McIntosh MX121 with Original Mic, Stand, and Remote

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General:
No more fiddling with individual bands, settings, etc., to get the best sound possible in your home theater.

Some of the HDMI features and standards may be older, but best results are usually achieved from running your sources directly to your display anyway.

Most importantly McIntosh put a lot of effort into the analog section making this one of the more musical processors on the market - perfect for two channel as well as theater use.

This McIntosh MX121 comes with its original box, mic, mic tripod, and remote.

SkyFi Cosmetic Notes:
A light scratch is present on the left side panel.

SkyFi Technical Notes:
This unit was fully tested for audio use. No HDMI testing was performed. Please note that this processor may not be fully compatible with some current HDMI protocols and UHD (4K) resolutions.

Brand Background:
McIntosh Laboratory is an American manufacturer of handcrafted high-end audio equipment based in Binghamton, New York. The company was founded in 1949 by Frank McIntosh. The company designs and produces audio amplifiers, stereo tuners and other consumer electronics products.

Ownership:
Single Owner

Connections:
6 HDMI inputs 2 Outputs, RCA inputs, XLR Balanced Inputs and Outputs, Coax and Optical video inputs, Component video Inputs and Outputs, Ipod/usb, Network.

General Sound:
Neutral sound with little to no coloration

Cosmetic Condition:
8/10 = Very Good. Excellent front faceplate, one minor flaw on chassis side or top. See our detailed rating description here.

Working Condition:
Working perfectly and tested in our lab and listening room.

Included:
Exactly as pictured and described above.

Packing:
Original Manufacturers Packing

Specs:
Frequency Response
±0.5dB from 20Hz-20,000Hz

Total Harmonic Distortion
0.005% maximum from 20Hz to 20,000Hz at rated output

Signal To Noise Ratio
Phono: 86dB below 10mV input (A Weighted)
High Level: 96dB below rated output (A Weighted)

Rated Output Voltage
2.5V Unbalanced Outputs (Main Zone)
5.0V Balanced Outputs (Main Zone)

Maximum Voltage Output
6V Unbalanced
12V Balanced

Output Impedance
220 ohms

Input Impedance
Phono: 47k Ohms, 65pf
High Level: 20k Ohms Unbalanced and Balanced

Sensitivity for Rated Output
Phono: 4.5mV
High Level: 450mV Unbalanced, 900mV Balanced

Maximum Input Signal
Phono: 50mV
High Level: 4.5V Unbalanced and Balanced

Tone Controls
Bass Control: ±6dB at 30Hz
Treble Control: ±6dB at 10,000Hz

Dimensions:
Width is 17-1/2 inches (44.45cm)
Height is 7-5/8 inches (19.37cm) including feet
Depth is 19-1/2 inches (49.53cm) including the Front Panel, Knobs, Rear Panel Connections and USB Drive

Weight:
30 lbs.

Approximate Age:
2012

Link to Manual:
Click Here

Recommended Cables:
Kimber Kable - RCA Interconnects - Better

Kimber Kable - RCA Interconnects - Best

Kimber Kable - Phono Interconnects

Kimber Kable - BALANCED XLR Connectors - Better

Kimber Kable - BALANCED XLR Connectors - Best

Kimber Kable - Power Cords - Better

Kimber Kable - Power Cords - Best

Testing Process:
We start with a visual inspection of all internal components to make sure that there are no signs of heat stress or damage. Capacitors are checked for telltale signs of predictive failure including bulging, shrunken wrappers, or physical leakage. We also inspect the PCBs for discoloration from resistors or transistors that may have been running hot. On vintage units we often spot check select capacitors for value and ESR.

When we first power on a preamplifier we connect its RCA output to a Sencore PA81 Power Analyzer which simulates real world loading conditions and gives us an oscilloscope interface.

The first order of business is checking that the volume control works smoothly throughout its entire range with acceptable channel balance. This is accomplished by feeding a 1 KHz sine wave into one of the preamp’s line level inputs while monitoring the preamp’s output on an oscilloscope.

We then switch to a 1 KHz square wave to test the tone controls, loudness function, and filters where applicable. During this step we are watching for equal alteration of the test signal by both channels. This also helps us identify dirty controls that will need treatment.

Once the basic line stage functions are verified, we test each input individually. This is especially important for devices that use relays to select their sources. If the preamp is equipped with a phono stage we test that as well. We use an inverse RIAA filter which allows us to feed a reference test signal into the phono input with the proper RIAA equalization and level. A square wave or sine sweep is used to verify that the device’s phono stage is faithfully reproducing the RIAA curve. If the preamp under test has balanced inputs and/or outputs these are tested as well.

We finish up our bench testing with a listening test with our bench amplifier and reference speakers. During this test we check for hum or hiss that may not have shown up in earlier testing. We also check that all of the tone controls and filters perform as expected.

If the preamplifier has remote control functions these are also tested. Preamps with tube circuits or complicated power supply topologies are connected at our long term test rig for extended stress testing under real world conditions.