McIntosh MDA700 User manual

McIntosh Laboratory, Inc. 2 Chambers Street Binghamton, New York 13903-2699 Phone: [phone] FAX: [phone]
OWNERS
MANUAL
MDA700
MDA700 D/A Converter

2
Table of Contents
Thank You.......................................................................... 2
Please Take a Moment ....................................................... 2
Technical Support .............................................................. 2
Customer Service............................................................... 2
Table of Contents ............................................................... 2
Safety Instructions ............................................................. 3
Introduction ....................................................................... 4
Performance Features ........................................................ 4
Installation ......................................................................... 5
Rear Panel Connections and Switch .................................. 6
How to Connect the MDA700........................................... 7
Front Panel Controls, Displays, Push-Buttons,
and Switch ......................................................................... 8
How to Operate the MDA700 ........................................... 9
Specifications .................................................................. 10
Packing Instruction .......................................................... 11
NOTES:
1. The following Connecting Cable is available from the
McIntosh Parts Department:
Data and Power Control Cable Part No. 170-202
Six foot, shielded 2 conductor, with 1/8 inch stereo mini
phone plugs on each end.
2. For additional connection information, refer to the owners
manual(s) for any component(s) connected to the MDA700
D/A Converter.
3. Balanced and Unbalanced Outputs can be used separately
or both simultaneously connected to different components.
4. Pin configuration for the XLR Balanced Input/Output
connectors on the MDA700:
PIN 1: Shield or ground.
PIN 2: + input.
PIN 3: - input.
Thank You, Please Take A Moment,
Customer Service and Table of Contents
Thank You
Technical Assistance
Customer Service
Copyright 1999 by McIntosh Laboratory, Inc.
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:
Your decision to own this McIntosh MDA700 D/A Con-
verter ranks you at the very top among discriminating mu-
sic 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.
Serial Number:
Purchase Date:
Dealer Name:
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 addi-
tional help concerning a suspected problem, you can re-
ceive technical assistance for all McIntosh products at:
McIntosh Sales Corporation
661 W. Redondo Beach Blvd.
Gardena, CA 90247
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
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 Repair department.
For assistance on factory repair return procedure, contact
the McIntosh Repair Department at:
McIntosh Laboratory, Inc.
2 Chambers Street
Binghamton, New York 13903
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

3
IMPORTANT SAFETY
INSTRUCTIONS!
PLEASE READ THEM BEFORE
OPERATING THIS EQUIPMENT.
Safety Instructions
WARNING SHOCK HAZARD -
DO NOT OPEN.
The lightning flash 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 sufficient magnitude to consti-
tute a risk of electric shock to persons.
AVIS RISQUE DE CHOC -
NE PAS OUVRIR.
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.
NO USER-SERVICEABLE
PARTS INSIDE. REFER
SERVICING TO
QUALIFIED PERSONNEL
To prevent the risk of electric shock, do not remove
cover (or back). No user serviceable parts inside. Refer
servicing to qualified personnel.
General:
1. Read all the safety and operating instructions, con-
tained in this owners manual, before operating this
equipment.
2. Retain this owners manual for future reference about
safety and operating instructions.
3. Adhere to all warnings and operating instructions.
4. Follow all operating and use instructions.
5. Warning: To reduce risk of fire or electrical shock,
do not expose this equipment to rain or moisture.
This unit is capable of producing high sound pres-
sure levels. Continued exposure to high sound pres-
sure levels can cause permanent hearing impair-
ment or loss. User caution is advised and ear protec-
tion is recommended when playing at high volumes.
6. Caution: to prevent electrical shock do not use this
(polarized) plug with an extension cord, receptacle
or other outlet unless the blades can be fully in-
serted to prevent blade exposure.
Attention: pour pevenir les chocs elecriques pas
utiliser cette fiche polarisee avec un prolongateur,
une prise de courant ou un autre sortie de courant,
sauf si les lames peuvent etre inserees afond ans en
laisser aucune partie a decouvert.
7. For added protection for this product during a lightning
storm, or when it is left unattended and unused for long
periods of time, unplug it from the wall outlet. This
will prevent damage to the product due to lightning or
power line surges.
8. Do not use attachments not recommended in this
owners manual as they may cause hazards.
Installation:
9. Locate the equipment for proper ventilation. For ex-
ample, the equipment should not be placed on a bed,
sofa, rug, or similar surface that may block ventilation
openings; or, placed in a built-in installation, such as a
bookcase or cabinet, that may impede the flow of air
through the ventilation openings.
10. Locate the equipment away from heat sources such as
radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other appliance (in-
cluding amplifiers) that produce heat.
11. Mount the equipment in a wall or cabinet only as de-
scribed in this owners manual.
12. Do not use this equipment near water; for example,
near a bathtub, washbowl, kitchen sink, laundry tub, in
a wet basement or near a swimming pool, etc.
13. Do not place this product on an unstable cart, stand,
tripod, bracket, or table. The equipment may fall, caus-
ing serious injury to a person, and serious damage to
the product.
Connection:
14. Connect this equipment only to the type of AC power
source as marked on the unit.
15. Route AC power cords so that they are not likely to be
walked on or pinched by items placed upon or against
them, paying particular attention to cords at plugs, con-
venience receptacles, and the point where they exit
from the instrument.
16. Do not defeat the inherent design features of the polar-
ized plug. Non-polarized line cord adapters will defeat
the safety provided by the polarized AC plug. If the
plug should fail to fit, contact your electrician to re-
place your obsolete outlet. Do not defeat the safety
purpose of the grounding-type plug.

