McIntosh Audio Raises the Bar for Home Theaters

McIntosh Audio has a long history, celebrating 70 years of innovation in high-end audio. Like Klipsch, this is an American audio brand that has always stayed true to its roots. In McIntosh’s case, they focus on building impeccable products for the most discerning customers. 

Some McIntosh products are more affordable than others, and in the past few years, the company has branched out into headphones and other lifestyle products. But with McIntosh, there’s no “low end.” Every product offered is designed to compete at the highest echelons of audio performance.

While McIntosh is well known for hi-fi two-channel audio, the company has long made stellar home theater components, too. In this blog, we'll tell you about the latest iterations of their AV processor line, the MX170 and MX123. If you're looking for the ultimate in home theater or media room audio and video performance, look no further.

Keep reading to see why!

SEE ALSO: Product Spotlight: The New McIntosh MA352

The MX170 15.1 Channel Processor

AV processors have been increasing the channels of audio they offer for more immersive home theater audio experiences. The MX170 supports a full complement of 15 channels (plus subwoofer) to support immersive formats from Dolby Atmos to Auro-3D. The 16 line-level outputs are available either balanced or unbalanced for the ultimate flexibility with your accompanying amplifiers.

The MX170 ha 8 HDCP 2.2 high bandwidth HDMI inputs and four outputs. The high bandwidth allows compatibility with lossless formats like Dolby TrueHD/Atmos as well as passing through the full 4K video color gamut - which means this processor is entirely up to date with today's standards. Also onboard is eARC, which lets your eARC-capable TV output lossless surround audio to the MX170 for the best sound quality from streaming sources.

Rounding out its many capabilities as an AV control center, four optical, three coaxial, and one USB input handle all your other digital source components. A 24bit/192Hz digital to analog converter can handle a variety of high-resolution audio formats with precision. Balanced and unbalanced analog audio inputs are there as well. To tailor the sound to your room’s acoustics, McIntosh’s proprietary RoomPerfect room correction optimizes the sound to your space. Its Ethernet port makes the MX170 able to be set up and controlled over IP, making it compatible with sophisticated AV and automation systems from Crestron and Control4.

The MX123 13.2 Channel Processor

The MX123 is another flagship-level processor, just a notch below the MX170. It has 13.2 channel processing and a few less inputs than the MX170, but also adds a few popular features like Apple AirPlay 2 streaming and Spotify Connect for convenient music streaming. It also includes Wi-Fi support for both 2.4 and 5GHz bands to facilitate Siri voice control and AirPlay 2 streaming from Apple devices.

The MX123 includes Audyssey MultEQ XT32 room correction, the top offering from Audyssey. Another added plus for the MX123 is support for IMAX Enhanced, an algorithm that adds additional processing for audio and video signals to maximize the visual and sonic impact of IMAX Enhanced content.

All McIntosh

No matter which processor you choose, you’re getting a premium McIntosh product. The rock-solid build quality, the classic backlit front panel, the machined knobs, aluminum end caps, and the blue display are all there. Like all McIntosh components, these two new processors are built to last and to be enjoyed for many years.

Experience the magic of McIntosh Audio for yourself at our Marietta showroom. Call us at (770) 955-8909, contact us here, or click the live chat button below to connect with us right away. We look forward to seeing you.