MCINTOSH LABS INTRODUCES NEW HEADPHONE AMP MODEL MHA 100

[Dillan]

Psaudio direcstream is better IMO. Fpga with amazing features and future proof thanks to their upgrade able software. Really amazing Dac that I can't wait to pair with the mcintosh. Mine just came in the other day

 

[musicman59]

The Bricasti? Nah...he'll be saving for the rest of his life.

Not necessarly, we don't know his possibilities.
I personally rather wait and make sure I get the best I can than settle and keep wondering....
I just make that mistake spending $1k on the Elear and keep wondering about the Utopia instead of putting those $1k toward the Utopia.

 

[musicman59]

Psaudio direcstream is better IMO. Fpga with amazing features and future proof thanks to their upgrade able software. Really amazing Dac that I can't wait to pair with the mcintosh. Mine just came in the other day

The Bricasti is also upgradable. I have installed two firmware upgrades in mine.

 

[Dillan]

The Bricasti is also upgradable. I have installed two firmware upgrades in mine.

Oh good that's really important in my opinion. Is it an R2R Dac or how is the implementation exactly?

 

[musicman59]

Oh good that's really important in my opinion. Is it an R2R Dac or how is the implementation exactly?

Not sure about that but I can ask Brian (Bricasti's President).

 

[tunes]

I am in the process of assembling the best amp/DAC set up at home for my Hifiman HE 1000 and thinking about pairing the McIntosh MA 100 with a higher level DAC such as the Schiit Yggdrasil versus adding a Bricasti M1 versus going solo with the Chord Dave and no amp? Can anyone who has auditioned the HEK with one of these set ups give me an opinion. Once I spend this much on a system it must be my last upgrade! Thanks

 

[Maelob]

Last upgrade, Heard that before Sorry could help it LOL

 

[m8o]

You guys are right. What I proposed wouldn't be a big enough step.

I'd be making the same mistake as my first decade in headphonery (trademark pending,,, j/k -hehe), when I kept buying only 'mid tier' gear so many times, I could have just bought totl gear once for the same sum and been much happier.

In this case here, if I want to step up the dac, I should really step it up with something serious.

 

[Maelob]

People that buy TOTL stuff also get "upgradeditis", i guess that is a big part of this hobbie- and it can get really expensive- there will be something new all the time. I guess is more of a frame of mind....! I am currently subcribed to this thread dreaming about getting this amp but also to the Elear, Ether Flow and Schit Ragnarok and other gear. I enjoy reading about gear that i would love to own but I cant afford now. But in the end I guess is a personal choice of when to say enough is enough

 

[Dillan]

I have been part of the majority here pretty much my entire head-fi experience in that I will get a lot of good stuff instead of just pulling the trigger on the top of the line. I wish I would've known then what I know now. This hobby is almost like a drug in a lot of ways haha! Although honestly I have loved the journey and getting all the random gear I have gotten over the years really just makes me appreciate things even more.
 
From here on out I am focused on just building a future proof end-game top of the line setup and once it's complete then I will have the piece of mind that I didn't skimp on anything and I can hopefully just enjoy what I have for years to come (without the dreaded upgradeitis

) This has included a TOTL DAC with easy firmware/OS upgradability - PSAudio Directstream - and my personal favorite headphones the LCD4.
 
Next I am figuring out which amp (probably McIntosh).. and what source.. again probably McIntosh.. Their CD transport and maybe turntable too.

 

[musicman59]

From all the SS amps I have had over the years which have been a lot my two favorite ones are the two I have right now (MHA100 and Wells Audio Enigma with upgrades).
Regarding sources in one of my system I just went from a dedicated music server based on a Mac Mini fully upgraded to an Aurender N10 and I am very happy with the upgrade.
I am very happy with my Bricasti DAC and as it is firmware upgradable I am not planning on changing it for long time (I already have close to 3 years with it).

 

[IceClass]

Those looking for a new DAC in their Mcintosh headamp may be interested in this news.

 

[barid]

  Those looking for a new DAC in their Mcintosh headamp may be interested in this news.

 
Wow, interested to compare the new model.  Wonder if they will offer the upgrade program for the MHA100.  If i'm reading this right that's going to be like $3000 more than the MHA100 retails for, better be one hell of a DAC upgrade or at least something else going on behind the scenes.

 

[m8o]

Hmm, I need to go back and read it. I thought it was the same msrp as the old.

Biggest problem with this whole thing is the line-out is linked to the speaker-out. If you use the autoformer fed headphone out, the line-out is muted. Must use the speaker banana plugs feeding your headphones to be able to also use line out to feed other amps, say for bass shakers or other headphone amps; for visceral seat shaking or so others can listen to the same music at the same time via other amps, which would be desired in my listening room pretty often.

Unless McIntosh changed that with the mha150, I dont have one iota of fomo. I personally will be putting my money into an external totl dac that can feed multiple amps via both balanced and unbalanced. Then, my setup will be complete (famous last words).

 

[m8o]

Followup...

I see. Ya, don't confuse the British Pound price with the USD msrp price. This link states it will be the same price for the US:

http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/mcintosh-releases-mha150-headphone-amplifier/