Make the Match: McIntosh MHA200 Vacuum-Tube Headphone Amplifier Pairs with Almost Any 'Phones, Features Four Impedance Ranges and Audiophile Connectivity 

Tubes and headphones have always been a terrific match, and few companies have a more storied history — or deeper expertise — with tubes than McIntosh. Those are some of the reasons why the company’s MHA200 vacuum-tube headphone amplifier makes complete sense for music lovers who realize the levels of richness, detail, separation, warmth, and escapism possible when a great set of ‘phones is driven by a tube amp that takes no shortcuts. MHA200 is that product.

Bolstered by a pair of 12AT7 and 12BH7A dual triode tubes that work in concert — the former amplify the incoming signal and latter provide the power to drive the output with low distortion — MHA200 features two Unity Coupled Circuit output transformers that use the same fabled technology that originally put McIntosh on the world map decades ago, and which is still employed in the company’s massive tube amps. These transformers produce four headphone impedance ranges (32–100, 100–250, 250–600, 600–1,000 ohms at 500mW), meaning MHA200 seamlessly pairs with virtually every headphone in existence. 

And there’s more. The output transformers also match the tube amplifier section to the headphone output section. Put another way, rather than having to adapt to the impedance of the headphones with voltage gain in the input stage, the transformers' secondary windings ensure the full power of MHA200 remains available regardless of the impedance of your ‘phones. Factor in the presence of a highly efficient toroidal power transformer with low mechanical hum and low magnetic field, and MHA200 basically eradicates electrical noise to deliver ultra-clean performance. 

Flexible and versatile, MHA200 also aces connectivity and form factor. You can connect your ‘phones one of three ways (one pair of 3-pin XLR connectors for dedicated l/r balanced output; one 4-pin balanced XLR connector for balanced stereo output; one 0.25-inch stereo jack) and hook MHA200 to your main system’s source components by way of balanced or unbalanced inputs. Its compact, 5.75 x 6.125 x 9.125-inch (HWD) frame invites you to put it where you want. In addition, the volume knob allows MHA200 to connect directly to music sources that only have a fixed volume output; no preamplifier volume control needed.

Stylized with the hallmark McIntosh look — a custom-formed stainless-steel chassis with polished mirror finish, die-cast aluminum McIntosh badge, unmistakable tubes with soft green glow — MHA200 comes with a protective cover and three-year manufacturer warranty. Have any questions or want to know more about MHA200? Just reach out to a Music Direct audio consultant at 312-433-0200 and we’ll take care of you. 

“Its insight coupled to class-leading refinement, not to mention a total lack of unwanted hardness, make for something that can be enjoyed for years to come.”
—What Hi-Fi?, five-star review 

“There’s an effortlessness to the McIntosh’s sound that suits this material down to the ground — it just rolls along.”
—Hi-Fi+, Headphone Amplifier of the Year Award

“[It] is a contender for the best tube headphone amp manufactured to date, and easily outperforms more complex and unnecessarily feature-encumbered designs loaded with unnecessary additional tubes, or god forbid, solid state.”
—Positive Feedback

“This is an utterly captivating piece of kit that is likely to last decades and keep delighting you all the way through. It is specialist and I’m not going to insult your intelligence by calling it a bargain but it is brilliant…”
—AVForums, Highly Recommended Award