McIntosh MHA100 any good?

[confucius_zero]

Seems looking at the DX7Pro and M500 and JDS Atom and all the thx 887 789 amps that we have reached some kind of "endgame" on measurements, but how would this 4000$+ lavish device compare?

 

[solderdude]

price performance ratio would be lower even if it measured better.

 

[confucius_zero]

price performance ratio would be lower even if it measured better.

sounds more jewerly than device.

 

[anmpr1]

I used to have a lot of respect for McIntosh. But they've moved on, and so have I. Not that they care. Selling two thousand dollar electric clocks (featuring a 'temperature compensated quartz movement') and a light box that does nothing ("...a must for every Mac Owner" it says here). I guess if you are the kind of person who checks the illuminated star on the option sheet when ordering your S sedan, then a light box and temperature compensated quartz clock for your stereo might be appealing. Value-wise? It's a hell of a note when a MB show off option costs a quarter of the price of a glowing McIntosh logo.

 

[JJB70]

Whatever happened to their headphones? I remember they seemed very low rent for the price, I mean they would have been fine at $200 but they were going for something like $2000.

 

[jhaider]

It has a crossfeed circuit, so it is potentially better sounding than most other headphone amps.

I think it’s gorgeous but it’s not sufficiently functional for home use (no subout or line level loop for speaker use) and too ostentatious for the office.

 

[Frank Dernie]

It has a crossfeed circuit, so it is potentially better sounding than most other headphone amps.

I think it’s gorgeous but it’s not sufficiently functional for home use (no subout or line level loop for speaker use) and too ostentatious for the office.

My Chord Hugo has a crossfeed circuit too. It has some advantage on some music, but not enough for me to use it any more given the extra box and cables needed over my B&W PX wireless ones
It isn't a big enough difference to be compelling for me.

 

[RickSanchez]

The Topping DX7 Pro ($599) + the Monoprice THX 887 amp ($399) = $1000.
The McIntosh MHA100 is ~$4000 (I'm assuming used, as the MHA150 is the new model).

At the measured performance levels of the DX7 Pro + THX 887 combo I can't imagine there would be an audible improvement to be found with the MHA100. In that case, for the extra $3000+ you're getting:

1. 50W output and binding posts to power bookshelf speakers
2. Buyer's remorse?

 

[solderdude]

and for some, not unimportantly...

3. McIntosh looks
4. conversation piece

 

[mechapreneur]

Stupid or not, I love the VU meters and just ordered an MHA150. I've also got a Monoprice THX AAA 887 on the way so I'll be able to compare before I take one of them to the office. I should probably find a good A/B switch so I can test them properly and cry about the money wasted.

But VU meters!

 

[anmpr1]

Stupid or not, I love the VU meters and just ordered an MHA150. I've also got a Monoprice THX AAA 887 on the way so I'll be able to compare before I take one of them to the office. I should probably find a good A/B switch so I can test them properly and cry about the money wasted.

But VU meters!

View attachment 40180

It looks nice. For a 50 watt/ch DAC/amp/preamp it's not out of the realm of value--for a McIntosh. You can always get something similar for less money, or much more, for the same dollars, but then you wouldn't have a Mac. Compared to something like the five or six watt Luxman tube toy Stereophile gushed over, the Mac is an actual thing. I wouldn't worry about doing an A/B. You know the results beforehand.

 

[mechapreneur]

I got the monoprice THX AAA 887 and SMSL SU-8v2 today. It sounds... nice. Competent. Clean. I'm unable to notice any noise. Good bass reproduction into my MDR-V6 headphones. I've been listening to my old Behringer UMC22 all day and I'm not sure this is "better" but it probably gets much louder and will certainly handle balanced and high ohm headphones, so there is that. But it's making me consider that the $35 Behringer UMC22 is a a steal.

