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McIntosh Unveils 2012 Audio Lineup

New
York – McIntosh’s 2012 lineup will include three new components and three new
speakers that make it possible to build a McIntosh-based home theater system at
a lower price than before while still delivering McIntosh quality, president
Charlie Randall said last night.

The
products include the company’s first 3D Blu-ray player and a home theater
preamp/processor, both of which will be the company’s first DLNA-certified
devices to stream content from a PC. The preamp/processor will be among the brand’s
first AirPlay-enabled products. McIntosh’s other planned AirPlay product, a tabletop
speaker system, might be available before or after the preamp/processor.

The
new components are due in January, and the speakers are due in February.

The
three components – the MX121 preamp/processor, the MVP891 Blu-ray/DVD/SACD
player, and the MC8207 7×200-watt amplifier – will enable consumers to build
the audio electronics portion of a home theater system for about $14,000
compared to a current starting price of about $25,000, Randall said, after
introducing a

limited-edition
MC275
tube power amp

.

Three new
speakers include a bookshelf speaker at a tentative $4,000/pair compared with a
$5,000/pair model that it will replace. A new tower speaker is priced at a
tentative $10,000/pair compared with a current opening price of $20,000/pair.

With the
electronics and speaker introductions, McIntosh is returning to opening price
points that it hasn’t offered in two to five years, depending on the product
category, Randall said.

The limited-edition
$6,500-suggested tube amp, due in December, celebrates the 50

th

anniversary of the launch of the brand’s first MC275 in 1961. It’s the brand’s longest running SKU, though out
of production from 1972-1994.

Here are some of the details and pricing
of the new products.

MX121
surround-sound preamp/processor:

At a suggested $6,000,

the 9.1-channel unit will come in at about half the price of the
brand’s current opening-price pre-pro. It will be the company’s first pre-pro
that can be controlled from an app for iPod Touches, iPhones and iPads.

Other new features include Internet radio, DLNA 1.5
streaming of PC audio, and Audyssey DSX post-processing to add front-height and
front-width channels; a full array of Blu-ray audio decoders, 7.1-channel
analog output, six HDMI 1.4a inputs, two 1.4a outputs, and 1080p upscaling.

It offers Audyssey room correction, whereas the
current model features Lyngdorf’s Room Perfect room correction.

MVP891
Blu-ray:

The player will be priced at a tentative $5,500 compared with the current
model’s $8,000. Both play Blu-ray discs, DVDs, CDs and SuperAudio CDs. The new
model, however, will be the company’s first Blu-ray player with 3D playback, first
with DLNA certification to stream audio and video from a networked PC, and first
to support audio and video streaming services. The company declined to specify
which A/V services will be offered.

The players will also add HDMI 1.4a outputs compared
with the current model’s HDMA 1.3. Other features include BD-Live and 16GB of
built-in memory.

MC8207
amplifier:

The 7×200-watt amp will be priced at a suggested $6,000, lower than a current $8,500 7×200-watt
amp  thanks to the use of black-enameled
metal chassis instead of mirrored stainless-steel chassis, and the replacement
of analog VU meters with LED-based meters that look like analog VU meters.

Both amps are rated at 7×200 watts into both 4-ohm
and 8-ohm loads, all channels rated simultaneously. Both also feature second
stereo-zone output,

XR100
tower speaker:

At a suggested $10,000/pair, the speaker features 600-watt power
handling, four 6-inch woofers, 8 2-inch inverted-dome midranges, two 2-inch
tweeters, and a 0.75-inch super tweeter in a 49-inch-tall cabinet that is
8-inches-wide and 14.7-inches-deep.

LCR80
LCR speaker:

At a suggested $2,500 each, the three-way speaker can be positioned
horizontally or vertically thanks to a 0.75-inch super tweeter flanked above
and below by a 2-inch midrange/tweeter driver when the speaker is placed
horizontally. All three drivers in turn are flanked on the left and right by a 6-inch
woofer.

The speaker can be shelf-, stand- or wall-mounted
and features 300-watt power handling

XR50
bookshelf speaker:

At a suggested $4,000/pair, the three-way speaker features 300-watt
power handling, rear port, one 6-inch woofer, and two 2-inch inverted-dome
midrange/tweeters, one above and one below a 0.75-inch super tweeter.

All speakers come in a choice of high-gloss black,
red walnut or pear maple finishes.

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