McIntosh has entered the market of digital-to-analog converters – DAC, portable headphone amplifiers. The newly announced DAC is called McIntosh MHA50 and has a typical McIntosh design.
The housing is made of aluminum with a glass in front. To interact, we have a touch-sensitive knob that adjusts volume control and power on / off. The measurements are 7 x 15.5 x 14 inches with a weight of about 227 grams. The 32-bit integrated DAC supports 16-bit, 24-bit, 32-bit, 192kHz, DSD64, DSD128, DSD256, DXD352.8, and DXD384 PCM files.
The integrated headphone amplifier can deliver up to 200mW and support headphones with an impedance of 8 to 600 ohms. It supports Headphone Crossfeed Director (HXD) technology. MHA50 can operate as a DAC when it is connected to iOS devices, Android OTGs, PCs, and Macs. Available connections include a USB Type-A, USB Type-B port, and a 3.5 mm jack output. In addition, you can opt to connect via Bluetooth 4.1 with aptX.
The power is supplied by a built-in 3,000mAh battery, capable of up to 6 hours of running time with active Bluetooth. It comes with a leather carrying case and three USB cables. The McIntosh MHA50 price is about £895 – approximately $1197 and availability is expected to take place in November.
