McIntosh MX123
McIntosh 13.2-channel audio-video processor, compatible with 4K Ultra HD and HDR, designed for high-end home cinema installations.
Description
The MX123 is an audio-video processor from McIntosh, designed to occupy the central place in a high-end home cinema installation. It receives and processes modern audio and video sources before distributing them to the amplification and screen, ensuring conversion and upscaling of video signals below 4K Ultra HD.
On the audio side, the unit handles 13.2 channels, compared with 11.2 on the previous model, with audio outputs available in balanced and unbalanced versions. Support for high-resolution formats has also progressed, with DSD128 and ALAC playback up to 192 kHz, two improvements that enhance the reproduction of the most demanding audio files.
On the video side, the MX123 offers 7 HDMI inputs and 3 HDMI outputs, all compatible with HDCP 2.2/2.3 with a bandwidth of 18 Gbit/s. This bandwidth allows support for Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG, 4K Ultra HD at 50/60 Hz, 4:4:4 colour spacing, Rec. 2020 and 3D video transmission. One of the HDMI outputs incorporates the eARC function, which allows a higher-resolution audio signal to be received from the television.
Connectivity extends beyond HDMI: 4 digital audio inputs, 1 balanced analogue stereo input and 8 unbalanced ones, including a dedicated MM phono input for connecting a turntable directly. There is also an unbalanced 7.1 multichannel audio input, 3 component video inputs, 4 composite inputs, 1 USB Type A input, 2 unbalanced analogue stereo outputs as well as 2 composite video outputs and 1 component output.
This processor is aimed at home cinema enthusiasts who want to centralise a large number of audio and video sources, including analogue and phono, within a single multichannel installation. Its extensive connectivity makes it a centrepiece suited to setups already equipped with multichannel amplification and dedicated speakers.
What to check before buying used
On a processor as dense as this, the priority is to check that every HDMI input and output correctly passes 4K HDR and eARC, as some ports may degrade before others. The configuration and calibration menus should respond normally, without freezing or unexpected restarts, a frequent sign of a worn motherboard. It is also worth testing recognition of all the sources and multichannel audio outputs listed, as well as the availability of the manufacturer's software updates, since a device of this complexity can become obsolete without them.
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