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McIntosh MS500 Music Streamer Review

J

JimBob

Active Member
'm fond of saying everyone has his/her speciality. I look at a turntable like it's a rocket surgery project, but give me the most convoluted digital product and it'll be right in my wheelhouse. These specialities hold true for audio companies as well. McIntosh has always nailed the analog side of HiFi. The company also offers a great D1100 DAC that I reviewed and placed on the C.A.S.H. List earlier this year. However when it comes to a complete digital platform capable of streaming, integrating with Crestron, and building iOS/Android apps, etc... McIntosh has elected to outsource this specialty. I don't blame them, it's difficult work. The MS500 has Autonomic technology where it counts and McIntosh design and DNA where it counts.



I must also note that it's impossible not to enjoy the beautiful design of the McIntosh MS500. It's black glass, glorious green illuminated logo, distinctive red power button, and classy aluminum end caps are legendary and look even better in person.



The MS500 is a great product for the music lover who isn't obsessed with technical details and just wants to listen to his/her music in high quality. This music may be internet radio at 64 kbps or high resolution audio from the local SSD. I'm guilty of enjoying a very sonically limited stream of my local Jazz station equally as much as I enjoyed the high resolution Pearl Jam albums copied to the MS500's local drive via the included music synchronization app. The MS500 handles both sources equally as well. It will reproduce one's favorite music from less than perfect sources better than most people have ever heard.



https://www.computeraudiophile.com/ca/reviews/mcintosh-ms500-music-streamer-review-r752/
 
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with the ongoing issues from the lack of support for the previous Music Server (MS750/300), my excitement for another product that might be bricked in a few years that costs so much is a little on the low side.....

.....would have been nice for a trade-in option or some reasonable upgrade path
 
mfirst said:
with the ongoing issues from the lack of support for the previous Music Server (MS750/300), my excitement for another product that might be bricked in a few years that costs so much is a little on the low side.....

.....would have been nice for a trade-in option or some reasonable upgrade path
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I had a MS750. Good product for the time. 10 years ago. Very beginning of music server streaming that now dominates.
 
AlTinkster92 said:
Wish Mac made a affordable basic DAC, that's what I need.
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Affordable and McIntosh in the same sentence. :rflmao:

But seriously....I do wish that they had a non-preamp DAC. I've been on the fence about getting a D-150. Part of me likes that it can be a preamp and the other half doesn't.
 
techguy0192 said:
Affordable and McIntosh in the same sentence. :rflmao:

But seriously....I do wish that they had a non-preamp DAC. I've been on the fence about getting a D-150. Part of me likes that it can be a preamp and the other half doesn't.
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Yeah, Ive often thought of a S-150 as well but don't need the pre amp......
 
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