McIntosh MHP 1000
The Italian distributor asked me to review the new headphone of the Binghamton Company. I have accepted with enthusiasm because, if I don’t go wrong, this is a world premiere.
We will not speak once again about the history and the characteristics of this historical American brand, we all know about it by heart.
Let’s talk about the headphones that are very popular in this moment because of the great success of portable music devices. Only few years ago, listening to music while not at home meant to buy a Walkman, have a big stock of batteries and audio cassettes. This was very cumbersome. Some other people listened to radios with a small earphone but the final outcome was really poor. Thanks God, things nowadays have changed a lot. There is music for all preferences. There are the compressed mp3 files stored in iPods, there are Red Book or superior quality files stored in the hard disks by high quality lovers. And then there are the smartphones that are for everyone the cheap economic and spacious source of music. The more modern listeners, though, have DACs and amplifiers that are able to enhance the music reproduction quality.
Considering all these elements, the headphones boom is not surprising, they are the last but very important part of a mobile audio system. The use of an headphone is not just for people on the move, also listening to music in a room with headphones on is becoming more and more popular.
Some people like to listen to music with an headphone in every situation. Some other people use them in order to avoid to annoy the other family members with music. I have frequently used my AKG K340, that I bought for 350.000 old Liras in the 70’s, when I was a teenager and I slept in the same room as my brother. He used to sleep longer in the morning while I got up and studied or read with music in my ears. I have also used it, and still use it sometimes, while playing the drums in order to play over the music of the records.
If I have a choice, I’d rather not use a headphone. I do not like the outcome and it’s not a matter of quality. I think that my AKG is one of the best models still on the market, exception made for the difficulty to drive it, because of its 600 Ohm impedance. Power is never enough. As i said I am not a fan of headphones if they are not strictly necessary, because I think that headphone listening is far from a live listening.
McIntosh has decided to put on the market its headphone, it is a high quality product and its price is certainly high, about 2,000 USD.
We will not speak once again about the history and the characteristics of this historical American brand, we all know about it by heart.
Let’s talk about the headphones that are very popular in this moment because of the great success of portable music devices. Only few years ago, listening to music while not at home meant to buy a Walkman, have a big stock of batteries and audio cassettes. This was very cumbersome. Some other people listened to radios with a small earphone but the final outcome was really poor. Thanks God, things nowadays have changed a lot. There is music for all preferences. There are the compressed mp3 files stored in iPods, there are Red Book or superior quality files stored in the hard disks by high quality lovers. And then there are the smartphones that are for everyone the cheap economic and spacious source of music. The more modern listeners, though, have DACs and amplifiers that are able to enhance the music reproduction quality.
Considering all these elements, the headphones boom is not surprising, they are the last but very important part of a mobile audio system. The use of an headphone is not just for people on the move, also listening to music in a room with headphones on is becoming more and more popular.
Some people like to listen to music with an headphone in every situation. Some other people use them in order to avoid to annoy the other family members with music. I have frequently used my AKG K340, that I bought for 350.000 old Liras in the 70’s, when I was a teenager and I slept in the same room as my brother. He used to sleep longer in the morning while I got up and studied or read with music in my ears. I have also used it, and still use it sometimes, while playing the drums in order to play over the music of the records.
If I have a choice, I’d rather not use a headphone. I do not like the outcome and it’s not a matter of quality. I think that my AKG is one of the best models still on the market, exception made for the difficulty to drive it, because of its 600 Ohm impedance. Power is never enough. As i said I am not a fan of headphones if they are not strictly necessary, because I think that headphone listening is far from a live listening.
McIntosh has decided to put on the market its headphone, it is a high quality product and its price is certainly high, about 2,000 USD.
If you love luxury - and we all do - you’ll be immediately struck by the packaging that contains this wonderful American item. It’s a big black box that opens in two movements: with the first you open a lid with a magnet that once opened uncovers the elegant writing that tells about McIntosh’s history. Then the box opens in two triangular sections and there it is the headphone hang to a metallic hook and surrounded by black foam.
Under the headphone there is a small drawer where you can find a small branded bag to carry the headphone and two connecting cables. In fact this time you will not have adapters for the 3,5 and 6,3 mm inputs, but two different cables. The first one is 1 meter long and the second one is 3 meters long to have more freedom of movement. The quality of the cable, that is not microphonic, and of the connectors is very high. Each cable is provided with two small jacks, that have different colours for the right and left channels and that must be inserted in the earphones.
