[Panoyski]

I wonder what @musicman59 is listening to when he's comparing the MHA100 to the Enigma (hint hint hint)

 

[musicman59]

I wonder what @musicman59 is listening to when he's comparing the MHA100 to the Enigma (hint hint hint)

I listen to a lot of Pop/Rock from the 70s and 80s. I also listen to some soft Jazz like Diana Krall and some Blues like Joan Taylor Shaw and Shelby Lane for instance. I listen to a lot of type of music but Classical is the one I listen the least.

 

[Panoyski]

Me too... Lot of 70s, 80s and 90s for me, and a good load of instrumentals, too. I'm not into classics, though.

Any thoughts about the MHA100 and Enigma? I hope you,ll say the Mc is better, e.g. More musical and engaging, because for sure I will not be able to afford the Enigma. Thanks...

 

[musicman59]

Me too... Lot of 70s, 80s and 90s for me, and a good load of instrumentals, too. I'm not into classics, though.

Any thoughts about the MHA100 and Enigma? I hope you,ll say the Mc is better, e.g. More musical and engaging, because for sure I will not be able to afford the Enigma. Thanks...

Both are excellent amplifiers IMO but different. IMO the MHA100 is more neutral and transparent while the Enigma is warmer and forgiving so it really depends on your headphones collection, upstream equipment and preference in sound.

For instance I think the HE1000 are a better match with the MHA100 while the new Utopia I think match better with Enigma.

Regarding cost actually the Enigma is cheaper than the MHA100. Now, to make things more complicated Dana Robbins from Dana Cables (great sounding headphones cables) is coming out with a new amplifier. He designed it with lower damping factor on the bass to have better control and tighter while the midrange and highs have higher to provide a sweeter tube like sound. I think it has 5 watts or so at 35-40 ohms. He will be showing it at RMAF. That will be the first time I will listen to it.

 

[Panoyski]

Thanks for your thoughts on the amps. Its such a relief to know that you prefer the HEK/MHA100 combo, as I am perfectly happy with my HEK and been lusting at the MHA100 eversince I've seen one and read yours and m80's impressions. I will certainly pull the trigger when I,ve saved enough, most probably next year.

 

[Dillan]

Thanks for your thoughts on the amps. Its such a relief to know that you prefer the HEK/MHA100 combo, as I am perfectly happy with my HEK and been lusting at the MHA100 eversince I've seen one and read yours and m80's impressions. I will certainly pull the trigger when I,ve saved enough, most probably next year.

I don't think you'll regret the MHA100 one bit. The HEK is great.. I think it will make for a very musical experience.

 

[musicman59]

Yes, the MHA100 and HEK is a great match. 

 

[BlendedTwice]

Gotta say the MHA and the Elears are getting along pretty, pretty good over here! My favorite thing, honestly, about the MHA100 is that it just goes. I can just jump straight into the jams. Alan Parson's Project got me drooling like a wolf right now! I really don't know anymore: am iRobot? or am I human?

 

[m8o]

Gotta say the MHA and the Elears are getting along pretty, pretty good over here! My favorite thing, honestly, about the MHA100 is that it just goes. I can just jump straight into the jams. Alan Parson's Project got me drooling like a wolf right now! I really don't know anymore: am iRobot? or am I human?

Great to hear.  One of the greatest albums made. I should buy that headphone too.  Thinking I'll wait tho for CanJam tho to hear it 1st.

 

[highfidelity69]

  It's beautiful. I want one.
Yeah, $5K is steep but Mcintosh products have a healthy habit of retaining their value well over time, unlike some other stratospherically priced manufacturers' wares.
Still can't find a photo of the rear of the unit.

http://www.speakershop.com/catalog/product/view/id/61062/category/937/

 

[onsionsi]

Actually, I can run a DSD files while I'm using Chord Mojo as a DAC for MHA100 but here's my question, does that mean I will get a bit perfect or MHA100 will eventually will downsample DSD format to 192 khz

 

[canthearyou]

Wrong thread.

 

[eddiek997]

To the guys wanting the MHA100, either get the 150 (much better DAC) or get a used 100 and external dac such as Auralic Vega or Mytek brooklyn.

 

[Panoyski]

Hi, guys. I was listening to Sweet Child of Mine by Guns n' Roses on my iPad - 2Qute - Liquid Carbon -HEK rig while browsing through this thread. It was around the middle part that I've noticed my body swaying and my foot tapping along. Based on m80's and musicman,'s impressions, it will be more, much more of the same with the MHA100/150. Which makes me want them even more.

There is one area that I wanted to know - which wasn't mentioned before - and that is : how it handle the human voice? I've heard the EAR HP4/HEK sometime ago and the thing that strike me was how realistic the voices were. As if the singers weee there next to me, singing just for me. I know that it was a tube based amp, and tubes are rreally magical when it comes to the midrange. Still, i wanted to know, but even then I would still go for the Mc.

 

[musicman59]

I currently have 2 amps connected to my Bricasti M1 SE DAC. The MHA100 through the XLR output and a PrimaLuna Dialogue Premium HP through the SE output.
The PrimaLuna has all the 12AU7 tubes upgraded to NOS Mullard and the EL34 to NOS Siemmens.

When want to try voices I either to to Diana Krall's The Look Of Love from the Live in Paris recording or Shelby Lynn's Give Me A Little Lovin' from the same title album.
Using the HEK with both amplifiers the MHA100 may fall just a little behind the PrimaLuna but I don't think you would notice without making an A/B comparison.
Now, I do believe my other SS amp (Wells Audio Enigma upgraded almost to the HeadTrip level) comes even closer to the PrimaLuna but it does not have remote control and is not as good looking as the MHA100.

So, it depends what you want. SS convenience with remote and great looks the MHA100 is the ticket. SS convenience with power and warm tube like sound the Wells to me is at the top or if you want tube sound with great power and dynamics then PrimaLuna.