D1100 Current or Future owner

[mg16listener]

Hello everyone -

I am going to visit my dealer today and have been thinking of adding something like a C47 to C22 to my setup. Mt resent purchase of a MC152 to go with my existing D150 has been very interesting and has revealed low end extension that I did not know my system was capable of. Additionally the high end is not longer overall harsh and gives the ear candy in the music I listen to new life. I previously was using a Prima Luna tube integrated.

Perhaps the C47/C22 may not be the best choice after all. I honestly do not need all the analog inputs and would never use the majority of them. I do like the idea of tubes in the C22 but would only benefit from the line stage tubes at this time. I do like all the physical controls on the C22 however.

Enter the D1100 - which would upgrade from. D150

1. On a scale of 1-10 how much of an improvement would the D1100 be over the D150?

2. Is the lack of MQA a concern? I am not a believer in the tech of MQA, but for a product in this price range and the apparent march toward a streaming MQA future, do you think it is a long term issue? McIntosh does not seem like the type of company that will climb on board this train anytime soon.

3. Would you drop all these idea D1100/C47/C22 and simply add a new source. The most obvious for me is a Node2 which would mostly be used for discovery of new artists and music. If possible I always by the physical media.

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[Velocityboat]

I take it you just play digital sources direct from D150 now? What are your speakers currently?

 

[mg16listener]

Hello -

Currently yes - digital only. May want to add a TT in the future so the C47/C22 would allow for that with no issue. While I like the C22 I have dropped it from my option since I would need to buy another set of interconnects and they are not cheap. I would rather use those dollars to another part of the system. So the C47 would be the way I would go with the potential option of the D1100 which is the most expensive way I could go.

That being said, perhaps it would be best to wait till the next version of the C47 when/if it has a upgradeable DAC module. I have been listening more closely to the D150 and feel it is actually quite nice. I just which it did a few things that it currently does not but these items are very nit picky.

Speakers are Dynaudio Special 25s. The version I have was limited to 75 pairs. I have pair 16. I like them quite a bit. Previous speakers where Magnepan 1.6 which I also liked. They just where physically too large in the long run. I liked Martin Logan at one time but not so much anymore. Might consider an upgrade of the Dynaudio's to a floor standing pair or perhaps a nice preowned set of Sapphire's. but these are hard to come by.

 

[Velocityboat]

Hello -

Currently yes - digital only. May want to add a TT in the future so the C47/C22 would allow for that with no issue. While I like the C22 I have dropped it from my option since I would need to buy another set of interconnects and they are not cheap. I would rather use those dollars to another part of the system. So the C47 would be the way I would go with the potential option of the D1100 which is the most expensive way I could go.

That being said, perhaps it would be best to wait till the next version of the C47 when/if it has a upgradeable DAC module. I have been listening more closely to the D150 and feel it is actually quite nice. I just which it did a few things that it currently does not but these items are very nit picky.

Speakers are Dynaudio Special 25s. The version I have was limited to 75 pairs. I have pair 16. I like them quite a bit. Previous speakers where Magnepan 1.6 which I also liked. They just where physically too large in the long run. I liked Martin Logan at one time but not so much anymore. Might consider an upgrade of the Dynaudio's to a floor standing pair or perhaps a nice preowned set of Sapphire's. but these are hard to come by.

Lots of options. I heard a D1100 and thought it offered a tremendously deep soundstage with great separation of voices and drums. The DS25s sounds up to revealing what the D1100 offers. I don’t they you can go wrong with the McIntosh DACs in a Pre or stand alone. But it should outpace the D150 by a good margin. If I could have any DAC the D1100 is a choice I would make especially if analog plans are not an immediate plan. The no compromise statement McIntosh pieces are always performing for decades to come.