McIntosh MHA50 Portable Decoding Amplifier

MHA50 Portable Decoding Amplifier

Ideal for Headphone Listening from Digital Devices

Type: Digital
Smartphone sized headphone amplifier with DAC
Digital inputs for iOS, Android and PC/Mac
Bluetooth input
Supports PCM to 192kHz, DSD128, aptX

Eligible for online purchase?

1 Year Limited Warranty

Add to WishlistRemove From Wishlist

Print this page

COMPARE

Ask an Expert

MHA50 Portable Decoding Amplifier

Ideal for Headphone Listening from Digital Devices

1 Year Limited Warranty

Print this page

COMPARE

Ask an Expert

Add to WishlistRemove From Wishlist

Listen to your music with McIntosh sound quality no matter where you go. Your headphones will thank you.

Nearly everyone walks around with most if not all of their music library in their pocket or bag where it’s readily accessible via a pair of headphones. While convenient, it likely doesn’t sound as good as it could. The handheld MHA50 Portable Decoding Amplifier can make your music sound its best – and likely better than you’ve ever heard it before – through your wired headphones.

The MHA50 includes wired inputs for Apple^® iOS and Android OTG¹ devices plus Mac^® and Windows^® computers.² It can also wirelessly connect to these devices via Bluetooth^® 4.2 with support for AAC and Qualcomm^® aptX^™ - a technology that ensures you receive the highest possible sound quality from your Bluetooth source device. Featuring a high-performance 32-bit digital-to-analog converter (DAC), it decodes music files from almost any digital source and outputs audio that is superior to what your device alone can produce. It supports 32-bit/192kHz hi-res audio, DSD64, DSD128, DXD352.8, DXD384 files and asynchronous USB audio. Its generous 3,000 mAh rechargeable battery provides up to 6 hours of playback on a single charge when connected to a source device via Bluetooth; playback can last even longer when using the wired connections.

Comparably sized to smartphones, the MHA50 is compact and lightweight for easy portability with a beveled case that fits comfortably in your hand or pocket. Its sleek design features a glass front panel with a touch sensitive volume control knob inspired by the classic knobs found on countless McIntosh amplifiers, preamplifiers and other products. It's built primarily from durable extruded aluminum which also has some inherent noise shielding properties to help block external interference.

Two gain settings allow the MHA50 to work with all types of wired headphones from small in-ear models to large over-ear studio type designs; it can drive headphones with impedances ranging from 8-600 ohms. Headphone Crossfeed Director (HXD^®) brings added dimension to your music in a natural sounding way and can be easily turned on and off depending on your preferences. All audio is output via a gold plated 3.5mm jack that connects the MHA50 to your headphones. This jack can also connect to a pair of powered desktop speakers, allowing the MHA50 to serve as a desktop DAC.

The MHA50 comes complete with a luxurious leather carrying case, a Lightning to USB-A cable for Apple devices, a USB micro-B to USB micro-B cable for Android devices, a USB micro-B to USB-C OTG cable, and a USB micro-B to USB-A cable for Mac and Windows PCs. A wall mount charger with USA plug and adapter for Europe and Japan is also included. Contact your local dealer to learn more.

1) Mobile devices must be Host or Embedded Host capable and support USB Audio Class.
2) See Downloads section for required Windows OS driver. Driver not needed for Mac OS.

“Made for iPhone” and “Made for iPad” mean that an electronic accessory has been designed to connect specifically to iPhone or iPad, respectively, and has been certified by the developer to meet Apple performance standards. Apple is not responsible for the operation of this device or its compliance with safety and regulatory standards. Please note that the use of this accessory with iPhone or iPad may affect wireless performance. iPhone and iPad are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Individual users are permitted to use iPhone and iPad for private copy and playback of non-copyrighted contents and contents whose copy and playback is permitted by law. Copyright infringement is prohibited by law.

