McIntosh D100 Owners Manual

McIntosh Laboratory, Inc. 2 Chambers Street Binghamton, New York 13903-2699 Phone: [phone] www mcintoshlabs.com

D100

Digital Preamplifier

Owner’s Manual

The lightning ash with arrowhead, within an equilateral
triangle, is intended to alert the user to the presence of
uninsulated “dangerous voltage” within the product’s en­closure that may be of sufcient magnitude to constitute
a risk of electric shock to persons.

The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is
intended to alert the user to the presence of important
operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the
literature accompanying the appliance.

WARNING - TO REDUCE RISK

OF FIRE OR ELECTRICAL

SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE

THIS EQUIPMENT TO RAIN OR

MOISTURE.

IMPORTANT SAFETY

INSTRUCTIONS!

PLEASE READ THEM BEFORE
OPERATING THIS EQUIPMENT.

1. Read these instructions.

2. Keep these instructions.

3. Heed all warnings.

4. Follow all instructions.

5. Do not use this apparatus near water.

6. Clean only with a dry cloth.

7. Do not block any ventilation openings. Install
in accordance with the manufacturer’s instruc­tions.

8. Do not install near any heat sources such as
radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other appa-

ratus (including ampliers) that produce heat.

9. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polar­ized or grounding-type plug. A polarized plug
has two blades with one wider than the other.
A grounding type plug has two blades and a

NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS

INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO

QUALIFIED PERSONNEL.

third grounding prong. The wide blade or the
third prong are provided for your safety. If

the provided plug does not t into your outlet,

consult an electrician for replacement of the
obsolete outlet.

10. Protect the power cord from being walked on
or pinched particularly at plugs, convenience
receptacles, and the point where they exit
from the apparatus.

11. Only use attachments/accessories specied by

the manufacturer.

12. Use only with the cart, stand, tripod, bracket,
or table specied by the manu­facturer, or sold with the appa­ratus. When a cart is used, use
caution when moving the cart/
apparatus combination to avoid
injury from tip-over.

13. Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms
or when unused for long periods of time.

14. Refer all servicing to qualied service person­nel. Servicing is required when the apparatus
has been damaged in any way, such as power-

To prevent the risk of electric

shock, do not remove cover or

back. No user-serviceable parts

inside.

supply cord or plug is damaged, liquid has
been spilled or objects have fallen into the
apparatus, the apparatus has been exposed to
rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or
has been dropped.

15. Do not expose this equipment to dripping or

splashing and ensure that no objects lled

with liquids, such as vases, are placed on the
equipment.

16. To completely disconnect this equipment from
the a.c. mains, disconnect the power supply
cord plug from the a.c. receptacle.

17. The mains plug of the power supply cord shall
remain readily operable.

18. Do not expose batteries to excessive heat such

as sunshine, re or the like.

19. Connect mains power supply cord only to a
mains socket outlet with a protective earthing
connection.

2

Thank You

Your decision to own this McIntosh D100 Digital Pre­amplifier ranks you at the very top among discrimi­nating music listeners. You now have “The Best.” The
McIntosh dedication to “Quality,” is assurance that
you will receive many years of musical enjoyment
from this unit.
Please take a short time to read the information in
this manual. We want you to be as familiar as pos­sible with all the features and functions of your new
McIntosh.

Please Take A Moment

The serial number, purchase date and McIntosh Dealer
name are important to you for possible insurance
claim or future service. The spaces below have been
provided for you to record that information:

Serial Number: _______________________________

Purchase Date: _______________________________

Dealer Name: ________________________________

Technical Assistance

If at any time you have questions about your McIntosh
product, contact your McIntosh Dealer who is familiar
with your McIntosh equipment and any other brands
that may be part of your system. If you or your Dealer
wish additional help concerning a suspected problem,
you can receive technical assistance for all McIntosh
products at:

McIntosh Laboratory, Inc.
2 Chambers Street
Binghamton, New York 13903
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Customer Service

If it is determined that your McIntosh product is in
need of repair, you can return it to your Dealer. You
can also return it to the McIntosh Laboratory Service
Department. For assistance on factory repair return
procedure, contact the McIntosh Service Department
at:

McIntosh Laboratory, Inc.
2 Chambers Street
Binghamton, New York 13903
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Table of Contents

Safety Instructions ..................................................... 2

Thank You and Please Take a Moment ...................... 3

Technical Assistance and Customer Service ............. 3

Table of Contents ....................................................... 3

General Information .................................................. 4

Connector and Cable Information ............................. 4

Introduction ................................................................ 5

Performance Features ................................................ 5

Dimensions ................................................................ 6

Installation ................................................................. 7

Connections:

Rear Panel Connections .............................................. 8

Connecting to a Power Amplifier ............................... 9

Connecting to an Analog Preamplifier

or A/V Control Center ............................................ 10

Connection Diagrams

(Separate Sheet) ................................Mc1A and Mc1B

Remote Control:

Remote Control Push-buttons ....................................11

Front Panel:

Front Panel Displays, Controls, Push-buttons

and Jack ..................................................................... 12

Setup:

Setup ......................................................................... 13

Operation:

How to Operate the D100..................................... 14 -15

Additional Information:

Photos ....................................................................16-17

Specifications ............................................................ 18

Packing Instruction ................................................... 19

Copyright 2012 © by McIntosh Laboratory, Inc.

3

General Information and Connector Information

General Information

1. For additional connection information, refer to the

owner’s manual(s) for any component(s) connected

to the D100 Digital Preamplifier.

