[Newsee]

I'm new to tube amplifiers and am really interested in the MHA200.
Two concerns I have with getting this though:

1. Volume knob issues

2. My DAC only has SE out, and I feel I won't be getting the most out of MHA200 if I don't feed balanced input into it.

So I'm thinking adding a preamp between my DAC and the MHA200 can potentially solve both of these problems.

At the moment, my desktop set up is:

Streamer (USB to)-> DAC (SE to)-> Violectric V281 headphone amplifier (XLR to) -> Focal Clear headphones

Does anyone have any idea if I can connect XLR out of V281 as the preamp into MHA200?
As far as I can find, the output impedance of V281 is < 0.1Ohm unbal. / < 0.2Ohm bal.??
What else can indicate if this match will be suitable? It will be great if I can make use of my current equipment.

Or any other tube amplifier or preamp options more suitable for my setup?
I did briefly consider Cayin HA-6A too, but all the "hissing" problems users kept reporting scared me away.

Looking for anyone's kind advice and wise words.
Thank you.

You do not need balanced input.
The internal setup of the MHA200 is single ended, there is an input transformer that converts the balanced input to SE.
What DAC do you use?

Volume knob could be better, but no issue using it so far.

 

[SckT]

You do not need balanced input.
The internal setup of the MHA200 is single ended, there is an input transformer that converts the balanced input to SE.
What DAC do you use?

Volume knob could be better, but no issue using it so far.

Well if that's the case, I'm surprised that some users say they hear a difference between using balanced Vs unbalanced in.

My DAC is a niche product called Clones Audio Asher. I doubt many people have heard of it.

Thanks for your reply!

 

[Newsee]

Well if that's the case, I'm surprised that some users say they hear a difference between using balanced Vs unbalanced in.

My DAC is a niche product called Clones Audio Asher. I doubt many people have heard of it.

Thanks for your reply!

You mean some users specifically on MHA200, or in general?

In general: difference - maybe, but if balanced is better by default - I have not experienced.

In particular to MHA200: You made me curious, I tried. My Rockna Wavelight dac has both balanced and SE output. I compared them - no real difference. Blindly I surely could not pick what was what. If I really have to name something, then the sustained notes on the piano sounded more realistic with SE in this song (the first 40 seconds):

September in Montreal by Anne Bisson on Qobuz https://open.qobuz.com/track/8175559

Using Meze Elite.

 

[SckT]

You mean some users specifically on MHA200, or in general?

In general: difference - maybe, but if balanced is better by default - I have not experienced.

In particular to MHA200: You made me curious, I tried. My Rockna Wavelight dac has both balanced and SE output. I compared them - no real difference. Blindly I surely could not pick what was what. If I really have to name something, then the sustained notes on the piano sounded more realistic with SE in this song (the first 40 seconds):

September in Montreal by Anne Bisson on Qobuz https://open.qobuz.com/track/8175559

Using Meze Elite.

Great.
Thanks for your feedback!

 

[gonzalo05]

It is doable - you just need a light touch. My original one had to be replaced due to a grounding issue, and the newer one has a much smoother volume knob which makes fine volume adjustments substantially easier (but see below).



Hardly! Indeed, I just added a Vertere Phono-1mkIIL to my SME/Lyra and it’s never sounded better. I’ve have been a vinyl guy for 50+ years and it’s still my primary source. Wide shot of the main system - MHA200 toward right side (between the Vertere phono stage and the Audeze headphones):






My YBA line stage has two pre outs, so one goes to the power amp and one goes to the MHA200. Wonky volume control issue resolved (although, out of intellectual curiosity, I’m still waiting for a plausible explanation of why Mc couldn’t achieve the same result with a normal volume control - merely stating that ‘it’s a non-linear volume control’ doesn’t answer the ‘what reason’ question).

Can you please explain how you knew it was a grounding issue? I think mine is defective. Thanks

 

[AppleheadMay]

Does using the XLR inputs on this amp sound louder than using the RCA inputs?

 

[Newsee]

Does using the XLR inputs on this amp sound louder than using the RCA inputs?

Depends very much on the output level of your source, which can (and mostly will) differ even if it has both type of outputs.

 

[AppleheadMay]

Depends very much on the output level of your source, which can (and mostly will) differ even if it has both type of outputs.

Damn, thanks, so obvious I didn't even of that after hours of looking up stuff about a DAC and amp.
Is there anyway I can see that from the DAC specs? Output voltage?

 

[AppleheadMay]

Possible source spec:

Source 1:
Unbalanced (RCA): 2.1V
Balanced (XLR): 4.3V

Source 2:
UNBALANCE terminal (RCA terminal) 2.5 Vrms/300Ω
BALANCE terminal (XLR terminal) 2.5 Vrms/600Ω

 

[MRHiFiReviews]

The McIntosh MHA200 headphone amplifier is now available for purchase online! We have them in stock and ready to ship! An incredible headphone tube amplifier from the legendary audio manufacturer McIntosh for your favorite pair of headphones!

https://thesourceav.com/products/mcintosh-mha200-headphone-tube-amplifier

 

[redogfizbal]

I just picked one of these up. Does anyone have suggestions for a good DAC? 2k or less. Currently I have a Burson Audio Playmate 2 with the vivid opamps. I tried using that in preamp mode, and it was a bad pairing with the mha200.
My schiit modi 3 sounds better paired to it, but it is only matching, and not exceeding the Burson on its own. I’m guessing the schiit is holding the mha200 back.

My main cans are Stealth Arya.

 

[AppleheadMay]

I just picked one of these up. Does anyone have suggestions for a good DAC? 2k or less. Currently I have a Burson Audio Playmate 2 with the vivid opamps. I tried using that in preamp mode, and it was a bad pairing with the mha200.
My schiit modi 3 sounds better paired to it, but it is only matching, and not exceeding the Burson on its own. I’m guessing the schiit is holding the mha200 back.

My main cans are Stealth Arya.

Schiit Bifrost, Rotel DT-6000.

 

[TSAVJason]

Schiit Bifrost, Rotel DT-6000.

The Rotel DT6000 is really good for the money and matches up nicely with the MHA200

 

[meomap]

I just picked one of these up. Does anyone have suggestions for a good DAC? 2k or less. Currently I have a Burson Audio Playmate 2 with the vivid opamps. I tried using that in preamp mode, and it was a bad pairing with the mha200.
My schiit modi 3 sounds better paired to it, but it is only matching, and not exceeding the Burson on its own. I’m guessing the schiit is holding the mha200 back.

My main cans are Stealth Arya.

Mojo2

 

[Shooter41]

I know this thread's been dead for a couple of months, but I just wanted to add a couple DACs that pair well with this amp. Yggdrasil Less-Is-More sounds fantastic with it. Unfortunately my copy of the amp has the hair-trigger volume control so I decided to try a DAC with a volume control and got the Okto Research Dac-8 stereo. I would say it's 97-98% percent of the performance of the Yggy at about 2/3 the cost and the volume control puts it over the top for me. It also has a decent HP amp built-in. Unbalanced only but it'll drive my Susvaras pretty well on all but the lowest level recordings. A true test, for sure. I use the built-in amp when I'm just playing headphones unattended for break-in purposes. Saves time on my tubes.