The Bluetooth^® word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by the Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by McIntosh Group, Inc. is under license. Other trademarks and trade names are those of their respective owners.

Qualcomm is a trademark of Qualcomm Incorporated, registered in the United States and other countries. aptX is a trademark of Qualcomm Technologies International, Ltd., registered in the United States and other countries. Qualcomm aptX is a product of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries.

Specifications
Headphone Output Specifications
- Headphone Power Output
  
  200 mW
- Headphone Output Impedance
  
  8-600 ohms
Electronic Specifications
- FTC Power Output Rating
  
  200 mW
- Rated Power Band
  
  20Hz to 20kHz
- Total Harmonic Distortion
  
  0.005%
- Frequency Response
  
  +0, -0.5dB from 20Hz to 50kHz
- Signal To Noise Ratio
  
  105dB
- Preamplifier Output
  
  1.8V
Connectivity
- Headphone Output
  
  3.5mm with Headphone Crossfeed Director (HXD®)
- Digital USB Input
  
  2 (1 Type A, 1 micro B)
- Wireless Input
  
  Bluetooth 4.2 A2DP with support for AAC and aptX
- Source Support
  
  Apple iOS devices; Android devices (must be compatible with USB On-The-Go technology to use a wired connection); MacOS & Windows OS computers
Digital Audio Specifications
- Digital USB Input Sample Rate
  
  PCM 16-bit, 24-bit, 32-bit to 192kHz, DSD64, DSD128, DXD352.8, DXD384
General Specifications
- Output Meters
  
  No
- Vacuum Tube or Solid State
  
  Solid State
- Power Requirement
  
  5V DC, 0.7A
- Output Type
  
  N/A
- Battery Playback Life
  
  Up to 6 hours with Bluetooth connection; playback can last even longer when using the wired connections
- Included In The Box
  
  1 leather carrying case
  1 Lightning to USB-A cable
  1 USB micro-B to USB-A cable
  1 USB micro-B to USB micro-B cable
  1 USB micro-B to USB-C OTG cable
  1 wall mount charger with USA plug and adapter for Europe and Japan
  All cables are 8"/200mm long
Weights & Dimensions
- Unit Dimensions (W x H x D)
  
  2.7" (7cm) x 6.1" (15.5cm) x 0.6" (1.4cm)
- Unit Weight
  
  0.5 lbs (0.2 kg)
- Shipping Weight
  
  1 lbs (0.5 kg)

Downloads

Product Literature	User Documents	Software Updates
MHA50 Portable Decoding Amplifier Brochure (1.84 MB)	MHA50 Portable Decoding Amplifier Operation Guide (3 MB)	McIntosh USB Audio Windows Driver G v1.0 (compatible with Windows 7, 8, 8.1 and 10) (1.6 MB)

More from Power Amplifiers

MC2.1KW 1-Channel Power Amplifier

Ideal for 2-Channel Audio Systems & Home Theater Systems
- Type: Solid State
- 2,000 Watts x 1-Channel
- Tri-chassis design: 2 Power Modules, 1 Output Module
- Dual sets of balanced and unbalanced inputs
- Quad Balanced, Autoformer™, Power Guard®, Sentry Monitor™, Monogrammed Heatsinks™, Solid Cinch™ speaker binding posts
- Multiple speaker terminals for bi- and tri-wiring
MC1.25KW 1-Channel Power Amplifier

Ideal for 2-Channel Audio Systems & Home Theater Systems
- Type: Solid State
- 1,200 Watts x 1-Channel
- Quad Balanced, Autoformer™, Power Guard®, Sentry Monitor™, Monogrammed Heatsinks™, Solid Cinch™ speaker binding posts
MC611 1-Channel Power Amplifier

Ideal for 2-Channel Audio Systems & Home Theater Systems
- Type: Solid State
- 600 Watts x 1-Channel
- Quad Balanced, Autoformer™, Power Guard®, Sentry Monitor™, Monogrammed Heatsinks™, Solid Cinch™ speaker binding posts
MC3500 1-Channel Power Amplifier Mk II

