MX 160 or MX122 or nothing?
- Thread starter Wvnyc@Ct
- Start date
New member. 
Just in the past few weeks I now own a C47 & MC452 combo. GoldenEar Triton 1's Speakers. Kind of overkill for the MC452. Came from a Parasound Halo Integrated. The amp in still breaking in but I like it alot. So heres my issue. Also just added a Pioneer Elite SC-99 to use for Movies. I do miss the surround sound. Always had that. The pass through works fine. Just actually got it all hooked up last night after a week or so of getting it connected. Lots of wires. Theres things like volume control for both the preamp and the AVR to work together...
My other gear is a VPI Classic Signature TT with Cadenza Blue Cart -Lehman Audio Phono Stage. Sony SACD player and Sony HAP 1ZES Music HDD player. So the SACD player will be getting less use now that I have the HDD.
So I don't want to lose any 2 channel sonic audio bliss. But I am seriously thinking of returning the C47 and the Elite AVR back to Magnolia and getting the MX122. Realizing I would need to add additional amps to complete the 5.1 setup. We love Movies AND music. I also enjoy listening to music sometimes in surround and its a tad more difficult doing that with the bypass setup.
Thoughts?
Just in the past few weeks I now own a C47 & MC452 combo. GoldenEar Triton 1's Speakers. Kind of overkill for the MC452. Came from a Parasound Halo Integrated. The amp in still breaking in but I like it alot. So heres my issue. Also just added a Pioneer Elite SC-99 to use for Movies. I do miss the surround sound. Always had that. The pass through works fine. Just actually got it all hooked up last night after a week or so of getting it connected. Lots of wires. Theres things like volume control for both the preamp and the AVR to work together...My other gear is a VPI Classic Signature TT with Cadenza Blue Cart -Lehman Audio Phono Stage. Sony SACD player and Sony HAP 1ZES Music HDD player. So the SACD player will be getting less use now that I have the HDD.
So I don't want to lose any 2 channel sonic audio bliss. But I am seriously thinking of returning the C47 and the Elite AVR back to Magnolia and getting the MX122. Realizing I would need to add additional amps to complete the 5.1 setup. We love Movies AND music. I also enjoy listening to music sometimes in surround and its a tad more difficult doing that with the bypass setup.
Thoughts?
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Johnny 007
Active Member
I'd be reluctant to spend too much money on the preamp/processor section of a home theater setup. The technology changes too fast. In the past, I've had good luck with Marantz AV preamps. You can usually find a deal at Accessories4less. Just be sure you're buying a unit that will handle the latest HDMI protocol.
ron-c
Addicted Member
They both pass anything that us available software wize.
Ron-C
Classicride
New Member
Brand New Member - first post. Thanks in advance for anyone who is willing to offer recommendations to help me select components to add to existing setup.
What I want - to add 5.1 surround capability to existing 2 channel audio setup.
What I have - 2 channel system = Mc275 + C2500.
Need to add - 3 channel amplifier for center and 2 rear speakers (don't see the need for mega power?)
Need to add - AV processor - what would be best Mx121 or an older other unit?
I saw suggestions for C2500 & Mx121 earlier in this thread - just not sure how this works (passthrough?)
Does it sound like I am making a reasonable suggestion - I started buying components with my interest only being 2 channel stereo for quality audio. Now I find myself adding the 75" 4K monitor and DVD player - - I really hate the thought of buying a lot of redundancy built into the various components, but it may be what it is.
Very much appreciate those of you willing to share your hard earned knowledge - so freely.
DD
What I want - to add 5.1 surround capability to existing 2 channel audio setup.
What I have - 2 channel system = Mc275 + C2500.
Need to add - 3 channel amplifier for center and 2 rear speakers (don't see the need for mega power?)
Need to add - AV processor - what would be best Mx121 or an older other unit?
I saw suggestions for C2500 & Mx121 earlier in this thread - just not sure how this works (passthrough?)
Does it sound like I am making a reasonable suggestion - I started buying components with my interest only being 2 channel stereo for quality audio. Now I find myself adding the 75" 4K monitor and DVD player - - I really hate the thought of buying a lot of redundancy built into the various components, but it may be what it is.
Very much appreciate those of you willing to share your hard earned knowledge - so freely.
DD
damacman
Resident Psycho
Yes, an MX121 would certainly get you 5.1, HDMI switching, and interface with your C2500's passthru input. From there, you could shop around for a used McIntosh multi-ch amplifier for surround duties. Most will be 5 or 6 channel so you may as well consider 7.1 at the very least.
But please note the MX121 does not support 4K video, so if you have or plan to get a 4K TV, you should consider a different (newer) processor.
Classicride
New Member
Thanks for the input.....another question.....if I went with the older MX121 processor, could I simply wire the video signal directly from an off the shelf 4K DVD player to the 4K TV for the visual, and just allow the 121 to direct the audio to the surround speakers? Am I missing something by going this route or said another way, would it be wasted money for the 121 to just direct the audio only?
damacman
Resident Psycho
Yep, you can absolutely do that.
Something to think about before you plunk down your hard earned money. Buying an MX121 today is like investing in a TOTL computer made in the very same year. The list of what it doesn't do and isn't compatible with is lengthy given the price of admission.
