MHA200 2-Channel Vacuum Tube Headphone Amplifier
MHA200: £2995
Compact footprint: just 6-1/8" (15.6cm) x 9-1/8" (23.2cm)
Four selectable headphone impedance ranges
Balanced and unbalanced analogue inputs
Balanced stereo or dedicated Left & Right outputs
Treat Your Headphones to McIntosh Vacuum Tube Amplification.
The MHA200 Vacuum Tube Headphone Amplifier is designed for discerning headphone enthusiasts who demand the most from their headphones. Its versatile connectivity options, including balanced inputs and outputs, allow for nearly all headphone types to be connected to enjoy an extraordinary personal listening experience.
A pair of 12AT7 and 12BH7A dual triode vacuum tubes power the compact MHA200. The 12AT7 vacuum tubes amplify the incoming audio signal, while the 12BH7A tubes provide the power to drive the output to your headphones with low distortion. The MHA200 uses a pair of our Unity Coupled Circuit output transformers to deliver pristine audio to your ears. Our Unity Coupled Circuit is the same technology McIntosh founded in 1949. It is still used in our vaunted full-size home audio vacuum tube amplifiers, such as the timeless MC275 and the more recent MC1502. Indeed, the MHA200 shares many physical design traits with the aforementioned vacuum tube amplifiers.
An utterly captivating piece of kit that is likely to last decades and keep delighting you all the way through." Received Editor's Choice Award for Best High-End Hi-Fi Product 2022. – AVForums
A wide assortment of connectivity options come on the MHA200. For attaching your headphones, there are 3 options: a pair of 3-pin balanced XLR connectors for dedicated Left and Right balanced output; a 4-pin balanced XLR connector for balanced stereo output; and a 1/4" stereo headphone jack.
Regardless of the headphones we use, this little box turns in a lovely, lush sounding performance that’s hard to dislike. It sounds smooth but far from lifeless, delivering high levels of detail in a cohesive and musical manner… If you’re looking for a top-class headphone amplifier, there are few we’ve heard at this price that are as capable or as charming as this one." – What Hi-Fi
For connecting the MHA200 to your home music system's source components, it has 1 set each of both balanced and unbalanced inputs. Thanks to the MHA200's small size of just 6-1/8" (15.6cm) wide x 9-1/8" (23.2cm) deep and its balanced inputs, it can be placed close to your listening position for ease of use, with long balanced audio cables connecting it to your audio system without fear of signal loss.
The MHA200 is a hell of a headphone amplifier." It "will impress, entertain and impress again indefinitely." With the MHA200 "you can enjoy as good a headphone experience as is currently available." Named Headphone Amplifier of The Year 2021. – HiFi+
The MHA200 uses unique McIntosh technologies to create the best possible personal listening experience. The Unity Coupled Circuit transformers have been adapted to produce four headphone impedance ranges of 32 – 100, 100 – 250, 250 – 600, and 600 – 1,000 Ohms at 500mW so that virtually every headphone can receive legendary McIntosh sound quality and performance.
"The McIntosh MHA200 Tube Headphone Amplifier is a contender for the best tube headphone amp manufactured to date, and easily outperforms more complex and unnecessarily feature-encumbered designs loaded with unnecessary additional tubes… It has ZERO musical flaws to report and is nearly perfect in execution." Highly recommended. – Positive Feedback
We custom-designed and manufactured the output transformers to match the tube amplifier section to the headphone output section to ensure maximum power transfer for various headphone loads. Instead of having to adapt to the impedance of the headphones with voltage gain in the input stage, the Unity Coupled Circuit output transformers' secondary windings ensure the full power of the MHA200 is available regardless of the impedance of your headphones. A custom, high-performance, and highly efficient toroidal power transformer with a low mechanical hum and a low magnetic field, which helps reduce electrical noise, provides clean power to the amplifier.
