McIntosh MHA-100 Owners Manual

McIntosh Laboratory, Inc. 2 Chambers Street Binghamton, New York 13903-2699 Phone: [phone] www mcintoshlabs.com

MHA100

Headphone Amplifier

Owner’s Manual

The lightning ash with arrowhead, within an equilateral
triangle, is intended to alert the user to the presence of
uninsulated “dangerous voltage” within the product’s en­closure that may be of sufcient magnitude to constitute
a risk of electric shock to persons.

The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is
intended to alert the user to the presence of important
operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the
literature accompanying the appliance.

WARNING - TO REDUCE RISK

OF FIRE OR ELECTRICAL

SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE

THIS EQUIPMENT TO RAIN OR

MOISTURE.

IMPORTANT SAFETY

INSTRUCTIONS!

PLEASE READ THEM BEFORE
OPERATING THIS EQUIPMENT.

1. Read these instructions.

2. Keep these instructions.

3. Heed all warnings.

4. Follow all instructions.

5. Do not use this apparatus near water.

6. Clean only with a dry cloth.

7. Do not block any ventilation openings. Install
in accordance with the manufacturer’s instruc­tions.

8. Do not install near any heat sources such as
radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other appa-

ratus (including ampliers) that produce heat.

9. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polar­ized or grounding-type plug. A polarized plug
has two blades with one wider than the other.
A grounding type plug has two blades and a

NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS

INSIDE. REFER SERVICING TO

QUALIFIED PERSONNEL.

third grounding prong. The wide blade or the
third prong are provided for your safety. If

the provided plug does not t into your outlet,

consult an electrician for replacement of the
obsolete outlet.

10. Protect the power cord from being walked on
or pinched particularly at plugs, convenience
receptacles, and the point where they exit
from the apparatus.

11. Only use attachments/accessories specied by

the manufacturer.

12. Use only with the cart, stand, tripod, bracket,
or table specied by the manu­facturer, or sold with the appa­ratus. When a cart is used, use
caution when moving the cart/
apparatus combination to avoid
injury from tip-over.

13. Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms
or when unused for long periods of time.

14. Refer all servicing to qualied service person­nel. Servicing is required when the apparatus
has been damaged in any way, such as power-

To prevent the risk of electric

shock, do not remove cover or

back. No user-serviceable parts

inside.

supply cord or plug is damaged, liquid has
been spilled or objects have fallen into the
apparatus, the apparatus has been exposed to
rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or
has been dropped.

15. Do not expose this equipment to dripping or

splashing and ensure that no objects lled

with liquids, such as vases, are placed on the
equipment.

16. To completely disconnect this equipment from
the a.c. mains, disconnect the power supply
cord plug from the a.c. receptacle.

17. The mains plug of the power supply cord shall
remain readily operable.

18. Do not expose batteries to excessive heat such

as sunshine, re or the like.

19. Connect mains power supply cord only to a
mains socket outlet with a protective earthing
connection.

2

Thank You

Your decision to own this McIntosh MHA100 Head­phone Amplifier ranks you at the very top among
discriminating music listeners. You now have the best.
The McIntosh dedication to precision performance
assures many years of musical enjoyment.
Please take a short time to read the information in
this manual. We want you to be as familiar as pos­sible with all the features and functions of your new
McIntosh.

Please Take A Moment

The serial number, purchase date and McIntosh Dealer
name are important to you for possible insurance
claim or future service. The spaces below have been
provided for you to record that information:

Serial Number: _______________________________

Purchase Date: _______________________________

Dealer Name: ________________________________

Technical Assistance

If at any time you have questions about your McIntosh
product, contact your McIntosh Dealer who is familiar
with your McIntosh equipment and any other brands
that may be part of your system. If you or your Dealer
wish additional help concerning a suspected problem,
you can receive technical assistance for all McIntosh
products at:

McIntosh Laboratory, Inc.
2 Chambers Street
Binghamton, New York 13903
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Copyright 2014 © by McIntosh Laboratory, Inc.

