McIntosh Laboratory, a provider of home entertainment systems for over 60 years, has announced the introduction of the XCS200 Center Channel Loudspeaker (MSRP: $6,000). The XCS200 produces an image that complements McIntosh's XR200 loudspeakers when used in home entertainment systems. Not limited for use as a center channel, however, the XCS200 also can perform as a left, right, or surround loudspeaker. Designed for use in home theater installations, the McIntosh XCS200 handles 600 watts of power. Initial shipments are scheduled to begin later this month.

Performs as Left- Right- or Surround Sound Speaker

The XCS200 boasts a frequency response of 80 Hz to 45 kHz. With a custom extruded aluminum enclosure, the XCS200's concave side panels resist standing waves and contribute to the appearance. The XCS200 offers a high-gloss piano black finish front baffle and an articulating stand for placement and positioning. An optional wall mount kit is included, and an in-wall kit is available for purchase separately. Three sets of gold plated input connectors allow for bi- and tri-amping or wiring.

The XCS200 features two McIntosh 8-inch LD/HP woofers mounted behind a custom baffle housing a multi-driver line array featuring eight 2-inch titanium midrange drivers using neo-radial technology and five 0.75-inch titanium dome tweeter drivers, arranged in a quasi-point source array. According to the company, the low moving mass of the tweeter elements helps extend system response to 45 kHz.

McIntosh President Charlie Randall noted: "The creation of the XCS200 loudspeaker was a true labor of love for our McIntosh audio engineers and designers, and we are all very proud. Our innovative multi-driver approach, now in its' sixth generation, offers wide bandwidth and is phase-coherent within the audio band for an astoundingly lifelike and non-fatiguing sound - a hallmark of our acclaimed high-performance loudspeakers."