McIntosh MP1100 phono preamp announced

This sounds like an impressive piece! From the McIntosh website:

The MP1100 Phono Preamplifier will give vinyl lovers a new level of musical enjoyment and exhilaration. It’s filled to the brim with everything you need to not only play new records or pressings from the early days of vinyl, but it will also get every last musical note and nuance out of them – including some you may have never heard before.

The MP1100 is designed first and foremost for analog audio and achieves our most accurate equalization ever. It utilizes four 12AX7A vacuum tubes, with 2 tubes used per channel in a fully balanced configuration – making it our very first fully balanced vacuum tube phono stage. For those with multiple turntables or tonearms, there are 3 sets of RCA phono inputs; XLR connectors are also available on 1 of the inputs. All phono inputs allow for adjusting both resistance (7 settings) and capacitance (8 settings). For ease of use, it comes pre-programmed with profiles for Moving Coil and Moving Magnet cartridges as well as the McIntosh MT10and MT5 turntables. Five additional profiles are included that are fully customizable and can be assigned to any phono input. RIAA, LP, NAB, AES and 78 analog equalization curves are included. Two fairly rare but highly useful analog filters are built-in: a Rumble Filter helps remove noise that may have seeped into a song during the recording process; while a Scratch Filter can help restore the sound of frequently-played records that may have become a little worn, or records that may have some damage. Adjustable gain from 40dB to 64dB allows for further customization, while a Mono setting permits proper playback of mono recordings. In addition, there’s a pair each of balanced and unbalanced high level inputs for connecting other sources. For connecting to the rest of your audio system, there are a pair each of balanced and unbalanced stereo outputs.

Not to completely overlook the merits of digital audio, the MP1100 has an optical, coaxial and USB output. These digital outputs are fixed at 24-bits and can be set to either 96kHz or 192kHz. When used with a properly configured conversion program, the USB output can be used to “rip” your albums to your computer. Our digital output clipping indicator will notify you when distortion caused by loud sections in a song is being recorded to the file, allowing you to adjust your settings in order to create pristine, distortion free digital versions of your albums.

To combat noise, the MP1100 features a dual mono design with the left and right audio channels electrically and mechanically isolated from each other while the power supplies are electronically separated. It can be paired with any preamplifier, integrated amplifier or home theater processor that includes volume control. An ideal match is our C1100 Vacuum Tube Preamplifier which also has a dual mono design; both also share the same polished stainless steel and hairline brushed black Titanium stainless steel chassis to create a cohesive appearance. Classic McIntosh design cues complete the MP1100. Contact your local dealer to learn more.​

 

M.S.R.P $8000

 

Right. Not cheap, but look at the features.

 

Sounds very impressive indeed,loaded for Bear.
Aaron

 

I am very tempted to save for this and add it to my rp10/c1100 chain. Love how it has gain control as well as mono switch and of course meters!

 

Dredging this up to find out if anyone out there has taken the plunge on an MP1100, and if so, what are your impressions?

As an owner of the very fine McIntosh C2300 preamp, I'm especially curious to know if anyone has been able to compare the phono stage in that with the MP1100? Overall I'm happy with the C2300 phono stage but I do think it could be improved upon. What I find a bit lacking is the lower midrange. Even with very good tubes rolled in, including vintage tubes that typically bring out the mids, it just sounds a little light weight. Plenty of speed and detail and very nice UPPER midrange (with Teles or Mullards in there, holographic) and appropriate air around the instruments, but lacks a bit of authority in the lower mids - when, for example, a pianist works down at the low end of the range - I expect and crave a little more weight.

I'm wondering if the 2 layers of tubes in the MP1100 (vs one in the C2300) and/or other aspects of that circuit would remedy that while retaining all the many virtues of the C2300? I do plan on finding a dealer to see if I can listen for myself, but just interested for now in anyone's experiences with this phono amp. Also in case it helps I'm a MM cart devotee, so most interested in experiences with that part of the amp, though also happy to hear about MC experiences too.

 

^^^^^ Anyone, anyone?

 

Rediculous.

 

Does this differ from the phono stage in the C1100?

 

Yes. I don’t have all the details but at a minimum

- Ability to tweak more settings such as gain
- Mono switch
- The ADC

 

I like the C1100 built in phono stage but this has something I miss having: The Rumble filter. Of course it has other features as well.

 

I have one! I bought it about 6 months ago and absolutely love it. It is the most dramatic improvement to my all McIntosh vacuum tube stereo system... I have it hooked up like this:

MT-5 turntable with McIntosh branded MT-10 cartridge (actually, a ClearAudio Talismann II Gold with McIntosh branding) --> MP-1100 --> C2300 --> MC275 Mk VI --> XLS-340 speakers.

I first bought the MP-100 ($2000) about a year ago soon after it came out and traded it into Audio Classics for a "demo" MP-1100 plus $2500 with a year's warranty. The MP-100 did NOTHING for me either technically or emotionally. It was just a nice, average solid-state phono preamp that sounded pretty much the same to me as the phono preamp in the C2300. "Eh?" was the feeling that I got when I sat down to listen to it. Sibillance on LP's such as the Japanese stereo Sgt. Peppers was painfully emphasized and the stereo image on well recorded records such as "RCA Red Seal Living Stereo" was simply "acceptable". It was kind of diffuse and hard to hear exact placement of instruments in the stereo soundstage. The ability to "separate" instruments in a symphony orchestra or large choral grouping simply wasn't there.