Customer Service

If it is determined that your McIntosh product is in
need of repair, you can return it to your Dealer. You
can also return it to the McIntosh Laboratory Service
Department. For assistance on factory repair return
procedure, contact the McIntosh Service Department
at:

McIntosh Laboratory, Inc.
2 Chambers Street
Binghamton, New York 13903
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Table of Contents

Safety Instructions ............................................................... 2

Thank You and Please Take a Moment ...............................3

Technical Assistance and Customer Service ....................... 3

Table of Contents ................................................................. 3

General Information ............................................................ 4

Connector and Cable Information ....................................... 4

Introduction ......................................................................... 5

Performance Features .......................................................... 5

Dimensions .......................................................................... 6

Installation ........................................................................... 7

Connections:

Rear Panel Connections ....................................................... 8

Connecting Components and

Optional Loudspeakers .............................................. 10-11

System Thru Connections ................................................. 12

External Power Amplifier Connections ............................ 13

Remote Control and Front Panel:

Remote Control Push-buttons ........................................... 14

How to use the Remote Control .........................................15

Front Panel Displays, Controls,

Push-button and Jack ......................................................... 16

Setup Mode:

How to Operate the Setup Mode ....................................... 17

Default Settings .......................................................... 17

Fi r mware Ve rsio n ....................................................... 18

Setup Mode: con’t

Input Renaming .......................................................... 18

Speaker Size ...............................................................19

Subwoofer Mode .........................................................19

Power Mode ................................................................ 19

Remote Control ...........................................................20

Operation:

How to Operate the MHA100 ........................................... 21

Power On/Off ............................................................. 21

Source Selection ......................................................... 21

Volume Control .......................................................... 21

Trim Functions:

Trim Functions Introduction ............................. 21

Bass Boost ......................................................... 21

Balance .............................................................. 22

Trim Level .........................................................23

Mono/Stereo Mode ...........................................22

Meter Backlight ................................................23

Display ..............................................................23

Digital Audio (Display), Mute .......................... 23

Headphone Jack, Headphone HXDTM ........................ 24

Output Control ............................................................ 24

Prof ile Mode ..........................................................24-26

Power Output Meters and Power Guard .....................26

Using a Separate Power Amplifier ............................. 26

Optical and Coaxial Digital Inputs ............................ 27

USB Input Operation and Driver Installation ............ 27

Installing the Software .......................................... 27-28

USB Audio Driver Operation and Reset

of Microprocessors ................................................. 29

Resetting the MHA100 to default settings ................. 27

Specifications ............................................................ 30

Packing Instructions ................................................. 31

3

General Information, Connector and Cable Information

General Information

1. For additional connection information, refer to the

owner’s manual(s) for any component(s) connected

to the MHA100.

2. Apply AC Power to the MHA100 and other McIn­tosh Component(s) only after all the system compo­nents are connected together. Failure to do so may
cause a malfunction of system operations as the
Microprocessor’s Circuitry inside the components
is active when AC Power is applied.

3. The MHA100 includes an Auto Off Power Save
Feature and the default setting is enabled. For
additional information including how to disable it,
refer to page 19.

4. When Power Amplifier Protection Circuitry of
the MHA100 has activated, the Front Panel Power
Guard LEDs are illuminated continuously and the
sound will be muted.

5. If the Power Transformer has overheated due to
improper ventilation and/or high ambient operat­ing temperature, AC Power is removed from the
MHA100. Normal operation will resume when the
operating temperature is in a safe range again.

6. The Remote Control supplied with the MHA100 is
also capable of operating other McIntosh Compo­nents. These other components may include Pre­amplifiers, A/V Control Centers, Integrated Am­plifiers, Source Components and Integrated Audio
Systems. There is a chance the MHA100 and one
of these other components may both respond to a
command issued by the MHA100 Remote Con­trol or the Remote Control supplied with the other
component. This could affect operations such as
Volume Up/Down and Power On/Off. Many of
these other McIntosh components have the ability
to utilize what is known as “Alternate Codes” to
prevent them from responding to commands issued

by the MHA100 Remote Control. For additional
information refer to the Owner’s Manual supplied
with the other McIntosh Component and look in
the “Setup Section - Remote Control Codes” of
the manual. In those rare instances where using
the “Alternate Codes” is not possible, the Remote
Control Sensor on the MHA100 can be switched
Off and the Front Panel Controls can be used for
operation instead of using the Remote Control.
Refer to page 20.

7. For the best performance and safety, it is important
to always match the impedance of the Loudspeaker
to the Power Amplifier connections. Refer to pages
10 and 11.

