New McIntosh Optical Disc Transport Supports Multiple Hi-Res File Formats

McIntosh is replacing the MCT450 optical disc transport with the MCT500 ($4,500), it said Thursday. The unit has four digital outputs: industry-standard balanced, coax and optical outputs and a proprietary MCT connector that can be paired with any product that has standard digital inputs and a digital-to-analog convertor, said the company. The MCT500 plays common disc types: Super Audio CD, CD, CD-R/RW and DVD-R, it said. File formats such as AAC, AIFF, ALAC, DSD (up to DSD128), FLAC, MP3, WAV (up to 24-bit/192kHz) and WMA can be played from user-generated CD or DVD data discs and USB flash drives, McIntosh said. Shipping will begin this month.