Audio-Technica ATH-AWKG & McIntosh MHA200

ABOUT THE HEADPHONE

The ATH-AWKG is crafted using the traditional Japanese engraved wood known as "Kurogaki." This marks the first time that Audio-Technica has utilized this material as an independent sound tuning element. Additionally, to fully showcase the allure of Kurogaki wood, Audio-Technica has, for the first time in its wooden series, omitted all chamber logos and adopted the minimalist design approach seen in the Mado Series.

Kurogaki (Japanese Persimmon) is not the name of a specific tree species but is attributed to the natural ink-like patterns found within Persimmon wood. These patterns differ from common wood grain or artificially painted patterns, resembling the natural diffusion of ink in watercolor, permeating the wood deeply, bearing some resemblance to the coloration of jade.

In terms of acoustic performance, the ATH-AWKG continues the flagship configurations of the W series and the current AW series. It builds upon the existing AW series framework with upgrades and incorporates design experience from the KG-NARU headphones.

The ATH-AWKG features a 53mm large dynamic driver unit developed in-house by Audio-Technica, utilizing 6N-OFC (purity approximately 99.99997%) oxygen-free copper wire for the coil. The high-purity oxygen-free copper coil exhibits excellent acoustic characteristics, delivering outstanding detail and micro-dynamic performance, high tolerance for large power inputs, and a long lifespan. The driver configuration includes the flagship Permendur alloy unit, characteristic of Audio-Technica, providing powerful energy supply to significantly enhance the headphone's drive capability, improve unit efficiency, and deliver a broad soundstage with clear and accurate audio quality.

Internally, the ATH-AWKG employs a titanium alloy flange ring to enhance unit response and improve the accuracy of signal reproduction. The Kurogaki chamber incorporates Audio-Technica's "Double Air Damping System" (D.A.D.S.), a mechanism unique to their high-end closed-back headphone design. This system ensures a smooth and accurate low-frequency response while providing a closed-back headphone with a transparent soundstage akin to open-back headphones.

ABOUT THE AMPLIFIER

Treat Your Headphones to McIntosh Vacuum Tube Amplification.

The MHA200 Vacuum Tube Headphone Amplifier is designed for discerning headphone enthusiasts who demand the most from their headphones. Its versatile set of connectivity options, including balanced inputs and outputs, allows for nearly all headphone types to be connected to enjoy an extraordinary personal listening experience.

A pair of 12AT7 and 12BH7A dual triode vacuum tubes power the compact MHA200. The 12AT7 vacuum tubes amplify the incoming audio signal while the 12BH7A tubes provide the power to drive the output to your headphones with low distortion. The MHA200 uses a pair of our Unity Coupled Circuit output transformers to deliver pristine audio to your ears. Our Unity Coupled Circuit is the same technology McIntosh was founded on in 1949 and is still used in our vaunted full-size home audio vacuum tube amplifiers such as the timeless MC275 and the more recent MC1502. Indeed, the MHA200 shares many physical design traits with the aforementioned vacuum tube amplifiers.

"An utterly captivating piece of kit that is likely to last decades and keep delighting you all the way through." Received Editor's Choice Award for Best High-End Hi-Fi Product 2022. – AVForums

A wide assortment of connectivity options come on the MHA200. For attaching your headphones, there are 3 options: a pair of 3-pin balanced XLR connectors for dedicated Left and Right balanced output; a 4-pin balanced XLR connector for balanced stereo output; and a 1/4" stereo headphone jack.

"Regardless of the headphones we use, this little box turns in a lovely, lush sounding performance that’s hard to dislike. It sounds smooth but far from lifeless, delivering high levels of detail in a cohesive and musical manner… If you’re looking for a top-class headphone amplifier, there are few we’ve heard at this price that are as capable or as charming as this one." – What Hi-Fi

For connecting the MHA200 to your home music system's source components, it has 1 set each of both balanced and unbalanced inputs. Thanks to the MHA200's small size of just 6-1/8" (15.6cm) wide x 9-1/8" (23.2cm) deep and its balanced inputs, it can be placed close to your listening position for ease use, with long balanced audio cables connecting it to your audio system without fear of signal loss.

The MHA200 takes advantage of unique McIntosh technologies to create the best possible personal listening experience. The Unity Coupled Circuit transformers have been adapted to produce 4 headphone impedance ranges of 32 – 100, 100 – 250, 250 – 600, and 600 – 1,000 Ohms at 500mW so that virtually every headphone can receive legendary McIntosh sound quality and performance.

"The MHA200 is a hell of a headphone amplifier." It "will impress, entertain and impress again indefinitely." With the MHA200 "you can enjoy as good a headphone experience as is currently available." Named Headphone Amplifier of The Year 2021. – HiFi+

"The McIntosh MHA200 Tube Headphone Amplifier is a contender for the best tube headphone amp manufactured to date, and easily outperforms more complex and unnecessarily feature-encumbered designs loaded with unnecessary additional tubes… It has ZERO musical flaws to report and is nearly perfect in execution." Highly recommended. – Positive Feedback

We custom designed and manufactured the output transformers to match the tube amplifier section to the headphone output section in order to ensure maximum power transfer for various headphone loads. Instead of having to adapt to the impedance of the headphones with voltage gain in the input stage, the Unity Coupled Circuit output transformers' secondary windings ensure the full power of the MHA200 is available regardless of the impedance of your headphones. A custom, high-performance, and highly efficient toroidal power transformer with low mechanical hum and a low magnetic field, which helps reduce electrical noise, provides clean power to the amplifier.

Reveals "the true nature of every headphone, without adding anything of its own. And it does so with power and punch but without sacrificing on the subtlety or micro dynamics. It allows the soundstage to breathe and come to life in an almost three-dimensional way inside your head." – What Hi-Fi Sound and Vision (India)

You can select the best impedance range for your headphones via the LOAD knob. The VOLUME knob allows the MHA200 to be connected directly to music sources that only have a fixed volume output without needing a preamplifier for volume control. Conversely, if you're using a component with variable volume output, then the VOLUME knob should be set to the center Unity Gain point and the volume controlled by the variable output component.

"The MHA200 is endlessly enjoyable with a rich, balanced and powerful sound, that’s is more forgiving than most rivals. Add to this the stellar build quality and ability to cater for a wide range of headphones and connections and the MHA200 is a benchmark product that’s highly recommended." – Audiograde

The MHA200 features a custom formed stainless steel chassis with a polished mirror finish that will accentuate the glow of the vacuum tubes, making it a statement piece to display in your home and to use with pride. A vintage die cast aluminum McIntosh name badge adorns the side of the MHA200.