McIntosh C53 2-Channel Solid State Preamplifier

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by Mamrak1

Taxation is often the reason Audio buyers purchase their equipment at places like Overture A/V in Delaware. No sales tax is applied thus saving hundreds (possibly thousands) of dollars if you happen to live in the nearby area.

I do and I have. My ex 501 monoblocks as well as a few other McIntosh items were purchased there for that reason.

[John49]

Originally Posted by Dylan Morris

I’m interested at to why McIntosh prices are substantially more in the U.K. than the U.S. I guess there’s a fair amount of import tariff applied over here, but us Brits also have to pay a very high level of sales tax (called VAT) which is 20%. If the MC53 is $8,000 is there U.S. sales tax to pay on top of this amount ?

The more hands an item has to pass through, the more is added to the price to you. I have queried the UK prices of US goods many times and the usual response is “we all have to make a living!”

[Vantage5340]

And don’t forget currency fluctuations: a company exporting from the USA to Europe (or the opposite) will also want to protect its revenue from variations in the exchange rates. $8,000 in EUR (or GBP or DKK, etc) today might not be the same three or six months down the road.

[JBT]

AudoStream. on the C53


https://www.audiostream.com/content/...digital-module

[PHC1]

Out of curiosity, I recall McIntosh mentioning upgradability path some years back now but have they actually ever offered an upgrade to any modules?

[miner]

Wondering the same thing Serge

[Stahle]

The first thing I thought when I saw the DA2 is are all of the other components that have the DA1 now going to be sold with the DA2 when purchased new? I’m considering purchasing an MA9000 and if I ordered one and it had to come direct from McIntosh rather than dealer stock, I would not be happy if it didn’t have the DA2.

[Dylan Morris]

Have useful in reality is the HDMI input on this new DAC2.

The Audiostream review says a flat panel TV can be connected but surely the audio would be out of sync with the TV ? I’ve an MA8000 (with the older built in 2 channel DAC) and I’ve tried pushing my TV audio through it using the TV’s SPDIF (Toslink) connector (there’s no HDMI input on amp) and the audio is behind the picture hence unwatchable. So I have to use the TV analogue audio output via headphone socket and go into the amp via unbalanced RCA input.

I suppose the HDMI input could be used with audio source components but how many have an HDMI output. And what advantage would this give compared to the way I do this via a digital co-axial cable ?

Is this DAC2 a bit overrated then ?

[Wei]

I was about to order C2600 and was told that a new tube pre is coming out as well. Hope it gets this DA2 module!

[Dylan Morris]

Originally Posted by Stahle

The first thing I thought when I saw the DA2 is are all of the other components that have the DA1 now going to be sold with the DA2 when purchased new? I’m considering purchasing an MA9000 and if I ordered one and it had to come direct from McIntosh rather than dealer stock, I would not be happy if it didn’t have the DA2.

Maybe a good opportunity to purchase an MA9000 from a dealer with old stock at nice discounted price