Audio firm McIntosh has released a new vacuum-tube headphone amplifier and a two-channel SACD/CD player.
The compact MHA200 headphone amplifier is powered by a pair of 12AT7 and 12BH7A dual triode vacuum tubes. It includes dual three-pin XLR connectors for dedicated Left and Right balanced output; a four-pin XLR connector for stereo output; and a 6.35mm stereo headphone jack.
“The MHA200 Vacuum Tube Headphone Amplifier is designed for discerning headphone enthusiasts who demand the most from their headphones.
“Its versatile set of connectivity options, including balanced inputs and outputs, allows for nearly all headphone types to be connected to enjoy an extraordinary personal listening experience,” the said McIntosh.
The MCD85 SACD/CD player has an open-chassis design, and can play music from SACDs and audio CDs in formats including AAC, AIFF, ALAC, DSD, FLAC, MP3, WAV, and WMA; it also has a USB Audio input, as well as two optical and two coaxial inputs that support PCM signals up to 192kHz.
Its 2x read speed allows it to store data in a buffer memory, while the disc mechanism features a twin laser optical pickup using a single objective lens with two laser units of different wavelengths.
“Conversion of the digital data stored on the discs or in the digital music stream into an analog signal for playback is performed by a quad balanced, 8-channel, 32-bit/192kHz Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC).
“Four DAC channels are dedicated to the left audio channel, and four to the right audio channel to ensure truly exceptional stereo sound reproduction,” the manufacturer said.
The amplifier is expected to arrive mid-April for $4995 and the SACD/CD player at the end of March for $8995; both are distributed in Australia through Synergy Audio Visual.