McIntosh XRT2.1K Reference Loudspeaker

The Ultimate Expression of McIntosh Loudspeaker Engineering

The McIntosh XRT2.1K Loudspeaker is built on more than four decades of McIntosh loudspeaker development and represents one of the company's most ambitious approaches to reproducing music at home.

Standing approximately 7 feet tall, the XRT2.1K is impossible to ignore. But its scale isn't simply for show.

Each speaker combines an extraordinary 81 individual drivers in a 4-way system, using McIntosh's renowned line-array principles to create enormous dynamics, a deep soundstage and remarkably consistent sound throughout the listening room.

The XRT2.1K isn't designed to sound like a very large loudspeaker.

It's designed to make the loudspeaker disappear and leave you with the scale and presence of the performance itself.

81 Drivers Per Speaker

Each XRT2.1K contains 81 individual drivers working together as a single loudspeaker.

That includes six powerful woofers, two low-frequency midrange drivers, 28 upper-frequency midrange drivers and an incredible 45 tweeters.

The woofers and low-frequency midrange drivers were developed specifically for the XRT2.1K, combining lightweight yet extremely rigid diaphragms with long-throw capability for tremendous low-frequency extension.

The towering front line array handles the upper frequencies with specially developed Aluminum-Magnesium midrange and tweeter drivers using neodymium magnets.

Rather than asking a handful of drivers to do everything, McIntosh distributes the work across an enormous radiating area.

The result is tremendous output capability with the effortlessness and control expected from a reference loudspeaker.

Why McIntosh Uses a Line Array

The XRT2.1K's dramatic vertical array isn't merely a visual statement.

It's fundamental to how the speaker interacts with the room.

McIntosh's line-array architecture creates a wide and even dispersion pattern, allowing the XRT2.1K to maintain impressive sound quality across a much larger listening area than a conventional loudspeaker.

Listeners sitting relatively close aren't simply hit with the combined output of all 81 drivers. As listening distance increases, more of the array contributes directly to the listening position, helping minimize the dramatic reduction in sound level that can occur with conventional designs.

That means a room full of people can experience a convincing stereo presentation instead of one person occupying the only great seat.

Life-Sized Scale Without the Strain

The sheer radiating area of the XRT2.1K allows it to reproduce music at enormous scale without requiring individual drivers to operate near their limits.

That's where this design starts to make sense.

A piano should have physical weight. A drum kit should have impact. A full orchestra should expand effortlessly when the recording demands it.

And when a recording becomes complex or playback levels rise, the loudspeaker shouldn't suddenly sound congested.

The XRT2.1K is engineered to maintain clarity, detail and composure at extremely demanding playback levels, creating the sense that there's always more capability in reserve.

Bass Built Specifically for the XRT2.1K

Behind the line array is a substantial reinforced bass enclosure containing six 8-inch woofers and two 6.5-inch low-frequency midrange drivers.

These drivers were developed specifically for the XRT2.1K.

Their diaphragms combine high rigidity with low mass, while their long-throw architecture provides the movement necessary for serious low-frequency extension.

Rather than separating the bass system from the rest of the speaker visually, McIntosh integrates it behind the suspended array, creating one enormous full-range loudspeaker system.

A Crossover Designed for Extreme Power

Getting 81 drivers to behave like one coherent loudspeaker requires an equally serious crossover network.

McIntosh uses low-loss capacitors and high-current inductors selected for their ability to maintain linearity even at very high power levels.

Specific inductor designs are used in different sections of the crossover based on their individual requirements.

The objective is to maintain an even frequency response while minimizing distortion as output increases.

At this level, crossover engineering isn't a supporting detail.

It's fundamental to making a loudspeaker of this scale work.

Tri-Amp Capability

The XRT2.1K gives owners the ability to build an amplification system every bit as ambitious as the speakers themselves.

Separate pairs of McIntosh Solid Cinch™ binding posts are provided for the mid/high, low and subwoofer frequency sections.

This allows the speaker to be tri-wired or tri-amplified.

For a reference McIntosh system, that creates extraordinary possibilities for dedicating amplification to different frequency sections and building the electronics around the capabilities of the XRT2.1K.

The gold-plated Solid Cinch terminals securely hold speaker cables in place while helping maintain a high-quality electrical connection.

Seven Feet of McIntosh

There is no attempt to make the XRT2.1K visually anonymous.

Its reinforced bass enclosure combines brushed and black aluminum with seven layers of high-gloss piano-black paint.

The suspended line array takes inspiration directly from McIntosh electronics, with a glossy black center section framed by silver aluminum end caps.

Steel supports—or "spiders"—suspend the array in front of the bass cabinet. Their magnetic covers are styled to resemble McIntosh control knobs.

Even from across the room, there is no mistaking what these are.

Engineering You Can See

The removable grilles attach magnetically and use black knit cloth surrounded by high-gloss trim.

Remove them and the enormous driver array becomes part of the visual experience.

At the bottom, a substantial machined aluminum and glass pedestal supports the speaker, with four adjustable feet providing solid contact with the floor to help minimize unwanted movement and vibration.

The McIntosh logo integrated into the base can also illuminate green through McIntosh Power Control when connected to compatible McIntosh electronics.

It's one of those rare loudspeakers that can become as much a part of the architecture of a listening room as the system itself.

The Grid's Take on the McIntosh XRT2.1K

The XRT2.1K is McIntosh operating without normal constraints.

It's seven feet tall. There are 81 drivers in each speaker—162 drivers in a stereo pair. And the line-array design is fundamentally different from the conventional tower-speaker formula.

But the most interesting thing about the XRT2.1K isn't the outrageous driver count.

It's what McIntosh does with it.

All that radiating area gives the XRT2.1K the ability to create huge musical scale without forcing individual drivers to work excessively hard. At the same time, the line array creates a much larger listening window than we'd expect from a conventional reference speaker.

That's what separates a speaker like this from something that's merely big and loud.

And with separate connections for the mid/high, low and subwoofer sections, we can build an equally extraordinary tri-amplified McIntosh system around it.

The XRT2.1K isn't for every room or every system. It's a statement loudspeaker intended for someone who wants to find out just how far a McIntosh system can go.

At The Grid HiFi & Home Theater, we can design the entire XRT2.1K system around the room—from McIntosh amplification and source components to power, cabling, speaker positioning and final system setup.