McIntosh MA9000

McIntosh MA9000: used price, DA1 vs DA2, and how it compares with the MA9500

By HiFi Registry Staff · Published November 1, 2026

In short: The MA9000 is a 300 watt per channel solid-state McIntosh integrated amplifier with autoformer outputs, moving magnet and moving coil phono stages, an 8-band tone control, a removable DA1 digital module and a headphone amplifier. McIntosh built it from 2017 to 2022, then replaced it with the MA9500. It launched at $10,500 in the US and finished at $11,000. Dealer certified pre-owned examples have been selling for roughly $8,100 to $9,400. A used MA9500 costs about $1,000 to $1,500 more. HiFi Registry's recorded sales for this model are in the table further down the page. Prices checked November 1, 2026.

Versions and years

There is one MA9000. What varies between units is the digital module inside it.

The MA9000 took over the 300 watt slot from the MA8000 and kept its 8-band tone control. Its sibling the MA8900, announced two months earlier in 2017, is the 200 watt, 5-band version of the same design. Sellers sometimes mix the two up in listings. The MA9000 is the heavier amp with eight tone knobs.

The DA1 is a removable board, which is how McIntosh could offer the DA2 as a retrofit. None of the certified pre-owned units we found named the module in the listing title, and the one with a full description said DA1. Ask before agreeing a price.

Specs that matter

• 300 watts per channel into 2, 4 or 8 ohms through McIntosh Autoformers, rated 20 Hz to 20 kHz
• 0.005 percent maximum THD, 1.8 dB dynamic headroom
• 8 analog line inputs: 2 balanced, 6 unbalanced
• 2 phono inputs: 1 moving coil and 1 moving magnet, both with adjustable loading
• 6 digital inputs on the DA1 module: 2 coaxial, 2 optical, 1 USB, 1 MCT for McIntosh SACD/CD transports
• DA1 DAC: Quad Balanced 8-channel 32-bit. Coaxial and optical to 24-bit/192 kHz; USB to 32-bit/384 kHz PCM, DSD256 and DXD 384 kHz
• 8-band analog tone controls with bypass
• 1/4 inch High Drive headphone output with Headphone Crossfeed Director (HXD), rated for 20 to 600 ohm headphones
• Home Theater PassThru, Power Control, Solid Cinch binding posts
• Power Guard and Sentry Monitor protection, Monogrammed Heatsinks
• 101 lb (45.8 kg) net, 134 lb (60.8 kg) in the carton; 17.5 x 9.4375 x 22 inches including knobs, connectors and cables
• Final US list: $11,000
• Warranty: 3 years from purchase, original owner only, valid only on units bought from an authorized McIntosh dealer

The 22 inch depth includes knobs and rear connectors, which is the number that matters for a rack. At 134 lb in the carton this is a two-person, or palletized, delivery.

What the MA9500 changed

The MA9500 replaced the MA9000 in February 2022. McIntosh's own page and press release list four changes:

• Power supply. Filter capacity was doubled, raising dynamic headroom from 1.8 dB to 2.8 dB. Rated power is unchanged at 300 watts.
• DA2 module as standard. The DA2 keeps the DA1's six inputs and adds an audio-only HDMI ARC input, so a TV can feed the amp directly with remote control over CEC. McIntosh says the DA2's DAC has better dynamic range and THD than the DA1's, and USB DSD support rises from DSD256 to DSD512.
• Upgraded power supply components and audio-grade parts. McIntosh says these further reduce noise. No specifics are given.
• Price. $12,000 at launch, $14,000 at World Wide Stereo and Bjorn's as of November 2026.

Everything else carried over: same 300 watt autoformer output stage, same 10 analog inputs, same 8-band tone control, same headphone amp, same 101 lb chassis. An MA9000 with a dealer-installed DA2 closes most of the digital gap. It does not get the doubled filter capacitance.

Used prices

HiFi Registry's recorded sales for the MA9000 are in the table below this guide. What the wider market shows, as of this writing:

• Dealer certified pre-owned: TMR Audio has sold MA9000s at $8,117 (cosmetic 8/10), $8,199 (9/10), $8,999 (9/10) and $9,404 (8/10). That puts the dealer range at roughly $8,100 to $9,400, or 74 to 85 percent of the $11,000 final list. Three of the four shipped with the remote and factory packaging.
• Private asking prices: we found no US private sale with a published closing price. On HifiShark, Canadian private asks in October and November 2026 ran CA$9,995 to CA$12,000, and German asks ran €7,700 to €9,000. Treat asks as a ceiling, not a comp.
• Against the MA9500: TMR has sold MA9500s at $9,599 (9/10), $9,999 (9/10, two years old) and $10,394 (sealed in factory packaging). The used premium for the successor is about $1,000 to $1,500 at equivalent condition, which buys the DA2, HDMI ARC and the bigger power supply.
• Against the MA8900: the 200 watt sibling has been selling certified pre-owned at roughly $6,000 to $7,000, so the step up to 300 watts and eight tone bands costs about $2,000 used, close to the $3,000 gap in final list prices.
• What moves the number: which digital module is fitted, condition of the glass faceplate and heatsink fins, and whether the factory carton is present.

