McIntosh CD Players, worth their asking price?

2TB of lossless music add a nice DAC with a Mc amp and a quality pair of speakers will do it for me.
Anyone use Mc amp to drive Meyer speakers?
 
People still love vinyl, just not for me. I can't never get pass that annoying crackling noise. Plus additional body movement, get the big bulky album, move the needle etc. I guess the world is moving on why hold yourself back. Long gone the day that you have to make the fire to cook your meal
 
2TB of lossless music add a nice DAC with a Mc amp and a quality pair of speakers will do it for me.

Agreed. Lossless files are the way to go. Access to so much music is so convenient too.

People still love vinyl, just not for me. I can't never get pass that annoying crackling noise. Plus additional body movement, get the big bulky album, move the needle etc. I guess the world is moving on why hold yourself back. Long gone the day that you have to make the fire to cook your meal

Not really. It's just much easier today by pushing a button or turning a knob, rather than rubbing two stick together or hoping for a convenient lightning strike.

All off topic and doesn't address the OPs question, this is not general audio and if you all want a format debate start your own thread for it.
 
All off topic and doesn't address the OPs question, this is not general audio and if you all want a format debate start your own thread for it.
Lighten up

Understand the topic, just try to convince the guy not getting into the out of date technology.
 
Next snarky remark is done with this thread. It's just a hobby, not life it'self. Get a grip guys.
 
I've been auditioning some really nice CD players in the $2,000-$3,000 price range and noticed that the McIntosh MCD550 unit retails for 2x to 3x that price range.

I was wondering how much better the McIntosh units are compared to other models from the likes of Moon, Rega, Cambridge, Marantz, Yamaha, Luxman, etc. that are more within my price range.

I have no need for SACD support nor for a built-in DAC but I do have an extensive collection of CDs and my wife still loves using a CD player.

BTW, I own the McIntosh MAC6700 stereo receiver.

I'm not sure if buying used is a consideration, but I can vouch for the McIntosh MCD-205. Yes, it's a changer (the horror of convenience) , but it sounds nothing like the black box carousels of the 90's. They can be found on the used market for half your budget and sound fantastic. There's a Sam Tellig review out there if that matters to you. The MCD-201 (single disc) sounds similar, but oddly enough seems to have more mechanical issues than the 205. These units are still serviceable and replacement parts available. The same cannot be said for the 7000 series units.
 
Never buy a used CD player except low hour usage.
The reader has limited life expectancy and the alignment can also be off
 
Similar to a turntable cart? I have a MVP861 and a MVP871. Both needed the transport mechanism replaced, but should be good for another 15 years. I still use these for listening to two-channel and multi-channel SACD's, but nothing else.
 
I've learned some difficult lessons over the years in audio. One of the most valuable is to never assume anything.

To the OP I say, take you own ears to your local dealer and listen to the McIntosh MCD550 vs another player that you're also considering. Take two identical CDs. Have the dealer connect both disc players to the same preamp. Start the CD in the MCD550 on your favorite song, and then start the CD in the 2nd CDP 15 seconds after. Listen to a passage on the MCD550 and then switch to the 2nd CDP (remotely from a comfortable chair would be nice) and listen to that very same passage again. This way, you can evaluate 15 second chunks of what you just listened to.

Report back. I bet lunch you won't say that they both sounded the same.
 
I've learned some difficult lessons over the years in audio. One of the most valuable is to never assume anything.

To the OP I say, take you own ears to your local dealer and listen to the McIntosh MCD550 vs another player that you're also considering. Take two identical CDs. Have the dealer connect both disc players to the same preamp. Start the CD in the MCD550 on your favorite song, and then start the CD in the 2nd CDP 15 seconds after. Listen to a passage on the MCD550 and then switch to the 2nd CDP (remotely from a comfortable chair would be nice) and listen to that very same passage again. This way, you can evaluate 15 second chunks of what you just listened to.

Report back. I bet lunch you won't say that they both sounded the same.

Wow, that sounds like a great approach.

I'll see when I can schedule this with my local McIntosh dealer & will report back. Thanks!
 
I've learned some difficult lessons over the years in audio. One of the most valuable is to never assume anything.

To the OP I say, take you own ears to your local dealer and listen to the McIntosh MCD550 vs another player that you're also considering. Take two identical CDs. Have the dealer connect both disc players to the same preamp. Start the CD in the MCD550 on your favorite song, and then start the CD in the 2nd CDP 15 seconds after. Listen to a passage on the MCD550 and then switch to the 2nd CDP (remotely from a comfortable chair would be nice) and listen to that very same passage again. This way, you can evaluate 15 second chunks of what you just listened to.

