McIntosh Announces Three New Home Theater Products

MX170 and MX123 A/V Processors and MC255 5-Channel Home Theater Amplifier.

McIntosh is proud to announce three new home theater products: the MX170 and MX123 A/V Processors and the MC255 5-Channel Home Theater Amplifier.

MX170 A/V Processor


• 12 HDMI ports with HDCP 2.2 and 18Gbps bandwidth for full 4K Ultra HD and 4:4:4 color
• Audio: Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, Auro-3D, eARC and RoomPerfect
• Video: Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HLG

Experience movies in the comfort of home with the brilliance of 4K Ultra HD, the vividness of High Dynamic Range (HDR), and the immersiveness of 3D surround sound like never before with the new McIntosh MX170 A/V Processor. Complete with the latest in home theater technology, the MX170 has everything needed to deliver a breathtaking audio and cinema experience.

When it comes to the video requirements of a modern home theater, the MX170 comes with everything necessary. It has 8 HDMI inputs and 4 HDMI outputs that are powered by the newest and most powerful HDMI processors available. Each HDMI port is HDCP 2.2 and has 18Gbps of bandwidth to fully support 4K Ultra HD picture quality and full 4:4:4 color spacing. Audio Return Channel (ARC) capabilities are featured on 3 of the outputs, while the 4th features Enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC) functionality. eARC offers improved bandwidth so higher resolution audio can be sent from the TV to the MX170 to deliver the best sound quality possible.

HDR formats HDR10, Dolby Vision™ and HLG are also fully supported by the MX170. When watching a video mastered in one of these formats, a dramatic improvement in color, contrast and brightness can been seen. A special HDBaseT output is included to prevent signal loss or degradation when there is a long distance between the MX170 and the screen. It also has 3D video pass-through, putting the viewer right in the middle of the action when watching their favorite 3D movies.

On the audio side, the new MX170 is compatible with all the leading object-based, 3D surround sound formats including Dolby® Atmos, DTS:X™ and Auro-3D® to give a truly immersive experience. It includes sophisticated RoomPerfect™ room correction technology that will measure and adjust the audio output to compensate… more

MX123 A/V Processor


• 10 HDMI ports, HDCP 2.3, 18Gbps bandwidth for full 4K Ultra HD, 4:4:4 color and Rec. 2020
• Audio: 13.2 discrete channels, Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, Auro-3D, eARC, AirPlay2, Audyssey MultEQ XT32
• Video: Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG, IMAX Enhanced

The new McIntosh MX123 A/V Processor marries a long tradition of uncompromising McIntosh sound quality with the latest home theater technologies to produce an unsurpassed luxury home entertainment experience. It is compatible with all the leading home theater surround sound and object-based 3D audio formats including Dolby® Atmos, DTS:X™ and Auro-3D®. It’s also fully compatible with modern 4K Ultra HD video sources and can upscale lower resolutions to 4K Ultra HD for the best possible picture quality.

The MX123 features upgraded digital audio processing capabilities that results in 2 more discrete audio channels, bringing the MX123 to 13.2 discrete audio channels compared to 11.2 channels in the previous model. These 13.2 discrete channels are available via both balanced and unbalanced audio outputs that can be used in a variety of home theater speaker configurations; 2 additional unbalanced outputs offer further connection flexibility. DSD and ALAC playback support have been doubled to DSD128 and ALAC 192kHz for better high resolution audio performance.

For video, the MX123 has 7 HDMI inputs and 3 HDMI outputs. All HDMI inputs and outputs are HDCP 2.3, making the MX123 compliant and compatible with digital content protection specifications for well into the future. They all also have 18Gbps of bandwidth to support High Dynamic Range (HDR) formats Dolby Vision™, HDR10 and HLG; 4K Ultra HD at 50/60Hz; 4:4:4 color spacing; Rec. 2020; and 3D video pass-through. Enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC) functionality is included on 1 of the HDMI outputs. eARC offers improved bandwidth so the MX123 can receive higher resolution audio from a TV to produce the best possible sound quality.

An exciting new feature on the MX123 is IMAX® Enhanced. IMAX Enhanced is a set of stringent performance standards established by IMAX and DTS® to create a consistent and higher bar for image and sound performance on premium devices. It utilizes a sophisticated, advanced algorithm designed to produce the highest-quality, sharpest 4K HDR images. IMAX and DTS will also partner with award-winning Hollywood sound mixers to use a special variant of the DTS:X codec technology included in the MX123 to deliver an IMAX signature sound experience at home… more

MC255 5-Channel Home Theater Amplifier


• TripleView™ Power Output Meter
• More than twofold increase in dynamic headroom
• Up to 250 Watts per channel

Give home theaters the power they deserve with the new McIntosh MC255 5-Channel Home Theater Power Amplifier.

The MC255 features McIntosh’s striking new TripleView™ Power Output Meter that independently indicates the real time power reading of the amplifier’s three front channels. Instead of three separate meter windows each housing a single meter as found on McIntosh previous 5-channel amplifier, the easy-to-read, 15” (38 cm) wide TripleView features three of McIntosh’s traditional mechanical meters in a single meter enclosure. While a totally new design, each of the three peak responding pointers in the TripleView meter have the same enticing motion that McIntosh meters are known for and function at the same high level as any of their meters. The enchanting look and welcoming glow of the TripleView meter is sure to draw interest from friends and family, but its trademarked blue lighting can be turned off so as not to compete with the TV or movie screen.

Besides the new TripleView meter, the MC255 has received many other performance upgrades to deliver an unforgettable cinema experience. Filter capacity has been increased by 50% which has more than doubled dynamic headroom from 1.7dB to 3.6dB – a key feature in a home theater amplifier – as well as improving the performance of low frequencies. When using just the front left, center and right channels, power output has been increased by 25% from 200 Watts per channel (WPC) to 250 WPC. When using all 5 channels, each will receive a healthy 200 WPC… more

MX170 replaces MX160; MX123 replaces MX122; MC255 replaces MC205. All three can now be ordered at your local authorized dealer with shipping expected to begin in October 2019 to the United States and the rest of the world shortly thereafter. Contact your dealer today for ordering information.