McIntosh MA12000 2-Channel Integrated Amplifier

Description

The MA12000 includes our Hybrid Drive™ technology that uses the best of vacuum tubes and solid state to produce the best sound performance. It gives you the warm nuances of a vacuum tube preamplifier (or valve preamplifier as some of our friends like to say) combined with the speed and raw 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 (4) 12AX7A vacuum tubes (2 tubes per audio channel), while the 350 Watt power amplifier section employs a solid state design. Our Autoformer™ technology guarantees your 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 for connecting a turntable. Both phono inputs feature adjustable loading for fine tuning the MA12000 to your specific turntable configuration so your vinyl collection sounds just right. All the unbalanced analog connectors are constructed from premium gold-plated solid brass for superior signal handling and grounding. The MA12000 also has 1 balanced and 1 unbalanced output if you ever want to connect to an additional amplifier that’s used in a different part of your residence.

For digital music, the MA12000 comes with our 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 our MCT series of SACD/CD Transports), and 1 audio-only HDMI Audio Return Channel (ARC)1 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 384kHz, while the coax and optical inputs can decode digital music up to 24-bit/192kHz.

The HDMI (ARC) input allows TVs with a compatible HDMI (ARC) output to be connected to the MA12000 and your home stereo system to bring a new level of audio performance to your TV and movie watching that TV speakers or soundbars just can’t provide. Popular multi-channel audio formats from Dolby® and DTS® are supported and will be expertly converted to 2-channel audio for proper playback. When CEC communication is enabled in both the MA12000 and your TV, your TV remote can control the power and volume of the MA12000. The DA2 can be replaced by future modules to keep your MA12000 up to date as new digital audio formats and technologies are developed.

The DA2 has received Roon Tested designation from Roon Labs, which can be especially useful if you have an extensive library of digital music. As a Roon Tested partner, McIntosh has provided equipment to Roon for testing with a variety of different operating systems and computers, and shared information about its design and capabilities.

The top of the MA12000 is highlighted by some updated industrial design elements. The Autoformers 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 detailed block diagram are printed on 5 glass panels.

Other MA12000 features include:

• Power Guard® that monitors the output signal for over driving and makes real time micro adjustments to the input signal to prevent harsh sounding clipping that could potentially damage your speakers
• Our fuse-less short-circuit protection circuit Sentry Monitor™ that disengages the output stage before current exceeds safe operating levels and then resets automatically when operating conditions return to normal
• A pair of peak responding, trademarked “McIntosh Blue” Watt meters that indicate the real time power output of each audio channel
• McIntosh Monogrammed Heatsinks™ which are connected to advanced high current output transistors that minimize thermal equilibrium lag (or warm-up) time and help keep the MA12000 running cool
• Home Theater PassThru that allows for seamless integration into a home theater system
• Our patented Solid Cinch™ speaker binding posts that easily but securely attach the speaker cables to prevent them from coming loose and possibly causing a short; the binding posts are also gold-plated to prevent corrosion and ensure a quality signal is sent over your speaker cables to your speakers
• A discrete, eight-band tone control that allows for advanced manual analog adjustment of your favorite recordings
• High Drive headphone amplifier with Headphone Crossfeed Director (HXD®) which can bring an added dimension to headphone listening
• Power Control to send power on/off signals to connected McIntosh components for easy system power up and shutdown
• Doubling of filter capacity compared to our other integrated amplifiers for even better low frequency performance
• The latest audio-grade circuit components to deliver the best sound possible
• Powerful control microprocessors to improve overall system operation
• Easy operation via front panel controls or the included comprehensive remote control

SPECIFICATIONS

ELECTRONIC SPECIFICATIONS

FTC Power Output Rating
350 W
Power Output per Channel
350 W into 2, 4, or 8 ohms
Number of Channels
2
Rated Power Band
20Hz to 20kHz
Total Harmonic Distortion
Preamplifier: 0.03%
Amplifier: 0.005%
Dynamic Headroom
1.5dB
Frequency Response +0,-0.5dB
20Hz to 20kHz
Frequency Response, +0, -3dB
10Hz to 100kHz
Sensitivity Phono (Moving Coil)
0.30mV
Sensitivity Phono (Moving Magnet)
3.0mV
Sensitivity High Level (Balanced / Unbalanced)
600 mV/300mV
Sensitivity (Power Amp input)
1.7V
Signal To Noise Ratio (Moving Coil)
75dB
Signal To Noise Ratio (Moving Magnet)
77dB
Signal To Noise Ratio (High Level)
95dB
Signal To Noise Ratio (Power Amp input)
114dB
Input Impedance (Balanced / Unbalanced)
44K/22K
Damping Factor
>40
Maximum Output (Balanced / Unbalanced)
8V Unbalanced
16V Balanced

CONNECTIVITY

Balanced Input
2
Unbalanced Input
6
Phono Input Moving Coil
1 (adjustable loading)
Phono Input Moving Magnet
1 (adjustable loading)
Upgradeable Digital Audio Module
Yes: DA2
Digital Coaxial Inputs
2
Digital Optical Inputs
2
Digital MCT Inputs
1
Digital USB Input
1
HDMI (ARC) Input
1
Balanced Variable Output
1
Unbalanced Fixed Output
1
Unbalanced Variable Output
1
Headphone Output
1/4″ High Drive with Headphone Crossfeed Director (HXD®)
Subwoofer Outputs
0
AM/FM Tuner option
No
Home Theater PassThru
Yes
Unbalanced Analog Connector Type
Premium gold-plated solid brass
Speaker Binding Post Type
Patented Solid Cinch™ Speaker Binding Posts
Service Port
1

DIGITAL AUDIO SPECIFICATIONS

Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC) Type
8-channel, 32-bit/384kHz PCM/DSD, Quad Balanced
Digital Coaxial Input Sample Rate
24-bit/44.1kHz to 192kHz
Digital Optical Input Sample Rate
24-bit/44.1kHz to 192kHz
Digital MCT Input Sample Rate
16-bit/44.1kHz (CD)
DSD64 (SACD)
Digital USB Input Sample Rate
32-bit/44.1kHz to 384kHz (PCM)
DSD64, DSD128, DSD256, DSD512, DXD352.8kHz, DXD384kHz

CONTROL

Tone Controls
8-Band
Tone Bypass and Input Assign
Yes
RS232 Control Input
Yes
Power Control Output
1 Main, 2 Trigger
Rear Panel Data Port
4
Rear Panel IR Sensor Input
Yes
Input Level Match
Yes

GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS

Vacuum Tube or Solid State
Preamplifier: Vacuum Tube
Amplifier: Solid State
Output Type
Autoformer™
Output Meters
Yes
Dual Layer Chassis
Yes
Chassis Finish
Polished stainless steel & black painted steel
McIntosh Monogrammed Heatsinks™
Yes
Power Requirement
120V, 50/60Hz, 6.6A
Standby Power Requirement
<0.25 Watts

WEIGHTS & DIMENSIONS

Unit Dimensions (W x H x D)
17-1/2” (44.5cm) x 9-7/16” (24 cm) x 19-3/4” (50.2cm)
Unit Weight
108 lbs (48.9kg)
Shipping Weight
141 lbs (63.9kg)