Sound quality
Starting with the standard analogue input and MXA70 sounds
lots of fun. It has a clean, fast and direct sound, but is decently
sophisticated too; indeed it reminds me of a full-size Macintosh amp. It’s
certainly not a soft and fluffy delivery; there’s no artificial added warmth
but it has a smoothness and a refinement that you wouldn’t expect from a mini
system. 4hero’s Give In via the unbalanced analogue input really communicates
the urgency and the intensity of the music.
The loudspeakers are optimised for tabletop or bookshelf
use, and benefit from being pushed closer to a rear wall than is normal, and
slightly toed-in. Thus positioned they made a nice noise, but you’d never
accuse them of having an overly powerful or extended bass. This is simply because
of the physics involved; they’re small and simply cannot reach down to the
bottom octaves. Again, given the fact that it’s a small system, this could even
be seen as a plus point, as they’re not likely to set off room resonances.
McIntosh MXA70
angle view
Feed the unit with a good CD transport via its coaxial in,
and the sound tightens up further, and fills out a little spatially. It’s a
pretty wide presentation, and suddenly acquires even more thrust, at the
expense of a little warmth. The McIntosh has a lot of get-up-and-go and this is
even more apparent when you dispense with the analogue input. Supertramp’s
classic Breakfast in America album is a little forward on CD, but the Macintosh
remains smooth and enjoyable with no shrillness or glare. It gives a bright,
bracing sound, but one that never descends into fatigue-inducing hardness.
Indeed, it really manages to capture the poignancy of the song, tracking the
dynamics well and doing really well with the rhythms.
Room to breathe
Via USB, Air’s All I Need is sweet and spacious, the unit
never proving boring but certainly not overly hard either. The fulsome bass
guitar is carried well, giving a bouncy and sumptuous feel, and you can really
hear the instrument starting and stopping in the mix. The drive it gives to the
song keeps things in the groove, while the midband carries the vocals with
sensitivity and sophistication. It images well and pushes things wide stage
left and right, although it doesn’t drop things back quite as far as it should.
Overall, it functions very capably being driven with a computer as a transport.
The blue
frontpanel display matches the iconic meters perfectly
The main problem here is the speakers; they’re good but
they’re not as special as the main unit, by a fair way. Which is why the
company has made serious provision for headphones, that and the fact those
living in space-limited places may rely on them. Via Philips Fidelio X1s, it’s
a satisfying sounding product giving one great insight into the music. What it
can’t do is give the clarity power precision and grip of a full-sized system
costing a similar amount of money; still the McIntosh covers its tracks well
and is never less than a pleasing partner to play music on.
Conclusion
The McIntosh MXA70 is a lovely system alright, one that’s
very hard to dislike. Any concerns that the company has done a cynical ‘cash-in
job’ to leverage its brand should be abandoned here; the unit is a solid and
conscientious product with oodles of high-end charm. Still, it is not going to
get you replacing your main system, I suspect. It’s a fine small system, but
isn’t wondrous in any sonic sense. Indeed its problem is that there are several
very good, and substantially cheaper one-box systems on sale that match or even
better it for sonics. That’s why, if you want style and/or the kudos of the
brand, you should seriously consider this dinky diamond, but don’t expect it to
give the ultimate sound-per-pound, because it doesn’t. Part of what you’re
paying for is the cachet of owning a real genuine McIntosh product, and for
many that will suffice.
A very charming,
characterful one-box system, but it will cost you
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Details
·
Product: McIntosh MXA70 ·
Origin: USA ·
Type: Integrated audio system ·
Weight: 23.2kg ·
Dimensions (WxHxD): 559 x 276 x 457mm ·
Features: Claimed power output: 50W per channel into 8ohms; 4x
digital inputs: optical; coaxial; USB; AES/EBU; 2x analogue inputs; RCA and
XLR ·
For: Lovely styling; great build; fun sound ·
Against: Lacks scale and insight; expensive ·
Verdict: Charming, characterful one-box system, but it will
cost you!
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