Note: The impedance of a Loudspeaker actually var-

ies as the Loudspeaker reproduces different
frequencies. As a result, the nominal impedance
rating of the Loudspeaker (usually measured at
a midrange frequency) might not always agree
with the impedance of the Loudspeaker at low
frequencies where the greatest amount of power
is required. Contact the Loudspeaker Manufac­turer for additional information about the actual
impedance of the Loudspeaker before connecting

it to the McIntosh MHA100.

8. Sound Intensity is measured in units called Deci­bels and “dB” is the abbreviation.

9. When discarding the unit, comply with
local rules or regulations. Batteries
should never be thrown away or inciner­ated but disposed of in accordance with
the local regulations concerning battery disposal.

10. For additional information on the MHA100 and
other McIntosh Products please visit the McIntosh
Web Site at www.mcintoshlabs.com.

Connector and Cable Information

XLR Connectors

Below is the Pin configuration for the XLR Balanced
Input Connectors on the MHA100. Refer to the dia­gram for connection:
PIN 1: Shield/Ground
PIN 2: + Input
PIN 3: - Input

XLR Connectors (Digital Audio)

Below is the Pin configuration for the XLR Balanced
Digital Audio Input Connector on the MHA100. Refer
to the diagram for connection:
PIN 1: Shield/Ground
PIN 2: + Signal
PIN 3: - Signal

Note: When connecting to the MHA100 Digital XLR In-

put connector it is important to use a twisted pair
shielded cable.

Power Control Connectors

The Power Control Input Jack receives Power On/

Off Signals (+12 volt/0 volt) when connected to other

McIntosh Components. The Power Control Output
Jack sends Power On/Off Signals

(+12 volt/0 volt) when connected to

other McIntosh Components. An
additional connection is for control­ling the illumination of the Power
Output Meters on McIntosh Power
Amplifiers. A 3.5mm stereo mini phone plug is used
for connection to the Power Control Jacks.

PIN 3

PIN 3

Power
Control

Meter
Illumination
Control

PIN 1PIN 2

PIN 1PIN 2

Ground

4

Introduction

Now you can take advantage of traditional McIn­tosh standards of excellence in the MHA100 Head­phone Amplifier. The Power Amplifier section of the
MHA100 will drive Headphones or a pair of quality
Loudspeakers to a high level of performance.

The flexible Preamplifier section provides con­nections for various input sources, including Digital
sources and music streaming from the Internet via an
USB Computer connection.

The MHA100 reproduction is sonically transparent
and absolutely accurate. The McIntosh Sound is “The
Sound of the Music Itself.”

Performance Features

• Power Output

The MHA100 consists of a 50 watts per channel stereo
Power Amplifier with less than 0.005% distortion.
The McIntosh MHA100 is designed for connection of
a single 8 ohm Loudspeaker per channel. The Power
Amplifier uses ThermalTrak1 Output Transistors for
lower distortion and cool operation.

• Autoformer Designed for Headphones

The MHA100 is the first McIntosh Amplifier using a
specially designed Autoformer for Headphones. There
are three selectable impedances ranges, allow connec­tion of Headphones from 8 ohms thru 600 ohms.

TM

• HXD

The MHA100 Headphone Crossfeed Director Cir­cuitry (HXD
Headphone Listening. HXD
ality component of the spatial sound stage normally
heard with Loudspeaker listening.

1

ThermalTrak™ and ON Semiconductor are trademarks of Semi-

conductor Components Industries, LLC

for Headphones

TM )

improves the sound localization for

TM

restores the direction-

• Automatic Output Switching

The MHA100 has a Front Panel one-quarter inch
Headphone Jack for private listening. Loudspeaker
Listening is automatically switched Off when Head­phones are connected.

• Four Forms of Protection

McIntosh Sentry Monitor power output stage protec­tion circuits ensure the MHA100 will have a long and
trouble free operating life. The Sentry Monitor also
protects the Headphones in the event of an imped­ance mismatch. Built-in Thermal Protection Circuits
guard against overheating. Direct Current Detection
and Protection is provided for both Headphones and
Loudspeakers

• Power Guard

The patented McIntosh Power Guard circuit prevents
amplifier clipping and protects your valuable Head­phones and Loudspeakers.

