McIntosh MA12000, Integrated Amplifier With Built-in D/A Converter

McIntosh MA12000, Integrated Hybrid Amplifier With Built-in D/A Converter

Retail Price: € 21.990,00

--- Ohm-Audio B.V. is official McIntosh dealer ---

EN.

General: The McIntosh MA12000 is the most powerful integrated amplifier from McIntosh. The McIntosh MA12000 is a very complete 2 x 350 Watt integrated amplifier with built-in DAC and phono inputs for both MM and MC cartridges. It also features a high-quality headphone amplifier built-in.

Technical: The McIntosh MA12000 is a very complete and stable amplifier with distinctive technologies. The McIntosh MA12000 offers plenty of connections for virtually any type of equipment. There are phono inputs and a DAC on board with various digital inputs including a USB input, allowing even DSD signals to be played. An HDMI ARC connection is also available. The DAC in the McIntosh MA12000 is a module that can optionally be replaced by a later generation DAC module in the future. The MA12000 also has a Pre Output for connecting a subwoofer, active speakers or possibly a second power amplifier. Compared to the MA7200, the MA12000 offers an additional set of analog XLR inputs and an additional set of RCA inputs. The McIntosh MA12000 uses hybrid technology, with the preamp stage consisting of 2 x 12AX7A tubes per channel, 4 in total. The power stage is a high-quality and powerful Class A/B solid state amplifier. A unique technique of McIntosh amplifiers is that McIntosh uses output transformers (called Output Autoformer by McIntosh itself) in transistor amplifiers, as well as in the MA12000. Normally, output transformers are only found in tube amplifiers; a transistor normally does not need an output transformer. However, it can offer advantages; a transformer, for example, does not allow direct current (DC) through and the transistors need to handle less current, which keeps the transistors cooler and makes them more efficient in power consumption. The McIntosh output transformers also have 3 taps for 8 Ohm, 4 Ohm and 2 Ohm speakers, allowing the amplifier to deliver full power at any impedance. The fact that the McIntosh MA12000 barely gets warm is not only because it has output transformers, but also because it has cooling fins developed by McIntosh itself on the sides of the amplifier. For protection, the McIntosh MA12000 has 'Power Guard' which ensures that the amplifier cannot clip, so your speakers are not at risk. In case of overvoltage or short circuit, the McIntosh MA12000 has a fuse-free protection built in, called 'Sentry Monitor'. By not using fuses, the current is thus hardly restricted, which benefits sound quality. The sound is also fully customizable through comprehensive tone controls on the front of the MA12000.

Appearance: You can almost always recognize a McIntosh device from a mile away, and the same goes for the McIntosh MA12000. The MA12000 features the characteristic glass panel on the front where the McIntosh logo lights up in green and where there are 2 analog meters with an illuminated blue background. Below that you will find an LED display that shows the volume and input, and you can also open the menu with it. For those who do not like illuminated equipment, the lights behind the analog meters can be switched off and the intensity of the LED display can also be easily dimmed or made brighter. The tubes have their own visible compartment and have LED lights at the tube bases. These light up orange during the warm-up of the tubes, and light up green when the MA12000 is ready to use. These LED lights can also be easily switched on or off. On the front you will also find 2 large shiny knobs for volume control and menu/display operation and 6 equally shiny buttons for tone control. The sides are finished in chrome for a stylish look. The McIntosh MA12000 is very solidly built and can drive virtually any speaker on the market; with its 44.5cm (W) x 24cm (H) x 55.8cm (D), the size is the same as the MA9000, but larger than the MA7200. However, the MA12000 weighs no less than 49kg. This means a stable and sturdy placement is essential.

Sound: The McIntosh MA12000 has the typical McIntosh character. This means that the MA12000 sounds beautifully full, detailed and rich. The difference with older McIntosh equipment is more in the detail and tangibility of the soundstage. The McIntosh MA12000 will never give too much or too little of anything. The sound is very controlled and balanced; even at higher volumes with stronger music, the McIntosh MA12000 maintains its grip and the sound remains comfortable, and you don't need to rush to turn down the volume. This ensures that you can still enjoy the McIntosh MA12000 after hours, days, weeks, months or years. Although the McIntosh MA12000 sounds quiet and refined, it does not sound boring or too tame. Because of this very refined character, the McIntosh MA12000 is suitable for virtually any type of music at virtually any volume on virtually any type of speaker. The McIntosh MA12000 is a clear improvement over the MA7200 and MA9000, which are already excellent. In terms of character, the MA12000 has a hint of tube sound because of the tube preamp stage present. The MA12000 thus sounds slightly smoother and the soundstage is slightly more tangible than the soundstage of the MA7200 & MA9000. But the MA12000 also sounds more powerful and has more body, while at the same time the MA12000 offers more control. In our opinion, a textbook example of how an improvement should be—giving more without sounding forced or excessive. It should also be mentioned that McIntosh offers excellent service on its equipment, so you don't need to worry about the future, because parts are well in stock and can simply be remade in the future, and so McIntosh never leaves its customers out in the cold, as it should be.

Ohm-Audio B.V. is official McIntosh dealer.

Specifications of the McIntosh MA12000:

Brand: McIntosh USA

Model: MA12000

Type: Integrated Hybrid Amplifier Including DAC

Warranty Fine Sounds BeNeLux: 36 Months

Analog Inputs: 6 x Unbalanced RCA, 2 x Balanced XLR

Phono Input: 1 x RCA for MM, 1 x RCA for MC

Digital Inputs: 2 x SPDIF Coax, 2 x SPDIF Toslink, 1 x USB Audio, 1 x MCT, 1 x HDMI ARC

Analog Outputs: 2 x Pre Out Unbalanced RCA, 1 x Headphone Out

Speaker Outputs: 3 Options Speaker Connections for 8, 4 and 2 Ohm

Output Power: 2 x 350 Watt at 8 Ohm, 4 Ohm & 2 Ohm

Finish: Black

Trade-in: Negotiable