McIntosh CR106 6-Zone Preamplifier

High-End McIntosh Sound Throughout the Home

The McIntosh CR106 6-Zone Preamplifier is designed to bring serious audio performance to whole-home music systems.

Combining a six-zone preamplifier and audio matrix in a single 2U component, the CR106 can distribute multiple music sources throughout a home while allowing each zone to operate independently. Different rooms can listen to different sources at different volume levels—or the entire home can play together.

Paired with McIntosh custom-install amplifiers and architectural speakers, the CR106 becomes the control center for a scalable distributed audio system without sacrificing the sound quality expected from McIntosh.

Six Independent Audio Zones

The CR106 manages six separate two-channel zones from one chassis.

Source components such as music streamers, CD players, tuners, and other devices can be connected through its analog and digital inputs, then routed to the desired zones.

Each zone provides two sets of unbalanced analog outputs plus a dedicated subwoofer output, giving an integrator considerable flexibility when designing the system.

That makes the CR106 suitable for everything from straightforward stereo zones to larger rooms requiring additional amplification or dedicated subwoofers.

Control With the McIntosh Connect App

Whole-home audio needs to be easy to use, and the CR106 doesn't require complicated programming for everyday operation.

Control is available through the free McIntosh Connect app for Apple and Android devices, a web interface, or directly from the CR106's front-panel controls.

One of the more useful features is Experiences.

An Experience captures the current source selections and volume settings across selected zones. Once saved, that configuration can be recalled later without individually setting up every room again.

You might create an Experience for entertaining that activates music throughout the main living areas, another for quiet evening listening, or one that sends a specific source to an outdoor audio system.

Analog, Digital and Bluetooth Sources

The CR106 provides four unbalanced analog and four digital inputs for traditional source components.

Bluetooth is also built in, allowing a phone or tablet to become a source for the distributed audio system without adding another component.

Bluetooth support includes AAC, Qualcomm aptX HD, and aptX Adaptive, giving compatible devices access to higher-quality wireless audio playback.

This combination of wired and wireless connectivity makes it possible to integrate dedicated high-end sources while still giving family members and guests the convenience of playing music directly from their devices.

Expand From 6 Zones to 30 With Dante

For larger homes and more ambitious installations, the CR106 is designed to scale.

Up to five CR106 units can be linked through Dante network audio, expanding the system to as many as 30 independent two-channel zones.

Dante transports audio over a standard network infrastructure, reducing the complexity associated with moving numerous individual analog audio signals between equipment in larger installations.

For estates and large residential projects, that scalability is a major advantage: the same McIntosh platform can grow well beyond the CR106's initial six zones.

Built for Custom Installation

The CR106 is purpose-built to live in an equipment rack.

Its compact 2U rack-mountable chassis includes rack-mounting brackets and can be paired with McIntosh's custom-install amplification, including multi-channel amplifiers located centrally in the rack.

From there, the system can power architectural speakers such as McIntosh in-wall and in-ceiling models throughout the home.

Dedicated Power Control triggers can also synchronize compatible McIntosh components, automatically powering associated equipment on or off as needed.

The result is a system that can remain largely out of sight while delivering McIntosh audio throughout the property.

The Grid's Take on the McIntosh CR106

The CR106 is important because whole-home audio doesn't have to mean background audio.

Most distributed systems are designed primarily around convenience. The CR106 approaches the problem from the other direction: start with the performance expected from a serious audio system, then make it work throughout the house.

Six independent zones, dual outputs and subwoofer capability for each zone, app control, Bluetooth, analog and digital sources, and expansion to 30 zones through Dante give an integrator a lot of room to design the system correctly.

It's particularly compelling for larger custom homes where the owner wants one professionally designed audio infrastructure instead of a collection of unrelated wireless speakers scattered from room to room.

At The Grid HiFi & Home Theater, we can design the CR106 as part of a complete whole-home audio system, including McIntosh amplification, in-wall and in-ceiling speakers, equipment racks, networking, power management, and system integration.