(October 11, 2023) The modern receiver is loaded to the brim with intelligent sound controls typically packaged within a software suite like Dirac Live or Audyssey. Today's product announcement is turning its back on such Hi-Fi tech, giving owners access to controls routinely found on gear of yesteryear.
The MQ112 Environmental Equalizer is an eight-band graphic EQ with an adjustment range of ±12 dB at predefined frequency bands between 25 Hz and 10 kHz. It also houses a Tilt knob to control the effect of a system's equalization. Not surprisingly, it's a component that's wrapped in McIntosh's famous audio clothes, including a black glass faceplate and an illuminated green logo.
McIntosh's press materials paint a rather romantic picture of the MQ112's old-school capabilities, proclaiming: “Rather than tinkering with room treatments, speaker placement, or even reorganizing the entire room to optimize the acoustics of their sound system, the MQ112 lets enthusiasts fine-tune the mix and balance of frequencies to craft the ideal sonic profile for any listening space — or compensate for the imperfections in vintage recordings for the clearest reproduction of their sound.”
The MQ122 is designed to slot between a preamp and power amplifier, giving owners access to eight bands centered at 25 Hz, 50 Hz, 100 Hz, 200 Hz, 400 Hz, 1 kHz, 3 kHz, and 10 kHz. A "Tilt" control shifts a system's tonal balance by boosting bass or treble ±6 dB across the entire frequency range. And, as a nifty A/B add-on, In and Out modes allow for quick comparisons, with the latter bypassing the EQ circuit so owners can hear the impact of their adjustments.
The back of the unit features Balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA inputs and outputs, and other connection options. McIntosh has also included a second set of outputs that allow the equalizer to run with two stereo systems, two subs, or a bi-amped pair of speakers.
The MQ122 ships this October with a $3,000 price tag.
