[bmichels]

MHA-100 just went on sale in the UK.

 
good, so we should get some reviews or feed-back pretty soon...

 

[macbob713]

good, so we should get some reviews or feed-back pretty soon...

The McIntosh website is also featuring the MHA 100. Availability in the US should be anytime.

 

[musicman59]

Talked to the McIntosh guys at AXPONA this past weekend. They said the MHA100 is on the production lines right now and expected to start shipping to N.A. dealers by the end of this week. They also it should have no issue driving the HE-6 correctly out of the headphones output on the high gain settings. My dealer in the area will give me a call as soon as they get one and will bring my HE-6 to see if it really power them to their potential.

 

[macbob713]

Great, look forward to your take on this.

 

[Cante Ista]

Great, look forward to your take on this

YES! lets have some impressions please. 

 

[jmm007]

I would love to own a piece of McIntosh gear. (who can resist those blue meters?) But for this price point, I would expect it to be at least on par in terms of power output of the Violectric V200 or the Burson Soloist…. is it?   
 
Thanks

 

[Seamaster]

So, are these headphone amp stage (they call it "high drive") on the recent new integrated and pre amp models coupled with autoformer? What make this one so special beside the impedance selections?

 

[macbob713]

Any more news on actual US release date to retailers?

 

[HiFiGuy528]

I think they are shipping this week.

 

[Seamaster]

 I just spoke with the rep from McInstosh and found the information you were asking for.
 
MHA100 (Headphone) - It looks like the autoformer on the MHA100 is on the headphone side. The autoformer uses three impedance outputs, 8-40, 40-150 and 150 -600 ohm output impedance. The DAC is the same as the D100. If you do mostly headphone listening this is the piece for you. It is smaller than the MA7900, but it doesn’t have powergaurd on the speaker side.
 
The MA7900 (Intergrated) - The MA7900 has the autoformer on the speaker side, so you get all the McInstosh features such as power guard ect. The DAC is their reference level so it is better than the MHA100. The headphone has something called Hi Drive which delivers outstanding quality through headphones but not to the same level as the MHA100.
 
Basically the MHA100 will perform much better for headphone listening, but if you still have some speakers you listen to the MA7900 would be a good choice. Hope this information helps! Feel free to ask me anymore questions and I will find the answers for you.
 
Best regards,
 
Elliott Schultz
Bellevue Sales

Seattle | Bellevue

14405 NE 20th St
Bellevue, WA 98007
showroom (425) 746-3188

 

[Seamaster]

I was hoping for one piece solusion, but man, I just can't win this game! What you guys think?

 

[1adam12]

Funny, @bmichels asked about the DAC three weeks ago and they told him it wasn't the same as the D100.

 

[bmichels]

Funny, @bmichels
 asked about the DAC three weeks ago and they told him it wasn't the same as the D100.

exactly, Cornelius Ron, the product manager told me " D100 is not the same design" ! I suppose the guy you spoke to was a sales rep telling you what he think you want to hear ...

COPY OF THE MAIL OF CORNELIUS from APRIL 11:

I ASKED: " Since I have in various occasions been able to appreciate the musical quality of your Stuning D100 DAC, I would like to know if the the DAC inside the MHA 100 is exactly the McIntosh D100's DAC or a different DAC. "

HE ANSWERED : " Bertrand,

McIntosh uses many designs in our DAC sections. New models usually have some relation to existing models but will always contain changes with layout and so on. The McIntosh digital engine used in MHA100 manipulates the incoming data to minimize errors in the data stream such as jitter and timing then converts the incoming signal to 32/192 and then sends to the Burr Brown 32/192 stereo DAC for conversion to analog. This is true for coax, optical and High Speed USB 2.0 digital inputs. This design is similar to what we use in out new integrated amplifiers. D100 is not the same design but is 32/192 using a simplified digital engine and an ESS DAC chip. D100 has more rear panel space so it has both balanced and unbalanced analog stereo outputs.

Since MHA100 is a head phone amp you can take your own preferred headphones to your local dealer for an audition. McIntosh should be shipping MHA100 shortly so please contact your dealer to find out when they will have one on display"

 

[HiFiGuy528]

The review unit shipped today.  Audio360 will have a full review soon.

 

[bmichels]

  The review unit shipped today.  Audio360 will have a full review soon.

 
Great.  Finally we will have some facts rather than those Marketing bla bla.  

 
Will you be able to directly compare it to other TOL desktop Amps, including some tube amps, in the same price range ?   like...Studio6, Cavalli, EAR HP4