(September 15, 2022) The importance of a well-designed center channel can't be overstated. Tasked with carrying up to 70% of a theater room’s front soundstage, not to mention the vast majority of dialog, it’s essential that a center channel sounds great on its own while seamlessly blending with a system’s left and right channels. McIntosh’s latest center design claims to achieve that and more using a unique hybrid 3 and 4-way speaker sonically matched to its XRT2.1K and XRT1.1K floor-standers.
The all-new XCS1.5K has the appearance of serious audio gear, backed by a price tag – $40,000 – that screams high-end. Rated to handle 1,500 Watts of power, the XCS1.5K carries an unprecedented amount of audio firepower. Its first "layer" of drivers consists of four 8” long throw carbon fiber sandwich cone woofers housed in a vented cabinet. A second panel mounted on the cabinet's face features fourteen 2.5” aluminum midrange drivers and twenty-five 3/4” done tweeters. That makes for a total of 43 individual drivers, just in case you're keeping count.
The entire cabinet is mounted on an adjustable bass with five different preset angles. This allows the speaker unit to be optimally aimed at a listening position.
Finished with seven layers of high-gloss piano black paint, the XCS1.5K is loaded with classic McIntosh design elements. Its frontside accommodates a removable black knit cloth speaker grille, and its rear presents three sets of Solid Cinch speaker binding posts that allow for bi-/tri amping or bi- or tri-wiring.
The XCS1.5K will be available via Authorized McIntosh Dealers beginning October 2022.
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