McIntosh has unveiled an upgradable DAC that claims to protect owners against future changes in digital audio technology. The MDA200 D/A Converter is based around McIntosh’s DA2 digital audio module featured in the flagship MA12000 Integrated amplifier and C2700 and C53 preamplifiers.
The DA2 digital audio module has been designed with the ability to be replaced by a newer digital audio module in the future, positioning the MDA200 D/A Converter as a “timeless investment keeping home audio systems current for years, if not decades, to come”. It has a quad balanced, 8-channel, 32-bit digital-to-analogue converter with support for high-resolution digital audio, with the USB input providing native DSD playback up to DSD512 and DXD to 384 kHz; the coax and optical inputs support up to 24-bit/192 kHz.
The MDA200 offers seven digital audio inputs: two coaxial, two optical, one USB, one MCT (to pair with McIntosh’s MCT series of SACD/CD Transports), plus an audio-only HDMI audio return channel (ARC) to improve sound quality from TVs. Audiophile touches include balanced and unbalanced analogue outputs, plus Roon Tested designation from Roon Labs. Shipping is expected to begin in November 2022 (United States and Canada), and the rest of the world, shortly thereafter, price is £4,995.