Ideal for 2-Channel Audio Systems
- Type: Vacuum Tube
- 350 Watts x 1-Channel
- A tribute to the original MC3500 – the amplifier that powered Woodstock and Inspired a Generation
- Unity Coupled Circuit Output Transformer
- Power Guard Screen Grid Sensor™, Sentry Monitor™, Solid Cinch™ speaker binding posts
MC830 1-Channel Power Amplifier

Ideal for 2-Channel Audio Systems & Home Theater Systems
- Type: Solid State
- 300 Watts x 1-Channel into 8 Ohms
- 480 Watts x 1-Channel into 4 Ohms
- Power Guard®, Sentry Monitor™, Monogrammed Heatsinks™, Solid Cinch™ speaker binding posts
MC2301 1-Channel Power Amplifier

Ideal for 2-Channel Audio Systems
- Type: Vacuum Tube
- 300 Watts x 1-Channel
- Unity Coupled Circuit Output Transformer
- Quad Balanced, Sentry Monitor™
MC901 1-Channel Power Amplifier

Ideal for 2-Channel Audio Systems
- Type: Hybrid Drive
- 300 Watts x 1-Channel Vacuum Tube Amplifier and 600 Watts x 1-Channel Solid State Amplifier
- The ultimate solution for bi-amping loudspeakers
- Vacuum tube section powers midranges and tweeters; Solid state section drives power hungry woofers
- Quad Balanced, Autoformer™, Unity Coupled Circuit Output Transformer, Power Guard®, Sentry Monitor™, Monogrammed Heatsinks™, Solid Cinch™ speaker binding posts
MC451 1-Channel Power Amplifier

Ideal for 2-Channel Audio Systems
- Type: Hybrid Drive
- 150 Watts x 1-Channel Vacuum Tube Amplifier and 300 Watts x 1-Channel Solid State Amplifier
- The ultimate solution for bi-amping loudspeakers
- Vacuum tube section powers midranges and tweeters; Solid state section drives power hungry woofers
- Autoformer™, Unity Coupled Circuit Output Transformer, Power Guard®, Sentry Monitor™, Monogrammed Heatsinks™, Solid Cinch™ speaker binding posts
MC462 2-Channel Power Amplifier

Ideal for 2-Channel Audio Systems & Home Theater Systems
- Type: Solid State
- 450 Watts x 2-Channels
- Quad Balanced, Autoformers™, Power Guard®, Sentry Monitor™, Monogrammed Heatsinks™, Solid Cinch™ speaker binding posts
MC312 2-Channel Power Amplifier

Ideal for 2-Channel Audio Systems & Home Theater Systems
- Type: Solid State
- 300 Watts x 2-Channels
- Autoformers™, Power Guard®, Sentry Monitor™, Monogrammed Heatsinks™, Solid Cinch™ speaker binding posts
MC152 2-Channel Power Amplifier

Ideal for 2-Channel Audio Systems & Home Theater Systems
- Type: Solid State
- 150 Watts x 2-Channels
- Autoformers™, Power Guard®, Sentry Monitor™
MC2152 70th Anniversary 2-Channel Power Amplifier

Ideal for 2-Channel Audio Systems
- Type: Vacuum Tube
- 150 Watts x 2-Channels
- Striking design with carbon fiber side panels
- Unity Coupled Circuit Output Transformers
- Sentry Monitor™, Solid Cinch™ speaker binding posts
MC1502 2-Channel Power Amplifier

Ideal for 2-Channel Audio Systems
- Type: Vacuum Tube
- 150 Watts x 2-Channels
- Unity Coupled Circuit Output Transformers
- Sentry Monitor™, Solid Cinch™ speaker binding posts
MC275 2-Channel Power Amplifier

