Thanks for a great review. Best yet covering this model, especially re the sonics on your horns. Very interesting. Heading out to “test drive” this on Heresy IVs and MA352 combo. CD life may never be the same.
@tonytschida
Жыл бұрын
The MCT500 is the transport I am considering to go with my McIntosh C2700 - DA2 module. I have yet to come across any videos on YT that even come close to your review. So, I want to thank you for your very honest, unbiased and thorough review on this component. Thank You!
@theempiricalaudiophile3729
Жыл бұрын
There's really not a lot of reviews on the McIntosh, transport our DAC
@albert4321234
Жыл бұрын
I have the MT500 with the C2700/MC462 and I am happy with DA2 MCT play back for SACDs. Sometimes I prefer to use the external DAC (costs as much as the C2700) for red book CDs or DVD-A. But all in all the MCT500 with DA2 performs very well. I recommend the MCT500 especially when have the McIntosh MCT connection.
@tonytschida
Жыл бұрын
Thanks Albert. More reassurance that the MCT500 will be a good choice.
@timothylindsay3244
10 ай бұрын
Thanks fire this illuminating review. I have a C49 preamp and MC152 power amp. Considering upgrading my competent yet unremarkable CD player to the MCT 500 or MCT 80. The interoperability with the C49/built in DAC, using the MCT cable is a big plus. Your review has given me an important data point in making this decision. Thanks PS: I am too a “horn” fan with Klipsch Heresy III, but will be pairing this gear with my Sonus faber bookshelf speakers on my boat.
@TriAmpHiFi
8 ай бұрын
To change the depth of SoundStage......................... Increase or decrease the 2KHz range with a 250Hz Q. You can sit up front the concert, or way back in the nose-bleed section. And remember. there is no such "SoundStage Depth Knob" in a recording studio. There are only and forever only be; high, low and panned signal. Now, someone can claim that every time they play Bette Midler on vinyl, that they can actually "smell" The Rose, if they just use "this" cartridge but there is no smell or SoundStage recorded on any vinyl or anything else. Reggae, Funk & Brass 🔈🔉🔊
@TriAmpHiFi
8 ай бұрын
Advice to Noobs................. Learn & understand the entire signal chain which BEGINS at the recording microphone/magnetic pick-up, ENDS in your ears & is always changing. You'll never get the sound you want if you don't want understand it. If you think that's too much work, you're in the wrong hobby (edit) or need to alter expectations.
@toulcaz31
Жыл бұрын
Given the advances in chipset design and manufacturing, I struggle to see how an old DAC could perform better than a recent DAC, assuming similar quality for everything else but the chipset. If you see improvement between an old and new CD transport, I would think the DAC should show an even bigger step up; just because of the importance of the digital components. I really enjoy your videos, pls keep them coming in.
@theempiricalaudiophile3729
Жыл бұрын
You're absolutely, right how can an old 29 year old DAC sound as good or better than brand new technology. But it does. I today listen to my Conrad Johnson DAC way more than the Mac only because it sounds more natural and better to me. I also watched a KZitem channel from a guy in Arizona that had a brand new Mac DAC and compared it to an older DAC and he like the older DAC better then the brand new one and said he was going to sell off the Mac.
@toulcaz31
Жыл бұрын
Interestingly, Pearl Acoustics channel just released a video comparing few CD transports that is a nice complement to your review.
@dscott6915
Жыл бұрын
Can you play SACD’s using the coax or Toskink connection to a DAC, not using the McIntosh proprietary cable? 31:21
@theempiricalaudiophile3729
Жыл бұрын
No, you must use the proprietary cable with the McIntosh DAC to play SACDs
@neilkearney8172
Жыл бұрын
The empiricist would be wise to not repeat himself three times for each point he makes. His subscription base would rise. Keep 'em entertained and he could become a millionaire, like Doug Demero has done for the car buffs. That being said, this was very interesting for me to watch. My system has horn-type speakers (Horning Eufrodites). So, I was delightfully surprised to learn from this experienced audiophile how this mere transport can substantially mprove the soundstage of horn speakers. i would guess improvements would occur to other speaker types and hi-fi systems. There is something in the water at the McIntosh HQ: things just seem to be better when they do a product. Reviewing the MCT-500 with the C-53 pre-amp, The Absolute Sound's reviewer PS was over the moon. And TBA tends to be snobby, so, for them, McIntosh is on the lower end of the price scale. Even before I read PS's glowing review, I was lucky to find an affordable (used) Mcinstosh C-53 pre-amp. It's an extremely versatible machine. I'm old school. I like tone controls and balance. I would also like loudness, as PS also lamented. Maybe in the C-54? 1970s Luxman high end pre-amp gear got that down pat. The bonus for me is that I can use the McIntosh proprietary MCT cable with this MCT-500 transport. Such a cable would be particularly useful for SACD playback. On almost all SACD machines you cannot output the SACD music to another DAC; you must use the player's built-in DAC. Given McIntosh's strategy of building future-proof machines that can swap in an improved DAC module, this seems a cost-effective way to keep up with digital technology. The empiricist might have another epiphany if he used his system to listen to SACDs. The difference of this information dense format compared to regular "redline" CDs can be breathtaking. But he is right that the production/mixing of a particular CD makes more difference than the format. I was disapointed that in his 30 minute drone he never showed us how the transport works (drawer opening, cueing up the music ....). This MCT 500 has been sometimes criticised for being "cheap" in this regard. But it is solid aluminum. I wonder who supplies McIntosh; maybe Yamaha. Currently I have a Yamaha S-3000 SACD palyer. It is their top line product. A battleship. Mine was underwater in a flood and yet could be repaired. It also uses an aluminum disc tray and is a tad slow to cue up the music. It is about the same price as the MCT 500 and it has its own DAC, a good one, although now a decade old. The empiricist found his favorite DAC a long time ago from a company that has gone away. Tubes back then were more useful to cover over the dryness of a lot of digital. Now, hi-res streaming, SACDs, and improvements in DAC processing suggest he might look to do better. He could start at the bottom of the price range: the Schitt model at $2K also mightily impressed TBA. Thank you, empiricist. You have convinced me to upgrade to this MCT 500 and use the Yamaha for the second system in the country house.
@theempiricalaudiophile3729
Жыл бұрын
I don't think what I do to this channel is going to help raise the amount of people watching it, like some of the other channels that are a lot bigger.
@jchborg90277
Жыл бұрын
Why bother reviewing a component no one cares about?
@theempiricalaudiophile3729
11 ай бұрын
There's always somebody out there that cares about a product that others may not think about or care about.
@timothylindsay3244
4 ай бұрын
I cared about it as I was researching transports to feed my Mac C49 preamp with built in DAC. The Empiricist’s review helped me make my decision to purchase the MCT 500. I think that’s the point of his or anyone’s reviews….making us wiser consumers. Thanks Epiricist…I’ll let you know my impressions of the 500 once it arrives. 😎
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