McIntosh MA252 Stereo Integrated Tube Amp

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by glide, Nov 14, 2017.

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  1. glide

    glide Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    NH, USA
  2. vinylkid58

    vinylkid58 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Victoria, B.C.
    Well it's really a solid state amplifier with a tube front end and a MM phono section. What would it be replacing?

    jeff
     
    SandAndGlass likes this.
  3. glide

    glide Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    NH, USA
    Potentially a VPI 299D amp and a McIntosh MP100 phono stage
     
  4. vintage_tube

    vintage_tube Enjoying Life & Music

    Location:
    East Coast
    Actually the manual states the phono accepts signals from an MM or a High Output MC. I haven't heard this as yet -- but should be a fine product. McIntosh's' phono stages in their separate preamps are excellent and reputable. Assume the same trickle down here.

    Not a fan of the tube cages - but removable. Sort of like the little integrated. Has Power Guard and Sentry Monitoring features.

    $3,500 and 100W into 8 ohms and 160w into 4 ohms

    Best Sirs,

    Bob
     
    McLover likes this.
  5. strymeow

    strymeow Forum Resident

    Location:
    central Mass
    Interesting that it has sub out.
     
  6. stuwee

    stuwee Forum Resident

    Location:
    Tucson AZ
    Pretty pricey, I'd invest in s pair of original's with a nice tubed pre with upgrade $$'s!!! I mean go for the best when you hit $3 to $4k, you have the moolah :waiting:

    Sheesh, "The MA252 features our McIntosh Monogrammed Heatsinks™ which are connected to advanced high current output transistors. These transistors eliminate the typical amplifier warm-up" :pineapple:, I want to hear much more about that stuff!

    And where is the big blue meter??!!?
     
  7. Jimmy Mac

    Jimmy Mac Zooropa... better by design

    So if my cartridge was a Dynavector 20x2 low, I would still need my Lehman Black Cube SE II Phono stage?

    Would I get the most out of MA252 by doing so? Or would something like this prefer that I plugged the TT directly into it?
     
  8. DryWhiteToast

    DryWhiteToast Where's my Ativan

    I really am intrigued by this amp as well.
    I don't understand though, how the phonostage is for MM only or HIgh Output MC...What does High Output MC mean?
    Was thinking of getting a Hana MC cartridge for my tt and if this amp can't handle it, then it is kind of wasteful.
    Love the look of it BTW.
     
  9. IanL

    IanL Senior Member

    Location:
    Oneonta, NY USA
    You would need to use your external phono preamp for the low output MC cartridge, OR, you could find an appropriate step-up transformer (SUT) to place between your turntable and the internal phono preamp of the McIntosh.
     
  10. Jimmy Mac

    Jimmy Mac Zooropa... better by design

    You are the reason I'm even looking at this ;-P
     
  11. Wired4Fun

    Wired4Fun Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cary, NC
    I’ve heard it now a few times, and it is a very, very capable little bugger! Was driving huge Klipsch speakers and running an MT-5, and sounded fantastic.

    I’m biased. I love Mac. And you could prolly spend the money better... but I’ll be darned if this little bugger wasn’t impressive!
     
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  12. gss

    gss Forum Resident

    Location:
    New Jersey
    Not too many audio impressions available out there. Has anyone spent good time with this unit? If so, can they compare it to other McIntosh tube gear that they may know?
     
  13. paulewalnutz

    paulewalnutz Forum Resident

    Location:
    NJ
    Hate to derail the thread but what's your opinion of the VPI?
     
  14. glide

    glide Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    NH, USA
    It was a great, solid amp but I wound up selling to put funds toward a MC275 + C2600

    I do wish I could have kept it. I think it was the best product VPI ever put out in terms of price:performance.
     
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  15. avanti1960

    avanti1960 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Chicago metro, USA
    probably not a bad product but Mac blew the styling on this one IMHO- it looks like a stove top. could have been very cool with a traditional Mac face plate. reports are that it sounds solid state and does not respond well to tube rolling.
     