4
·Balanced/Parallel D/A Design
Eight Burr Brown 20 Bit D/A chips are used in the McIn-
tosh Balanced/Parallel D/A circuit which cancels noise and
distortion artifacts, reduces conversion step errors and im-
proves linearity.
·Automatic Sampling Frequency Selection
The MDA700 automatically selects the correct sampling
frequency to match the input signal requirements. Front
panel LEDs indicate 48KHz, 44.1KHz or 32KHz.
·Four Selectable Digital Inputs
Two Coaxial and two Optical inputs are provided which
can be selected by front panel pushbuttons or with a McIn-
tosh Remote Control.
·20Bit Digital Filter
A high quality 20 Bit Digital filter with 8 times
oversampling is used.
·Balanced and Unbalanced Outputs
Stereo Balanced and Unbalanced Outputs are provided.
·The Front Panel Display
The Display indicates the input being used and the sam-
pling frequency of the digital signal source.
·Ultra Low Distortion
Distortion levels of all types are less than 0.002%. Music is
amplified with total transparency and accuracy.
Safety Instructions cont,
Introduction and Performance Features
Introduction
17. Do not overload wall outlets, extension cords or inte-
gral convenience receptacles as this can result in a risk
of fire or electric shock.
Care of Equipment:
18. Clean the instrument by dusting with a dry cloth. Un-
plug this equipment from the wall outlet and clean the
panel with a cloth moistened with a window cleaner.
Do not use liquid cleaners or aerosol cleaners.
19. Do not permit objects of any kind to be pushed and/or
fall into the equipment through enclosure openings.
Never spill liquids into the equipment through enclo-
sure openings.
20. Unplug the power cord from the AC power outlet
when left unused for a long period of time.
Repair of Equipment:
21. Unplug this equipment from the wall outlet and refer
servicing to a qualified service personnel under the fol-
lowing conditions:
A. The AC power cord or the plug has been damaged.
B. Objects have fallen, or liquid has been spilled into
the equipment.
C. The equipment has been exposed to rain or water.
D. The equipment does not operate normally by fol-
lowing the operating instructions contained within
this owners manual. Adjust only those controls
that are covered by the operating instructions, as an
improper adjustment of other controls may result
in damage and will often require extensive work by
a qualified technician to restore the product to its
normal operation.
E. The equipment has been dropped or damaged in any
way.
F. The equipment exhibits a distinct change in perfor-
mance - this indicates a need for service.
22. Do not attempt to service beyond that described in the
operating instructions. All other service should be re-
ferred to qualified service personnel.
23. When replacement parts are required, be sure the ser-
vice technician has used replacement parts specified by
McIntosh or have the same characteristics as the origi-
nal part. Unauthorized substitutions may result in fire,
electric shock, or other hazards.
24. Upon completion of any service or repairs to this prod-
uct, ask the service technician to perform safety checks
to determine that the product is in proper operating
condition.
Performance Features
The new McIntosh MDA700 D/A Converter offers a
highly refined Balanced/Parallel Circuit utilizing eight of
Burr Browns most sophisticated Digital to Analog (D/A)
chips. Combine the MDA700 with a McIntosh Compact
Disc Transport, or any appropriate Digital signal source
and you will enjoy sound reproduction of unparalleled
sonic perfection.

