The terms “legendary” and “iconic” are used to describe McIntosh electronics, just as they are used to describe, say, Harley Davidson motorcycles. Rarely has the term “scandalous” or “disruptive” been used to describe the 75-year-old audiophile based in Binghamton, New York, but then again, up until now, they have not been owned by Bose. According to sources close to FutureAudiophile.com, after a 25-store “mystery shopper” test, Bose decided to pull McIntosh out of Magnolia AV stores (read my story here). This is simply unheard of, as Magnolia AV is the only large-scale audio-video chain that has national reach. There has been some conjecture that there might be some bad blood between Bose and Best Buy (the owner of Magnolia stores inside of their big-box retail locations) because of Best Buy not featuring Bose speakers as they did in the past. Who knows how valid that theory is? It is likely that we will not know the real motivation behind Bose’s move, but as they pivot the brand towards being a lucrative automotive brand, as Mark Levinson has been for Harman/Samsung, the idea that McIntosh is leaving the audiophile space is simply hard to imagine. A few days ago, an industry executive told me of a strong local dealer who was looking to add McIntosh now that the brand is being yanked from Magnolia. McIntosh has made massive progress in developing their presence in the CI or custom installation channel. And there are tons of legacy clients who view McIntosh as the worthiest of the A-list, blue-chip audiophile brands.
What Makes the McIntosh MA5300 Integrated Amp So Special?
- The McIntosh MA5300 integrated amp is pure McIntosh. This doesn’t just mean the industrial design, this means the sound. I’ve recently reviewed McIntosh’s 1,200-plus-wattMC1.25KW mono amplifiers (read my review here), as well as one of their best stereo preamps, and the sonic signature of McIntosh is on display in the McIntosh MA5300 as much as with the big-boy audiophile separate components. For those who prefer not to drive over speed bumps in a race-ready, tight-suspension Lamborghini, the McIntosh MA5300 is voiced for you, as the sound is resolute but at the same time warm and sonically inviting. This is not one of those “in the studio”-type components as much as it an integrated amp that can make all your music sound enjoyable.
- There is an internal Moving Magnet phonostage internally installed. For lovers of vinyl, there is no need to buy an aftermarket phonostage unless you really are getting serious with your record collection and audiophile turntable. McIntosh delivers all that value right inside of the McIntosh MA5300 integrated amp.
- The internal DAC has various inputs and supports many HD formats and codecs. DSD is best supported via McIntosh’s MCT connection, assuming that you want to spin some legacy SACDs. More relevant to today’s audiophile are 24-bit options from a quite capable DAC. There are very high-resolution USB inputs, but I used COAX, which supported all of the 24/192 files that I streamed in for my evaluation. The McIntosh MA5300’s DA1 DAC card is also upgradable, which helps keep the integrated amp relevant for years/decades to come.
- The McIntosh MA5300 is 38 pounds, which is pretty stout for a smaller integrated amplifier.
- While HDMI inputs or even I2S (for digital audio over HDMI) are not included, as you will see today on some of the more forward-thinking audiophile integrated amps, there are all sorts of CI-tastic features. RS-232 is one of them that I always love. If you have a smart home, connecting via RS-232 can be an ultra-reliable way to get your audio to jump through hoops via your house’s control system.
- There is one balanced input and four unbalanced (RCA) ones included in the McIntosh MA5300. If you need more connectivity than this in the analog domain (remember, these five inputs don’t include the COAX and MCT and USB digital inputs), then you might want to start looking at separate stereo preamps and amps versus integrated amps. For almost every audiophile, the McIntosh MA5300 will have plenty of input options.
- There are bass and treble controls on the McIntosh MA5300. This isn’t digital room correction, as you will get with NAD’s M-Series or Anthem’s integrated amp, but it is retro and better than nothing if you want to make some changes to the sound of your music on a track by track or album by album basis.
