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McIntosh releases its most powerful hi-fi amp to date

McIntosh releases its most powerful hi-fi amp to date
The MA9000 integrated amplifier from McIntosh punches out 300 watts per channel
The MA9000 integrated amplifier from McIntosh punches out 300 watts per channel
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The MA9000 integrated amplifier from McIntosh punches out 300 watts per channel
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The MA9000 integrated amplifier from McIntosh punches out 300 watts per channel
The MA9000 sports the signature McIntosh black glass front with blue output meters
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The MA9000 sports the signature McIntosh black glass front with blue output meters
McIntosh boasts that the MA9000 has "enough inputs and outputs on the MA9000 to last a lifetime"
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McIntosh boasts that the MA9000 has "enough inputs and outputs on the MA9000 to last a lifetime"
The MA9000 features eight band EQ tone adjustment and a discrete headphone amplifier that promises to improve the listening experience through cans
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The MA9000 features eight band EQ tone adjustment and a discrete headphone amplifier that promises to improve the listening experience through cans
The MA9000's chassis has integrated carry handles, but with a weight of over 100 lb, you're not likely to want to move this beast around too often
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The MA9000's chassis has integrated carry handles, but with a weight of over 100 lb, you're not likely to want to move this beast around too often
View gallery - 5 images

For almost 70 years, New York's McIntosh Labs has been the cause of heart flutters among music lovers – both for the excellent quality of the company's hi-fi separates and for the prices they command. Now a new two-channel integrated amplifier sporting black glass, blue power meters and the brand's iconic logo has been announced, the firm's most powerful yet. And yes, it's expensive.

Named the MA9000, the solid state amplifier punches out a mighty 300 watts-per-channel, which should be enough to "properly drive virtually all loudspeakers," with McIntosh tech ensuring speakers get the full 300 W regardless of impedance requirements.

The unit offers 10 analog connections made up of two unbalanced and six balanced inputs, together with MC/MM phono inputs for plugging in a turntable. The phono inputs each sport adjustable load for playback fine tuning.

Digital connectivity comes courtesy of two coax, two optical, one USB and one proprietary MCT inputs, all finding a home in the company's new DA1 Digital Audio Module. This makes use of an 8-channel, 32-bit DAC supporting high resolution PCM formats up to 32-bit/384 kHz and DSD256 over USB or 24-bit/192 kHz via coax and optical.

The MA9000 sports the signature McIntosh black glass front with blue output meters
The MA9000 sports the signature McIntosh black glass front with blue output meters

The MA9000 is quite a beast, measuring 17.5 x 9.4 x 22 in (445 x 240 x 558.8 mm) and tipping the scales at a back-breaking 101 lb (45.8 kg), though living room placement is made a little easier thanks to integrated handles on the stainless steel and black painted steel chassis.

The integrated amp is power band rated for 20 Hz to 20 kHz frequencies, with a total harmonic distortion of 0.005 percent and 1.8 dB dynamic headroom. New McInstosh Monogrammed Heatsinks promise to keep the system cool, while connection to high current output transistors is reported to eliminate system warm up time. The system also monitors and adjusts sound in real-time to prevent distortion and clipping.

A safety cut-off feature has been included, that switches off the output stage before safe operating levels are exceeded, and auto resets when conditions return to normal. There's eight band EQ tone adjustment, with a tone bypass feature for uncolored output, pass-thru availability for integration with a home theater system, and a discrete headphone amplifier that promises to improve the listening experience through ear candy.

McIntosh is taking orders now for delivery later this month. The suggested retail price comes in at US$10,500, which will clearly position this amp at the boutique/audiophile end of the market.

You can see what you get for that sort of money in the video below.

Source: McIntosh

MA9000 Integrated Amplifier

View gallery - 5 images
4 comments
4 comments
Mark Mitchell
This juggernaut of an amp is indeed pricey but it would just barely qualify as "high end" by many audiophiles. In that bizarro world it is quite easy to spend twice as much on speaker cables or ten-twenty times as much on a pair of speakers.
Grunchy
Whereas I'm certain it's quality equipment, everybody knows its effect is indicernible. The only thing worth spending on is a good set of speakers.
Pulpmillguy
Not quite sure where the statement "most powerful yet" comes from...they put out the MC2500 back in the 90's that put out a mind (and speaker) blowing 500 watts per channel.
klavaza
Oh!! The old times: https://evilscienceaudio.com/repairs-restorations/dunlap-clarke-dreadnought-1000/
Those were 500 + 500 RMS output power... (back in the 80s. if am not mistaken!)