Ideal for 2-Channel Audio Systems
- Type: Vacuum Tube
- 75 Watts x 2-Channels or 150 Watts x 1-Channel
- Unity Coupled Circuit Output Transformers
- Sentry Monitor™, Solid Cinch™ speaker binding posts
- One of the most iconic amplifiers ever made
MC303 3-Channel Power Amplifier

Ideal for Home Theater Systems
- Type: Solid State
- 300 Watts x 3-Channels
- Autoformers™, Power Guard®, Sentry Monitor™
MC255 5-Channel Power Amplifier

Ideal for Home Theater Systems
- Type: Solid State
- 250 Watts x 3-Channels or 200 Watts x 5-Channels
- Dynamic Power Manager®; Power Guard®, Sentry Monitor™, Monogrammed Heatsinks™, TripleView™ Power Output Meter
MC257 7-Channel Power Amplifier

Ideal for Home Theater Systems
- Type: Solid State
- 250 Watts x 3-Channels or 200 Watts x 7-Channels
- Dynamic Power Manager®; Power Guard®, Sentry Monitor™, Monogrammed Heatsinks™, TripleView™ Power Output Meter
MC8207 7-Channel Power Amplifier

Ideal for Home Theater Systems
- Type: Solid State
- 200 Watts x 7-Channels
- Dynamic Power Manager®; Power Guard®, Sentry Monitor™, LED output indicators
MI502 2-Channel Power Amplifier

Ideal for Distributed Audio Systems, 2-Channel Audio Systems & Home Theater Systems
- Type: Digital
- 500 Watts x 2-Channels into 8 Ohms
- 800 Watts x 2-Channels into 4 Ohms
- Power Guard®, Sentry Monitor™, On/Off signal sensing
- 2U rack mountable
MI254 4-Channel Power Amplifier

Ideal for Home Theater Systems & Distributed Audio Systems
- Type: Digital
- 250 Watts x 4-Channels into 8 Ohms
- 300 Watts x 4-Channels into 4 Ohms
- Power Guard®, Sentry Monitor™, On/Off signal sensing, Bussable inputs
- 2U rack mountable
MI347 7-Channel Power Amplifier

Ideal for Home Theater Systems
- Type: Digital
- 3 Front Channels: 250 Watts into 8 Ohms or 300 Watts into 4 Ohms
- 4 Surround Channels: 125 Watts into 8 Ohms or 200 Watts into 4 Ohms
- Power Guard®, Sentry Monitor™, On/Off signal sensing
- 3U rack mountable
MI128 8-Channel Power Amplifier

Ideal for Distributed Audio Systems & Two-Channel Audio Systems
- Type: Digital
- 120 Watts x 8-Channels into 8 Ohms
- 150 Watts x 8-Channels into 4 Ohms
- Power Guard®, Sentry Monitor™, On/Off signal sensing, Bussable inputs
- 2U rack mountable
MI1250 12-Channel Power Amplifier

Ideal for Distributed Audio Systems
- Type: Digital
- 50 Watts x 12-Channels into 8 Ohms
- 90 Watts x 12-Channels into 4 Ohms
- Power Guard®, Sentry Monitor™, On/Off signal sensing, Bussable inputs
- 2U rack mountable
MC2KW 1-Channel Power Amplifier

Ideal for 2-Channel Audio Systems & Home Theater Systems
- Type: Solid State
- 2,000 Watts x 1-Channel
- Tri-chassis design: 2 Power Modules, 1 Output Module
- Quad Balanced, Autoformer™, Power Guard®, Sentry Monitor™
- Multiple speaker terminals for bi- and tri-wiring
MHA200 2-Channel Headphone Power Amplifier

Ideal for Headphone Listening from 2-Channel Audio Systems
- Type: Vacuum Tube
- Compact footprint: just 6-1/8" (15.6cm) x 9-1/8" (23.2cm)
- 4 selectable headphone impedance ranges
- Balanced and unbalanced analog inputs
- Balanced stereo or dedicated Left & Right outputs