McIntosh DS200 Streaming DAC – streaming in all its guises
According to McIntosh Laboratory inc., the new McIntosh DS200 Streaming DAC, which the company is now presenting, is characterised by streaming in all relevant forms and high-quality signal processing that is also open to external digital sources.
- According to McIntosh Laboratory Inc., the new McIntosh DS200 Streaming DAC is a particularly versatile streaming client whose high-quality D/A converter is also open to external sources.
The US HiFi manufacturer McIntosh Laboratory Inc. promises convenient streaming of a wide variety of content based on all relevant streaming platforms, as well as the integration of a wide range of digital sources and outstanding sound quality for its latest product, the McIntosh DS200 Streaming DAC.
The McIntosh DS200 Streaming DAC is the ultimate solution for music lovers looking for the perfect blend of High-end audio quality and premium streaming capabilities. This user-friendly streamer offers a variety of integrated casting technologies for music playback, but is also open to a wide variety of sources.
Open to almost anything over the network
As one of the most important features of the new McIntosh DS200 Streaming DAC, the manufacturer McIntosh Laboratory Inc. emphasises that no special app is required for this streaming client. The system is designed to be open to all leading technologies.
This solution is therefore equipped for Spotify Connect as well as TIDAL Connect and can therefore be used directly as a streaming device with the corresponding apps.
And that’s not all: Google Chromecast and Apple AirPlay 2 are also directly supported and the new McIntosh DS200 Streaming DAC is both Roon-ready and Roon-tested. This makes it clear that the McIntosh DS200 Streaming DAC can not only be used via streaming with the software from Roon Labs LLC. but also directly on a PC or Mac as a D/A converter.
If you want to use streaming directly via a smartphone or tablet away from the network infrastructure, you can also do this with the McIntosh DS200 Streaming DAC, as it is equipped with a Bluetooth module from the specialist Qualcomm Inc. which, based on the Bluetooth 5.0 standard, also supports aptX and aptX HD as well as aptX LL in addition to the SBC and AAC codecs.
Incidentally, it can be connected to the network either via a WiFi module in accordance with IEEE 802.11ac or via a network cable and RJ45 Ethernet interface. Three antennas are available for optimum reception, two for the WiFi module and another for Bluetooth.
D/A converter for a wide range of sources
The converter of the McIntosh DS200 Streaming DAC is not only available for streaming from various sources, but also for external digital sources. For example, a PC or Mac can be connected directly via a USB-B interface. This allows the McIntosh DS200 Streaming DAC to function as a Roon Tested DAC, as we have already mentioned.
In addition, coaxial and optical S/PDIF interfaces, an AES/EBU, a so-called Digital MCT Input and even an HDMI port, which can function as an ARC (Audio Return Channel) if you connect a TV set here, are also available.
32-bit 384 kHz and DSD512
Signal processing is carried out using an 8-channel 32-bit 384 kHz quad-balanced DAC, which supports signals in linear PCM with up to 32 bits and 384 kHz as well as content in DSD, up to DSD512.
Analogue signals are output either unbalanced via a pair of RCA sockets or balanced via a pair of XLRs. The new McIntosh DS200 Streaming DAC naturally has various interfaces such as RS232, 12 V trigger and IR sensor input, so that it can be used in conjunction with other McIntosh brand solutions or various control systems.
A display is provided on the front, flanked by rotary encoders and a few buttons, so that convenient control directly on the device is guaranteed.
Prices and availability
The new McIntosh DS200 Streaming DAC will soon be available from specialist retailers. The price for this solution will probably be around € 6.000,-.
Getting to the point
The new McIntosh DS200 Streaming DAC from McIntosh Laboratory Inc. offers a solution that is not only an extremely versatile streaming client, as it directly supports all relevant streaming technologies such as Apple AirPlay 2, Google Chromecast, TIDAL Connect and Spotify Connect, is labelled as Roon-ready and also supports Bluetooth, whose D/A converter is also open to external sources that can be integrated via S/PDIF, AES/EBU, HDMI or USB.
| Product | McIntosh DS200 Streaming DAC |
|---|---|
| Price | € 6.000,- |
| Brand | McIntosh Laboratory Inc. |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | McIntosh Laboratory Inc. |
| Distribution | Audio Components GmbH |
| More about this manufacturer at HiFi BLOG |
