McIntosh’s pre-amp and audio matrix is Sonos turned up to 11

McIntosh, the famed US hi-end hi-fi brand, has a heritage going back to the 1940s – but their latest launch is packed with cutting-edge tech. The new CR106 preamplifier and audio matrix is designed to control up to six independent audio zones in a multi-room setup, and it can be chained with additional units via a Dante network interface to create up to 30 two-channel zones.

The CR106 has two sets of stereo outputs and subwoofer outputs for each zone, and it has four unbalanced analogue and four digital inputs. It's Bluetooth compatible with aptX HD and aptX Adaptive, and it can be controlled in three ways: via the Connect app; via a web interface; or old-school by using the front panel.

McIntosh CR106: key features and pricing

By combining an audio matrix and a pre-amp in a single unit, McIntosh makes it easy to organise and customise different audio zones to suit your preferences and to deliver very high quality audio. And the CR106 is rack-mountable, taking up a modest 2U of standard AV rack space.

The reason for the twin outputs in each zone is for maximum flexibility: you can have the same audio on four speakers and two subs in one zone, or distribute the same audio across two zones at the same time.

The control options are extensive, enabling you to turn zones on and off, adjust the audio settings and balance for each one, configure subwoofers, group zones together and set specific EQ voicings for each zone. The app also enables you to save "experiences", which save the current input selection and settings for easy recall later.

The McIntosh CR106 will be available through authorised dealers from August 2025, with a price of £6,999 / $5,500 / €7,499 EUR (about AU$14,345).