The McIntosh MA9500 is a premium, feature‑rich integrated amplifier that blends serious power (300 W per channel via Autoformer™) with modern digital/audio bridging, analog finesse, and top craftsmanship. Whether you’re streaming high‑res files, listening to vinyl, watching TV, or driving challenging speakers, it offers the flexibility, performance and elegance that define high‑end McIntosh gear.

The MA9500 is unmistakably a “flagship integrated amplifier” in every sense: visually, materially, technically and sonically. Its presence comes through not only via the hallmark blue watt meters and polished stainless steel/chrome chassis, but in the way it behaves with music.

Power and Control

With 300 watts per channel into 2, 4 or 8 ohms, the MA9500 brings serious muscle — not just in raw numbers, but in how it handles dynamics. In one review, when playing a track with deep sub‑bass the review noted the amplifier “clung on with real dedication … giving a wonderfully firm underpinning” of what most amps might gloss over.
That suggests this amp doesn’t just drive speakers, it commands them — giving tight control as well as large‑scale dynamics.

Speaker Impedance Flexibility

Thanks to its Autoformer™ output stage, the MA9500 ensures the full rated power is available regardless of whether the speaker is 8 Ω, 4 Ω or even 2 Ω. This means if you have demanding speakers (low impedance, complex loads) the amp is far more forgiving and versatile. 

Digital + Analog Versatility

What stands out is the breadth of connectivity: the MA9500 includes a high performance digital module (the DA2) built in, supporting high resolution via USB, MCT, HDMI ARC, optical/coax, all alongside a full analog section with MM/MC phono inputs and multiple line inputs. 
This means whether your source is vinyl, high‑res streaming, SACD, TV audio, this amplifier is designed to accommodate them all with top‑tier fidelity.

Other McIntosh features included in the MA9500 are:

• Power Guard^® that continuously monitors input and output signals and can dynamically adjust input levels to ensure maximum output while avoiding harsh sounding distortion and clipping that could damage your speakers
• Our fuse-less short-circuit protection technology Sentry Monitor^™ that disengages the output stage before the current can exceed safe operating levels and then resets automatically when operating conditions return to normal
• McIntosh Monogrammed Heatsinks^™ that are made from high quality materials with excellent thermal conductivity and heat dissipation properties
• Home Theater PassThru that allows for seamless integration into a home theater system
• High Drive headphone amplifier with Headphone Crossfeed Director (HXD^®) which can bring an added dimension to headphone listening
• A discrete, eight-band tone control that allows for advanced manual analog adjustment of ±12dB in 2dB increments of your favorite recordings at frequencies of 25Hz, 50Hz, 100Hz, 200Hz, 400Hz, 1kHz, 2.5kHz, and 10kHz
• Power Control to send power on/off signals to connected McIntosh components for easy system power up and shutdown

Key Features & Highlights

• 300 Watts per Channel (into 2, 4 or 8 Ω): The MA9500 uses McIntosh’s Autoformer™ output stage so that the full 300 W is available regardless of speaker impedance.

• Autoformer™ Technology: Guarantees consistent delivery of power across different speaker impedances, maintaining tonal balance and control.

• Massive Input Flexibility: Includes 10 analog inputs (2 balanced, 6 unbalanced, 1 moving‑magnet phono, 1 moving‑coil phono with adjustable loading) plus 7 digital inputs including USB, optical, coaxial, MCT DIN and HDMI ARC. 

• DA2 Digital Audio Module (included): High-quality quad‑balanced 32‑bit DAC supporting up to DSD512 and high‑resolution PCM; the module is upgradeable. 

• Eight‑Band Analog Equalizer: ±12 dB adjustment in 2 dB increments at specified frequencies, giving fine analog tone control. 

• Integrated High‑Drive Headphone Amplifier + HXD®: Built‑in headphone output with McIntosh’s Headphone Crossfeed Director for spatial enhancement on headphones. 

• Home Theater PassThru: For seamless integration of TV or AV system audio into the two‑channel system, via HDMI ARC. 

• High Build Quality & Signature Aesthetics: Black glass front, illuminated blue meters, stainless steel chassis, aluminum end caps and built-in handles—design that’s as much about form as function.

Technical Specifications

• Power Output per Channel: 300 W into 2 Ω, 4 Ω or 8 Ω. 

• Number of Channels: 2 (stereo) 

• Speaker Load Impedance: 2, 4, or 8 Ω 

• Total Harmonic Distortion (THD): 0.005% maximum at 20 Hz‑20 kHz. 

• Dynamic Headroom: ~2.8 dB (improved filter capacity vs previous model). 

• Frequency Response: +0/‑0.5 dB from 20 Hz to 20 kHz; +0/‑3 dB from 10 Hz to 100 kHz. 

• Sensitivity (Phono & Line): MC: ~0.30 mV; MM: ~3.0 mV; High Level Balanced/Unbalanced: ~0.6 V / 0.3 V. 

• Signal‑to‑Noise Ratio (SNR): MC: ~82 dB; MM: ~84 dB; High Level: ~98 dB; Power Amp Input: ~114 dB. 

• Input Impedance: Balanced/Unbalanced ~10k‑22kΩ; phono MC/MM with adjustable loading. 

• Damping Factor: Greater than 40. 

• Dimensions (W × H × D): Approximately 17‑½″ (44.5 cm) × 9‑7/16″ (24.0 cm) × 19‑¾″ (50.2 cm) 

• Weight: ~101 lbs / 45.8 kg net.