2. The Main AC Power going to the D100 and any

other McIntosh Component(s) should not be applied

until all the system components are connected
together. Failure to do so could result in malfunc­tioning of some or all of the system’s normal opera­tions. When the D100 and other McIntosh Com­ponents are in their Standby Power Off Mode, the
Microprocessor’s Circuitry inside each component
is active and communication is occurring between
them.

3. The Fixed Balanced/Unbalanced Outputs and the
variable Balanced/Unbalanced Outputs can be used
simultaneously.

4. The D100 internal Digital to Analog Converter

Circuitry is designed to decode 2-channel PCM

(Pulse Code Modulation) Digital Signal present at

the Coaxial, Optical and USB Digital Inputs. Other
Digital Audio Signal Format Types will cause the
Audio Outputs of the D100 to be muted.

5. The IR Input, with 1/8 inch mini phone jack, is

configured for non-McIntosh IR sensors such as a
Xantech Model HL85BK Kit.

6. When discarding the unit, comply with local rules

or regulations. Batteries should never be
thrown away or incinerated but disposed
of in accordance with the local regulations
concerning battery disposal.

7. For additional information on the D100 and

other McIntosh Products please visit the McIntosh
Web Site at www.mcintoshlabs.com.

Connector and Cable Information

XLR Connectors

Below is the Pin configuration for the XLR Balanced
Output Connectors on the D100. Refer to the diagram
for connections:
PIN 1: Shield/Ground
PIN 2: + Output
PIN 3: - Output

PIN 1

Power Control

The D100 Power Control In receives and the Power
Control Out sends Power On/

Off Signals (+12 volt/0 volt)

when connected to other McIn­tosh Components. An additional
connection is for controlling the
illumination of the Power Output
Meters on McIntosh Power Amplifiers. A 1/8 inch
stereo mini phone plug is used for connection to the
Power Control

Data Input and IR IN Port Connectors

The D100 Data In Port receives
Remote Control Signals from
McIntosh Preamplifiers and
A/V Control Centers. A 1/8
inch stereo mini phone plug is
used for connection.
The IR IN Port also uses a 1/8
inch stereo mini phone plug and al­lows the connection of other brand
IR Receivers to the D100.

PIN 2

PIN 3

Power
Control

Meter
Illumination
Control

Data
Signal

N/C

IR Data
Control

Ground

Data
Ground

N/C

Ground

4

Introduction

The McIntosh D100 Digital Preamplifier is one of the
finest Preamplifiers ever created with connections for
digital sources. The D100 Outputs have the ability to
drive multiple components. The D100 reproduction
is sonically transparent and absolutely accurate. The
McIntosh Sound is “The Sound of the Music Itself.”

Performance Features

• Dual Function

Use the D100 as the Preamplifer together with McIn­tosh Source Components and Power Amplifier to form
a complete Audio System. Connect the D100 to an
exisiting McIntosh Analog Audio System to provide
the latest in Digital-to-Analog Conversion from digital
audio sources.

• Electronic Input Switching

Electronic Input Switching on all Inputs provides reli­able, noiseless, distortion free switching.

• Balanced Outputs

The Balanced Outputs allow the connection of long
cable lengths without a loss in sound quality.

• Precision Tracking Volume Control

Volume levels are controlled by a new Precision Digi­tally Controlled Attenuator System with a tracking
accuracy of 0.1dB.

• Alphanumeric Fluorescent Display

The Front Panel Information Display indicates the
Source Selection, Sampling Frequency, Bit Depth,
Volume Level and Setup Mode Selections. The display
intensity is adjustable.

• Remote Control with External Sensor Input

The Remote Control provides control of the D100
operating functions and allows enjoy of your McIntosh
System from another room in your home by connect­ing an external sensor.

Introduction and Performance Features

• Fiber Optic Solid State Front Panel Illumination

The even Illumination of the Front Panel is accom­plished by the combination of custom designed Fiber
Optic Light Diffusers and extra long life Light Emit-

ting Diodes (LEDs).

• Glass Front Panel

The famous McIntosh Illuminated Glass Front Panel
ensures the pristine beauty of the D100 will be re­tained for many years.

• Digital Audio Inputs

The D100 has Coaxial, Optical and USB Digital In­puts to Decode PCM Signals from an external source.
The Coaxial and Optical Inputs process Digital
Signals up to 192kHz with 24Bit resolution. The USB
Input process Digital Signals up to 192kHz with 32Bit
resolution.

• Quad Balanced Digital to Analog Converter

The 8 channel 32-bit, 192kHz Digital to Analog
Converter is used in a Stereo Quad Balanced Mode,
assuring the music is reproduced with a wide dynamic
range and extremely low distortion, for both Disc and
external sources.

• Power Control Input and Output

A Power Control connection for convenient Turn-On
of McIntosh Power Amplifiers, Source Components
and Accessories is included.

• Special Power Supply

Fully regulated Power Supplies and a special R-Core
Power Transformer ensure stable noise free operation
even though the power line varies.

• Gold Plated Connectors

The Input and Output Connectors Contacts are gold
plated for superior corrosion resistance and high elec­trical conductivity.

5

Dimensions

The following dimensions can assist in determining
the best location for your D100. There is additional
information on the next page pertaining to installing
the D100 into cabinets.

Front View of the D100

1/2"

17-

44.5cm

Dimensions

5 USB 192 24

Rear View of the D100

17-1/32"

43.3cm

3-9/32"

8.3cm

3-7/8"

9.8cm

1-1/6"

2.7cm

29/32

1.8cm

1-5/8"

4.1cm

Side View of the D100

13"

33.0cm

12-1/16"

30.6cm

2-11/32"

6.0cm

2-17/32"

6.4cm

"

9-1/16"

23.0cm

1-3/8"

3.5cm

2-11/32"

6.0cm

13-1/4"

33.7cm

6