• Electronic Input Switching and Balanced Input

The Preamplifier uses Logic Circuits controlling
Electromagnetic Switches on all inputs and operating
functions for reliable, noiseless, distortion free switch­ing. There is a Balanced Input for connection of a
source component.

• Digital Audio Inputs

The MHA100 has Coaxial, Optical, Balanced Digi-

tal (AES/EBU) and USB Digital Inputs to decode

PCM Signals from an external source. The MHA100
upsamples the Digital Signal to 192kHz with 32Bit
resolution before the Digital to Analog process begins.

Introduction and Performance Features

• Multifunction OLED Display

The Front Panel Display indicates source selection,
volume levels, trim settings and setup functions.

• Illuminated Meters

The Illuminated Power Output Meters on the
MHA100 are peak responding, and indicate the output
of the amplifier.

• Power Control and Remote Control

The Power Control Output connection provides conve­nient Turn-On/Off of McIntosh Source Components.

• Special Power Supply

The large Power Transformer, multiple large filter
capacitors and regulated Power Supply ensures stable
noise free operation even though the power line varies.

• McIntosh Custom Binding Posts

McIntosh Patented gold plated output terminals deliver
high current output. They accept large diameter wire
and spade lugs. Banana plugs may also be used only in
the United States and Canada.

• Glass Front Panel and Super Mirror Chassis

The MHA100 has the famous McIntosh Illuminated
Glass Front Panel and Stainless Steel Super Mirror
Finish Chassis. This ensures the pristine beauty of the
MHA100 will be retained for many years.

• Fiber Optic Solid State Front Panel Illumination

The even Illumination of the Front Panel is accom­plished by the combination of custom designed Fiber
Optic Light Diffusers and extra long life Light Emit-

ting Diodes (LEDs).

5

Dimensions

The following dimensions can assist in determining
the best location for your MHA100. There is addition­al information on the next page pertaining to install­ing the MHA100 into cabinets.

Front View of the MHA100

Dimensions

11-1/2"

29.2cm

Rear View of the MHA100

10-13/16"

27.5cm

5-3/8"

13.7cm

5-9/16"

14.1cm

9/16"

1.4cm

29/32

1.8cm

1-1/2"

3.8cm

Side View of the MHA100

14-5/8"

37.1cm

12-5/8"

32.1cm

4-11/16"

4.3cm

"

9-1/2"

24.1cm

1-11/16"

4.3cm

8"

20.3cm

6

Installation

The MHA100 Headphone Ampifier is designed to be
placed upright on a table or shelf, standing on its feet.
The required ventilation requirements are shown.
Always provide adequate ventilation for your
MHA100. Cool operation ensures the longest possible
operating life for any electronic instrument. Do not
install the MHA100 directly above a heat generating
device, such as a Power Amplifier. Allow at least 6

inches (15.3cm) above the top, 5/8 inches (1.6cm) be­low the bottom and 2 inch (5.1cm) on each side of the

Amplifier, so that airflow is not obstructed. Allow 19
inches (48.3cm) of depth for airflow and cable connec­tions.

MHA 100 Front View

2"

5.1cm

Installation

6"

15.3cm

2"

5.1cm

MHA 100 Side View

6"

15.3cm

19"

48.3cm

7

MHA100 Rear Panel Connections

RIGHT OUTPUT
connections for an
8 ohm Loudspeaker

Main Fuse holder, refer to

information on the back

panel of your MHA100 to

determine the correct fuse

size and rating

LEFT OUTPUT
connections for an
8 ohm Loudspeaker

DIGITAL AUDIO INPUTS
for components with Digital
Optical, Coaxial and Balanced

Digital (AES/EBU)Outputs

sending digital audio signals

Connect the MHA100 power cord
to a live AC outlet. Refer to infor­mation on the back panel of your
MHA100 to determine the correct
voltage for your unit

8

PWR CNTRL (Power Control) IN

receives a turn On/Off signal from a
McIntosh Component; PWR CNTRL
OUT sends a turn On/Off signal to an
other McIntosh Component

USB Digital Audio
Input for connection to
a computer

BALANCED INPUT
accept high level signal
from a source with a
balanced output

PREAMP OUTPUT
sends signals to an ex­ternal Power Amplifier
or Powered Subwoofer

UNBALanced INPUT
accept high level signal
from a source with an
unbalanced output

Notes

9

Connecting Components

The MHA100 has the ability to automatically switch
power On/Off to McIntosh Source Components via
the Power Control connection.