5
Installation
Front View of MDA700
custom installed
Side View of the MDA700
custom installed
Bottom View of the MDA700
custom installed
Installation
The MDA700 can be placed upright on a table or shelf,
standing on its four feet. It also can be custom installed in a
piece of furniture or cabinet of your choice. The required
panel cutout, ventilation cutout and unit dimensions are
shown.
Always provide adequate ventilation for your MDA700.
Cool operation ensures the longest possible operating life
for any electronic instrument. Do not install the MDA700
directly above a heat generating component such as a high
powered amplifier. If all the components are installed in a
single cabinet, a quiet running ventilation fan can be a defi-
nite asset in maintaining all the system components at the
coolest possible operating temperature.
A custom cabinet installation should provide the follow-
ing minimum spacing dimensions for cool operation. Allow
at least 1-1/2 inches (3.8cm) above the unit so airflow is
not obstructed. Allow 17-1/2 inches (44.5cm) depth behind
the mounting panel, which includes clearance for connec-
tors. Allow 3/4 inches (1.9cm) in front of the mounting
panel for clearance. Be sure to cut out a ventilation hole in
the mounting shelf according to the dimensions in the
drawing.
17-1/2"
444mm
17-1/16"
433.4mm 7/32"
5.3mm
Support Shelf
Outline of Front Panel
Edge of Cutout
Panel Height
3 1/2"
88.9mm
3-1/16"
77.8mm
1/4"
6mm
3/16"
5.1mm
End Caps
3-9/16"
90.0mm
Bottom of Cutout and Top
of Support Shelf Must
Coincide
Mounting Surface
Outline of Unit
(Side View)
Support Shelf
Mounting Bracket at Both Sides of the Rear Panel.
Fasten with 6-32 x 3/8 Machine Screw and Washer to Chassis.
Fasten with 6 x 1/2 Wood Screw and Washer to Support Shelf.
6"
15"
9"
Mounting Surface
Cut Out Center
for Ventilation
(Bottom View)
(Front View)

6
MDA700 Rear Panel
Connections
Connect the MDA700
power cord to a live AC
outlet. Refer to infor-
mation on the back
panel of your MDA700
to determine the correct
voltage for your unit
MDA700 Rear Panel Connections
POWER CONTROL IN re-
ceives turn on signals from a
McIntosh component and
POWER CONTROL OUT
sends turn on signals onto an-
other McIntosh Component
DATA IN receives operating data
from a McIntosh Control Center
or McIntosh CD Transport and
DATA OUT sends operating data
to a McIntosh component
COAXIAL DIGITAL INputs
accept digital signals from
the coaxial digital outputs of
source components
OPTICAL DIGITAL INputs
accept digital signals from
the optical outputs of source
components
UNBALANCED AUDIO OUTputs
contain analog stereo signals to con-
nect to Unbalanced inputs of other
components
BALANCED AUDIO
OUTputs contain analog
stereo signals to connect
to Balanced inputs of
other components

7
How to Connect the MDA700
How to Connect the MDA700
McIntosh Control Center
McIntosh CD Transport
To AC Outlet
1. Connect the MDA700 AC power cord to a live AC out-
let.
2. Connect the POWER CONTROL IN to the Power
Control Out of a McIntosh Control Center.
3. Connect the POWER CONTROL OUT to the Power
Control In of a McIntosh MCD751 CD Transport.
4. Connect the DATA IN to the appropriate Data Out on a
McIntosh Control Center.
5. Connect the DATA OUT to the Data In of a McIntosh
MCD751 CD Transport.
6. Connect an Optical cable from a DIGITAL OPTICAL
IN to the Digital Optical Out of a McIntosh MCD751
CD Transport.
Note: A Digital source component can be connected to either
a COAXIAL or an OPTICAL Input.
7. Connect Unbalanced cables from the UNBALANCED
AUDIO OUT jacks to the Unbalanced Inputs of a Con-
trol Center.
Note: An optional connecting method is to use Balanced
cables from the BALANCED AUDIO OUT jacks to the
Balanced Inputs of a Control Center.

