[SilverTrumpet999]

Fully balanced is 2 amps in one, with half the signal inverted and treated the exact same way. The primary benefit is having any inconsistencies or interference cancelled out due to the paired but half inverted signal path. This is why balanced is the standard for professional audio with long-run cables and microphones far away from their preamps/mixers.

For the vast majority of audiophiles fully balanced is pretty much just a great way to waste money; for similar cost an unbalanced amp will outperform a fully balanced amp all else equal because the balanced one is literally two amps for each channel. If you want an amplification quality upgrade going from unbalanced to balanced, expect to pay in the ballpark of at least double.

That said, some balanced amps do "double" their power when used in balanced mode (your ears hear louder=better) because they don't bother with inverting and summing things for unbalanced outputs. This is a real effect, but inverting and summing the channels isn't trivial so the purist approach is to discard the inverted signal. Also, some headphones really do respond to balanced inputs better than unbalanced; this can be down to their transducer design. Such headphones will respond the same to a fully balanced amp versus an amp that generates a balanced signal for the output, which is presumably what McIntosh is doing.

 

[TSAVJason]

Fully balanced is 2 amps in one, with half the signal inverted and treated the exact same way. The primary benefit is having any inconsistencies or interference cancelled out due to the paired but half inverted signal path. This is why balanced is the standard for professional audio with long-run cables and microphones far away from their preamps/mixers.

For the vast majority of audiophiles fully balanced is pretty much just a great way to waste money; for similar cost an unbalanced amp will outperform a fully balanced amp all else equal because the balanced one is literally two amps for each channel. If you want an amplification quality upgrade going from unbalanced to balanced, expect to pay in the ballpark of at least double.

That said, some balanced amps do "double" their power when used in balanced mode (your ears hear louder=better) because they don't bother with inverting and summing things for unbalanced outputs. This is a real effect, but inverting and summing the channels isn't trivial so the purist approach is to discard the inverted signal. Also, some headphones really do respond to balanced inputs better than unbalanced; this can be down to their transducer design. Such headphones will respond the same to a fully balanced amp versus an amp that generates a balanced signal for the output, which is presumably what McIntosh is doing.

as I understand it, it was mostly tested using multiple planars

OK! I think it’s time to compile a list curiosities.
Let’s get a list going of IEM’s, general cans - highend/lowend and hard to drive cans. Send a DM with the headphone you’d like to know about on the MHA200. Brand, Model, Cable is the kind of data you can send. I’ll provide relative performance/characteristics data and photographs. Because we sell many of the brands I will do what I can to be as non-bias as possible. For reference, my personal use cans are Focal Utopia, DCA Voce’, STAX 009, UE 18 pro, EE Odin. This should help as you read my opinions on your curiosities.

 

[Loftprojection]

In any case I think the MHA200 will be an interesting amp, I'll be able to try it out when it's released here (April) and will buy one if I like it compared to my Luxman SQ-N150.

Hello, sorry to highjack this thread but it’s the first time I see someone with the Luxman SQ-N150. I am very intrigued by this amp, if you don’t mind sharing what you think about it, which amp you had before, why you may want to change it so soon...either here or in private. Many thanks.

 

[AppleheadMay]

Hello, sorry to highjack this thread but it’s the first time I see someone with the Luxman SQ-N150. I am very intrigued by this amp, if you don’t mind sharing what you think about it, which amp you had before, why you may want to change it so soon...either here or in private. Many thanks.

I'm not selling it at all, I'm quite a Luxman fan but this little MHA200 intrigues me and if I like it compared to the SQ-N150 I might buy it as well.
I have uised Luxman for many years. I used to have the P-1u and SQ-N100, now I have the P-750u and SQ-N150.
My speaker amp is an L-509X and DAC a DA-06.
Why the P-750u is a smooth SS amp with a hint of warmth and more than enough power (certainly balanced), the SQ-N150 has a bit more warmth without sounding stereotype tubey.
It has even more power out of the SE output than the P-750u has out of the balanced output or there is more gain in any case, hard to find specs for the phones output of this amp.
If that's not enough you can tap right off the speaker outputs with a balanced pigtail like I use as well, heaps of power. (2x10W class a)
Not that you need to do that, I remeber my SQ-N100 way back could drive the K1000 from the phones out although it was still better from the speaker taps.

Damn good headphone amp although it isn't really marketed as such.
I wonder how the McIntosh will compare, looking forward to hear it.

 

[buzzlulu]

Interesting comments on the SQ-N150. There is an active thread on the Naim forum about this unit and many of us are intrigued - including myself. I had the P-750U in house for a 3 week demo however it was not for me. I think I was not a fan of the digital LEUCA volume control.

Care to post a picture of your balanced pigtail? I run both my Utopias and Z1R with balanced cables and the SQ-N150 only has single end 1/4"

 

[AppleheadMay]

It's pretty hard to take out the way my amp is installed in my rack.

Nothing much to see: Furutech Spades and a Furutech 4-pin balanced connector.
I had it made by Matt at Forza Audioworks: https://forzaaudioworks.com/en/

 

[TSAVJason]

It's pretty hard to take out the way my amp is installed in my rack.

Nothing much to see: Furutech Spades and a Furutech 4-pin balanced connector.
I had it made by Matt at Forza Audioworks: https://forzaaudioworks.com/en/

Furutech makes nice stuff

 

[Loftprojection]

There is an active thread on the Naim forum about this unit and many of us are intrigued

Could you point me out that thread, can’t seem to find it. Many tanks.

 

[AppleheadMay]

Prices are published in magazines here now.
Belgium/Netherlands: 3599€.
France: 3000€.
And virtually no tax differences in the countries, we just have one of those distributors that likes to get rich fast.
Might go across the border.

Any other official European prices known?

 

[TSAVJason]

Prices are published in magazines here now.
Belgium/Netherlands: 3599€.
France: 3000€.
And virtually no tax differences in the countries, we just have one of those distributors that likes to get rich fast.
Might go across the border.

Any other official European prices known?

That kinda bites doesn’t it. I wish we could sell them to you but we can’t according to our dealer agreements

 

[ThanatosVI]

That kinda bites doesn’t it. I wish we could sell them to you but we can’t according to our dealer agreements

Yeah they really don't want to sell them to us.
At the US price it seems like a great deal at thr EU price it has to compete in a whole different league.

McIntosh aren't the only ones doing exactly that tho

 

[TSAVJason]

Yeah they really don't want to sell them to us.
At the US price it seems like a great deal at thr EU price it has to compete in a whole different league.

McIntosh aren't the only ones doing exactly that tho

No it’s not McIntosh. Those prices are based on your local distributors

 

[AppleheadMay]

No it’s not McIntosh. Those prices are based on your local distributors

Yep.
Now 3000€ is understandable with the shipping, high import taxes and high VAT we have here in Europe.
3599€ is just 600€ extra to found the distributor's new villa.

 

[funkur]

Chord gear with UK VAT included is still cheaper than the US price without sales tax. Cuts both ways unfortunately.

Super excited to hear this thing in person!

 

[mvvRAZ]

Prices are published in magazines here now.
Belgium/Netherlands: 3599€.
France: 3000€.
And virtually no tax differences in the countries, we just have one of those distributors that likes to get rich fast.
Might go across the border.

Any other official European prices known?

I think Spain is 3000 IIRC