Report back. I bet lunch you won't say that they both sounded the same.
This is exactly the approach I've been taking the last few years with various DAC's, CD players, preamps, phono preamps, headphone amps and headphones. Quick and easy switching/comparing is essential. Ideally you will be blindfold and you'll let someone else do the switching. Then things get really interesting....
 
I too am looking at the MCD550...but also the other MAC CDPs that cost several thousand less used. Its hard to imagine dropping the same coin on a CDP as I did for the MC302. What makes a new MCD550 worth so many times more than an MVP861, for instance?
 
I'm not sure if buying used is a consideration, but I can vouch for the McIntosh MCD-205. Yes, it's a changer (the horror of convenience) , but it sounds nothing like the black box carousels of the 90's. They can be found on the used market for half your budget and sound fantastic. There's a Sam Tellig review out there if that matters to you. The MCD-201 (single disc) sounds similar, but oddly enough seems to have more mechanical issues than the 205. These units are still serviceable and replacement parts available. The same cannot be said for the 7000 series units.
I've owned both the MCD201 and MCD205. If you rank the MCD201 as 100%, the MCD205 comes in at 95%. The only way I was able to decide which one was better was to A/B them with the same CD. The MCD201 loads much slower.
I missed having a changer (CAL CL-10 was stolen) and didn't play SACD except for a few Rolling Stones dual CD/SACD in my collection, and the original recording quality didn't justify living with a single player. My wife knows how to load and change discs and it's very listenable. The changer mechanism is a MusicBank. They are pretty bulletproof. If you ever have any concerns that you aren't extracting the last iota of sonic goodness out of your CDs, use a really good DAC. I use an MDA700 and the only sonic difference I hear is more bass from the MDA700 (sometimes a little too much).
I sold my MCD201 and the new owner had problems with it. I got it fixed under warranty and apparently it's been great ever since then. The MCD205 has a much better reputation for reliability.
BTW, the MCD2XX players blew the CL-10 out of the water.
 
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When I first got involved in hi-end audio, my first cdp was a Linn Karik. The asking price was around $3500.00. That was a lot of money for me at the time and still a chunk of change for a hobby. While I've enjoyed this player for close to 20yrs now. I would never spend that kind of money on a stand alone player now. I find it makes more financial sense to just get a dedicated transport or an older player with a digital out and pair it with a great DAC. As the technology changes so can your DAC. Of course if your wanting to keep your system all McIntosh, then that makes your choices harder.
 
When I first got involved in hi-end audio, my first cdp was a Linn Karik. The asking price was around $3500.00. That was a lot of money for me at the time and still a chunk of change for a hobby. While I've enjoyed this player for close to 20yrs now. I would never spend that kind of money on a stand alone player now. I find it makes more financial sense to just get a dedicated transport or an older player with a digital out and pair it with a great DAC. As the technology changes so can your DAC. Of course if your wanting to keep your system all McIntosh, then that makes your choices harder.
I think too much is made of the you have to have the latest and greatest CDP to get good sound. I also have a 20 year old CDP (fully balanced Pioneer PD-T07) that sounds as sweet to my ears today as any other CDP I've yet heard.

Aren't the MCD500 and MCD550 fully balanced designs? If so, that would explain their expense.
 
Good thread.

I am in the market for a new player/transport. The following are under consideration:
Moon Neo 260D (transport) US$2K
Mac MCT450 (transport) US$4K
Bryston BCD3 (player) US$3.5K

I am leaning towards the 260D as it is the least expensive and plan to run it through my D100 into my MA6600. Fortunately, I have a local dealer who will let me home demo the 260D and possibly the MCT450.

At present, I am using a Cambridge CXC (transport) which sounds very nice, but I feel I can do better. The CXC replaced a Linn Majik player which sounded superb, but was a reliability nightmare and ended up begin a very expensive lesson in purchasing. "demo" units from dealers who overstate warranty coverage. I wound never again purchase a high end used or demo unit.
 
Good thread.

I am in the market for a new player/transport. The following are under consideration:
Moon Neo 260D (transport) US$2K
Mac MCT450 (transport) US$4K
Bryston BCD3 (player) US$3.5K

I am leaning towards the 260D as it is the least expensive and plan to run it through my D100 into my MA6600. Fortunately, I have a local dealer who will let me home demo the 260D and possibly the MCT450.

At present, I am using a Cambridge CXC (transport) which sounds very nice, but I feel I can do better. The CXC replaced a Linn Majik player which sounded superb, but was a reliability nightmare and ended up begin a very expensive lesson in purchasing. "demo" units from dealers who overstate warranty coverage. I wound never again purchase a high end used or demo unit.

I had owned the Bryston BCD1 for a few years and last year traded it in for a MAC MVP871. My ears prefer the 871 because it sounds more musical and has the ability to play more cd formats. Much like the BCD1, the BCD3 does not read SACD's. It's strictly REDBOOK and CD-R's.
 
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