Classicride
New Member
D-man, your last comment makes the most sense to me at this point in my game. McIntosh does not come cheap - as others stated, it would be nice to have matching components - but I think I will spend the money on Mc Amps, Pre-amps, the C550 I have already purchased, etc - - - and just fill in the gaps with much less expensive video player (Samsung $250) and surround processor (?) for home theater. If I am honest with myself, I will very likely not sense any audible/visible differences - other than whatever I buy won't look the same. It seems the processors get dated pretty quick with fast moving technology. So this thread was appropriate - Mx160 or Mx121 or something cheap.
leftside
AK Member
I've just purchased a MX121. Here are my reasons:
1) As a rule, I keep my TV's for 10 years. I currently have a 3.5 year old 65" Panasonic 1080p plasma. 4K would be nice, but it can wait.
2) The MX121 has a passthru mode, so I can override the internal DAC for music with the "latest and greatest" DAC's that might come out.
3) Dolby DTS and TrueHD are more than sufficient. I'm more interested in the music capabilities than the movie capabilities
4) Even if I wanted to I'm not going to be able to take advantage of Atmos - no way is the wife going to allow more than 5 speakers in the living room.
5) It's going to look nice next to the rest of the Mac gear
What's the downside?
1) I've probably not gained any improvement movie/surround sound wise over my $300 Marantz AV8003 processor. The difference in price is painful, but the AV8003 was starting to stick out like a sore thumb. I've always purchased Mac based on quality, with looks taking second placing, but this time I think things are the other way around.
2) Compared to my other Mac gear, the MX121 price is going to continue to plummet. (At the weekend I sold a MC2155 for 20% more than I purchased it for 3 years ago)
I'm going to be very interested to see how the internal MX121 DAC compares to the D100. Also with a C2300 in the mix, it's going to make for some interesting combinations and comparisons.
1) As a rule, I keep my TV's for 10 years. I currently have a 3.5 year old 65" Panasonic 1080p plasma. 4K would be nice, but it can wait.
2) The MX121 has a passthru mode, so I can override the internal DAC for music with the "latest and greatest" DAC's that might come out.
3) Dolby DTS and TrueHD are more than sufficient. I'm more interested in the music capabilities than the movie capabilities
4) Even if I wanted to I'm not going to be able to take advantage of Atmos - no way is the wife going to allow more than 5 speakers in the living room.
5) It's going to look nice next to the rest of the Mac gear
What's the downside?
1) I've probably not gained any improvement movie/surround sound wise over my $300 Marantz AV8003 processor. The difference in price is painful, but the AV8003 was starting to stick out like a sore thumb. I've always purchased Mac based on quality, with looks taking second placing, but this time I think things are the other way around.
2) Compared to my other Mac gear, the MX121 price is going to continue to plummet. (At the weekend I sold a MC2155 for 20% more than I purchased it for 3 years ago)
I'm going to be very interested to see how the internal MX121 DAC compares to the D100. Also with a C2300 in the mix, it's going to make for some interesting combinations and comparisons.
Reading thru these theater processor threads reminds me of a heart to heart conversation with Larry Fish back in the 80s soon after the C34 was introduced as well as the C31V.
Remembering that conversation and seeing the repaired MHT100 sitting here on a shelf makes me kind of sad. Larry promised that the video functions would be kept out of the audio units, that all the switching would be done externally making use of all those "control signals already running around inside the preamp sections". That promise was obviously broken with the take over by Clarion and as I understand it the ability to build up/solder larger scale circuit boards.
In that long ago thought has any one made use of the myriad of now available HDMI external switchers. Years ago when having to obsolete client's few years old Mac MX130s and C39s I started researching external devices beyond the MAC 3 and MSD theater add on processors. I even tried to follow what I think turned into a dead end product from Geffen??? that was supposed to switch HDMI and strip out a digital and 5 channel analog signal.
No longer need to deal with irate Mac owners, no more project management for me, but the thoughts remain if any one else has researched what external devices might be added to correct Mac's abandonment of Larry's plan.
Remembering that conversation and seeing the repaired MHT100 sitting here on a shelf makes me kind of sad. Larry promised that the video functions would be kept out of the audio units, that all the switching would be done externally making use of all those "control signals already running around inside the preamp sections". That promise was obviously broken with the take over by Clarion and as I understand it the ability to build up/solder larger scale circuit boards.
In that long ago thought has any one made use of the myriad of now available HDMI external switchers. Years ago when having to obsolete client's few years old Mac MX130s and C39s I started researching external devices beyond the MAC 3 and MSD theater add on processors. I even tried to follow what I think turned into a dead end product from Geffen??? that was supposed to switch HDMI and strip out a digital and 5 channel analog signal.
No longer need to deal with irate Mac owners, no more project management for me, but the thoughts remain if any one else has researched what external devices might be added to correct Mac's abandonment of Larry's plan.
Wvnyc@Ct
Active Member
Returning as the OP of this thread, after over a year of use, I remain a fully satisfied customer of the MX122. Once I set it up initially and dialed in all the surround speakers, I have never had to touch it. Updates from McIntosh come to the unit automatically and install without a hitch. It does 4K and ATMOS extremely well and performs beyond my satisfaction as an audio only preamp. The wireless streaming is also easy to use when guests come over and want to share their playlists. I am sure it will be a victim of obsolescence someday probably soon but I really don't want to pull it out of my rack. With my 452 and 207 amps it is attached to, I think I am getting the most out of all of these components. Either that or I don't know what I am missing. Again, it has been a "set it and forget it" quality piece of audio gear. Highly recommended.
