Potential Purchase of a McIntosh MX121

[edward3132]

For what its worth, I have used a MX121 in a home theater system along with a C2300/D100 combo in pass thru mode.

For true 2 channel music, the MX121 will not keep up, so it comes to how important stereo music is to you.

As an SSP, the MX121 is great. It beats out anything that Denon or Marantz has to offer or even Rotel.

As for your questions, I believe the MX121 does have some level of treble/bass control but it is thru its menu system. It does come with a microphone and a stand for Audyssey use.

Edward

[substance]

Mx-121 has 3 main boards, power section and front display boards. One of the 3 main boards is borrowed from marantz av7005 without a change. This is the digital board.

On this board, all digital inputs/outputs including hdmi, surround sound processing, audyssey, calibration, internet apps/streaming, remote/ip control and video processing are done.

Analog single ended input/output and balanced input/outputs are on separate boards which are %100 Mcintosh. These boards include all digital to analog conversion, analog volume and trim controls. They follow the same implementation and components as mx-150. So the analog sections are equal for the most part.

Mx-121 has a true analog pass through in pure direct mode. You can't do tone controls in this mode as that is done in digital. Its a single ended design where all balanced inputs are converted to single ended and back to balanced at the end again. This is typical on most mcintosh pre-amps upto c500 and above.

There are better pre-amps and stand alone dacs out there but as far as ssps go mx-121 is good as it gets for both ht and stereo due to its true anaog pass through.

The digital section is very solid(because its a marantz) and glitch free. Two subwoofer outputs are paralleled so it can't process two subs separately but treats them as one. Video board is hdmi 1.4 only. This means no 4k but up to 1080p it has the amazing abt2015 chip with VRS ( same as Oppo).

[Grasshopper]

I'd recommend getting a used C2300 two channel preamp.

You can get a decent multichannel Avr and use the home theater pass through with the c2300.

To really make the 802's sing it'd probably be better with a dedicate 2 channel preamp.

[leftside]

Originally Posted by substance

Mx-121 has 3 main boards, power section and front display boards. One of the 3 main boards is borrowed from marantz av7005 without a change. This is the digital board.

On this board, all digital inputs/outputs including hdmi, surround sound processing, audyssey, calibration, internet apps/streaming, remote/ip control and video processing are done.

Analog single ended input/output and balanced input/outputs are on separate boards which are %100 Mcintosh. These boards include all digital to analog conversion, analog volume and trim controls. They follow the same implementation and components as mx-150. So the analog sections are equal for the most part.

Mx-121 has a true analog pass through in pure direct mode. You can't do tone controls in this mode as that is done in digital. Its a single ended design where all balanced inputs are converted to single ended and back to balanced at the end again. This is typical on most mcintosh pre-amps upto c500 and above.

There are better pre-amps and stand alone dacs out there but as far as ssps go mx-121 is good as it gets for both ht and stereo due to its true anaog pass through.

I'll definitely have to try running the D100 with the MX121 in analog pass through mode and compare that to the D100 + C2300 this weekend.

"This is typical on most mcintosh pre-amps upto c500 and above."
Do you mean:
"This is typical on most mcintosh pre-amps upto, but not including, the c500 and below."?

[substance]

Originally Posted by leftside

I'll definitely have to try running the D100 with the MX121 in analog pass through mode and compare that to the D100 + C2300 this weekend.

"This is typical on most mcintosh pre-amps upto c500 and above."
Do you mean:
"This is typical on most mcintosh pre-amps upto, but not including, the c500 and below."?

All mcintosh pre and integrated amps are single ended internally except C500,1000 and 1100.

Xlr inputs are converted to single ended-> pre-amp (source select, volume, tone-controls) -> back to balanced at the output.

As for pass through, it will set your mains to full range(xover is disabled as its digital), lfe output will be disabled (bass management is done digital too). Needless to say, audyssey and any other dsp will be disabled as well.

C2300 is a tube amp. It will be warmer in the mids. Mx-121 might be quiter as it's fully solid state and tighter in the bass.

Best test would be to use d100 directly into your amp as the reference and then try both c2300 and mx-121 in turns. A good pre-amp should be linear and transparent as if it wasn't there in the first place. If the sound changes from your reference in any case, that isn't a good pre-amp.

[dan87951]

Thanks everyone for the feedback, I really appreciate it! I have decided to pull the trigger on the MX121. I should have it in a few days. I'll see how it sounds and go from there. I'm thinking I will be very happy with the 2 channel audio after using a HK all these years.

[leftside]

Originally Posted by substance

A good pre-amp should be linear and transparent as if it wasn't there in the first place. If the sound changes from your reference in any case, that isn't a good pre-amp.

What if the sound changes for the better?

[scirica]

Originally Posted by dan87951

Thanks! Good to hear the MX121 sounds quite a bit better than the AV7005.

Any common problems I need to worry about before I pull the trigger? All MX121's came with a microphone for audyssey. Correct?

My MX121 has been rock solid for a couple of years now. Great with 5.1, and when I'm doing serious 2-channel listening I use my C2500.

[dan87951]

Originally Posted by scirica

My MX121 has been rock solid for a couple of years now. Great with 5.1, and when I'm doing serious 2-channel listening I use my C2500.

Thanks for the feedback! I'm pretty excited to receive mine.

Thanks to leftside I was able to snag a deal on a new MX121 for the price of a used one.

[scirica]

Originally Posted by dan87951

Thanks for the feedback! I'm pretty excited to receive mine.



Thanks to leftside I was able to snag a deal on a new MX121 for the price of a used one.

Awesome!!