I've heard both the 252 and the 402 going directly into the Mac 201 CD player--never heard the 352 but have read many comments on the similarities between it and the 402.
The 402 had a lusher sound and I heard more music. I was going to do the amp to cd to speaker combo until I heard the pre-amp--it was the cheapest mac pre--maybe the c20 or c22?--hooked up. The listening experience became much more enjoyable, not as lean as the direct combo.
Then I decided that I didn't want all the wires and chassis and expense, so I was back in the integrated camp and in the process became a tube guy, something I had no interest in initially.
The 402 had a lusher sound and I heard more music. I was going to do the amp to cd to speaker combo until I heard the pre-amp--it was the cheapest mac pre--maybe the c20 or c22?--hooked up. The listening experience became much more enjoyable, not as lean as the direct combo.
Then I decided that I didn't want all the wires and chassis and expense, so I was back in the integrated camp and in the process became a tube guy, something I had no interest in initially.