Best Amp for McIntosh sys.- MC252, MC402, or MC501

From the 252 on up, to the 602, on the Paradigm 100's each level up surpassed the former. The 602 sounding the best... IMO.

Personally, I could have lived pretty eaisly with the 402... on the 100's. Primarily due to the expense of the speakers. I'd not likely go with the 500 mono's either, again, due to the relationship of amp cost to speaker cost... BUT... if it's all about sound and there is enough $$$ in the till... with having the speakers already on hand and not wanting to exchange them out again, the 402 or larger Mac amps would definitely be worth checking out.

I preffered the 602 over the 500's, myself on those speakers.. Additionally I liked the large Mc floor standers over the Paradigms too with the MC602 even better. L360's I think.

Having more power on tap is not a bad thing more often than not... so there's that too.

Good luck..

I totally agree with Jim. The 252 would work. The 402 would be great and more than enough power. The 602 would be like the 402, but even more. The 501, in my view, would be too much money spent on amps for those speakers,

I would add a question for Golf: do you envision yourself changing speakers in the not-so-distant future? If so, might want to think about which speaker + amp combo you will be shooting for. This combo is arguably the most important part of the system, so better thought of together.

Sorry to complicate things for you!

Go with the MC501 monoblocks. An entirely different level over the 2 channel amps. Much better seperation, imaging, and dynamics.

Of the 2) 2 channel amps listed I would go with the 402. I have one and love it. I had a 352 and really didn't expect much when i bought it I just wanted to get away from the changing of the bulbs. But the 402 is a newer design than the 252 and has a few differences that add to a better sounding amp. One is the newer design power supply, to which accedit the better sound over the 352 I had. And second is the "quad balanced" circuitry also referred to as "dual differntial" in earlier Mc amps. This lowers the noise floor of the amp.

Edpowers

As a mono block devotee I usually would agree with their use, BUT in this case having heard the 500's on the 100's, the sound was simply too tipped up and edgy when the volume was raised.

There are distinct diffs in the sound between the 402 & 602, apart from the obvious better control the bigger amp provides, there was more weight in the tones and voices were more immediate.

I came very close to buying the 602 back then for my BWs. In the end however given $$$, and again, I could have lived very well with that 402. That and the fact the 602 was about my limit for amp hoisting and shifting about... it's well over 140 lbs as I recall... so there's that too.

The 402 is absolutely a very good amp. No question. At this point it's more a matter of degrees now than distinct night and day desparities.

the notes above regarding a possible forthcoming speaker move up should now be addressed and either amp, 402; 602; or monos as well as expense ought be given due consideration before diving on into one of these solutions.