McIntosh has just launched the MCD85, a new compact-chassis SACD/CD player that promises to bring the company's latest and greatest digital technologies to your disc collection, plus USB connectivity for your digital devices.
Designed to complement the September-launch MC830 Solid State Amplifier and C8 Vacuum Tube Preamplifier (see below), the new open-chassis player marries CD and SACD playback with a USB input that supports high-resolution audio up to DSD256 and DXD 384 kHz.
"Painstakingly hand-built" in the firm's New York factory, says McIntosh, the player's advanced internal DAC enables playback from smart devices, computers and USB-equipped devices. A further two (192kHz-supporting) coaxial and optical digital inputs are also included.
The MCD85’s digital-to-analogue convertor is a quad balanced, 8-channel, 32-bit/192 kHz device. Here, four DAC pathways are dedicated to the left audio channel and four to the right, promising levelled-up stereo reproduction.
For CD and SACD data, the MCD85 boasts a 2x read speed and a buffer memory for advanced error correction and tracking. Discs are placed in a high-quality die-cast tray that features a new, custom front-bevelled nose to match the angle of the chassis, while promising smooth and quiet disc handling. Disc reading is performed by a high-quality disc mechanism, using a twin-laser optical pickup that each employs different wavelengths optimised for SACD and CD.
McIntosh’s Power Control and Data Ports should permit seamless integration with other McIntosh (and other home audio) equipment. To this end, the MCD85 features both balanced and unbalanced fixed analogue stereo outputs too.
As we've come to expect from McIntosh, the firm's die-cast aluminium name badge is affixed to each side of the chassis; the front, top and rear of this chassis is polished to a mirror finish, similar to the aforementioned MC830 and C8; and, completing the look, there's the black glass front panel with direct LED backlighting, silver trim, an illuminated logo and rotary control knobs.
Ready for pricing? Orders for the £4995 ($4500, AU$8995) McIntosh MCD85 SACD/CD player can now be placed, with shipping expected later this month in the United States and Canada, and by March in the UK and Australia.
MORE:
See our pick of the best SACD/CD players in 2021
Read our extensive catalogue of McIntosh reviews
Check the best hi-fi and audio deals: amplifiers, CD players and speakers
