McIntosh MA7000 or MC252?

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

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.

Thank you so much!
All the best.

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

The MA7000 and the MC252 both have autoformers in their output stage. Both are rated @ 250W/channel. The amplifier section of the 7000 has several improvements over the 252, including improved layout and more power supply capacitance. My system includes the 7000 and I feel it exceeds the 252,levinson 383,and Sim Audio I7. I have owned or listened to these pieces extensively before purchasing the 7000. The 7000 has an extended top end that is detailed, very smooth and easy to listen too. Soundstage and power reserve were also better than the others. The five band EQ is a great addition and does not degrade sound quality and can be bypassed.

In this review they say the sound quality of the 7000 is better than the 252 due circut layout. No idea if thats true or not.
http://www.sonicflare.com/archives/mcintosh-laboratory-ma7000-integrated-amp-review.php

Just to get this straight, all McIntosh MC 252 solid state amplifier contains Output Autoformers.

Thanks for your responses.
Best regards.

I am not sure but I seem to remember that the MA7000 has the output autoformers and the MC252 may not. This seems to be a love them or hate them topic in past discussion topics.

Tubeking

That is a tough call but I would lean towards the seprates.
I am using a MC402 with an LS26 and love it. If you can consider the 402 ILO the 252 in favor of the double balnced circuitry that provides a quieter noise floor.
But depending on your choice the 7000 is a beautiful peice too. Either way you will be happy.