[JWahl]

YoQuote:

Don't understand the "painful price" comments at all.
Priced a Woo Audio, Head Amp, Cavalli, or any other high end headphone amp for that matter??
$5-6K is the norm, and those amps don't have a built in DAC, or speaker amp. And there's no brand name there to speak of, vs a McIntosh.
This amp is a downright bargain!!

Well to be fair I think some of them are equally ridiculous in pricing, especially ones like the Cavalli LAu and Abyss headphones for one.  Though I give Cavalli a small pass because he is working on very small, hand built volume and has to include a large margin to compensate his own labor.  When you buy one it's for exclusivity, not high value performance.  Headamp prices are actually somewhat fair considering his low volume as well.  I think that $3k or maybe or maybe $3.5k would be better for the Macintosh.  If it were sold factory direct maybe even $2.5k or less

 

[IceClass]

The E.A.R. HP4 goes for five grand and doesn't include a DAC.
Like the Mcintosh kit, E.A.R. stuff tends to hold its value well making it possibly, a better investment than many initially cheaper alternatives.

 

[CDWMcInSpots]

  I also wonder if the dials will work well with headphones hooked up.  The Image shows that the dials are in Watts which goes from 0-50, so unless they are driving hungry Head phones, it might be moving that needle very slightly  Or do they go to a different scale when it detects head phones vs Speakers. 

 
It seems to me that Innerfidelity's CES 2014 video shows the scale starting at fractions of milliwatts. The picture below from Mono and Stereo indicate the same.
 

 
Innerfidelity: "CES 2014 McIntosh MHA100 Headphone Amplifier"
 

 
Mono and Stereo
 

 
Wired

 

[Stil]

   
It seems to me that Innerfidelity's CES 2014 video shows the scale starting at fractions of milliwatts. The picture below from Mono and Stereo indicate the same.
 

 
Innerfidelity: "CES 2014 McIntosh MHA100 Headphone Amplifier"
 

 
Mono and Stereo
 

 
Wired

You're right, it looks like it's not a linear scale, so would accommodate the smaller wattage up to 50 watts.  Nice.

 

[anetode]

  You're right, it looks like it's not a linear scale, so would accommodate the smaller wattage up to 50 watts.  Nice.

Decibels are kind of awesome like that.

 

[IceClass]

Have McIntosh gone out of their way to not release or allows photos of the rear of the unit to be released?
I can't find any anywhere for love or money.
I wonder if this means the final specs haven't yet been set?

 

[zackzack]

  This is a headphone amp...not a DAC

No way I'm paying $4500 for this thing if it doesn't include a DAC....Jeez!

 

[zackzack]

Re: Inner Fidelity video
 
You can hear people laughing in the background...
At the ridiculous McIntosh pricing?

 

[Androb]

Mcintosh sure is sexy )

 

[Audiowood]

  No way I'm paying $4500 for this thing if it doesn't include a DAC....Jeez!

I think it does..

 

[subtle]

It definitely does.

 

[IceClass]

But does it have a DAC output?

 

[IceClass]

*Crickets ...*

 

[barid]

  *Crickets ...*

I believe it does.  Was poking around google at some random sites trying to get information a while back, and I think it mentioned a DAC out.  Don't have any of the links/reviews though, there wasn't a whole lot to be dug up.  I guess we'll just have to wait until June and see how it performs.

 

[Audiowood]

*Crickets ...*

yes it has a dac based on earlier commentary, thread is really quiet, we need some teenager headfier to make some noise here.