The connection instructions below, together with
the MHA100 Connection Diagram on the next page
is an example of a typical audio system. Your system
may vary from this, however the actual components
would be connected in a similar manner. For addition­al information refer to “Connector and Cable Informa­tion” on page 4.

Note: When the MHA100 is being added to an existing

Audio (or Audio/Video) System, please proceed to
page 12. If the MHA100 will be used with an exter­nal Power Amplifier, please refer to page 13.

Power Control Connections:

1. Connect a Control Cable from the MHA100 PWR

CTRL (Power Control) OUT Jack to the Power

Control In on the Tuner.

2. Connect a Control Cable from the Tuner Power
Control Out Jack to the Disc Player Power Control
In Jack.

3. Connect any additional McIntosh Components in
a similar manner, as outlined in steps 1 thru 2.

Audio Connections:

4. Connect the Audio Cable from the MHA100 UN­BAL 1 L & R jacks to the Disc Player Fixed Audio
Output Jacks.

Note: The Balanced Input may be used instead of the

UNBAL Unbalanced Inputs.

5. Connect any additional Components in a similar
manner, as outlined in step 4.

Optional Digital Audio Connections:

6. Connect an Coaxial Cable from the MHA100
DIGITAL AUDIO INPUT COAX connector to the
Digital Audio Out Optical Connector on the Tuner.

Note: The OPTICAL Input (on the MHA100 and on the

10

Tuner) may be used instead of the Coaxial Con­nections.

Optional USB Connection:

7. Connect a USB cable with (type A to type B) con­nectors from the MHA100 USB Input to an avail­able USB connector on a Computer.

Output Terminals

When connecting the Loudspeaker Hookup Cables to
the MHA100 Output Terminals please follow the steps
below:

1. Rotate the top of the Output Terminal Post coun­terclockwise until an opening

appears. Refer to gures A and

B.

2. Insert the Loudspeaker hookup
cable into the Output Terminal
Post opening or the cable spade
lug around the center post of

Figu re A

Opening

Figu re B

the Output Terminal. Refer to

gure C.

3. Rotate the top of the Output
Terminal Post clockwise until it

is nger tight. Refer to gure D.

4. Place the supplied McIntosh

Figu re C Figu re D

Wrench over the top of the Out­put Terminal and rotate it one

quarter of a turn (90° ) to secure

the Loudspeaker Cable Connec­tion. Do not over tighten. Refer

Figu re E

to gure E.

How to Connect Optional Loudspeakers

Caution: Do not connect the AC Power Cord to the

MHA100 Rear Panel until after the Loudspeak­er Connections are made. Failure to observe
this could result in Electric Shock.

Warning: Loudspeaker terminals are hazardous live and

present a risk of electric shock. For additional
instruction on making Loudspeaker Connec­tions contact your McIntosh Dealer or McIn­tosh Technical Support.

The McIntosh MHA100 Power Amplifier Circuitry is
designed for a single 8 ohms Loudspeaker connected
to the Right and Left Output Terminals.

The recommended cable size is shown below:

Cable Distance vs American Wire Gauge (Size)

Loudspeaker

Impedance

8 Ohms

25 feet

(7.62 meters)

or less

16AWG 14AWG 12AWG

50 feet

(15.24 meters)

or less

100 fe et

(30. 48 meter s)

or less

1. Prepare the Loudspeaker Hookup Cable for attach­ment to the MHA100:

Bare wire cable ends:
Carefully remove sufficient insulation from the
cable ends, refer to figures F, G & H. If the cable
is stranded, carefully twist the strands together
as tightly as possible.

Figure F

Notes: 1. If desired, the twisted ends can be tinned

with solder to keep the strands together.

2. The prepared bare wire cable ends may be
inserted into spade lug connectors.

3. Banana plugs are for use in the United
States and Canada only.

Figure G

Figure H

Banana Plugs are for use in the United States and
Canada only:

2. Attach the previously prepared bare
wire cable ends into the banana plugs
and secure the connections. Refer to

Figure I

figure I.