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My MCD201 Review

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Current MCD201

I've had mine for a couple of weeks only and it seems quiet and reliable. My dealer brought it over personally and we played disks that he owns which do not play the SACD tracks on his MCD201. Clearly the curent firmwear is required to solve some of the problems.

Do any of you know whether this player converts SACD to PCM before feeding it to the DAC? I'm curious because, although it sounds very good, I'm used to the SACD being noticably better than redbook on a transparent system.
 
gmartan said:
Clearly the curent firmwear is required to solve some of the problems.

Do any of you know whether this player converts SACD to PCM before feeding it to the DAC? I'm curious because, although it sounds very good, I'm used to the SACD being noticably better than redbook on a transparent system.
Click to expand...

I have no idea about the SACD conversion.

Could you post the firmware version, please?

To find out which firmware is loaded, open the tray and leave it open, then press the DISP TIME button on the remote control, afterwards press the NEXT button, three times in total. The display will show the firmware version, release date etc.

When was your unit manufactured (this is indicated on the back)? What letters does the unit number start with, please?

Thank you.
 
Not wanting to tarnish Mcintosh's enviable reputation for quality products, the Hong Kong distributor has decided to cease importing MCD201s!

If ever there was a clearer message..........:yes:
 
Need to ask, since Record108 left the instructions for firmware version retrieval etc, my 201 results are;
011
Jan 23 2006
MA05060221A
I believe the upgrade has not been done to my cdp, I don't think the previous owner would have done it. And I would like to do it, before giving up on my great cd player. It does share the same afflictions as some others out there and the firmware solution excites me.
I've searched around this thread for mention of the cutoff date as to the newer units not having issues.

Q: I believe it was AFTER my production date of Jan 06.....I hope.....yes?
 
gelmhirst - wouldn't hold my breath. My second MCD201 was made in Aug 08 and crapped out. Firmware should have been the very latest, although the info on how to access the codes was posted after I returned mine and gave up on them. Think the real problem is that D&M Holdings also owns Escient, the drive/transport mfgr. My guess is that is why McIntosh has not come up with a 'real' fix for the MCD201. At the mercy of their masters.
 
My apologies to Escient for accusing them unfairly. Now I'll have to go dig up the source for my info. Read it recently (MS750 review in Stereophile?).
 
SACD Output

gmartan said:
I've had mine for a couple of weeks only and it seems quiet and reliable. My dealer brought it over personally and we played disks that he owns which do not play the SACD tracks on his MCD201. Clearly the curent firmwear is required to solve some of the problems.

Do any of you know whether this player converts SACD to PCM before feeding it to the DAC? I'm curious because, although it sounds very good, I'm used to the SACD being noticably better than redbook on a transparent system.
Click to expand...

Digital output on MCD201 (as on most, if not all, players) is PCM 44kHz.
 
I believe the question pertains to the MCD201 internal DAC. Does the player convert SACD (DSD) to PCM internally before being converted by the DAC? I don't believe the MCD201 does this. The MCD201 DAC's should convert to analog straight from the SACD digital stream.
The digital output from unit is as you state, PCM 44kHz
 
gelmhirst said:
Need to ask, since Record108 left the instructions for firmware version retrieval etc, my 201 results are;
011
Jan 23 2006
MA05060221A
I believe the upgrade has not been done to my cdp, I don't think the previous owner would have done it. And I would like to do it, before giving up on my great cd player. It does share the same afflictions as some others out there and the firmware solution excites me.
I've searched around this thread for mention of the cutoff date as to the newer units not having issues.

Q: I believe it was AFTER my production date of Jan 06.....I hope.....yes?
Click to expand...

The later units (mine is April 2007) have the version 015 of May 30, 2006. And don´t work properly.

Does somebody have a later firmware version?
 
I believe that V15 is the latest. Mine has that version, and as stated in my previous posts, has operated flawlessly.
I bought this unit from Audio Classics about 8 months ago and they stated at that time it was upgraded by McIntosh to the latest transport and firmware.
 
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