Mcintosh MC352 / 2102

It seems like we were in the same boat. I would recommend you to try out a tube preamp instead of changing out the MC352. I love my MC352, it is absolutely musical (my next upgrade maybe a MC501 or MC602). To get the type of three dimensional, harmonic rich sound that will draw you to the music; I have finally settle down with a BAT VK51SE preamp. I have the Levinson 380S preamp in my system for a few days. Nice but it did what you described, lots of detail but it did not draw me to the music. Then after a few more extended home auditioning of quiet a few other respectable preamps including BAT VK31SE (VK51SE is much better), Spectral DMC-30S (great combo by the way, after listen my friend like it so much he brought a MC602 to replace his existing amp), ARC LS25MKII, ARC Ref2 MKII, VTL 5.5, VTL 7.5, and each reproduce a certain aspect of sound better than the other except the flagship model from the same company is always better than the lower priced model, figure that!. It was a difficult choice for me. Bottom line is it all comes down to personal taste and I picked the BAT VK51SE and I have not regreted it since. Now I listen to music till 2 to 3 am in many many occasion, I felt like I was addicted. Try out a few of these preamps and I think you will find what you are looking for. If you want to take another huge step to further improve your system. Get a Virtual Dynamic Nite power cord and put it in your MC352, it is magical! A huge improvement. Mcintosh Amp love this cable, my friend who now own the MC602 and the Spectral DMC-30s combo has his jaw dropped to the floor when he heard the improvement of his system using this cable. Since then I wire my entire system with the Nite cable and my system is now sounding incredible. It has everything you describled about harmonic richness, three dimensional, and present but now it just has more of it. Good luck with your search, it is a fun journey.

Hagbert: I use Tara Labs Air 1 XLR between my VK51SE and the MC352. Both the Mc352 and VK51SE are true balanced design. I do like the sound better with the balanced connection, the sound was already great using single ended cable (with an adapter) but when I put in the XLR it gave me more of everything, not by much but more and quietier. But like you said cable is so system dependent. It sounds good in one system does not mean it sounds good in the other. When I was auditioning all those preamps I got a hold of a Tara Labs The One XLR cable. It did not like to be in between the Mc352 and VK51SE. All the air, the harmonic went away, the sound stage collapsed. But then I put it in between the ARC Ref2 MKII and the MC352, it did wonders, unbelievable is the word and if I were to buy the ARC I will have to buy that cable too. System matching is the key.