mcgradient
New Member
Hello all. I am new to this forum and look forward to hearing all the information and opinions of fellow forum members.
I’m looking for opinions and/or experience forum members have had with the McIntosh D100, MCD301 and MCD500. I apologize in advance if I post this in the wrong area or reopen a new post about an already discussed topic.
I currently have an MCD301 that I enjoy very much but I am looking to change up the system. I currently listen to CDs with my MCD301 and digital files by streaming from my iMac to AppleTV to Bel Canto DAC1.5 via optical cable then into my McIntosh MC162. The MCD301 also passes thru the Bel Canto - just for ease of use even though it also has it’s own dedicated volume control. I still need to pass the digital files thru the Bel Canto so at this point it is necessary. With that said, the MCD301 played directly into the MC162 amp sounds better.
Which brings me to my point. I am considering selling the MCD301 and getting either a MCD500 or a D100. I can’t afford both right now so it is either/or.
Factors:
I don’t have or want a preamp so I need something with volume control.
I can’t get around the fact that I need to play digital files, so I need a way to get those files to my amp, hence the need for the digital input on the MCD500 if I don’t get a separate DAC.
Option 1: Buy a MCD500 for $3,800 (prices quoted reflect what I will pay for new units from a local dealer).
This has a volume control and also an digital input. I have read in reviews that the MCD500 is better in terms of sound quality compared to the MCD301 so that will be an improvement. Unfortunately I have also read that the digital input is limited in the signal it can accept. I can’t find that source of information right now, but it has to do with whether it accepts 24-bit/192kHz signals. Does anybody know if this is true?
The other benefit of this would be playing SACDs. Currently I have to pass the signal thru the DAC using optical or coax so I am not able to play SACDs. the only way to do that is to play directly into the amp. I only have a few SACDs, but it is a nice feature to have.
Option 2: Buy a McIntosh D100 for $2,000
Obviously the big pull of this option it that I save $1,800. The question is whether I will get better sound quality from my digital files by using the D100 as my DAC versus using the DAC in the MCD500.
I would then need to play my CDs through a NAD C545BEE that I have laying around. My thought is that even though the NAD is lower quality, I will still be getting the benefit of using the D100 DAC to do the processing after the NAD already has.
So I’m hoping some members out there may have some experience or opinions to share about these options. Do I go with the MCD500 and know I am getting the best quality sound out of my CD collection, at the possible loss of Digital file audio quality, or do I go with the D100 for better digital file quality but possible CD sound quality loss due to the NAD? I figure some may think it depends on what you listened to more - CDs or digital files. I still have a large collection of CDs, and I love the collection and satisfaction of pulling open a drawer and looking over all the spines to select a CD, but my digital music collection is growing at a faster rate so this fact can’t be ignored.
Thanks for your time and input.
I’m looking for opinions and/or experience forum members have had with the McIntosh D100, MCD301 and MCD500. I apologize in advance if I post this in the wrong area or reopen a new post about an already discussed topic.
I currently have an MCD301 that I enjoy very much but I am looking to change up the system. I currently listen to CDs with my MCD301 and digital files by streaming from my iMac to AppleTV to Bel Canto DAC1.5 via optical cable then into my McIntosh MC162. The MCD301 also passes thru the Bel Canto - just for ease of use even though it also has it’s own dedicated volume control. I still need to pass the digital files thru the Bel Canto so at this point it is necessary. With that said, the MCD301 played directly into the MC162 amp sounds better.
Which brings me to my point. I am considering selling the MCD301 and getting either a MCD500 or a D100. I can’t afford both right now so it is either/or.
Factors:
I don’t have or want a preamp so I need something with volume control.
I can’t get around the fact that I need to play digital files, so I need a way to get those files to my amp, hence the need for the digital input on the MCD500 if I don’t get a separate DAC.
Option 1: Buy a MCD500 for $3,800 (prices quoted reflect what I will pay for new units from a local dealer).
This has a volume control and also an digital input. I have read in reviews that the MCD500 is better in terms of sound quality compared to the MCD301 so that will be an improvement. Unfortunately I have also read that the digital input is limited in the signal it can accept. I can’t find that source of information right now, but it has to do with whether it accepts 24-bit/192kHz signals. Does anybody know if this is true?
The other benefit of this would be playing SACDs. Currently I have to pass the signal thru the DAC using optical or coax so I am not able to play SACDs. the only way to do that is to play directly into the amp. I only have a few SACDs, but it is a nice feature to have.
Option 2: Buy a McIntosh D100 for $2,000
Obviously the big pull of this option it that I save $1,800. The question is whether I will get better sound quality from my digital files by using the D100 as my DAC versus using the DAC in the MCD500.
I would then need to play my CDs through a NAD C545BEE that I have laying around. My thought is that even though the NAD is lower quality, I will still be getting the benefit of using the D100 DAC to do the processing after the NAD already has.
So I’m hoping some members out there may have some experience or opinions to share about these options. Do I go with the MCD500 and know I am getting the best quality sound out of my CD collection, at the possible loss of Digital file audio quality, or do I go with the D100 for better digital file quality but possible CD sound quality loss due to the NAD? I figure some may think it depends on what you listened to more - CDs or digital files. I still have a large collection of CDs, and I love the collection and satisfaction of pulling open a drawer and looking over all the spines to select a CD, but my digital music collection is growing at a faster rate so this fact can’t be ignored.
Thanks for your time and input.