Any opinions / reviews on the new McIntosh D100?
Jan 5, 2014 at 3:56 AM Post #16 of 34
$2500 seems inexpensive for such a loaded unit from McIntosh.
Anyone have one yet?
It would be nice to have better specs on the headphone output.

 
agreed.  $2500 isn't cheap, but for McIntosh you'd figure they'd try to charge 5000+.  I love the look of their components but they're so overpriced for the most part that it's comical.
 
Jan 5, 2014 at 9:35 AM Post #17 of 34
   
agreed.  $2500 isn't cheap, but for McIntosh you'd figure they'd try to charge 5000+.  I love the look of their components but they're so overpriced for the most part that it's comical.

I usually agree, wholeheartedly, especially since they fell off for years in terms of quality, but they've been making a strong comeback with hard-work and much better-quality parts!
 
- After putting the D100 through the ringer in MANY configurations:
- in my two-channel reference system as a pre/DAC
- w/ multiple headphone amps (tube and solid state), and tons of different cans  - I'm gonna try and work out buying my review sample! and I LOVE my Mytek!
 
and though usually reviewers get a decent accommodation price - usually not w/ McIntosh, so lets see what happens!!!!
 
- FULL review coming at Audio360.org!!

 
Jan 6, 2014 at 1:34 PM Post #19 of 34
The review is up:  http://www.audio360.org/amps-dacs_a0017_review_stunning_mcintosh_d100.php
 
Jan 8, 2014 at 7:00 AM Post #22 of 34
And... here's a link to the review on Head-Fi:  http://www.head-fi.org/t/698941/review-the-stunning-mcintosh-d100 
smile.gif

 
Jan 8, 2014 at 9:53 AM Post #23 of 34
 
Now, this is something I really would like to hear with my own ears.... especially with the LCD-X directly connected to the D100's headphone jack. Looking forward reading your follow-up!

listening and takin' notes right now!!
 
 
Admittedly I've been so blown away by it merely as a DAC/line-stage - the gain is grainless - the dynamics never falter, and as far as inputs and outputs its a swiss army knife
just like my Mytek Stereo-192 DSD DAC - but as a line-stage/DAC (many people, even McIntosh, LOL, call it a pre-amp - but technically a "pre-amp" is a line-stage WITH a phono
pre-amp/phonostage, anyway...) - it KILLS the Mytek to my ears! It brings the music forward as you drive it, but not in an overly aggressive/ear-straining way - and it's just damn
toe-tappingly fun to listen to w/ my ALO Studio Six!!
 
Just starting to check out the headphone amp section right now!!

 
...actually the non-grain is something I know from other McIntosh components and I always appreciated very much.
 
But I never had the chance to check that with ultra-transparent / highest-resolution loudspeakers or headphones.
So I wasn't sure whether this virtual non-graininess was due to certain softening / rounding of signals (sorry, I have no better way to express it) or whether this is really a substantial quality of McIntosh components that would also stand against a highest-resolution reproduction background.
 
So the Audio360 review definitely helped me to clear that out, at least for the D100... thanks!
 
Now, who knows, if I didn't just recently buy the HDVD-800 ...(what I definitely do not regret)...
 
Still, I actually would look into the D100 as a excellent DAC with an equal-quality headphone-amp integrated, whereas the HDVD-800 is a mainly excellent headphone-amp with a 300$ level DAC integrated... so lets see whether I decide to upgrade the DAC part of the HDVD-800 with the D100...
confused_face_2.gif

 
Jan 8, 2014 at 10:27 AM Post #24 of 34
Does the D100 need an amplifier with the LCD-X? I'm interested in this and the NAIM DAC-V1 as an all-in-one. I have a matrix m-stage I can use as an amp, but it sounds like the creators went through some trouble to include good headphone amps in each of these products.
 
Jan 10, 2014 at 8:35 AM Post #26 of 34
  Does the D100 need an amplifier with the LCD-X? I'm interested in this and the NAIM DAC-V1 as an all-in-one. I have a matrix m-stage I can use as an amp, but it sounds like the creators went through some trouble to include good headphone amps in each of these products.

Not at all!
I listened with my LCD-X, directly connected to the D100 - as stated in the review (if I missed that, sorry) and it sounded dynamic, quick, electrifying.
   
...actually the non-grain is something I know from other McIntosh components and I always appreciated very much.
 
But I never had the chance to check that with ultra-transparent / highest-resolution loudspeakers or headphones.
So I wasn't sure whether this virtual non-graininess was due to certain softening / rounding of signals (sorry, I have no better way to express it) or whether this is really a substantial quality of McIntosh components that would also stand against a highest-resolution reproduction background.
 
So the Audio360 review definitely helped me to clear that out, at least for the D100... thanks!
 
Now, who knows, if I didn't just recently buy the HDVD-800 ...(what I definitely do not regret)...
 
Still, I actually would look into the D100 as a excellent DAC with an equal-quality headphone-amp integrated, whereas the HDVD-800 is a mainly excellent headphone-amp with a 300$ level DAC integrated... so lets see whether I decide to upgrade the DAC part of the HDVD-800 with the D100...
confused_face_2.gif

that would be KILLER! That combo!
 
Jan 10, 2014 at 8:23 PM Post #28 of 34
I tried the D100 recently at the stereo shop fed both redbook and HD stuff from a macbook.  I only listened to it briefly with my HD800, but I have to agree that it sounded GREAT!  I hope they make a D101 or something with an analog input for folks that want to use vinyl also.  If they do that, I might buy one. 
 
Jan 10, 2014 at 9:02 PM Post #29 of 34
  I tried the D100 recently at the stereo shop fed both redbook and HD stuff from a macbook.  I only listened to it briefly with my HD800, but I have to agree that it sounded GREAT!  I hope they make a D101 or something with an analog input for folks that want to use vinyl also.  If they do that, I might buy one. 

that would be GREAT
  How about the LCD-2.2?   I think these are a bit harder to drive than the X.  
 
Any specs on power output on the built in Headphone amp?

I'll get em!
But it drove my LCD-3's just fine!!
 

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