Digital Drive: REVIEW: McIntosh MCD 7009 CD Player/Recorder by Braxus

Model:	MCD 7009
Category:	CD Player/Recorder
Suggested Retail Price:	$2700
Description:	Compact Disc Player
Manufacturer URL:	McIntosh

Review by Braxus on April 15, 2011 at 20:30:15
IP Address: 208.99.158.190 Add Your Review
for the MCD 7009

I just picked up this player from a used stereo shop. Mac equipment is well known here, so I'd thought I'd take it home to get my own first hand experience with a Mac unit. Im like wow! This is definately a very "analog" sounding CD player as others suggest. It comes close to sounding like SACD discs. It has really good timing of notes, and voice presentation is excellent. The voices sound very natural like they are in the room. I can hear the decay of strings while guitars are playing. The high end is smooth smooth smooth. No edgy sound I typically hear with CD music. The high end may very slightly be rolled off giving a more natural sound and more presentation to the midrange where it counts. If I can hear all this on my lowly system, I wonder how the player would really perform on an optimum system. Dynamics aren't quite as punchy as I've noticed, but it could be the amp Im running and not the CD player. The natural-ness of the sound is what this player does well. I guess this is what makes a Mac a Mac. Since the technology in this player is from 1995, being 16 years ago, Im really interested in hearing what todays Macs can do with digital music. I may just have to save some pennies and get that 301 SACD player everyone raves about. I dont expect that time will be anytime soon or even next year. Im really wondering now how that D/A converter in that Rotel tuner will sound compared to this. Its new tech, but somehow I don't think it will quite compare.

Product Weakness:	Aged D/A converters have been surpassed by newer units today.
Product Strengths:	Excellent sound quality

Associated Equipment for this Review:

Amplifier: Rotel RB 850
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): Rotel RC 995
Sources (CDP/Turntable): McIntosh MCD 7009
Speakers: B&W 602 S3
Cables/Interconnects: Monster, other
Music Used (Genre/Selections): Classical, rock, electronica
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner

Amplifier:	Rotel RB 850
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	Rotel RC 995
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	McIntosh MCD 7009
Speakers:	B&W 602 S3
Cables/Interconnects:	Monster, other
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Classical, rock, electronica
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner