McIntosh Group pulled off a rather spectacular home theater demonstration at CEDIA 2022, in partnership with Kaleidescape, Trinnov Audio, and a number of other brands that was the talk of the show. CEDIA focuses on the home theater and CI categories and what didn’t get a lot of coverage were the new loudspeakers from Sonus faber and McIntosh components designed for those specific markets.
The CI market exploded during the pandemic and while consumers are being more conservative with their spending right now in the post-pandemic economy that is under significant inflationary pressure and still dealing with supply chain issues — the market is definitely in a period of growth.
Consumers have not rushed back into N. American movie theaters and multi-room audio system sales (both wireless and wired) have never been stronger.
McIntosh has an extensive range of CI products but not everyone wants power hungry class AB power amplifiers in their racks. The slimmer form factor gives CI installers more room to play with.
The new McIntosh MI502 2-Channel Digital Amplifier offers world renowned McIntosh sound quality using innovative closed loop digital switching technology with resilient power supplies to produce groundbreaking performance levels for custom install audio.
The MI502 boasts a variety of home entertainment uses including driving home theater speakers, in-wall subwoofers, or outdoor speakers, all delivering 500 Watts of power into 8 ohm speakers or 800 Watts into 4 ohm speakers.
In addition to several of the brand’s patented technology innovations, the highly efficient class D MI502 features two of McIntosh’s iconic blue watt maters that display the power output of each channel.
Key Features:
- Power Guard® signal overload technology that prevents overdriving and damaging the speakers
- Sentry Monitor™ short-circuit protection
- Power Control 12 Volt triggering capabilities
- Eco-friendly on/off signal sensing
- Rack mountable with 2U height
- Runs quiet thanks to not needing a cooling fan
Price & Availability
The McIntosh MI502 will be available via US Authorized McIntosh Dealers beginning November 2022 with the rest of the world soon after, with an MSRP of $4,500 USD.
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ORT
November 3, 2022 at 9:10 pm
Given that the average age of frAudiophiles must surely now be in the mid to high 70s, what I am about to say rings all the more true.
McIntosh? Class “D”?! Yea, there arose above the calamitous din a sound unheard of in every age before now.
I know, I know my children, my friends. You are saying how can it flow so magnificently mellifluously, utterly effortlessly and above all else with a restraint borne of the experience of decades. How? Because the truth is ever sweet upon the tongues of those who desire it above all else.
What is it that rings true and yet causes a cacophony amongst those that consider themselves to be our betters?
The sound of the Olde Guard and their unified wailing and gnashing of dentures…”McIntosh and Class D?! Dogs and cats…living togther…mASS hysteria!”
If only Jermone Lester “Curly” Horwitz”, the Stooge of Stooges were here, he would say it better than I ever could…
“NYUK! NYUK! NYUK!”
Oh Frabjous Day indeed.
ORT
Bob
November 5, 2022 at 6:15 pm
Just to be clear the post pandemic economy in the US was surging until excessive Federal government spending designed to remedy the predicament it itself created finally caught up with macro economics 101.