McIntosh has unveiled a "future-ready" flagship AV processor that supports 8K@60Hz and 4K@120Hz for home cinema and gaming.
The MX180 costs £21,995 / AU$34,995 (around $30,000) and has a total of 16 channels, enabling 15.1 or 9.1.6 surround sound. Bells and whistles include support for HDR (including Dolby Vision and HDR10+), plus Dolby Atmos, Auro-3D and DTS:X Pro on the sound side.
Round the back there are no fewer seven HDMI 2.1 ports which offer Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), Quick Frame Transport (QFT), Quick Media Switching (QMS) and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR). You also get one HDMI output with both Audio Return Channel (ARC) and Enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC) functionality.
Of course, the MX180’s connectivity extends well beyond HDMI ports. McIntosh reckons this beast boasts "a suite of digital and analogue inputs and outputs", in addition to a moving magnet phono input.
Like its predecessor – 2020's MX170 – the 2022 MX180 ships with RoomPerfect. This calibration tech claims to be able to ensure optimal frequency response, level alignment and bass management no matter the components or room acoustics.
Got 16 speakers lying around doing nothing? Want the ultimate home cinema processor from a company with a 70 year pedigree? The McIntosh MX180 could be just the ticket. Orders can be placed at authorised McIntosh dealers now for delivery from February 2022 (US and Canada), or from April 2022 in Australia, and the rest of the world shortly thereafter.
Bit too pricey? McIntosh has also announced two new high-end integrated amplifiers, the MA8950 and MA9500. They're a snip at roughly half the price of the MX180.
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