[FastEddy]

I hope there is one in the CanJam at RMAF coming up, so I can try the new phones on an amp I know.

 

[mark5hs]

So I'm debating between an MHA100 and a Parasound Halo Integrated amp. Thoughts?

 

[musicman59]

  So I'm debating between an MHA100 and a Parasound Halo Integrated amp. Thoughts?

I own the MHA100 and I am very happy with it. I also own the C2300 preamp and a pair of MC601. These have been my first products from McIntosh and rally like them. I have had several different brands through the years and McIntosh is in my top 3.
I had some multichannel Parasound and they are very good for the money but looks, brand history and re-sale value goes to McIntosh IMO.

 

[stevehuff1]

I have an ALO Audio Studio 6 here and the McIntosh MHA1000. Also have a set of HE 1000 and they sound so different between these two amps. The MHA1000 is one hell of an all in one. The DAC is very good, the amp section is configurable and can match to any headphone out there. 
 
Where the MHA differs from the ALO S6 is in pure power and slam. One of the best Head amps I have ever heard. This would be a solid state reference for me where the S6 would be a reference for a tube based amp for me. 
 
Between Parasound and McIntosh, I'd go McIntosh any day for many reasons. Design, heritage, quality, features, sound, and resale value are all top notch with McIntosh. This MHA 1000 is a special piece and I am not a HUGE McIntosh fan, I find it well worth the asking price for what it is. (A very powerful Head amp that can run any headphone, speaker amp that is quite good, a nice high end DAC, remote, and it looks like a million bucks. 

 

[stevehuff1]

I just wrote up a review posting my experience with the MHA-1000 and HiFi Man HE-1000 Headphone. 
 
http://www.stevehuffphoto.com/the-hifi-man-he-1000-headphone-review-worlds-best/

 

[FastEddy]

Steve
 
The McIntosh Amp is the MHA100, not MHA1000.  Can you please correct your review?  Nice review otherwise.
 
http://www.mcintoshlabs.com/us/Products/pages/ProductDetails.aspx?CatId=headphoneamplifiers&ProductId=MHA100
 
Thanks

 

[bretemm]

I'm planning on saving up for a small Mcintosh setup at first,
Possibly just a tube amp with martinlogan speakers,
But,
What is a reasonable price?
I don't like it that Mcintosh seems to be too good to show prices (it's easy to over pay if you go with the wrong dealer)

 

[musicman59]

I'm planning on saving up for a small Mcintosh setup at first,
Possibly just a tube amp with martinlogan speakers,
But,
What is a reasonable price?
I don't like it that Mcintosh seems to be too good to show prices (it's easy to over pay if you go with the wrong dealer)

Are you planning on a tube amp and preamp or an integrated or what?

 

[bretemm]

At first the tube amp and some bookshelf martinlogan speakers, or,
If I could, I would first use it with my marantz and add 4 speakers before I get a Mcintosh pre amp for the tube amp

Are you planning on a tube amp and preamp or an integrated or what?

 

[magneto1964]

You can find out prices with a quick search on the internet or audiogon. The MHA100 is $4500. This is is my first experience McIntosh and i have been extremely impressed - I have my CD player and apple connected. My only caution is that it is easy to be bitten by the bug - since then i have purchased the MHP1000 headphones and just recently the MT5 turntable. And while the MHA100 is quite versatile, the MHA does not have a MC/MM phono stage, which i had to purchase separately. The result is that now have spent a bit more than a c2500, which I should have bought in the first place. 
 
And to answer your other question - the integrated amp route with speakers you should probably look at $10K-$12K and up. The separate components I think you are looking at $15K+
 
Hope this helps...

 

[bretemm]

Thank you,
I'm liking the m240 tube amp, I keep messing up names for them, I've seen prices mainly around $2500, is that a good price? And is buying used a good idea?
I've recently gotten into tubes because I've recently got a Schiit Valhalla2 headphone tube amp and it's been Great (I'm limited to IEMs) but I can get towers and bookshelf speakers.

You can find out prices with a quick search on the internet or audiogon. The MHA100 is $4500. This is is my first experience McIntosh and i have been extremely impressed - I have my CD player and apple connected. My only caution is that it is easy to be bitten by the bug - since then i have purchased the MHP1000 headphones and just recently the MT5 turntable. And while the MHA100 is quite versatile, the MHA does not have a MC/MM phono stage, which i had to purchase separately. The result is that now have spent a bit more than a c2500, which I should have bought in the first place. 

And to answer your other question - the integrated amp route with speakers you should probably look at $10K-$12K and up. The separate components I think you are looking at $15K+

Hope this helps...

 

[musicman59]

 
You can find out prices with a quick search on the internet or audiogon. The MHA100 is $4500. This is is my first experience McIntosh and i have been extremely impressed - I have my CD player and apple connected. My only caution is that it is easy to be bitten by the bug - since then i have purchased the MHP1000 headphones and just recently the MT5 turntable. And while the MHA100 is quite versatile, the MHA does not have a MC/MM phono stage, which i had to purchase separately. The result is that now have spent a bit more than a c2500, which I should have bought in the first place. 
 
And to answer your other question - the integrated amp route with speakers you should probably look at $10K-$12K and up. The separate components I think you are looking at $15K+
 
Hope this helps...

Yes bu the headphones output of the C2500 is not even close to the MHA100. I have the C2300 with upgraded tubes and a pair of the MC601 in my main speakers system so I made the comparison between the MHA100 and the headphones output of the C2300. The MHA100 blows it away so it really depends of your application.

 

[magneto1964]

Ah this is good to know - I was under the impression they were similar. And of course very happy with the MHA and MHP1000, the latter which i bought based on your excellent recommendation. And you are correct - i all depends on the application. In my case as most of my listening is headphones, having a better headphone amplifier is the priority. I bought a Sutherland 20/20 for the TT phono stage and waiting for cables to connect everything together.

 

[musicman59]

 
Ah this is good to know - I was under the impression they were similar. And of course very happy with the MHA and MHP1000, the latter which i bought based on your excellent recommendation. And you are correct - i all depends on the application. In my case as most of my listening is headphones, having a better headphone amplifier is the priority. I bought a Sutherland 20/20 for the TT phono stage and waiting for cables to connect everything together.

Nice! The Sutherland is a sweet phono stage. Congrats!

 

[m8o]

I just had an interesting experience yesterday. Having finally purchased a new power adapter for my mobile powerhouse on which I have all my HDTracks music, I listened to some of my favorite HD tracks on my HE1000 for the 1st time thru my MHA100, where before I only listened to those tracks w/my Ether ... and was completely underwhelmed! What? ... after playing many tracks some thing continued to be lacking; the sound was smaller and flatter. Still good. But not as good as Redbook CDs over any of the digital inputs.

Long story short, even tho the amp uses a USB2 interface, I decided to disconnect from the USB2 connector on the left of the laptop, and plugged in to the USB3 on the right side ... and viola! There was that magic, sparkle, depth, width everything expected.

I'm guessing, as the driver is configured to stream 32-bit 192khz, the hardware or software thru the USB2 connection had to be doing some truncation or something bad to the stream, unable to keep up. It's a problem completely caused by the computer. But just wanted folks to know it can happen. If you are underwhelmed by your streaming connection, it may be happening to you too.