    SandAndGlass likes this.
  16. snorker

    snorker Big Daddy

    Great combination. I've got the same setup. :thumbsup:
     
    glide likes this.
  17. cbucki

    cbucki Forum Resident

    Location:
    Milwaukee, WI
    Have one...I actually got it for the looks.

    I'm really enjoying the sound with the JBLs. This replaced a BAT VK3000se. I had Focal 1028BEs with the BAT; The MA252 did not like them, and had a rough time driving some other choices.

    Then, I tried the JBLs and all was right. No complaints.

    [​IMG]IMG_0847 by , on Flickr
     
  18. LitHum05

    LitHum05 El Disco es Cultura

    Location:
    Virginia
    I can’t wait to try out a Mac one day. The best looks—no one can beat it. But the sound has been described as overly analytical in some posts I’ve read. I want to hear for myself. But I bet synergy between audio gear is huge, maybe especially in this case.
     
  19. Will MacCormac

    Will MacCormac Member

    Location:
    Bangkok
    I've read about 6 reviews of this amp and the only one saying what you are saying is the Upscale audio returned amp review; he's gonna turn his nose up at a hybrid. The others suggested a warm, silky sound, v musical. Not the deepest bass or widest soundstage, or last word in detail, but no slouch either.
    One guy rolled in some GL's and they apparently improved the overall sound. I kind of agree about the look tho, I don't dig the green glow. Any way of turning that off?
     
  20. mitchius

    mitchius Forum Resident

    Location:
    Jamison Pa
    I’m pretty happy with it. It’s located behind and to the left of my left speaker so I’m not looking right at it. I can see where the green leds under the tubes would be distracting if it was centered between the speakers.
    I’ve got everything running through it. Sl-1210gr>sut>phono input. Marantz avp to the balanced inputs, Oppo to unbalanced 1 and stb to the other unbalanced input. I was told by the salesman (who didn’t know what a sut was) that the phono input would work with a low output MC. It worked but it wasn’t great. Lacking everything. With the sut it beat out my pro-ject tube preamp connected to one of the unbalanced inputs.
    I think it produces decent bass with Wharfedale Dentons and my main speakers (AAD 2003) 4 ohm. I’m old and my hearing is so so but Friends tell me it’s impressive. Even I can tell that they’re detailed with a nice sound stage.
    I think they recommend taking it to a dealer to replace the tubes so I don’t see myself rolling even though I have a few sets available.
    I’ll have to fill in my profile page but I keep procrastinating :(
     
  21. Will MacCormac

    Will MacCormac Member

    Location:
    Bangkok
    Thanks for the reply.
    V easy to replace tubes yourself. Tubestore website has plenty of reviews of the tubes used so you narrow down which side of neutral you want.
     
  22. Nephrodoc

    Nephrodoc Forum Resident

    I heard this a few times now, it’s a nice sounding amp. It’s somewhat warm sounding, similar to their integrateds.
    It does not have that tube amp sound.
    Price point is decent given it’s a Mac.
     
  23. andy_0702

    andy_0702 Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Croatia
    i have this amp paired with kef ls50 and i love it...
    i heard many amps with kef ls 50 and i choos this one (i had rega brio-r and listened rega elex and elicit, and some hegel amps (including new rost), etc..)
    Previously i had primaluna classic tube amp paired with kef , also sounded great but lacked power sometimes...
    ma 252 is not so warm like a pure tube amp, but it is not so on bright side like a hegel for instance...
    for me great amp indeed.
     
  24. aakko

    aakko Forum Resident

    Location:
    Finland
    That amp looks hideous.
     
    Wally Swift likes this.
  25. BIGGER Dave

    BIGGER Dave Forum Resident

    I’ve been on the lookout for a used VPI 299D. Although I find it odd that it’s been available for almost three years, only 100 were produced, and yet some retailers (Upscale Audio, ElusiveDisc, etc) still have some in stock.
     
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