McIntosh products with an elegant black glass front, rotary knobs and the illuminated logo.
Immediately available. Recommended price: 5,990 euros.