- There is a rock-solid quarter-inch jack headphone output installed in every McIntosh MA5300. This allows those who want to listen to their favorite wired headphones to get a high level of functionality without needing more components and complexity.
Why Should You Care About the McIntosh MA5300?
So, you always wanted to own a McIntosh component, but have never had the opportunity. If you’ve got a way to come up with $6,000, you now can live the McIntosh dream. The sound of the McIntosh MA5300 is for that vinyl-loving listener who wants less of that sometimes stark “Swiss” sound that is so in vogue right at this moment. The McIntosh MA5300 client is a little bit more into Yacht Rock (aren’t we all?) and wants to keep things groovy for all his or her music. The right buyer for the McIntosh MA5300 puts a premium on simplicity and loves vintage-looking products that also at the same time deliver on new-school technologies. The McIntosh MA5300 comes up aces in this department.
Some Things You Might Not Like About the McIntosh MA5300 Integrated Amp
- McIntosh is as blue-chip an audiophile brand as there is, but some are really spooked by what Bose will do now that they have the keys to the kingdom. That’s a fair concern, and one that might point some to other brands of bigger-dollar audiophile integrated amps in the market today. With that said, those products are McIntosh. They don’t have that McIntosh smooth sound, and those are hard to beat with the MA5300.
- No HDMI might seem crazy, but McIntosh makes some very feature-forward home theater products these days. HDMI is expensive to license, and that’s why you don’t tend to see it as an option from smaller audiophile companies. The reality is that the best art being made today isn’t music or even Hollywood movies, it is television. If I am rocking a McIntosh MA5300, I want to hear every subtle musical and dialog nuance in Severance. (All praise Kier … for those Severance fans out there.)
- A second balanced input might have been helpful, especially over the long term. An AES-EBU digital input would also have been a cool perk.
Listening to the McIntosh MA5300 Integrated Amp …
My time with the McIntosh MA5300 integrated amp had it powering the mids and highs (the bass is powered internally inside of the speaker) when I spent time with the Paradigm Persona 9H speakers (read the review). I also got some listening in with Bowers & Wilkins 804s and Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3s (read the review). While I did listen to some SACDs with the Paradigm setup, I mostly listened to Qobuz streaming via a Bluesound Node 2024 (read the review).
The big hit record from Norah Jones’ Come Away With Me album is “Don’t Know Why,” and it lives up to the hype. On the McIntosh MA5300, I loved how delicate the piano sounded in the first chorus. To be clear, If I made it sound like the McIntosh MA5300 is muddy or unclear-sounding when I implied that it was smooth-sounding, please remove that thought from your mind. Jones’ voice soars above the instrumental mix with vibrance and clarity that will put a smile on even the most jaded audiophile’s face. The brushes on the drums have an etched sound that shows off the McIntosh MA5300’s ability to resolve detail both in the analog and digital domains. I wrote down the words “sounded beautiful” three times in my notes, and that is an excellent way to describe the sound that I was able to experience over a number of excellent floorstanding loudspeakers.
We’ve discussed Yacht Rock already in this review and, while Steely Dan’s Aja (complete with Michael McDonald background vocals – a key part of any true Yacht Rock anthem) is considered the origin point of the genre, it is hard to argue that Toto’s “Africa” doesn’t uniquely capture the musical adoration of younger music fans. It is all over Madison Avenue ads, Hollywood movies and you can’t listen to 70’s on 7 for more than what seems like 30 minutes without hearing the most absurd lyrics ever to grace a truly hit song from a serious, respected band.
Coming out the second chorus, there is a gong hit and, much like the brushes on the drums of the Norah Jones track, it sounded really impressive when listening to the McIntosh MA5300 integrated amp. The detail on the fade of the instrument was really compelling, as there was so much detail but so little edginess or harshness. That’s not the McIntosh sound, nor will it ever likely be. “Africa” might have the worst, most ridiculous lyrics in rock and roll history (think… “Sure as Kilimanjaro rises like an empress above the Serengeti”), but it sure sounded good when played back over McIntosh electronics.
Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky” is such a jam. Niles Rodgers and Pharrell Williams make this track as much of a super-group experience as Toto, Night Ranger, Audioslave or even Cream. The fast-paced and funky guitar chops have excellent detail, but still that smooth overall sound. Vocal harmonies layer beautifully. Hands clapping are lively and pop in the mix, but aren’t ever harsh. On the Bowers & Wilkins 804 D4s, I noted how much fun the bass was on this track. It wasn’t the depth or the tightness that caught my attention. What was noticeable about the McIntosh MA5300 is that the bass guitar sounded musical. It sounded fun. Even without the REL T/x9 sub (read the review) in the mix, I was loving the low-end performance with the McIntosh MA5300 in the loop.
Will the McIntosh MA5300 Integrated Amp Hold Its Value?
Uhhhh … Yeah. McIntosh is McIntosh and, for starters, they have the biggest following in the audiophile electronics world. There are thousands of real-world buyers for a product like the McIntosh MA5300 integrated amp right this minute. When you consider that the MA5300 integrated amp is one of the most modern (but somewhat affordable) ways to get the McIntosh experience, that will preserve much of this integrated amp’s value for quite a while.
If Bose ends up putting McIntosh in more cars (brands), that only makes McIntosh even more appealing than today. The trend of vintage audio isn’t going away. Components with the vintage look appeal to younger audiophiles, but that crowd also likes new-school technologies and the McIntosh MA5300 has those covered, thus it is going to sell well on the used market, just like every other McIntosh audiophile product.
What is the Competition for the McIntosh MA5300 Integrated Amp?
The Anthem STR Integrated Amp ($4,999 – read the review) is a world-beater of an integrated amp. While not retro-looking at all, the Anthem STR Integrated Amp has ARC (Anthem Room Correction), which is a fantastic, user-accessible digital room correction that can make simply incredible improvements to your overall sound by dealing with room problems. Basically, you get an Anthem STR preamp (read the review) merged with a beefy Anthem amp in one chassis, and that is a compelling offer for many audiophiles.
The Pass Labs INT-25 ($8,100) is missing the beyond-sexy gauge from other Pass Labs products, but this all-performance-and-no-bullshit integrated amp has a more controlled and a little bit more detailed sound. Its control over the lower frequencies is legendary, as everything sounds not just low or tight, but fast, too. The silver and black finish options are a nice perk as well. Note: with the Pass Labs, you aren’t getting anywhere near as many features as the McIntosh MA5300 integrated amp or an internal upgradable DAC.
The Boulder 861 ($13,450) is a 200-watt into eight-ohm integrated amp that looks like it came from the future, when the appeal of the McIntosh MA5300 is that it looks like it comes from a different, simpler time in history. The bass in the Boulder 861 is just fantastic, as Boulder is known for its bass from its big power amps. Its integrated amp comes up big in that sonic category, too. The metal work is all made (everything but the anodizing) in Colorado, and it is an amazing process, as I have seen the factory with my own two eyes. The end product is as much sculpture as it is audiophile component. With that said, the Boulder is a much more expensive option, but you get a taste of the uber-high end for far less money than before, and that can be appealing, too.
Final Thoughts on the McIntosh MA5300 Integrated Amp …
There are plenty of old guys who might have first seen McIntosh gear at the PX over in Vietnam, while buying a copy of Sgt. Pepper’s or Axis Bold as Love, and always wanted to own one. The McIntosh MA5300 integrated amp (buy at Crutchfield) is a way to make that happen with all the retro vibe and a sonic respect for the brand’s house sound, yet many of the more cutting-edge features, like an upgradable internal high-resolution-capable DAC.
There are younger people who also value the rich history of the audiophile world, but they are not willing to sacrifice performance over nostalgia. With the McIntosh MA5300, you don’t have to sacrifice anything. This is one of the most affordable ways for an audiophile who wants to have the smoothest stereo system on the block to get into some McIntosh.
