McIntosh headphone section ( HXD )

[miatadan]

How good is the headphone section of McIntosh preamps ( C2700, C22, D1100 ) ? If using more expensive headphones such as Audeze LCD-5, Audeze MM-500 will the headphone preamp section be good enough or is a headphone amplifier really needed? Not sure what the HXD helps in the sound quality.

Dan

[Masterlu]

Personally speaking, I have never found the headphone section of any McIntosh preamp adequate for upper end headphones such as Audeze LCD-5 and higher.

[W9TR]

I have used the headphone sections of my C 2300, MCD 1100, and C 1100 with Audeze LCD 4, Focal Elex, and Mezze Empyrian. The internal headphone amps are all mediocre. That's being generous. I bought an outboard headphone amp, the MHA 200, and it is quite good.

[PeterMusic]

Headphone amp on the penultimate C22 (I can't remember the generation number) is not good enough for top shelf headphones

[cleeds]

Originally Posted by PeterMusic

Headphone amp on the penultimate C22 ...

McIntosh has continually refined and upgraded its selection of preamplifiers, so I'm not sure why you'd call the C22 its "penultimate" preamp unless, perhaps, you misuse the word.

[FreddieFerric]

The headphone section on my MA8000 is decent but that's about all it is. My Woo Audio WA6 is much better, but even that isn't saying a whole lot.

Cans and head amps are a whole 'nother audiophile rabbit hole to fall into. I would suggest hitting some of the audio shows. They usually have a "can jam" thing going on where you can sit and listen to most of the top level head gear currently on the market.

[miner]

I have a C1100 pre and I thought the heafphone was OK until I spoke with Ivan and purchased a Bryston BHA-1. This brought my Aud LX-C and Grado RS-1x to another level of audio bliss. I will admit I had a pair of Meze Elite and just could not embrace their sound. I returned them.

[Bob Bubeck]

Permit me to bring a bit different perspective. Many Audeze headphones have a low impedance (e.g., LCD-5 is 14 ohms) and are relatively inefficient. The headphone output impedance of, say, a McIntosh C2700 is rated at 100 to 600 ohms which indicates that a McIntosh preamp headphone output is better suited for dynamic headphones such as the Beyers, or McIntosh's own MHP1000 which has an impedance of 200 ohms and is relatively efficient. One can obtain excellent sonic results with such a combination. The HXD feature is desirable and very effective at eliminating the 'piano in the middle of the skull' effect. As always, one should pay attention to component matching.

Can one do better? Sure, but at a price.

Respectfully,

Bob
__________________________________________________ _______________
Sources: Clearaudio Jubilee MC/Clearaudio Innovation Wood TT w/Universal Arm 9” and Professional Power 24V; McIntosh MCT500 CD/SACD transport; OPPO 205; NAD C446 Internet Tuner; Nakamichi 670ZX cassette deck. Electronics: McIntosh C2700 preamp w/DA2 and MC462 power amp. Speakers: Wilson Yvettes with Acoustic Diodes Headphones: McIntosh MHP 1000 Interconnects: Transparent SBL2 XLR GEN 6 balanced and SSC8 GEN 6 speaker cables; MCT - MCT500 -> C2700.Power cords: Transparent (on preamp, power amp and transport). Surge protected. Record and CD maintenance : Clearaudio Double Matrix Professional Sonic RCM; L’Art du Son CD treatment.

[dkorbal]

I’m by no mean a headphone expert but I have a pair of Beyerdynamics 1990 (250 ohms, studio type) for mixing. On those rare occasions I do use them for late night listening through the C2700 it sounds great to me but I’m sure other equipment would take it to the next level.

“It all sound good until you hear something else.” Now where have I heard that.

[Masterlu]

Originally Posted by dkorbal

I’m by no mean a headphone expert but I have a pair of Beyerdynamics 1990 (250 ohms, studio type) for mixing. On those rare occasions I do use them for late night listening through the C2700 it sounds great to me but I’m sure other equipment would take it to the next level.

“It all sound good until you hear something else.” Now where have I heard that.