New Pre amp or a Streamer ?

[Ronen]

Considering adding / buying the McIntosh C53 to my McIntosh A/V Processor MX123 Passthru for Stereo only.
(My Power Amp :MC255)
The MX123 uses the AK4490 DAC if I’m not mistaken. Is the C53’s DAC ( DA2 Module ) superior ? Meaning : Adding the C53 ($8500) to the MX123 will justify the cost ?
Or stay with the mx123 and upgrade my streamer Bluesound NODE (Digital connected to Prosecco.
Thank you !

 

[staticV3]

No DAC upgrade in the world could ever justify a price of $8500.

Even the $10 Apple dongle is arguably an audibly transparent DAC.

If you spend $8500 on a better DAC in search of higher sound quality, that's just throwing away money.

Three ways to actually improve sound quality are room correction, room treatment, and better speakers.

 

[DSJR]

Good Lord - and I thought Accuphase asking the thick end of a grand for their dac add-on module was excessive!

Got to say that dacs seem to be a done deal these days, even those at $100 or so are simply bereft of facilities rather than performance.. Would anyone else agree that if the OP has the money to spend, to get the RME or the posher cased Benchmark and save the rest for music (or donate to charity)?

 

[JustJones]

Not sure what your goal is.
You still need a streamer with either the C53 or MX 123 ?
The MX123 does Airplay2 and Spotify Connect and attached files or shared. I assume you're using other services or simply like the UI.

The C53 uses the ESS 9028 pro
The MX 123 the AKM 4490
Unless McIntosh really screwed up either chip can render audibility transparent conversion.

If the question is will streaming with my Blusound Node digital out sound better through the C53?
Simple answer no.

 

[Ronen]

No DAC upgrade in the world could ever justify a price of $8500.

Even the $10 Apple dongle is arguably an audibly transparent DAC.

If you spend $8500 on a better DAC in search of higher sound quality, that's just throwing away money.

Three ways to actually improve sound quality are room correction, room treatment, and better speakers.

It's a PreAmp with a DAC.

 

[Ronen]

Not sure what your goal is.
You still need a streamer with either the C53 or MX 123 ?
The MX123 does Airplay2 and Spotify Connect and attached files or shared. I assume you're using other services or simply like the UI.

The C53 uses the ESS 9028 pro
The MX 123 the AKM 4490
Unless McIntosh really screwed up either chip can render audibility transparent conversion.

If the question is will streaming with my Blusound Node digital out sound better through the C53?
Simple answer no.

Thanks.
Let's say for a Better STEREO Audio (Instaed from the MX123 Stereo Mode) :
1. Adding C53 Passthru
2. Replacing the NODE to a Better streamer (Transport )
3. Leave as it is now - Do Nothing .

Thank you.

 

[JustJones]

I would do 3. Unless I didn't really like the BluOS interface. I don't have much familiarity with it. If you're comfortable with using it then I wouldn't bother. The Node isn't the greatest with analog out, using its internal dac, but using digital out it's fine. See review Here. In my opinion Better(transport) in streaming comes down to does it have the connections and features I want. Do I like the App control. Things like that.

 

[Ronen]

I would do 3. Unless I didn't really like the BluOS interface. I don't have much familiarity with it. If you're comfortable with using it then I wouldn't bother. The Node isn't the greatest with analog out, using its internal dac, but using digital out it's fine. See review Here. In my opinion Better(transport) in streaming comes down to does it have the connections and features I want. Do I like the App control. Things like that.

Thank you very much !!!

 

[JustJones]

If you simply want a stereo preamp and like and can afford McIntosh C53 then get one but I can't imagine in a blind test being able to tell it from the MX123. Same with using streaming devices. I couldn't tell a raspberry pi4 from a Lumin U2 delivering bits to a dac. The main thing is do I like the user interface.

 

[Ronen]

If you simply want a stereo preamp and like and can afford McIntosh C53 then get one but I can't imagine in a blind test being able to tell it from the MX123. Same with using streaming devices. I couldn't tell a raspberry pi4 from a Lumin U2 delivering bits to a dac.

Agree. That's the question. An expensive one ...
I don't know the difference between mx123 and C53 internal DAC's.
Maybee the DAC isn't so important. Maybe the components in the Pre ...
Also there's a lot of High End (Expensive) Streaming devices , Maybee better from the NODE (With external DAC)
and if I am investing lots of money on a streamer - in one year it will be old as new versions coming all the time.

 

[Purité Audio]

A preamp ‘should’ be audibly transparent, in my streamer comparisons Wiim/Lumin/Eversolo I have found no differences I don’t expect any advances from electronics in terms of sound quality.
Convenience, functionality perhaps.
Speaker always speakers and the room for real gains.
Keith

 

[JustJones]

There's also the WiiM pro plus.

WiiM Pro Plus Streamer Review

This is a review and detailed measurements of the WiiM Pro Plus streamer, DAC and preamplifier with Bluetooth support. It was sent to me by the company and costs US $219. While the case is plastic, it still "looks the part" as the Brits would say relative to other more famous brands of...

audiosciencereview.com

Also there's a lot of High End (Expensive) Streaming devices , Maybee better from the NODE (With external DAC)

 

[LouB]

Here ya go, everything plus DIRAC LIVE & DIRAC Bass management.
https://nadelectronics.com/nad-announces-masters-m66-bluos-streaming-dac-preamplifier/

 

[JustJones]

Mcintosh MX123 has audyssey multeq xt32. Looks like it does a good job.

Audyssey Room EQ Review

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Audyssey Room Equalization. Audyssey is standard technology in a number of Audio/Video Receivers such as the Denon AVR-X3600H I recently reviewed. The standard version in the AVR is mostly all or nothing so I downloaded the Marantz/Denon...

audiosciencereview.com

 

[pogo]

Here ya go, everything plus DIRAC LIVE & DIRAC Bass management.

...and DIRAC LIVE ACTIVE ROOM TREATMENT in the near future

 

[PHD]

Considering adding / buying the McIntosh C53 to my McIntosh A/V Processor MX123 Passthru for Stereo only.
(My Power Amp :MC255)
The MX123 uses the AK4490 DAC if I’m not mistaken. Is the C53’s DAC ( DA2 Module ) superior ? Meaning : Adding the C53 ($8500) to the MX123 will justify the cost ?
Or stay with the mx123 and upgrade my streamer Bluesound NODE (Digital connected to Prosecco.
Thank you !

The MX123 is a scam. Nothing but an overpriced Marantz AV8805 (minus the MEQ-X support) in disguise

https://www.marantz.com/en-us/product/a ... es/av8805a

https://www.mcintoshlabs.com/products/h ... ors/MX123A


The attached pictures compare the two processors. Marantz on top and the MX123 on the bottom including the remotes. Mctintosh only rearranged the i/o, slightly modified the GUI (it still looks the same but with different font colors), repacked the AV8805, and added their ugly UV meters. I'd stway away from anything Mcintosh...