McIntosh MB20 Bluetooth Transceiver

Description

Are you looking for an easy and simple way to add Bluetooth streaming capabilities to virtually any home audio system? The MB20 from McIntosh is a great choice.

The MB20 turns a vintage McIntosh system (or nearly any brand) into a modern home music system capable of playing digital music stored on phones, in cloud accounts, or from a preferred streaming services.

With its footprint being slightly larger than many smartphones, the MB20 is a stand-alone, Bluetooth streaming solution that does not require any third-party apps to use.

As a transmitter/receiver, the MB20 has been designed to provide a superior Bluetooth connection to audio equipment that lacks Bluetooth connectivity, as is the case with many vintage systems. The MB20 has been engineered as a Class 1 Bluetooth device, devices that can typically operate at a range of up to 150 feet (45.7 meters)1 in ideal conditions with limited obstructions. As a Receiver, the MB20 employs an extremely sensitive receiver for better reception, even from Class 2 devices, with the maximum range determined by the capabilities of both actively paired devices. An external antenna helps maximize its range for better performance. As a Transmitter, it has a range 10x greater than that of a typical Class 2 Bluetooth device.

The MB20 comes with a variety of analog and digital inputs and outputs to connect it to your home audio system.

Most notably amongst them are balanced inputs and outputs, making it one of the only Bluetooth transmitter receivers to offer these superior audio connections that help deliver top-quality audio performance. For connecting it to your system via analog cables, it includes 1 stereo set of both balanced and unbalanced inputs, along with a stereo set of balanced and unbalanced outputs. For digitally connecting it to your system, such as for use with an outboard Digital-to-Analog Convertor (DAC), it has 1 each of both coaxial and optical inputs and outputs.

The MB20 uses Bluetooth® 5.0 with support for both the high bitrate Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) standard as well as Qualcomm® aptX™ HD for hi res audio playback. It also features Qualcomm aptX Low Latency for improved audio transmission speed to deliver sound in sync with applicable visual media. When used as a Receiver, the MB20 uses a high-performance 32-bit DAC with 192kHz internal processing for optimum sound quality; when used in combination with a separate outboard DAC, the MB20’s digital output is fixed at 96kHz to be compatible with most third-party DACs in order to maximize performance and maintain audio signal integrity. When in Transmitter mode, it uses an equally capable high-performance Analog-to-Digital Convertor (ADC) with 110dB Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR).

And, as a transceiver, the MB20 can function as either a Bluetooth Receiver or Transmitter (but not both at the same time). Simply set the switch on the back panel to the proper setting for the desired Receiver or Transmitter usage.

The MB20 will work with any non-McIntosh home audio system that has the proper inputs and outputs. It includes a wall mount charger with adapters for some of the most common outlets used around the world.