Reveals "the true nature of every headphone, without adding anything of its own. And it does so with power and punch but without sacrificing on the subtlety or micro dynamics. It allows the soundstage to breathe and come to life in an almost three-dimensional way inside your head." – What Hi-Fi Sound and Vision (India)
You can select the best impedance range for your headphones via the LOAD knob. The VOLUME knob allows the MHA200 to be connected directly to music sources that only have a fixed volume output without needing a preamplifier for volume control. Conversely, if you're using a component with variable volume output, then the VOLUME knob should be set to the centre Unity Gain point and the volume controlled by the variable output component.
"The MHA200 is endlessly enjoyable with a rich, balanced and powerful sound, that’s is more forgiving than most rivals. Add to this the stellar build quality and ability to cater for a wide range of headphones and connections and the MHA200 is a benchmark product that’s highly recommended." – Audiograde
The MHA200 features a custom-formed stainless steel chassis with a polished mirror finish that will accentuate the glow of the vacuum tubes, making it a statement piece to display in your home and to use with pride. A vintage die-cast aluminium McIntosh name badge adorns the side of the MHA200. A Power Control input and output allows the MHA200 to turn on and off with other connected McIntosh components, such as preamplifiers, CD players, turntables, or media streamers. A protective vacuum tube cover is included.
MHA200 2-Channel Vacuum Tube Headphone Amplifier OUTPUT SPECIFICATIONS
Headphone Power Output:
500 mW
Headphone Output Impedance:
32-100 ohms
100-250 ohms
250-600 ohms
600-1,000 ohms
ELECTRONIC SPECIFICATIONS
FTC Power Output Rating:
N/A
Total Harmonic Distortion:
0.5% maximum harmonic distortion at any power level from 250 milliwatts to rated power, 20Hz to 20kHz
<0.20% at 1W, 20Hz to 20kHz
Damping Factor:
>150
VOLTAGE GAIN:
12dB at 32 ohms
17dB at 100 ohms
21dB at 250 ohms
25dB at 600 ohms
Power Output per Channel:
N/A
S/N below rated output:
94dB
Preamplifier Output:
N/A
Rated Power Band:
20Hz to 20kHz
SENSITIVITY (BALANCED):
2.0 Vrms
Dynamic Headroom:
1.5dB
Frequency Response:
+0, -0.5dB from 20Hz to 20kHz
Maximum Input Signal (Unbalanced):
8V
Input Impedance (Balanced / Unbalanced):
20K/10K
PREAMPLIFIER OUTPUT IMPEDANCE:
N/A
SPEAKER IMPEDANCE:
N/A
Intermodulation Distortion:
0.04% Typical
0.4% Maximum
Sensitivity (Unbalanced):
1.0 Vrms
Maximum Input Signal (Balanced):
16V
WARRANTY PARTS AND LABOUR:
3 Years
CONNECTIVITY SPECIFICATIONS
Digital AES/EBU Input:
0
Digital MCT Input:
0
Balanced Input:
1
Digital Coaxial Input:
0
Unbalanced Input:
1
Digital Optical Input:
0
Preamplifier Output:
0
Headphone Output:
One pair of 3-pin balanced XLR connectors for dedicated Left and Right balanced output;
One 4-pin balanced XLR connector for balanced stereo output;
One 1/4" stereo headphone jack
CONTROL SPECIFICATIONS
Tone Controls:
No
Power Control Input:
1
Power Control Output:
1
GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS
Output Meters:
No
Standby Power Requirement:
<0.5 Watts
Vacuum Tube or Solid State:
Vacuum Tube
Output Type:
Unity Coupled Output Transformer
Power Requirement:
120V 50/60Hz, 1.5A
Weights & DIMENSIONS
Unit Dimensions (W x H x D):
6-1/8" (15.6cm) x 5-3/4" (14.6cm) x 9-1/8" (23.2cm)
Unit Weight:
10.5 lbs (4.8 kg)
SHIPPING Weight:
12 lbs (5.5 kg)