Here's another slice of high-end hi-fi from McIntosh Labs, in the form of its new £4995 MA5200 solid state stereo amp designed to act as the 'hub' of your hi-fi system.
It comes with a three-input DAC, built-in headphone amp and a dedicated moving magnet (MM) phono input. The digital-to-analogue converter can handle audio files up to 32-bit/192kHz played from connected devices, which can be hooked up via the optical, coaxial or asynchronous USB inputs.
Power output is a claimed 100W per channel, delivered from its compact 15cm-tall chassis.
The MA5200 retains McIntosh's familiar 1950s styling with glass-fronted fascia, retro controls and blue power meters.
MORE: McIntosh MT5 turntable arrives in the UK
Headphone users can take advantage of the 'High Drive' headphone amp which McIntosh says offers increased gain and power for use with every type of headphone, from in-ear to over-ear.
Additional features include Home Theatre Pass Through, for seamless integration into existing multichannel systems, and McIntosh's Power Guard technology.
The latter is a waveform comparison circuit that continuously monitors both input and output signals, dynamically adjusting them when necessary, in order to avoid clipping.
The McIntosh MA5200 is available in the UK now for £4995.
By Andy Clough
