McIntosh MP100 Phono Preamplifier

Get More From Your Vinyl Collection

The McIntosh MP100 Phono Preamplifier was McIntosh's first dedicated phono preamp, designed to give both Moving Magnet and Moving Coil cartridges a high-quality path into virtually any audio system.

But the MP100 goes well beyond simply amplifying a turntable signal. With adjustable MM and MC loading, balanced and unbalanced analog outputs, a dedicated Mono mode, and digital outputs that can even be used to archive vinyl to a computer, it's an unusually versatile solution for serious record playback.

Whether you're building a vinyl system from scratch or adding a turntable to an existing stereo or home theater system, the MP100 provides the phono capabilities without requiring an entirely new preamplifier.

Built for Both Moving Magnet and Moving Coil

The MP100 supports both Moving Magnet and Moving Coil cartridges, making it easy to accommodate different turntables and cartridge upgrades over time.

More importantly, McIntosh provides six adjustable loading settings for both MM and MC inputs.

Cartridge loading can have a meaningful effect on frequency response and overall presentation. Rather than locking you into one factory setting, the MP100 allows better matching between the phono stage and your particular cartridge.

That makes it equally useful for someone buying their first serious turntable and an experienced vinyl listener fine-tuning a more advanced analog setup.

Balanced and Unbalanced Analog Outputs

Once the phono signal has been amplified, the MP100 provides both balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA analog outputs.

Balanced connectivity is particularly useful when integrating the MP100 into higher-end systems or installations where longer cable runs may be necessary.

And if you want the signal path to remain completely analog, you can disable and power down the MP100's digital outputs entirely.

That's an important detail. The digital functionality is there when you want it—not permanently inserted into the analog playback path.

A Mono Mode That Actually Matters

Collectors of original mono pressings get another useful feature: a dedicated Mono switch.

When playing a true mono record with a stereo cartridge, combining the channels can help reduce unwanted surface noise while reproducing the record as intended.

It's a relatively simple feature, but exactly the kind of detail that makes the MP100 feel like a component designed by people who actually understand vinyl playback.

Digitize Your Record Collection

Here's where the MP100 becomes particularly unusual for a high-end phono preamplifier.

In addition to its analog outputs, it provides USB, coaxial, and optical digital outputs.

When connected to a computer running appropriate recording software, the USB output allows you to create high-quality digital copies of your records.

Digital output is fixed at 24-bit/96kHz, providing enough resolution to capture the dynamic range of vinyl while keeping resulting file sizes manageable.

The MP100 even includes a clipping indicator. If a particularly loud section of a record causes the recording level to become excessive, you can reduce the digital output level and make a cleaner, distortion-free transfer.

For anyone with rare pressings, out-of-print albums, or a large vinyl collection they would also like available digitally, this can be an extremely useful capability.

An Easy Way to Add Vinyl to an Existing System

The MP100 isn't limited to traditional two-channel systems.

If you already own a preamplifier you love but its phono section is limited—or nonexistent—the MP100 provides an easy upgrade without replacing the rest of the system.

It's also a smart solution for adding a turntable to a home theater system. Instead of purchasing a full stereo preamplifier and duplicating functions already handled by the theater processor, the MP100 can provide the dedicated phono stage the system is missing.

That flexibility makes the MP100 useful in systems ranging from simple turntable setups to elaborate McIntosh installations.

Compact McIntosh Design

At just 3 inches tall, the MP100 brings classic McIntosh styling to a relatively compact chassis.

Its black-glass front panel, illuminated McIntosh logo, aluminum trim, and familiar control layout make it immediately recognizable while allowing it to fit into systems where a full-width component isn't necessary.

The narrow chassis can also be combined with compatible McIntosh components of similar proportions for a cohesive system.

The Grid's Take on the McIntosh MP100

The MP100 makes sense for a much broader group of vinyl listeners than a conventional standalone phono stage.

If all you want is a high-quality analog signal path, you've got MM and MC compatibility, adjustable loading, balanced outputs, and the ability to shut down the digital section entirely.

But if you want more, it's already there.

You can add vinyl to a system without a phono stage, integrate a turntable into a home theater, properly play mono records, or even archive your vinyl collection at 24-bit/96kHz through USB.

We particularly like that none of those extra features get in the way of using the MP100 as a straightforward high-end analog phono preamplifier.

For someone looking for one phono stage that can accommodate different cartridges, different systems, and future upgrades, the MP100 is an exceptionally flexible McIntosh solution.

At The Grid HiFi & Home Theater, we can help match the MP100 with the right turntable and cartridge and configure its loading for your particular analog system.