McIntosh’s new high-performance preamplifier combines classic looks with streaming smarts and a premium price tag

McIntosh CS7500 streaming preamp on a shiny foil backdrop.

High-performance preamplifiers that pack streaming smarts have become a bit of a burgeoning hi-fi category in recent years.

And McIntosh has a new offering which not only delivers both but also packages them using the company’s trademark design cues.

The CS7500 features a signature black glass front panel, illuminated logo and precision rotary knobs, plus an elevated chassis and custom-machined brushed end caps.

It’s also an amplifier of two halves, boasting a mirror-polished stainless steel lower chassis, partnered with a hairline-brushed black titanium stainless steel upper chassis.

And it wouldn’t be a McIntosh without a splash of colour from its iconic blue meters, which peer out of the front of the amplifier like a pair of demonic eyes.

The CS7500 offers a broad range of connections as you’d expect and includes six analogue inputs, including two balanced, three unbalanced, and a dedicated phono stage for connecting a turntable.

(Image credit: McIntosh)

You also have seven digital audio inputs, which all take advantage of the CS7500’s Quad Balanced, 8-channel, 32-bit digital-to-analogue converter (DAC). The USB Type-B socket on the rear of the preamp supports native DSD512 files and DXD up to 384kHz, while its coaxial and optical inputs support playback up to 24-bit/192kHz.

You can also extract audio from your TV thanks to its HDMI ARC socket.

On the output front, you have two pairs of balanced and unbalanced variable outputs, plus a fixed unbalanced output for connecting different power amp configurations.

The second set of balanced and unbalanced outputs can also be dedicated to a single subwoofer or pair of stereo subwoofers should your room require a bit more boom.

Streaming support extends to Qobuz Connect, Spotify Connect with Spotify Lossless, TIDAL Connect with TIDAL Max, AirPlay, Google Cast, and Roon. There’s also Apple AirPlay and Google Cast for playing music stored on local devices plus Bluetooth aptX HD and aptX Adaptive.

As you’d expect, the McIntosh CS7500 will have a suitably premium price tag of $12,500 / $17,750 CAD when it goes on sale on the 28th August through authorised McIntosh dealers.

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