McIntosh has introduced the MA12000 Hybrid Integrated Amplifier. The fully loaded, hybrid MA12000 Integrated Amplifier is McIntosh’s most powerful integrated amplifier ever. The MA12000 offers 350 watts per channel of high-performance power.
The MA12000 provides the nuances of a vacuum tube preamplifier combined with the speed and power of a solid-state amplifier, state-of-the-art digital audio capabilities, and enough analog audio connections for virtually any home music system.
The MA12000 is a hybrid design with the preamplifier section powered by four 12AX7A vacuum tubes (two tubes per audio channel), while the 350-watt power amplifier section employs a solid-state design. McIntosh’s Autoformer technology guarantees the speakers will always be capable of receiving that full 350 watts whether they have 2-, 4-, or 8-Ohm impedance.
There are 10 analog inputs on the MA12000 consisting of 2 balanced and 6 unbalanced inputs, plus 1 Moving Coil and 1 Moving Magnet input. Both phono inputs feature adjustable loading for fine tuning the MA12000 to a specific turntable configuration. All the unbalanced analog connectors are constructed from premium gold-plated solid brass. The MA12000 also has 1 balanced and 1 unbalanced output to connect to an additional amplifier that’s used in a different part of the house.
For digital music, the MA12000 comes with McIntosh’s DA2 Digital Audio Module factory installed. Located in the DA2 are 7 digital audio inputs: 2 coaxial, 2 optical, 1 USB and 1 MCT (for use with their MCT series of SACD/CD Transports), and 1 audio-only HDMI Audio Return Channel (ARC) connection. The DA2 is powered by a next generation, Quad Balanced, 8-channel, 32-bit Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC). This audiophile-grade DAC features improved dynamic range and improved total harmonic distortion. The DA2 supports high resolution digital audio playback, as the USB input supports native playback of up to DSD512 and DXD up to 384 kHz, while the coax and optical inputs can decode digital music up to 24-bit/192 kHz.
The HDMI (ARC) input allows TVs with a compatible HDMI (ARC) output to be connected to the MA12000. The DA2 can be replaced by future modules to keep the MA12000 up to date as new digital audio formats and technologies are developed. The DA2 has also received Roon Tested designation from Roon Labs, which can be especially useful when having an extensive library of digital music.
The top of the MA12000 is highlighted by some updated industrial design elements. The Auto-formers and power transformer are now contained in a new glass-topped enclosure capped by a glass name plate encircled with a decorative trim ring. Key performance specifications and a de-tailed block diagram are printed on five glass panels.
Orders for the MA12000 can now be placed with authorized McIntosh dealers with shipping expected to begin in October 2020 to the United States and Canada, and to the rest of the world shortly thereafter.
Suggested retail price (VAT, shipping and any customs duties related to current standards of individual countries are excluded): $14,000 USD.
For more information, visit www.mcintoshlabs.com.
