The 4K price is fine for a McIntosh, you don't get a Rolex for $500, regardless of performance.
I always get a chuckle about Rolex/high end stereo comparisons. But I'll tell you this, twenty years from now, after you beam up (depending upon your age), your son will cherish your Rolex, and probably want to wear it every day, as a remembrance of dear old dad.
Twenty years from now, when your kid goes to sell the rest of your stuff, the last thing he'll want to keep is the MacDAC. At the estate-garage sale he might get a few dollars for it. If he's lucky. But only if you agree to throw in the old man's MacLightBox, something that could actually have value as a small storage unit that glows in the dark.
One thing: in the realm of higher end Swiss watches, 4K won't get it done. For that, a potential buyer will have to be able to spring for one of Mac's big amps.
However all that is, one has to give it up to the company for their press release:
The product further serves as an upgrade to replace older D/A converters that may now be obsolete and outdated. Keeping in mind that digital music formats and technologies change and improve over time, the DA2 is designed with the ability to be replaced ... positioning the MDA200 as a timeless investment ... to a home audio system for years to come.
That has to be one of more reality challenging promo claims. How many madmen-admen late night sessions, and how many Old Fashioneds had to be downed before the team came up with that? "Hey, when this DAC becomes obsolete, we'll tell buyers they can buy something new to stick inside it, making it last forever!"
McIntosh having finally caught up with all those ST-70 and PAS preamp owners from the '50s and '60s, can now self reflect on why they didn't put blue meters on the DAC's faceplate. Heads will likely roll over that mistake.
positive-feedback.com
If you trash the Anti-Mode for it, so should you trash McIntosh.
