Интегральные усилители — McIntosh MA5300

The MA5300 is the smallest solid-state integrated amplifier in the McIntosh range, aimed at smaller rooms and at buyers who are starting to assemble a home audio system. It carries Roon Tested certification, and combines analogue amplification with a digital module and a phono input in one chassis.

Key specs that matter

Output is 100 W per channel into 8 ohm and 160 W per channel into 4 ohm. Twelve inputs are split into six analogue - four unbalanced RCA, one balanced XLR and one moving magnet phono - and six digital. The digital side lives in the DA1 Digital Audio Module with a pair of coaxial and a pair of optical inputs at up to 24-bit/192 kHz, a USB input for PCM to 32-bit/384 kHz, DSD64, DSD128, DSD256 and DXD, and an MCT socket for 16-bit/44.1 kHz CD and DSD64 SACD data from a McIntosh transport. Conversion uses an 8-channel 32-bit DAC in Quad Balanced mode. Harmonic distortion is 0.005% and dynamic headroom 1.8 dB. Response is within +0 and -0.5 dB from 20 Hz to 20 kHz and within 3 dB from 10 Hz to 100 kHz. Damping factor is above 200 at 8 ohm and above 100 at 4 ohm. The signal to noise ratio is 95 dB for the high level inputs and 110 dB at the power amp input, and input impedance is 20k ohms on both XLR and RCA.

Engineering and use context

Output transistors are direct coupled, without the output autoformers found on larger McIntosh amplifiers, so power rises as speaker impedance falls. Dual-scale blue watt meters on the front read out both load ratings. Because every digital input sits on the DA1 board, the module can be swapped for a newer one when digital formats change. Power Guard limits clipping, Sentry Monitor protects the outputs from shorts, and the Monogrammed Heatsinks are designed to reach operating temperature quickly after switch-on. Bass and treble controls are included, and Home Theater PassThru is provided for use alongside a surround processor. The chassis is 44.45 x 15.2 x 47.6 cm and weighs 17.2 kg, the US unit draws 2.3 A at 120 V, standby use is under 0.25 W, and the warranty covers 3 years.

Pairing

A 6.3 mm High Drive headphone output with Headphone Crossfeed Director sits on the front, and a variable unbalanced output at the back reaches 8 V at most and can drive an active subwoofer or a further McIntosh power amplifier. The phono input handles moving magnet cartridges only, and a low output MC cartridge would call for an external step-up device or separate phono stage.

Alternatives

The McIntosh MSA5500 keeps the same power ratings and adds a built-in network streamer that handles AirPlay, Google Cast and Roon Ready playback.