Review: McIntosh MA252 tube/solid-state integrated amplifier

joeinid

Well-Known Member
https://parttimeaudiophile.com/2018...-ma252-tube-solid-state-integrated-amplifier/


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Thanks for posting that. The price seems attractive and the reviewer seems to like it. I didn't see any mention of autoformers and I'm guessing there's isn't any with it weighing in at only 28lbs? Sadly I didn't see any pre-out jacks either.
 
Sorry, but green tubes? What the ever-loving f***? How is that even a thing? I bet it sounds great, and the price is very reasonable, but I'd be trying to disable that green business asap.
 
It looks like an MC250 with a display glued to the heatsink. The next wave of Mac products will have an MC275 family look.
 
The headphone testing was lame in that review: "McIntosh easily bested the headphone out on my Pioneer Elite and blew away the sound from my iPhone jack." Wow, big deal!
 
My biggest issue is the looks of the unit. I think they should have gone with something similar to a C500 looks wise. Which part is the front? Which way should I turn it? WHY did they think those tube cages looked good?
 
My biggest issue is the looks of the unit. I think they should have gone with something similar to a C500 looks wise. Which part is the front? Which way should I turn it? WHY did they think those tube cages looked good?
The first SS amps, the MC250 and MC2100 looked the way they did to copy the MC240 and 275. It is my understanding that the current MC275 is the largest selling item in the Mac lineup. Maybe the next wave in Mac design is to ditch the meters and glass and make everything look sort of like the 275.

I will agree it is rather odd to put the knobs on one of the long ends. And you need to place it with the knobs out in order to see the display. The unit looks rather deep.
 
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