MCINTOSH LABS INTRODUCES NEW HEADPHONE AMP MODEL MHA 100

[m8o]

Not driving speakers too does NOT make this a waste of money !!! Bugs me to read that. If you can afford to buy anything related to headphones in the many thousand dollar range, your opinion on utility, aka cost/benefit per dollar basis, is at very different level from many others. And can warrant this given the cost.

With that said, I keep a custom made set of banana plugs to 4-pin XLR adapter connected to the amp's speaker taps full time. And drive my he1k or ether headphones from the speaker taps often. Usually with live music TV programs. So, I am driving speakers, in a sort'a way. -lol.

 

[Maelob]

I think the point was that a Mcintosh integrated amp without any headphone out or DAC alone will cost thousands of dollars. They make great speaker amps. But to each their own if somebody wants to buy the product just for the headphone out- no problem. But the price is over 4k and that makes the competition tougher just for a headphone amp/Dac. I think the value of this product is the sum of all parts. But again people can do whatever with their money. It was just an opinion. By the way not everybody that buys this products is rich. Some folks might have sacrifice a lot to save this amount of money. So again it was just and observation ddint mean to bug you.

 

[m8o]

I was not reacting to the point, but the exact words. Which were "huge waste of money". If you're gunna speak in such a polarizing way, can't be surprised of a polar reaction.

 

[musicman59]

Not driving speakers too does NOT make this a waste of money !!! Bugs me to read that. If you can afford to buy anything related to headphones in the many thousand dollar range, your opinion on utility, aka cost/benefit per dollar basis, is at very different level from many others. And can warrant this given the cost.

With that said, I keep a custom made set of banana plugs to 4-pin XLR adapter connected to the amp's speaker taps full time. And drive my he1k or ether headphones from the speaker taps often. Usually with live music TV programs. So, I am driving speakers, in a sort'a way. -lol.

Agree 100% with you and I do the same with the speakers tabs.

So I guess paying $4,000 for an amp like the Liquid Gold that has not DAC is also "a waste". Well, I know a bunch of people that will disagree with that starting with me.

 

[Maelob]

I am just jealous because I want one! You guys are right , waste of money was not a good choice of words.

 

[Rossliew]

Anyone can share if they tried driving headphones straight out of the speaker taps? Would it require resistors in place or can we connect to the taps direct without fear of amp/cans self destructing?

 

[m8o]

Just scroll back a little. Yes, drive the he1000 almost exclusively that way now. Love it. Adds slam to the he1000 equation. Love it with the Ether too.

I discussed it more in the other big HE1000 thread.

 

[musicman59]

Anyone can share if they tried driving headphones straight out of the speaker taps? Would it require resistors in place or can we connect to the taps direct without fear of amp/cans self destructing?

Yes and you don't need the resistors. The resistors are required for tube amps but not for SS amps.

 

[Rossliew]

Just scroll back a little. Yes, drive the he1000 almost exclusively that way now. Love it. Adds slam to the he1000 equation. Love it with the Ether too.

I discussed it more in the other big HE1000 thread.

Thanks, read it right after i posted
 

Yes and you don't need the resistors. The resistors are required for tube amps but not for SS amps.

Understood. I was under the impression that the autoformer acted similar to a tube amp's output transformers which required a resistor to drive headphones directly.

 

[musicman59]

Thanks, read it right after i posted

Understood. I was under the impression that the autoformer acted similar to a tube amp's output transformers which required a resistor to drive headphones directly.

The autotransformers only work for the headphones output in the MHA100 not in the speakers tabs.

 

[groovyd]

The autotransformers only work for the headphones output in the MHA100 not in the speakers tabs.

I thought the speaker outs used it as well, like my MC252 uses autoformers for the speaker outs to give the 3 impedance options on the back.  Is the headphone amp not the same circuit used to drive the speakers?

 

[musicman59]

I thought the speaker outs used it as well, like my MC252 uses autoformers for the speaker outs to give the 3 impedance options on the back.  Is the headphone amp not the same circuit used to drive the speakers?

The speakers output is a constant 50 watts in 8 ohms. The headphones output is the one you can change the impedance and gain.

 

[groovyd]

interesting... do they share the same amp internally? can you use both at once or turn on off either at will?

 

[musicman59]

interesting... do they share the same amp internally? can you use both at once or turn on off either at will?

Yes, is the same amp internally. There is a selector that has a position for speakers output the 3 different ranges of impedance and the two gains.
You can only use the headphones output or speakers but not both at the same time.

 

[groovyd]

Yes, is the same amp internally. There is a selector that has a position for speakers output the 3 different ranges of impedance and the two gains.
You can only use the headphones output or speakers but not both at the same time.

would love to hear on some day... could lead me to upgrading my Paradigm MilleniaOne CT sats and replace my WA7... only thing holding me back is how much I love the tube sound and the inability to play both speakers and headphones at the same time, something I do always.