McIntosh MA7000 or MC252?

MA7000. It would be even better if it had the quad-differential topology but it's quite good and has a better amp section than the 252. If you go with the separates proposed, the amp will be the limiting factor. The preamp section is quite good -- not the same as the Audio Research, but quieter and toneful. The top-end grain you hear from the non-quad-diff autoformer integrated amps comes mostly from the power amp sections. The preamp sections alone are quite clean sounding. The MA7000 power amp section has the least top end grain of the Mac autoformer amps that aren't quad-diff. So if you went with the MC252, its greater top-end grain would be imposed on the ARC's preamp sound. Better to get the least grain with the clean and quiet preamp in the MA7000. It's a magnificent integrated amp.

Phil

Thank you so much!
All the best.

I have been living with the MA7000 for a few months now and have had SO MANY systems in the past. Mostly separates but a few integrateds. I am running mine with Sonus faber Guarneri mementos and a Cary 306 Pro CDP. Amazing goose bump sound and the MA7000 KILLS the previous MA2275 I had as well as my previous seperates systems by Cary, ML, etc.

I had a ML 383 and thought it was awful. Anyway, I will never sell this 7000, and it is indeed better sounding than the 2300/252 combo I heard at my dealers.

I was running it with a McIntosh MCD500 but it was a but dark sounding so I changed out to the Cary 306 SACD PRO and it was night and day. My system is now perfect.

Never say never, Stevehuff, as I can see in your items for sale.