McIntosh MX123 AC surround preamplifier black

McIntosh MX123 AC

AV surround preamp

AV surround preamp with 13.2 channels, 8K, Bluetooth, aptX, Dolby® Atmos, Auro-3D®, DTS:X™.

The McIntosh MX123 AV Processor combines the long tradition of uncompromising McIntosh sound quality with the latest home theater technologies for an unmatched luxury home theater experience. The MX123 supports 8K/60Hz and 4K/120Hz resolutions and refresh rates. It can also upscale lower resolutions to 8K for the best possible image quality.

For your home theater video needs, the MX123 features 7 HDMI inputs and 3 HDMI outputs. All HDMI inputs and outputs support HDCP 2.3, Rec. 2020, 4:4:4 color spacing, dynamic lip sync, and 3D video pass-through.

Lifelike and realistic

To create the most lifelike and realistic picture possible, all HDMI ports on the MX123 support a variety of High Dynamic Range formats: HDR (static HDR), dynamic HDR, HDR10+, HLG and Dolby Vision (including low latency). These technologies ensure that every moment of video is displayed with the ideal levels of depth, detail, brightness, contrast and color - scene by scene, frame by frame.

The MX123 is also fully compatible with all leading home theater surround sound and object-based 3D audio formats such as Dolby® Atmos (including Dolby Atmos Height Virtualizer), DTS:X® Pro, Auro-3D®, 360 Reality Audio from Sony, a immersive audio experience utilizing Sony surround technology and MPEG-H Audio. Developed primarily by Fraunhofer IIS, MPEG-H Audio is an ISO open standard and the industry's most advanced audio system for UHD TV and streaming. It supports both immersive sound and the ability for users to customize audio elements to suit their preferences. MPEG-H has been broadcast on all TV networks in South Korea since 2017 under the ATSC 3.0 standard. It was also chosen for new transmission standards to be rolled out in Europe, China and Brazil.

Audio Return Channel (ARC) and Enhanced Audio Return Channel (eARC) features are present on one of the HDMI outputs. ARC allows a compatible TV to send audio data to the audio-video processor via the HDMI cable, eliminating the need for separate audio cables. The more advanced eARC offers greater bandwidth, allowing higher resolution audio formats such as DTS-HD Master Audio™, DTS:X®, Dolby TrueHD and Dolby Atmos to be sent over the HDMI cable.

Improved digital audio processing

The MX123 features improved digital audio processing with 2 additional discrete audio channels. This gives the MX123 13.2 discrete audio channels compared to 11.2 on the previous model. These 13.2 discrete channels are available via both balanced and unbalanced audio outputs for use in a variety of home theater speaker configurations; 2 additional unbalanced outputs offer further connection flexibility. Support for DSD and ALAC playback has been doubled to DSD128 and ALAC 192kHz for better high-resolution audio performance.

Numerous connections

Other connections are: 4 digital audio inputs; 1 balanced and 8 unbalanced analog stereo audio inputs (including 1 dedicated moving magnet phono input for connecting a turntable); one unbalanced 7.1 multi-channel audio input; 3 component and 4 composite video inputs; 1 USB Type A input; 2 unbalanced analog stereo outputs; 2 composite video outputs; and 1 component video output. The MX123 is IMAX® Enhanced compatible. IMAX Enhanced is a set of rigorous performance standards established by IMAX and DTS® to provide a consistent and higher bar for picture and sound performance on premium devices. It uses a sophisticated, advanced algorithm that produces the highest quality and sharpest 4K HDR images. IMAX and DTS are also working with award-winning Hollywood sound mixers to use a special variant of the DTS:X codec technology contained in the MX123 to deliver an IMAX-style sound experience in your home theater.

Music streaming options on the MX123 include Apple® AirPlay 2®, plus Bluetooth® and Spotify® Connect for easy streaming from your mobile devices. AirPlay 2 is Apple technology for controlling home audio systems and speakers in any room - with a touch or a simple question to Siri - directly from an iPhone®, iPad®, HomePod™ or Apple TV®. It offers multi-room audio, Siri voice control and improved playback. TuneIn is also included for more music streaming options - including McIntosh Music. To support wireless streaming performance and reliability, the device offers 2.4/5 GHz dual-band support. An Ethernet port, which allows you to connect to your network via a wired connection, is also included for the best possible music streaming experience.

Audyssey MultEQ® XT32 is included and calibrates the MX123 to your home theater's unique acoustic characteristics, delivering the clearest, most balanced sound possible. Each discrete audio channel has its own high-quality 32-bit digital-to-analog converter (DAC) to achieve the best possible audio quality. Bass and treble controls and a 9-band equalizer provide additional fine-tuning. The MX123 also gives you the flexibility to set up 2 additional zones in your home and send selected audio and/or video to each zone.

The MX123 has received Connects with Control4 certification from Control4®, a global leader in smart home automation solutions. Implementing the Simple Device Discovery Protocol (SDDP), the MX123 can be easily integrated with Control4 automation systems to further enhance the user experience. It has also received Works with Crestron Home certification from Crestron, a global leader in advanced smart home technology. Crestron Home unlocks the full potential of a smart home. It's the complete package for projects of any size, delivering a simpler, smarter user experience for homeowners, remarkably fast configuration and deployment for integrators, and the confidence that comes with renowned, best-in-class Crestron control hardware.

Pairing with Home Theater Amplifiers

The MX123 can be paired with a wide range of home cinema amplifiers such as the MC303, MC255, MC257, MC8207, MI347, MI254 or MI128 and any of our floor, wall or ceiling speakers to create an enviable and enjoyable cinematic experience in your home. Front panel buttons or a comprehensive remote control allow for easy operation of the system.

Typical McIntosh design

The black backlit glass front panel with illuminated logo, control knobs, easy-to-read display and aluminum end caps reflect McIntosh design principles.

Technical specifications

10 HDMI ports: 4K/60Hz; HDCP 2.3; Rec. 2020; 4:4:4 color spacing; Dynamic lip sync
8K/60Hz & 4K/120Hz on 1 HDMI input & 2 HDMI outputs
HDR (static HDR); dynamic HDR; HDR10+; HLG; Dolby Vision
Fast media switching; auto low latency mode; Quick Frame Transport; variable refresh rate
13.2 audio channels; eARC/ARC; Apple AirPlay 2; Bluetooth; Spotify Connect
Dolby Atmos; DTS:X Pro; Auro 3D; IMAX Enhanced; 360 reality audio; MPEG-H Audio
Connects to Control4 certification; works with Crestron Home certification
Audyssey MultEQ XT32

network functions
Wi-Fi dual band 2.4/5GHz, Apple AirPlay 2, Bluetooth, Spotify Connect
Unique crossover frequency, each speaker
Yes

Special features
Rear USB Apple Dock, HDMI standby, Apple AirPlay 2, Bluetooth, Spotify Connect

Weights & Dimensions
Device dimensions (W x H x D)
44.45 cm x 19.37 cm (including feet) x 49.53 cm (including front panel, buttons, back panel connectors and USB drive)
Device weight: 14 kg
Shipping weight: 25 kg