McIntosh MXA60 Desktop System
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McIntosh MXA60 Review – Or Why You Might Want a $7,500 Audio System

ByJohn P.

Heads up: I wrote this in 2011. McIntosh has since discontinued the MXA60 and replaced it with a newer all-in-one system; see Updated for 2026 below for what it costs and what changed.

Most of you know by now that I tend to appreciate some of the finer things in life. I have a habit of picking up exotic cars, I have no problem with a $3,000 set of kitchen knives, and I like to fly first class on occasion.

So, I was a little excited when McIntosh Labs sent over a brand spankin’ new MXA60 bookshelf audio system for review. After all, you can’t exactly run down to Best Buy and pick one up. You’re going to have to locate a dealer and then dish out $7,500 to be one of the few people fortunate enough to own one of these babies.

After hanging on to the MXA60 for a couple of months it managed to make me do something that very, very few products do. Love it.

McIntosh MXA60 Specs

I’m not going to hit you with all of the boring specs on this unit, but I am going to run down my favorites. Here we go:

  • This “bookshelf” system weighs 64 pounds! (80 in the box). It is beefy because of the massive amplifier, heavy duty chassis, thick glass face and generally rock solid construction. It’s built to last a lifetime.
  • The 8 ohm speakers are 2-way with a 4″ mid/base driver and a 3/4″ tweeter. Frequency response is 60-45,000 hz. It also has a subwoofer output so you can plug in a powered sub and really rock the house!!!
  • 0.05% maximum harmonic distortion at any power level from 250 milliwatts to rated power, 20Hz to 20,000Hz.
  • 75 watts into an 8 ohm load is the minimum sine wave continuous average power output, both channels operating.
  • The built in CD player will play SACD, CD, MP3 and WMA.
  • Width is 22 inches (55.88cm), Height is 10-7/8 inches (27.62cm), Depth is 16 inches (40.64cm) including connectors.

McIntosh MXA60 Pictures

If you didn’t see them previously, check out the McIntosh Power Meter desktop wallpaper photos I posted.

And here are a bunch of other random photos I took of the MXA60 in case they amuse you as well.

Updated for 2026: The MXA60’s Successor

McIntosh discontinued the MXA60 and replaced it with the MXA80, the same idea taken further: an integrated amplifier, DAC, and matching bookshelf speakers in one package. It runs a 50-watt-per-channel amp (down from the MXA60’s 75 watts, but with a modern hi-res DAC and digital inputs the MXA60 never had), supports hi-res files up to 32-bit/384kHz plus DSD, and adds USB, optical, and coaxial digital inputs the original didn’t have. UK pricing runs about £7,500 (What Hi-Fi); European pricing runs about €9,764 (Cloney Audio). I couldn’t confirm a firm current US dealer price, so treat “around $7,500 to $8,000” as an estimate, not a quote, and check with a McIntosh dealer before buying.

The bottom line: if the idea of a $7,500 bookshelf system still sounds insane to you, that’s the same reaction I got in 2011. If it doesn’t, the MXA80 is where that money goes now.

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John P.

John P. is a former CEO, former TV Show Host, and the Founder and Wizard behind Texas Metal Works. You can find him on X, Facebook and LinkedIn. Feel free to send shoutouts, insults, and praise.

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7 Comments

  3. My 1974 McIntosh MA-6100 integrated amp is still going strong. Don’t worry about the $7500 – it’ll last you a lifetime.

  5. Damn, I didn’t know that McIntosh was even still around. Vacuum Tubes(old school). The sound is pretty good since I’m listening to it through a wireless speaker called the ”bump” by Aluratek.

    SeeYa’

    1. Don,
      McIntosh is indeed still around. Its obvious you are unaware of what HiFi music reproduction should sound like. Have fun with your “Bump”.
      See Ya’

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