McIntosh MP100 Phono Preamplifier

Product Information

Highlights

• Legendary McIntosh performance standards
• One moving-coil and one moving-magnet input
• Front panel controls for fine-tuning input impedances to phono cartridges for optimum performance
• RCA unbalanced and balanced XLR outputs for lowest noise
• Three digital outputs – USB, coaxial and optical
• Analog-to-digital circuitry for conversion of albums to high-resolution 96 kHz/24 bit digital files
• Dimensions (W x H x D) – 11.5" X 3.78" X 16.75" 
  
• Weight: 8.6 lbs.
• Warranty: 3 years – World Wide Stereo is an authorized dealer for every brand we sell
• World Wide Stereo 60-day guarantee and expert product support

Meet the MP100: McIntosh's Gift to Your Turntable  

For true analog aficionados, the pursuit of perfection never ends. It’s for those vinyl lovers that McIntosh, a storied audiophile brand whose lineage reaches back to the LP’s earliest days, designed its first dedicated phono preamplifier – the MP100. This little preamp combines versatility with the high end audio performance that only McIntosh can deliver. 

Meet McIntosh 

Handcrafted, highest-end, made in America – where do you begin to explain the enduring aura of McIntosh audio? From the timeless elegance of muted blue and green hues through dark-glass front plates, to the iconic analog power meters that swing hypnotically to the music, no name is more instantly recognizable to generations of music lovers and audiophiles.  Founded in 1949, McIntosh has always crafted a limited line of conservatively engineered electronics that are built to last, and often gain in value as years pass. In fact, McIntosh has allowed for just a handful of authorized dealers, and we at World Wide Stereo are honored to have been chosen to join that select group. 

Tweak to Your Heart’s Content 

The MP100 is a bit more compact than you’d expect a piece of McIntosh equipment to be, but that doesn’t mean it skimps on the feature set. The front panel – the trademark McIntosh dark glass with soft green illumination – lets you switch between moving-coil and moving-magnet inputs. Each of those inputs has a separate dial with six switchable load values, to tune the preamp perfectly to your cartridges. A mono switch helps to reduce the noise and clean up sound from older recordings.  And if a button labeled “digital output” seems out of place on a phono preamp, just keep reading.  

In and Out - In Analog and Digital 

On the back, besides the usual gold-plated RCA inputs and unbalanced and balanced XLR outputs (a McIntosh trademark), you’ll find three digital outputs – USB, coaxial and optical. You know those mass-market $100 USB turntables that turn your albums into MP3 files? The MP100 is the super-fi version. Even the most ardent audiophiles accept the fact that vinyl has a finite life; many wish to archive the music in high-quality digital format, while others may just like the convenience of carrying their tunes with them on digital devices. The MP100, when connected to a dedicated digital recorder or suitably equipped PC (including that other Mac, from Apple), can convert your collection from LPs into high-resolution, 96 kHz/24 bit digital tracks. And a front-panel clipping control lets you adjust when the signal threatens to overload digital recording circuits.

The Proof is in the Sound 

The point of vinyl is pristine sound, and you never want a phono preamp to get in the way of the music. McIntosh’s golden-ear engineers have designed the MP100 to the same exacting standards as its legendary amplifiers, control preamps, tuners and other electronics. So you can confidently plug it into your existing home system, or build a sound system from the ground up using McIntosh’s own MT5 turntable, and matching compact-chassis components such as the MB50 Streaming Audio Player and MHA150 Headphone Amplifier with 50 watt per channel speaker outputs. Then simply relax and let yourself melt into the vinyl.