These are the technical characteristics:
Transducer Type:
Dynamic, 40mm diameter 3-layer
compound diaphragm with viscoelastic center layer
Operation:
Circumaural, closed back, bass ported
Frequency Response:
5Hz to 20kHz
Nominal Impedance:
200 Ohms (compatible with all McIntosh headphone outputs)
Nominal SPL:
97dB (1mW @ 500Hz)
Max SPL:
122dB (300mW @ 500Hz)
Magnetic Circuit:
One Tesla annular neodymium magnet motor assembly
Headband and Ear Pads:
Leather
Detachable Cables Included:
One 1 meter with 3.5mm stereo connector
One 3 meter with 6.3mm stereo connector
Both cables have gold plated custom designed connectors
Weight:
1 lbs (464 grams)
Under the headphone there is a small drawer where you can find a small branded bag to carry the headphone and two connecting cables. In fact this time you will not have adapters for the 3,5 and 6,3 mm inputs, but two different cables. The first one is 1 meter long and the second one is 3 meters long to have more freedom of movement. The quality of the cable, that is not microphonic, and of the connectors is very high. Each cable is provided with two small jacks, that have different colours for the right and left channels and that must be inserted in the earphones.
These are the technical characteristics:
Transducer Type:
Dynamic, 40mm diameter 3-layer
compound diaphragm with viscoelastic center layer
Operation:
Circumaural, closed back, bass ported
Frequency Response:
5Hz to 20kHz
Nominal Impedance:
200 Ohms (compatible with all McIntosh headphone outputs)
Nominal SPL:
97dB (1mW @ 500Hz)
Max SPL:
122dB (300mW @ 500Hz)
Magnetic Circuit:
One Tesla annular neodymium magnet motor assembly
Headband and Ear Pads:
Leather
Detachable Cables Included:
One 1 meter with 3.5mm stereo connector
One 3 meter with 6.3mm stereo connector
Both cables have gold plated custom designed connectors
Weight:
1 lbs (464 grams)
McIntosh uses Tesla Technology, patented by Beyerdynamic, therefore we assume that the drivers are made by the German firm.
The headphone has a very nice look and also its packaging is really impeccable. Their weight is light and once put on your ears it seems even lighter than the declared weight. Maybe it’s because it adjusts perfectly on your head. The headband is covered with padded leather and the ear pads are soft and have the right pressure on your ears. I have worn the MHP 1000 for many hours and I have never had the sensation of ailment or oppression.
Well, I have described the look of this headphone and now it’s time to talk about the sound. To listen to it I used NuForce HA-200 amplifier that we’ll describe better in another review.
Are there different categories of top level headphones? As for my experience I’d say yes. We have studio headphones, the monitor type, that are very revealing, but also fatiguing on the long run. And then there are the headphones for home listening, more apt for a long distance run than for a sprint. Well, these McIntosh belong to the second category. Their timbre is mellow and with a deep low range that is always very controlled. The mid range is typical of the Binghamtom Company: very rich, with many hues. The top range is very accurate and never annoying. The soundstage is at a very good level and better than my reference.
While listening, I thought about some acquaintance of mine that are keen on headphones listenings, and I felt sorry that they could not enjoy that sound that I had in my ears.
It is a headphone that, due to the price, it is not for everyone but, with a cigar - too bad I quit smoking years ago - and a vintage Scotch Whisky may be the maker of a perfect moment of relax and bliss.
Angelo Jasparro
Manufacturer: McIntosh Labs
Translation: Francesca Rubino
The headphone has a very nice look and also its packaging is really impeccable. Their weight is light and once put on your ears it seems even lighter than the declared weight. Maybe it’s because it adjusts perfectly on your head. The headband is covered with padded leather and the ear pads are soft and have the right pressure on your ears. I have worn the MHP 1000 for many hours and I have never had the sensation of ailment or oppression.
Well, I have described the look of this headphone and now it’s time to talk about the sound. To listen to it I used NuForce HA-200 amplifier that we’ll describe better in another review.
Are there different categories of top level headphones? As for my experience I’d say yes. We have studio headphones, the monitor type, that are very revealing, but also fatiguing on the long run. And then there are the headphones for home listening, more apt for a long distance run than for a sprint. Well, these McIntosh belong to the second category. Their timbre is mellow and with a deep low range that is always very controlled. The mid range is typical of the Binghamtom Company: very rich, with many hues. The top range is very accurate and never annoying. The soundstage is at a very good level and better than my reference.
While listening, I thought about some acquaintance of mine that are keen on headphones listenings, and I felt sorry that they could not enjoy that sound that I had in my ears.
It is a headphone that, due to the price, it is not for everyone but, with a cigar - too bad I quit smoking years ago - and a vintage Scotch Whisky may be the maker of a perfect moment of relax and bliss.
Angelo Jasparro
Manufacturer: McIntosh Labs
Translation: Francesca Rubino
