McIntosh C52 to C53?

@mgattmch 

I have the DA2 in my C2700 and also have a $19K retail outboard DAC. You will need to spend $5K on an outboard DAC to significantly better the DA2. My outboard DAC is better all around (actually stunning); however, which DAC do you think puts more of a smile on my face when I listen? Believe it or not, it's the DA2. Solely because of the performance that it provides versus the small cost of entry. 

I have the DA1 in my MA8900 which I can upgrade to the DA2 module.  It is a nice option but I decided to buy a Denafrips Pontus II and a Hermes DDC.  It is much better than the DA1, but I don’t know if, or by how much it betters the DA2.  If I had to guess, it’s likely better and for not much more money.  Before the Denafrips setup I had a HiFi Rose 250a with, I believe, the same chip that the DA2 has.  My Denafrips setup is better than the Rose even with using a MacBook Pro as my source.  My thinking is that while being able to upgrade the preamp is nice, if you spent that money on an external DAC it would likely take several iterations of upgrades to the C53 to equal what you can get from an external DAC at the price of the C53.  The point I’m trying to make is that it might cost you several thousands more in successive upgrades and that’s assuming McIntosh comes out with a DA3 module.  I will say that I considered the DA2 upgrade but the idea of boxing up and lugging the 90 pound boxed integrated to the dealer to have it installed weighed heavily against it.

Please consider the combination of Chord M Scaler with the MC C53. McIntosh knew that the Equalizer combo with the M Scaler would produce the sound that you’d appreciate in concordance to your speaker tonal individuality. Way ahead of us. I had the Scaler paired with a Qutest and Freya Plus preamp for Tube tones… but my Cornwall 4’s love the DAC2, equalizer, and Scaler ability to enhance what my ears want. No fatigue!