Digital Room Correction: Where in the chain?
I’ve been contemplating the purchase of the McIntosh MEN220. I have a challenging room, and I’ve done my best with equipment placement, furnishings, and room treatments. My listening is 80% digital (streaming and discs), 20% vinyl. My digital chain is Roon/Qobuz, Lumin U2 Mini, Denafrips Pontus II 15th, McIntosh C-53, MC312, B&W702 S3 and REL T/7x. Transport is the MCT500 to the C-53 via din connector.
My hesitation is that the MEN220 requires an analog to digital to analog conversion. It seems like it would be best to apply any and all DSP in the upstream digital before my respectable DAC does the conversion. Is this midstream ADA negating my digital front end? Is there inherent loss in the extra conversion cycle? Or am I thinking about this wrong?
At that price I wouldn’t buy it without an in-home demo. My experience is really good room correction can be more than worth the additional A-D-A conversion, but it can obviously vary depending on system, room, level of treatment, etc. The other option is to buy used and hopefully sell at minimal loss if it doesn’t work out. Best of luck. https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/650241532-mcintosh-men220-room-correction-system-complete/ |