Wait a minute... there is definitely more bass reach in this THX. Okay, I'm not regretting it now. I should probably listen to more than two random songs to form an opinion. ;-)

I get the McIntosh MHA150 tomorrow... my memory says it's better than the THX.

 

[carlosmante]

The Topping DX7 Pro ($599) + the Monoprice THX 887 amp ($399) = $1000.
The McIntosh MHA100 is ~$4000 (I'm assuming used, as the MHA150 is the new model).

At the measured performance levels of the DX7 Pro + THX 887 combo I can't imagine there would be an audible improvement to be found with the MHA100. In that case, for the extra $3000+ you're getting:

1. 50W output and binding posts to power bookshelf speakers
2. Buyer's remorse?

Buy this for only $500, DAC and headphone amplifier. https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=24459

 

[mechapreneur]

In case anyone cares, I've been listening to the McIntosh MHA150 and comparing it (with my bad ears) to the Monoprice THX AAA 887.

I tried to volume match them as carefully as I could using a decibel meter on my iPhone, held firmly between the earpieces and a 30 second average reading of 83.3dB during the same passage of a compressed to hell pop song. This was fed from 320k mp3 via iTunes at 100% and the volume attenuator on my MacBook at 100% for both USB targets. On the THX side, we go into the SMSL SU-8 v2 which is also at max volume and hands off to the THX using short (1ft) balanced cables. The THX was on low gain with volume at 12 o'clock (~50%) to establish the 83.3dB baseline. On the MHA150 side, we go into the built-in USB DAC and ended up setting the volume at 35% to hit an average of 83.3dB. This was using the Normal 8Ω-40Ω headphone output. Okay, enough science.

Impressions.

• At 83dB, these were both very loud and very clear. I don't want to listen to them very long at this volume because I know it's going to harm my hearing... but I could listen all day because they are both very, very clean.
• Bass comes through very well in my MDR-V6 Sony's. I want to say the McIntosh is more pronounced in the ultra low bass, but I'm not certain. It just seems to have more ... rumble to go with what I can hear. Like I can hear/feel the drivers pushing just a bit harder at those long wavelengths.
• I want to say the THX AAA 887 is a bit brighter in the mids and highs, but I'm not certain. Song after song just seemed a bit more brilliant and loud when switching back to the THX. Was this a loss of bass or an increase in mids? Going back to the MHA150 consistently seemed to quiet down a touch in the mids, but pick up a bit more low rumble.
• I really want to say the McIntosh is "better," but I'm not sure that's fair or just my wallet speaking. No one wants to admit they don't like or understand the million dollar painting they just "won" at auction.

After listening to many different pieces from unnamed female pop clones to Diana Krall, Röyksopp, Steely Dan, A Perfect Circle, Sade, and Beck I keep making the same assessment: These two amps are basically the same.

To be thorough, I ran a quick and less scientific comparison with my Behringer UMC22, Elgato Dock headphone output, and MacBook Pro headphone jack. I would like to say I could hear a slight reduction in quality with those. The elgato headphone amp is very noisy, it's the worst and the reason I bought the UMC22. The MBP headphone amp is quiet and at full volume comparable to the THX and MHA150 with less presence in the bass. The UMC22 continues to be impressive for $35, easily the equal of the MBP, but just not as much power in the low end as the THX or MHA150.

If I had only bought one of these two amps, I would be very happy with it. They both sound incredible. Knowing I overpaid for one of them is a bit of a pinch, but... I like the McIntosh more. This bezel is ridonculous:

I'll be keeping them both. The MHA150 will get home office duty while the THX is going to my employer's office so I'll be using it regularly. Right now with a choice between them both, I keep plugging into the McIntosh.

I hope one day this write-up helps someone else considering doing the stupid thing and overpaying for a headphone amp.

