The MA12000 gives you the best of all worlds with 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 vacuum tubes for the preamplifier section are located between the watt meters. Also shown are the knobs for the eight-band analog tone control. 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.
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 McIntosh MA12000 Integrated Amplifier The entire unit is wrapped in the classic McIntosh aesthetic with a pair of blue watt meters, a black glass front panel, rotary control knobs, illuminated logo, aluminum end caps with built-in handles and a beautiful stainless steel chassis polished to a mirror finish. The MA12000 can be paired with a variety of turntables, CD players, music streamers, and speakers.
The talented individuals at McIntosh are dedicated to design and build the finest quality home audio products in the world. In our 70+ years of experience, McIntosh has defined quality sound reproduction and set the standard for performance, reliability and service.A new McIntosh model takes many months or even years to go from initial concept to final product. Along the way, it is meticulously engineered and continuously refined until it meets our exacting standards. Then our employees' skilled handcraftsmanship is combined with our vast manufacturing capabilities to turn those designs into revered home audio products.
Find out more about McIntosh