Read the retention figure against the $10,500 launch price as well as the $11,000 final list; a 2017 unit at $8,500 has lost about $2,000 in nine years.

What to check before buying

1. Which digital module is installed. DA1 is standard; DA2 is a dealer-fitted upgrade. The setup menu shows the module version and firmware. Ask for a photo.
2. USB input. Connect a computer and confirm the amp is recognized and plays.
3. Both phono inputs. Confirm each is quiet at listening level with the input selected and no source playing, and that the loading adjustments work on both.
4. All eight tone controls and the bypass. Sweep each knob with the tone circuit engaged, then confirm bypass removes them from the signal.
5. Headphone jack and HXD. Headphone outputs on integrateds often go unused for years. Test it.
6. Autoformer taps. Check that the 2, 4 and 8 ohm binding posts are all present and undamaged.
7. Faceplate and fins. The black glass front scratches and the Monogrammed Heatsinks are exposed on both sides. Ask for photos under direct light.
8. Protection circuits. Power Guard and Sentry Monitor should let the amp drive a 4 ohm load hard without shutting down. A seller who mentions the amp cutting out is describing a repair, not a quirk.
9. Remote and packaging. At 134 lb in the carton, the factory double box is not optional. A unit without it needs a crate or a pallet.
10. Warranty. The 3 year McIntosh warranty ended on transfer, and production ended in 2022, so no used MA9000 has factory coverage. A unit originally bought outside the authorized dealer network never had any.

Who it is for, and what else to consider

The MA9000 suits someone who wants one McIntosh box with enough power for almost any speaker, full output into 2, 4 or 8 ohms, and who wants to run both vinyl and digital through it. SoundStage! Ultra made it a Reviewers' Choice in 2018, called the build quality "outstanding" and the amp "one of the most complete audio products I've reviewed." What Hi-Fi? in 2020 scored it 5 for features and build but 4 for sound, describing "a smooth, slightly rich presentation that places solidity and ease of listening over outright agility" and listing "not the most transparent" as a con. Both reviewers agreed it is unfatiguing over long sessions. Neither tested the phono stage in depth, and What Hi-Fi? heard a small drop in clarity through it versus the line inputs.

If you want the same amp with the current digital board and bigger power supply, the MA9500 is the direct step up at about $1,000 to $1,500 more used. The MA12000 adds a tube preamp stage at 350 watts for those who want the hybrid sound. To spend less with the same generation, the MA8900 gives up 100 watts and three tone bands for about $2,000 less used, and the MA8950 is the same 200 watt amp with the DA2 fitted. For the older 300 watt design at lower used money, look at the MA8000. The MA7900 is the 200 watt amp from that earlier generation. If you would rather run separates at similar used money, compare a C53 or C2700 with an MC312 or MC462.

Frequently asked questions

What is a used McIntosh MA9000 worth? Dealer certified pre-owned examples have sold between roughly $8,100 and $9,400 as of November 2026, against an $11,000 final US list price. See the recorded sales table for what has actually changed hands on HiFi Registry.

Is the MA9000 discontinued? Yes. McIntosh lists it as a legacy product manufactured from 2017 to 2022. The MA9500 replaced it in February 2022.

What is the difference between the MA9000 and the MA9500? Same 300 watt autoformer amplifier, same analog inputs, same 8-band tone control and headphone amp. The MA9500 doubled the power supply filter capacity (dynamic headroom 2.8 dB versus 1.8 dB), ships with the DA2 module instead of the DA1, adds an HDMI ARC input and DSD512 over USB, and costs $14,000 new.

Can the MA9000 be upgraded to the DA2 module? Yes. McIntosh lists an optional dealer-installed DA2 upgrade for the MA9000. Some used units may already have it; ask the seller which module is fitted.

What is the difference between the MA9000 and the MA8900? Both are from the same 2017 generation with the DA1 module. The MA9000 has 300 watts per channel, an 8-band tone control, two balanced inputs and weighs 101 lb. The MA8900 has 200 watts, a 5-band tone control, one balanced input and weighs 75 lb.

How much power does the MA9000 have? 300 watts per channel into 2, 4 or 8 ohms. The autoformer output delivers the full rating at all three impedances.

Does the McIntosh warranty transfer to a second owner? No. The 3 year warranty covers the original purchaser only, ends on transfer, and is void if the unit was bought from anyone other than an authorized McIntosh dealer.

Related

• A Buyer's Guide to McIntosh
• McIntosh comps: MA8900, MA8950, MA8000, MA12000, MA7900, MC462
• Live McIntosh listings on HiFi Registry
• Sell your MA9000 on HiFi Registry, $25 flat, no commission

Written by HiFi Registry Staff. Not a review: HiFi Registry has not owned or auditioned this unit unless the text says so. Price ranges describe open-market sales and dealer asking prices observed on the review date and are not offers to buy or sell. How we research these guides