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New McIntosh MA252

Wondering if anyone has listened to the new MA252. I have an MA6500 pushing 200 watts into my SF Olympica llls which I think sound great. Question - would the tube preamp on the new MA252 add noticeable warmth, richness, sound stage presence? Thanks. 

128x128teboerio
ladyaudio
1 posts
 
Have had my MA 252 since February (my 50th birthday gift!) As an audiophile with discerning taste I will say that my baby blows most other integrated amps away with its pure clean analogue...to say this little amp with it’s beautiful green glowing tubes is worth every penny and is a beautiful addition to our audio gear is an understatement...nicely paired with Focal 836s, Chord Qutest DAC, Rega p6 with Hana EL cart (using a Rega MC phono but the on board phono stage is terrific....have done some reference testing with MM) and RB 330 arm, Cambridge CXN, lovely Nordost Silver Shadow IC...nice to look at, beautiful sound
hybrid81
32 posts
 
Any other folks have updates here? The MA6500 has been a great amp and I’ve no need to move on from it, but that tube glow is calling to me..
manishe
12 posts
 
I was curious about the MM Phono Input. I currently am running a Hegel amp, Pro-Ject Debut, and new B&W 707 S2's.

I wanted to upgrade my turntable to a Rega P6 with the Ania MC cartridge. But I noticed the MA252 has a MM Phono Preamp.

Should I get a P6 with MM cartridge instead then? Otherwise I have to buy a whole other MC phono preamp. And why didn't McIntosh build this in? I noticed the McIntosh MT2 & MT5 are MC, so you can't even connect those out of the box to the MA252.
cbucki
69 posts
 

"Has anybody compared the 252 to any of the “top dog” solid state integrateds from Mc, such as the MA8900 or 7900 or 8000, etc.?"

I went from an MA252 to a MAC7200(200wpc).

The increase in power really creates a more realistic listening experience, IMO. Bass and drums now have a "weight" to them that I didn't have with my MA252. Also, the three-dimensional imagery is now equal or better.

I loved the MA252. Fantastic piece for the money. MANY recording playbacks were "best-ever-in-room" and previous integrateds include the Bat VK3000se and a Cary 300SEI among others.

I did have a hard time finding a speaker match for the MA252. I did not like Focal 1028BEs (way sharp, probably the be tweeters), and the amp could not drive McIntosh or ATC offerings without a lot of "orange" (clipping) happening. It loved my current speakers, JBL4429 monitors.

Ultimately, if the MA6500 behaves similarly to the MAC7200, you (OP)really won't be in a better world from a warmth, richness, sound stage presence standpoint. But it does look cool!

teboerio's avatar
teboerio OP
30 posts
 
Well, I did it. Bought the MA252 on 12/26/18 at full retail. Saved $500 on the Jan 1, 2019 price hike. 

I’m currently just listening to my Sonus Fabrer Olympica l’s (just moved to a new house and the lll’s are still in boxes in the garage). 

I do have a new old favorite Neil Young album “Live at Massey Hall” recorded circa 1971. This album played through my SONY 300 CD player sounded really,  really good with my just returned refurbished MA6500 straight from Binghamton. (Need plenty of shuffled choices from Beatles to Stones to Tull to Nilsson to Russell to Pink Martini, to classical, jazz, Sinatra, Cole, Martin, Nina Simone and have no patience to change discs constantly.) 

Well - the MA252 grabbed Neil and his guitar out of somewhere in the room and off the stage and set him down right in front of me, couldn’t have been more than 6 feet away. 

The difference in clarity, presence, high frequencies, and bass response with all tone controls set flat is not to be believed. I normally always kept the MA6500 “Loud” button on at low to moderate volume levels to fill out the sound in the room. Absolutely not needed with the MA252. 

Now, I’ll have to wonder if it’s those little tubes or simply 20+ years of newer technology. 

Nevermind, after no more than ten minutes listening to the MA252, I’ll never look back. Look for the refurbished MA6500 for sale on this site soon. 

PS - the new MA252 almost seems a little too bright, too near. I’ll get use to it!

teboerio

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