It does get lots of love. Just read through the 64 pages, if you have not done it yet. But c'mon, it is more than one and a half year old product now, and there are only a few amps on head-fi that has frequent coverage after a year. Normally it needs 3-4 enthusiasts who always get some new adpects to discuss. It is very nice that you want to animate, but bring up a long discussed and buried painpoint is not the best way to make friends here.
Btw, when we are at volume control: you can vote with your money: keep it, or send it back. I have done my vote a year ago.
I think McIntosh would have looked more professional handling this issue by
1. Admitting that the design intention was to use the amp by the ones who has anyway a McIntosh preamp, who are happy with the unity gain position, and the rest can be happy that the construction is capable of volume control, with some restrictions though.
2. Recognizing that a new customer segment has discovered McIntosh (due to the telative modest price tag), but with different expectation/requirements regarding volume control, and releasing an MHA201 without the unity gain function, with a smoothly resistant ordinary volume knob.
But, in no way trying to defend that this construction is an engineering marvel and all who do not see it is a stupid idiot.
Anyways, I still like it.
About the SoliP maybe another time, I wrote already too much.
Thanks for the advice on how to behave on an audio forum, Mr. >600 posts and <600 likes, but I’m not trying to ‘make friends’, I’m trying to resurrect a mostly and unnecessarily dead thread. Think Dr. Frankenstein, not Mr Rogers.
The fact is that the MHA200 is not old, it’s still current, and it does have some foibles that should be addressed by Mc but weren’t - IMHO, and that of many of the professional reviews I’ve read, they could have done the unity gain thing and still provided a normal linear volume control. So it’s a continuing and legitimate beef. No one yet has explained the ‘why’ and, I think you and I agree, ‘that’s the way it is’ just isn’t a satisfactory explanation. As for voting with my feet, my dealer has already sent me a return label, but, upon reflection, I’ve decided to keep the unit because I don’t see anything out there I think I’d prefer, warts and all. Sorry if that offends you or you think I’m having fun wrong. I’ll ask your permission next time I make an audio decision.
Truth is, I’m not here to fight with you. I may be new to this thread, but I am neither new to the site nor to the audio hobby. Yes, I read the first 64 pages, was bored to tears, and wanted to know where the other 250 pages went.
@TSAVJason seems to be the only one with anything interesting to say. More’s the pity - he’s a GREAT guy, but he’s a dealer fielding mostly toob noob questions. Indeed, it seems like this amp attracts a lot of inexperienced audiophiles and that DOES bother me, because this thing is the real deal and sounds absolutely fantastic with everything I’ve thrown at it so far - dynamic, engaging, tonally saturated without being thick or slow, fantastic separation (the one area where I think NOS 12at7 tubes would be an improvement over stock), the list goes on. I’ve been pining after my brother’s MC275 for years, and now I’ve got a drop-dead gorgeous mini version for my cans. I could do without the green leds under the tubes, but I guess that’s their shtick now.
Anyway, my post was not intended to anger you and, upon rereading it, I have no idea what your problem with it is. it was intended only to encourage you to say more than just (in words or substance) ‘the combo was good, I liked it’. Sorry if I didn’t say it in a way that pleased Your Honor, but I’m 63 and I’ve been in the hobby for 50 years, 35+ all tube analog. I know what I’m talking about, I say what’s on my mind and I say it how I want, but I try never to cross the line, as I was careful not to do with the post I addressed to you. Sorry if you felt slighted in some way because I politely suggested that your post provided zero useful information, but the fact is that it didn’t. If you want to pick a fight with me, go for it. I’m game. But better you should rethink your post and understand that my intentions were pure, regardless of whether or not you approve of my sentiment. I’m more than willing to give you the benefit of the doubt since English is apparently not your native tongue and assume that my intent got crossed in translation. Are you capable of that? If not, bring it on. I’ve been a New York City courtroom lawyer for 38 years - I think I can handle whatever it is you think you’ve got. The ball, my friend, is in your court. Take your best shot.
YMMV, just my $.03, etc.,
ad nauseum.