[groovyd]

Perhaps I'm misunderstanding, don't you want to send the Skype audio to headphones instead of your speakers?

right, but my headphones are also driven by the same Mac DAC and my skype headphones are plugged into the front panel of the Mac always. Therefore when I hit mute button on the Mac I need it to continue playing audio through the front panel headphone port, just not the RCA outs on the back.

 

[dubharmonic]

right, but my headphones are also driven by the same Mac DAC and my skype headphones are plugged into the front panel of the Mac always. Therefore when I hit mute button on the Mac I need it to continue playing audio through the front panel headphone port, just not the RCA outs on the back.

 

[Ron Sherwood]

Wondering of the DAC in the D100/150 is the same in the MHA100/150?

Love my D100 as a DAC and heaphone amp.

I am on the fence about purchasing the MHA for my PC/Study set up or moving my present D100 to my PC in the study for headphone listenieg and purchasing new D150 (about $1K savings over the MHA) to replace the D100 in my main system.

Any thoughts?

 

[dubharmonic]

Wondering of the DAC in the D100/150 is the same in the MHA100/150?

Love my D100 as a DAC and heaphone amp.

I am on the fence about purchasing the MHA for my PC/Study set up or moving my present D100 to my PC in the study for headphone listenieg and purchasing new D150 (about $1K savings over the MHA) to replace the D100 in my main system.

Any thoughts?

Pretty sure that both of those use the ES9018 chip, which is an inexpensive delta-sigma DAC. I found that bypassing the digital stage of the MHA150 and connecting a $249 Modi Multibit was a big improvement, which kind of bummed me out to be honest. I stopped using the internal DAC. None of us are buying a McIntosh for the value proposition, but I was expecting more for the price. As a headphone amp the MHA150 is well rounded and refined, but the DAC doesn't hold up.

 

[Ron Sherwood]

Pretty sure that both of those use the ES9018 chip, which is an inexpensive delta-sigma DAC. I found that bypassing the digital stage of the MHA150 and connecting a $249 Modi Multibit was a big improvement, which kind of bummed me out to be honest. I stopped using the internal DAC. None of us are buying a McIntosh for the value proposition, but I was expecting more for the price. As a headphone amp the MHA150 is well rounded and refined, but the DAC doesn't hold up.

I appreciate the response. I will more than likely look at Schitt components and same some bucks.

 

[eddiek997]

I appreciate the response. I will more than likely look at Schitt components and same some bucks.

Get the MHA100 and a Mytek Brooklyn Dac. Best of both worlds

 

[dubharmonic]

Get the MHA100 and a Mytek Brooklyn Dac. Best of both worlds

Looks like the Brooklyn DAC uses the same chips as the McIntosh line https://mytekdigital.com/hifi/products/brooklyn/

Take a listen to an MHA fed by something from Holo Audio, Metrum, or Schiit's multibit line. Big differences!

 

[DACLadder]

Driving headphones from speaker outputs.... What is the range on the MHA1x0 volume control from silence to plenty loud enough using Hifiman HE1000 cans on the speaker taps? Is the HE1000 particularly sensitive in this configuration or is there some range on the control? And what is the volume range where one should avoid and never go using the speaker outputs? And what tap off the autotransfomer output seems best for me to try with the HE1000? Thank you

I finally sold a bunch of equipment and picked up a used MHA100 and new HE1000 v2s for good prices and awaiting shipment. Have a great DAC that I know very well its strengths and weaknesses so just learning about the marriage of the MHA1x0 headphone amp using balanced input and Hifiman HE1000. Recently moved to a smaller apartment and had to mothball my wonderful tube amp/ speakers. Currently using Mjolnir 2 with Senn HD650s and not very happy with the soundscape. I admit I have not listened with headphones in decades but this current experience leaves me flat. Very 2D and generic sound even with top-of-the-line C3 Audio headphone cable and NOS Amperex orange glode tubes. Clean for sure but no magic or sparkle and with just OK bass. So looking forward to big improvement in my headphone listening experience with the MHA100 and HE1000 v2.