 

[solderdude]

• Bass comes through very well in my MDR-V6 Sony's. I want to say the McIntosh is more pronounced in the ultra low bass, but I'm not certain. It just seems to have more ... rumble to go with what I can hear. Like I can hear/feel the drivers pushing just a bit harder at those long wavelengths.
• I want to say the THX AAA 887 is a bit brighter in the mids and highs, but I'm not certain. Song after song just seemed a bit more brilliant and loud when switching back to the THX. Was this a loss of bass or an increase in mids? Going back to the MHA150 consistently seemed to quiet down a touch in the mids, but pick up a bit more low rumble.

This would mean the McIntosh would have a lift in the bass (bass boost) which is unlikely or the THX AAA887 would have to be relatively rolled off in the bass which is also unlikely.
When the McIntosh would play a tiny bit louder, matching averages with a microphone is not going to be accurate within 0.2dB.
When the McIntosh would have a significantly high output resistance all could be explained by this (bass would have a small boost)

The McIntosh looks nice and capable though. The controls look a lot like my 60 year old tube radio (still working)

 

[mechapreneur]

This would mean the McIntosh would have a lift in the bass (bass boost) which is unlikely or the THX AAA887 would have to be relatively rolled off in the bass which is also unlikely.

Yea, I know. I described my leveling approach so people could see it was not super high-tech, but it was also not ignored. I think I was super impressed by the McIntosh in the store because it encourages turning the volume up too loud.

The difference I may only be imagining is that one amp is louder in the lows and the other is louder in the mids. I prefer the former. The McIntosh does have a bass lift setting, but it was at 0. Is McIntosh cheating and 0 is actually +2dB? I think we'd have to get it measured to know.

I do believe that whatever differences I think I am hearing between these two amps can be easily equalized with some modest EQ and I'll probably build a profile for each amp for long term listening that reflects this.

 

[pcdinh]

Oh McIntosh. Just another highly overpriced "high-end" component

 

[cavillasenorl]

Yea, I know. I described my leveling approach so people could see it was not super high-tech, but it was also not ignored. I think I was super impressed by the McIntosh in the store because it encourages turning the volume up too loud.

The difference I may only be imagining is that one amp is louder in the lows and the other is louder in the mids. I prefer the former. The McIntosh does have a bass lift setting, but it was at 0. Is McIntosh cheating and 0 is actually +2dB? I think we'd have to get it measured to know.

I do believe that whatever differences I think I am hearing between these two amps can be easily equalized with some modest EQ and I'll probably build a profile for each amp for long term listening that reflects this.

Can you give your impressions after 3 months listening both? I got the cheap version MHA50.

 

[mechapreneur]

I've actually been so happy with the MHA150 that I haven't switched back to the 887 in months. I find all sorts of excuses to sit at my desk and listen to music. I really should try the 887 again. I also bought a new pair of headphones. I've been looking for planars and stumbled across a reference to Fostex TG50RPmk3 as an easy to mod pair so I bought some and some shure earpads. It's amazing. Clearly they want more power than my Sony MDR-V6's, but the bass is incredible on the planars with the MHA150 on normal gain and volume doesn't need to go above 45%.

In that respect, the McIntosh is doing what I needed and allowing me to really listen to headphones that might be more challenging for my old Behringer UMC22. I should try the planars on the 887 and report back with my nonsense.

 

[cavillasenorl]

I've actually been so happy with the MHA150 that I haven't switched back to the 887 in months. I find all sorts of excuses to sit at my desk and listen to music. I really should try the 887 again. I also bought a new pair of headphones. I've been looking for planars and stumbled across a reference to Fostex TG50RPmk3 as an easy to mod pair so I bought some and some shure earpads. It's amazing. Clearly they want more power than my Sony MDR-V6's, but the bass is incredible on the planars with the MHA150 on normal gain and volume doesn't need to go above 45%.

In that respect, the McIntosh is doing what I needed and allowing me to really listen to headphones that might be more challenging for my old Behringer UMC22. I should try the planars on the 887 and report back with my nonsense.

Thanks for the update, please share the differences with the AAA 887 if you ever use it again.