8
MDA700 Front Panel Display, Push-
Buttons, and Switch
POWER
switch turns
all AC power
completely
ON or OFF
MDA700 Front Panel Display, Push-Buttons,
and Switch
IR SENSOR receivers
commands from a re-
mote control
Display indicates the SAMPLING
FREQUENCY of the digital input
signal
POWER ON
Standby indicator
LED
Selects Optical
Digital INPUTS
Selects Coaxial
Digital INPUTS

9
How to Operate the MDA700
How to Operate the MDA700
Power On
The MDA700 can be turned on manually with the front
panel Power Switch. When a Power Control cable is con-
nected to a McIntosh Control Center, the MDA700 Power
Switch can be left on, and the Converter will turn on auto-
matically whenever the Control Center turns on.
Input Pushbuttons
Press an Input pushbutton to select the desired Digital
source connected to the MDA700.
Selecting Inputs with Remote Controls
Select Inputs with the MCD751 Remote Control by press-
ing the INPUT pushbutton followed by a Number
pushbutton. Select Inputs with Remote Controls of a McIn-
tosh MCD7009 or MCD7010 CD Player by pressing the
AUTO SPACE pushbutton followed by a Number
pushbutton. Select Inputs with Remote Controls of McIn-
tosh Control Centers or Amplifiers by pressing the AM
pushbutton followed by a Number pushbutton.
Note: The Number pushbutton must be pressed within two
seconds after the INPUT/AUTO SPACE/AM pushbutton
is pressed.
Reset of Microprocessors
In the event that the MDA700 stops functioning, turn the
Power switch off for approximately 10 seconds. This will
reset the MDA700 microprocessors.
Frequency Display
Refer to the Frequency display to the left on the front panel
to determine the Sampling Frequency of the Digital Signal
Source being reproduced. The most often used Sampling
Frequencies are 32kHZ for Satellite, 44.1kHZ for CD and
48kHZ for DVD and DAT.

10
Specifications
Specifications
Frequency Response
4-22,000Hz +/-0.3dB (Sampling frequency:48KHz)
4-20,000Hz +/-0.3dB (Sampling frequency:44.1KHz)
4-15,000Hz +/-0.3dB (Sampling frequency:32KHz)
Total Harmonic Distortion
0.0015% (1KHz)
Signal To Noise Ratio
110dB (A-weighted)
Dynamic Range
Better than 100dB (1KHz)
Channel Separation
Better than 110dB (1KHz)
Sampling Frequency
48KHz, 44.1KHz or 32KHz
D/A Conversion
(4) 20-bit converter/channel
Digital Filter
8-times oversampling 20-bit digital filter
Analog Filter
3rd order GIC Butterworth Filter
Maximum Voltage Output
2.2V RMS (Unbalanced and Balanced)
Inputs
1 and 2:Optical
3 and 4:Coaxial 0.5V p-p/75 ohm
Output Impedance
220 ohms, Balanced and Unbalanced
Power Requirements
100 Volts, 50/60Hz at 20 watts
110 Volts, 50/60Hz at 20 watts
120 Volts, 50/60Hz at 20 watts
220 Volts, 50/60Hz at 20 watts
230 Volts, 50/60Hz at 20 watts
240 Volts, 50/60Hz at 20 watts
NOTE: Refer to the rear panel of the MDA700 for the correct
voltage.
Dimensions
17-1/2 inches (44.5cm) wide, 3-5/8 inches (9.2cm) high, 15
inches (38.1cm) deep, including clearance for connectors.
Allow 3/4 inches (1.9cm) in front of the mounting panel
for clearance.

11
Packing Instructions
In the event it is necessary to repack the equipment for ship-
ment, the equipment must be packed exactly as shown be-
low. It is very important that the four plastic feet are at-
tached to the bottom of the equipment. This will ensure the
proper equipment location on the bottom pad. Failure to do
this will result in shipping damage.
Use the original shipping carton and interior parts only if
they are all in good serviceable condition. If a shipping car-
ton or any of the interior part(s) are needed, please call or
write Customer Service Department of McIntosh Labora-
tory. Please see the Part List for the correct part numbers.
Packing Instructions
Quantity Part Number Description
1 034047 Shipping carton only
4 034022 Foam end cap
1 033606 Inside carton only
1 033726 Top pad
1 034036 Bottom pad
4 017218 Plastic foot
4 100159 #10-32 x 3/4 screw
4 104083 #10 x 7/16 Flat washer
1 048095 Shipping carton complete with
all the above parts

McIntosh Part No. 040616
McIntosh Laboratory, Inc.
2 Chambers Street
Binghamton, NY 13903