 

[eddiek997]

Driving headphones from speaker outputs.... What is the range on the MHA1x0 volume control from silence to plenty loud enough using Hifiman HE1000 cans on the speaker taps? Is the HE1000 particularly sensitive in this configuration or is there some range on the control? And what is the volume range where one should avoid and never go using the speaker outputs? And what tap off the autotransfomer output seems best for me to try with the HE1000? Thank you

I finally sold a bunch of equipment and picked up a used MHA100 and new HE1000 v2s for good prices and awaiting shipment. Have a great DAC that I know very well its strengths and weaknesses so just learning about the marriage of the MHA1x0 headphone amp using balanced input and Hifiman HE1000. Recently moved to a smaller apartment and had to mothball my wonderful tube amp/ speakers. Currently using Mjolnir 2 with Senn HD650s and not very happy with the soundscape. I admit I have not listened with headphones in decades but this current experience leaves me flat. Very 2D and generic sound even with top-of-the-line C3 Audio headphone cable and NOS Amperex orange glode tubes. Clean for sure but no magic or sparkle and with just OK bass. So looking forward to big improvement in my headphone listening experience with the MHA100 and HE1000 v2.

Very much looking forward to hearing your impressions. I use the Norne Audio cable.
Volume on MHA is about 30% and sounds great to my ears. Definitely an improvement over the same cans via the headphone out. Might be the cable, might be that HE1000’s like that extra power, might just be my brain playing games with me......

 

[eddiek997]

Looks like the Brooklyn DAC uses the same chips as the McIntosh line https://mytekdigital.com/hifi/products/brooklyn/

Take a listen to an MHA fed by something from Holo Audio, Metrum, or Schiit's multibit line. Big differences!

Schiit’s out because they don’t believe in DSD... There’s a local meet in a few weeks so may well try different Days then and report back

 

[DACLadder]

Very much looking forward to hearing your impressions. I use the Norne Audio cable.
Volume on MHA is about 30% and sounds great to my ears. Definitely an improvement over the same cans via the headphone out. Might be the cable, might be that HE1000’s like that extra power, might just be my brain playing games with me......

Appreciate the reply. Looks like there is a bit of range on the volume control.

Just curious at 30% volume setting what is the usual max. power reading on the VU meters? Just trying to get a sense of HE1000s power needs. One would have to divide those meter power readings by 4 to get average power delivered to the 32 ohm HE1000s on the speaker taps. For instance a 5W meter reading delivers 1.25W to the cans.

Looking forward to receiving the MHA100 and HE1000s. I recently did the "spider" mod on the Senn HD650s and they sound much better but still not sonic nirvana for me.

 

[dubharmonic]

The HE1000 isn't difficult to drive, not like the HE6. When using the normal output (250mW) I can't handle going over 50% volume. The HE1000 is also forgiving of recordings and gear, you may find that you hear more of the MHA's strengths through the HD650. For even more insight you'll need something like the Utopia.

 

[DACLadder]

The HE1000 isn't difficult to drive, not like the HE6. When using the normal output (250mW) I can't handle going over 50% volume. The HE1000 is also forgiving of recordings and gear, you may find that you hear more of the MHA's strengths through the HD650. For even more insight you'll need something like the Utopia.

Excellent! I'll give them all a try. I receive the HE1000 early next week and the MHA100 in about two weeks.

 

[ribonucleic]

I apologize for a super newb question...

If one feeds the MHA150 from a separate DAC via the balanced analog inputs, does that circumvent the built-in DAC or any other kind of digitization? I'm hoping the analog input would simply be amplified and then fed through the headphone jack or the speaker outputs.

 

[DACLadder]

I apologize for a super newb question...

If one feeds the MHA150 from a separate DAC via the balanced analog inputs, does that circumvent the built-in DAC or any other kind of digitization? I'm hoping the analog input would simply be amplified and then fed through the headphone jack or the speaker outputs.

Yes, you have it correct. The input sources are switchable (Balanced, Un-balanced, or internal DAC). I plan on bypassing the internal DAC and just using the MHA100 as a headphone amp as you describe.