For any further information, visit the Web site, www.mcintoshlabs.com, or contact John Caldwell directly at 805 647 3779.
McIntosh Expands Home Theatre Family Of Products with MSE1 Surround Expander
Keeping up with the ever-changing drama of home theatre technology, McIntosh proudly announces their MSE1 Surround Expander. Designed to enable the 5.1 surround sound systems of today evolve into the 6.1 systems of tomorrow, the MSE1 is the result of intensive research and development. It combines the legendary McIntosh penchant for exhaustive engineering with the most up-to-date requirements of advanced home theatre design. The MSE1 is an advanced Surround Sound expander that establishes a rear center channel so to enable the creation of a more accurate rear sound stage. The MSE1 is also equipped with additional features that allow more control and expansion of the surround sound system. Charlie Randall, McIntoshís new Vice President, Engineering, describes the MSE1 in this way, ""McIntosh has a very substantial base of satisfied home theatre owners in the marketplace right now. Add this to the new customers planning McIntosh systems every day and you wind up with a real need for the most up-to-date surround sound technology. The MSE1 was designed to offer these customers, old and new, the opportunity to easily add the latest advances in surround sound technology to their McIntosh systems. As always, we have infused the MSE1 with superlative design and engineering so that the performance of an MSE1-equipped system will always represent the best performance that the format is capable of. Anything less just wouldnít be McIntosh."" The MSE1 cuts no corners in its design or engineering. Among the features and characteristics that set it apart from anyone else are: - 24-Bit DSP Processing ñ Two Motorola 24-bit Digital Signal Processors are used for the Expanding process. The first is a DSP56009 that monitors the digital bitstream for Automatic Mode. The second is a DSP56007 that performs the actual surround sound expansion, bass management and some of the ancillary functions. The new Back Surround channel aids in properly locating effects in the soundfield. - 20-Bit Conversion ñ A 20-bit stereo Analog-to-Digital (A/D) converter is used on the analog input and two 20-bit stereo Digital-to-Analog (D/A) converters are used at the DSP output. All three surround channels are full-range 20Hz to 20kHz for maintaining image transparency. - Automatic Expansion Mode ñ For seamless operation, the MSE1 continuously monitors the digital bitstream. The expander will only be engaged when specially encoded 5.1 soundtracks are recognized. If the bitstream changes, the processor recognizes the change, lights the EXPAND indicator and the appropriate OUTPUT FORMAT LEDís. - Manual Expansion Mode ñ The benefits of surround expansion can be enjoyed with any 5.1 soundtrack material, or any ProLogic soundtracks that are reproduced with decorrelated surround channels. - Adjustable Low Pass Crossover Filter For Additional Rear Channel Subwoofer Effects. - Adjustable Time Delay ñ The Back Surround channel has an adjustable time delay that compensates for the varying distances of speaker placement. This ensures that sound will arrive at the listening position at the proper time, improving imaging and correctly merging the surrounds into the sound field. - Super Tracking Trim Control ñ An electronic trim control with tracking accuracy of better than 0.5dB is used for all four channels. - Permanent Memory Of All System Calibration and Settings ñ MSE1 has non-volatile memory so no power is needed to maintain calibration. The MSE1 will be available in March, 2000 at a suggested retail price of $2,500. The MSE1 provides expansion of the Left and Right Surround channels when connected to the McIntosh MX132 or MSD4 or MAC3 and is compatible with non-McIntosh 5.1 decoders that provide a digital output. In an era where the rate of change is as amazing as he changes themselves, McIntosh is all the more remarkable. Even after celebrating its 50th anniversary, the McIntosh brand continues to represent high performance, superlative engineering and limitless pride of ownership. The handcraftsmanship and pursuit of detail that McIntosh is famous for continue to be key values found in every piece of equipment.