I installed the MP-1100 and sat down to listen to my standard "warhorse test LP's". These were the "Stereo For The Joy Of It" Red Seal LP's of Reiner/Chicago Symphony "Pictures...", Lt. Kije, and the Classics Records RCA Red Seal of "Scheherazade". I have never felt so emotionally attached to these familiar "warhorse" performances in my life. I was literally in tears recalling the 35 years of listening and the new revelations in sound that I was hearing. All of these records were recorded in Chicago's Orchestra Hall which was laid out in a very similar arrangement as it is today. I have a subscription (in fact I'm a patron) to the Chicago Symphony and go weekly during the regular season. This MP-1100 preamp allowed me to hear nuances that I've never heard on these records. I could place all of the solos in exact positions due to the never-heard-before stereo imaging revealed by this preamp. I could finally hear the nuances of the bowing of the late, great Sidney Harth in Scheherazade which I was familiar with from live performances at Orchestra Hall as a child but never heard reproduced on record before. Complex orchestral "tuttis" were able to be distinctly "separated by section" where they never had been on previous trips through these records. I cannot rave enough about how my system (and my life) has been improved by the addition of the MP-1100. Even the horribly pressed and horribly mastered Living Stereo of "The New World Symphony" (which BTW was fixed on the CD and SACD versions) was listenable. enjoyable, and revealed nuances of the orchestra's performance that I had never heard, even on the SACD.

On non-audiophile records such as that sibillant Japanese "Sgt. Pepper" stereo, The "high filter" effectively eliminated John's spitty noises. I never tried the rumble filter so I don't know how good/bad it is.

One of the coolest features of this preamp, and one that recalls my HK Citation I which I owned in high-school and college (my doctor wanted to get rid of those horrible obsolete tubes and replace them with modern solid state equipment so he gave me the Citation I, II, and IIIx which I still have in my collection) is the ability to accurately play AES and Columbia equalization curve records such as some of the old Duke Ellington, Frank Sinatra and Stowkowski records on Columbia 10" from the early 50's. They actually sound quite excellent when played with the correct equalization curve. The preamp also allowed me to correctly play the old Pye Records classical pre-Living Presence recordings made by Wilma Cozart and CR Fine in Great Britain. They actually sound very much like the early Chicago Symphony mono Living Presence discs when played with the correct equalization curve (NAB by-the-way)!!!

The most dramatic improvement as far as an LP goes is the boys choir Libera "Hope" album on LP. Mastered at Abbey Road and cut in Germany by Miles Showell, I was blown away by the stereo image. On the CD version (and on the LP version played through the MC preamp section of my C2300), the soloist were just sort of "out front" of the rest of the choir and were "diffuse". Again, kind of "eh?".... When played through the MP1100 I could place the alto soloist on "From A Distance" as 8 feet left of center. The treble soloist on "Angel" was placed about 7 feet right of center. The stereo image was that precise on this superbly recorded and mastered LP. I even wrote Miles Showell a note asking him what he did special for the LP version and thanking him for such a dramatically wonderful LP. He wrote me a very nice note back explaining the mastering and cutting of the LP at Optimal Media.

I subsequently bought the set of Queen LP's also mastered by Miles Showell and "Sheer Heart Attack" and "Day At The Races" were particularly wonderful when played through the MP-1100.

Note: I never tried any of the USB digital stuff, so I can't critique that....

There may be better phono preamps out there but NO PIECE OF STEREO EQUIPMENT THAT I'VE EVER OWNED was as emotionally religious an experience as listening to my familiar "warhorse" records through the MP-1100. If you are able to get one of these in your system, you will treasure it for the rest of your life.....

If you live anywhere near South Bend, I'll be glad to let you hear the MP-1100 in action. PM me....

I believe that "Dr. J" from Davis, CA (see his post above) subsequently bought one. I haven't heard from him lately as to how he likes it....

 

Thanks for your review! I kind of really want one now lol. I wonder how the mp1100 compares with the phono stage in my c1100. I think the c1100 sounds pretty great by itself, but I have not heard an mp1100.

I have the c1100 and d1100 with mc601’s, so an mp1100 would sure complete the set. hmmmmmmmm

 

Why don't you call Audio Classics and have him send you one for a "trial"? I believe that they offer that option.

 

Oh man, I wouldn’t dare until I was mostly decided and had committed $$$ to another expensive component.

 

Yes... Unfortunaely, you WILL fall in love with the sound of the MP1100 and you'll be buying it whether you want to or not.... I don't really know how the C1100 (a fabulous preamp that waaaaayyyyyyy out-does my C2300) phono section compares.... You'd have to listen and see....

 

I've had a number of things going on and just recently getting back to regularly visiting the SH Forums.

I've had the MP-1100 for some time (since around April/May, around the time of the quoted post), and I have to say it is just unbelievable.

The C2300 has a really good phono stage, but the MP-1100 is an OUTSTANDING phono stage. I pretty much have to echo feinstei9415's comments, can't add much more. It makes everything sound good, really, and yet it is still transparent in the sense that you can definitely discern differences in the quality of the original mastering among records. But it just takes away artifact and the thinness that can come with less sophisticated vinyl rigs. And, btw, this is with the stock (JJ) 12ax7s! I have been loathe to even consider changing them because I just cannot hear anything wrong. By contrast with the C2300, to get it to sound its best, I absolutely had to get the stock tubes out and roll in vintage Telefunken or Mullard 12ax7s, otherwise there was a thinness and brightness on the top end and the mids were a bit lacking. I think the key thing is that with the MP-1100, they have just NAILED the RIAA curve (whereas it isn't quite on point with the C2300). It sounds razor neutral to me, with just a hint of midrange warmth, and as a result nothing sounds out of proportion or lacking, it's all there. HIGHLY recommended, albeit a bit pricey. But I got mine used as did feinstei9415, from Audio Classics, absolutely mint, for about 1/3 off of what they go for list. Worth EVERY penny.

 

Good to hear that you're happy with it as I am Dr. J.. It's a privilege to play records through this magnificent piece of equipment....