Edited January 19, 201412 yr by complin

CES

McIntosh revealed that it is developing its own headphone range to go with the MHA100 headphone amplifier ($5000). Shown in prototype form at the CES show were the flagship MHP1000 over-ear headphones that will go on sale in the first half of 2014 for around $2000. More affordable models will be added to the range in due course.

Edited January 19, 201412 yr by complin

I've read about the MHA100 amplifier, there's a report about it at Innerfidelity and a video by Tyll. It looks very impressive, an all in one which may fit a lot of requirements. With a speaker output it may even be usable to drive Stax amp with an energizer like the SRD-7 pro.

I wish they post some listening impressions. I like how it looks. There's that thing about McIntosh stuff 

A rebadged Beyer for $2000, no thanks.

At least it's a nice looking Beyer... 

Indeed. Problem is that the DAC-amp is $5000

The headphones look a bit like circumaural Grado's on a german frame (beyer/senn)

Apparently the amplifier has 50 watt output for speakers which begs the question is it just an integrated amp with a headphone socket (i.e. Leben) ?

This looks like SS. The selectable power output plus selectable impedance looks a very interesting couple of features to get any headphone sounding good. I don't care for the crossfeed, and not that much for the DAC, but this can be good to have on a single all-in-one "small" system.

Hopefully Tyll'l be sent a sample.

Last company I'd expect to get into the headphone-dom, McIntosh if you're reading this please stick to your amp's and preamp's please.

Good thing you're not advising them on their business strategy.

A rebadged Beyer for $2000, no thanks.

Yeah, I too thought it was pretty clear that Beyer had a hand in its design and manuafacture.

I really don't see how this

 

Is anywhere near this

 

 

Inquiring minds would be grateful to be instructed

A rebadged Beyer for $2000, no thanks.

 

 

Yeah, I too thought it was pretty clear that Beyer had a hand in its design and manuafacture.

 

I think it's pretty clear that the unit shown in the pic from CES is a prototype. I'd bet that the final version won't look like that, other than the nameplate.

 

McIntosh has historically not been a me-too company. They also are pretty adamant about in-house development & manufacture. I hope the headphones models will adhere to a similar ideal. Otherwise they will be just overpriced copies.

Inquiring minds would be grateful to be instructed

 

He's talking about the headphone not the amp. 

Oh silly me. Since the beginning I was just focused on the amp, the phones stood absolutely unnoticed   Definitely they look like Beyers.

I hear the new headphones cranked up the Teslas!

Edited January 20, 201412 yr by Audiojunkie

I don't have a problem with them getting into the statement headamp market, but if the phones are just going to be rebadged something elses, they should pull out, before we get another Lexicon/Oppo style fiasco.  If they actually put some thought into it and make audible improvements, however, and I wouldn't put it past them...

This has been going on for decades so nothing new about this in audio

 

I don't have a problem with them getting into the statement headamp market, but if the phones are just going to be rebadged something elses, they should pull out, before we get another Lexicon/Oppo style fiasco.  If they actually put some thought into it and make audible improvements, however, and I wouldn't put it past them...

Yeah, but just because it isn't something new, doesn't mean I can't still disapprove of it.  Pre-emptively, even.