McIntosh MA352 Integrated amplifier REVIEW: Is HYBRID the HiFi Answer
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- čas přidán 3. 08. 2024
- In this video I am reviewing the McIntosh MA352 Hybrid Integrated HiFi Amplifier. Being a hybrid it used a Tube preamplifier with a Solid State power amplification combined into one amplifier. It also features a Moving Magnet phono stage
In the review I mention my review of the McIntosh MA9500 see here • FORMIDABLE McIntosh MA...
I compared the MA352 to Galion TS120 SE review here • DID NOT BELIEVE IT Gal...
I compared the MA352 to the Leema Acoustics Tucana II Anniversary review here • A HIGH END Amplifier! ...
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#mcintosh #amplifier #hifi @mcintoshlabs
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Chapters
0:00 Intro
1:36 MA352
4:35 Sound Quality
11:35 Vinyl
12:40 Comparisons
14:46 Conclusions
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The HiFi System seen in this video
Acoustic Treatments from GIK Acoustics gikacoustics.co.uk/ref/9/
Music Source Custom Built Audio PC featuring products from JCAT XE USB Card, Optimo 3 Duo Linear Power Supply, Signature Cables USB and SATA, Net Femto Network Card, JCAT Grounding Cable
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I’ve got a thing about McIntosh amps, I adore their design bridging very classic with modern touches, and I’m a huge tube fan. The MA252 is likely my forever amp bit lower down the spectrum. But I really connected with your description of the sound, this is where tubes are so much fun.
Always hard to transfer audio experience into words but this was a good attempt and it gave me a good impression of how it sounds. Tx a lot.
Congrats! I like this review very much. I feel the passion you have for this amplifier. By the way, I also love the elegant design of McIntosh's equipment.❤
Fantastic review indeed - much appreciated.
I will definately look into changing the tubes as well.
I was originally going to order the MA252 but after watching more reviews such as this one, I decided it will be better to buy once and cry once so I switched my order to the MA352 - should have it hopefully next week 🤘This will be an entirely new journey for me as I've only ever used the typical AV receiver amplifiers all my life. Thanks for the informative review!
I have both and you wouldn't have gone wrong with either.
@@frankmchugh9436 which is one is better for high efficiency speakers? Like Klipsch Cornwall?
I believe you made the right choice. It's a lot more power and a lot more features. How did it sound sir?
@@frankmchugh9436 same here but yeah the 352 is a really nice step up especially in power. It's also a much more impressive 'statement piece' with the classic meters and EQ, just makes you much prouder as an owner.
Thoughts on the upgrade?
Thanks Terry. Another great balanced review. Cheers👍
Great vid. Thanks for another wonderful & fun intro to this product.
Finally an audio reviewer with decent video audio quality.
Have just subscribed as I enjoy your delivery style
I have one of these MA352 units driving a pair of Dynaudio Confidence 20 speakers. The sound is phenomenal and punches above the (almost) 20k cost of the amp and speakers. The comments about the controlled yet bouncy bass and the width and depth of the soundstage are spot-on. This setup plays simple jazz and big stadium rockers with equal effortless aplomb. The MA352 replaced my Naim amplification which sounded very two-dimensional and frenetic in comparison.
Thanks Terry! Great review. Only wish you had put it with a few other speakers.Great work as always. Cheers.
I enjoyed and appreciated the review. Personally a big fan of Mac. I’m a senior and this brand was what most guys my age in the US thought was unattainable when we were young. Now, I’m a vintage McIntosh owner. 2 pre/2 amps. 1 autoformer, 1 not. The autoformer amps of the 70/80s were def warmer than the more modern units. The non autoformer amp I have is a bit more neutral.
The production qualities on your video are really top notch, loved the opening sequence with the tubes.
Enjoyed the review!
Thanks very much
I've had my MA352 about 18 months now, having upgraded from the MA5200. Funnily enough, I have exactly the same digital source as you, M-scaler/Hugo TT2 and I completely agree with your observations. It manages to be both powerful and controlled, without any hint of harshness, It can certainly rock, if you want it to as well. As to whether or not I'd consider it , my "forever amp". Well the answer would definitely be "yes" if you spoke to my wife, but based on my positive experience with this amp, I have a hankering to try out it's bigger brother, the MA12000. There is just the small matter of the £18,500 price tag!
I've had my MA352 & a SonusFarber Sonettos for 2 years. Most of that time, I have listened to my recordings "flat". Recently began adjusting the frequency controls - totally new listening experience. I'm able to "dial up" the revelation of different instruments and/or vocals. Loving this additional dimension to my listening experience.
Hi, richardstaples75. what Sonetto's do you have? I have 5's and I am considering this amp. Thanks
Excellent review thank you. I'm enjoying mine:)
Another fantastic review. I'm hoping you get your hands on the MA 12000 at some point to review as well.
great review
I've been living with the MA352 for 2 yrs now and love it. I was going to get a 252 until I realized that the MA352 offered: capacitance adjustment for the phono, EQ (which I have turned off), and more power (Headroom).
And then I discovered that OUTPUT 2 was full range output and not just a subwoofer output. This was my undoing.
I added an MC275 MKVI to output 2 and love the results.
I'm running a pair of JBL Classic L-100s on output 1 and a pair of Klipsch Forte IIs (modified) off the MC276
A Niles speaker controller allows me to balance the speaker levels
The sound is exquisite
Like a campsite fire I could enjoy looking at this all day long.......and it plays music.
Great review
Thank you
Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. My tastes have recently changed in relationship to bass response. I went from preferring a round & chewy
(tube amp) sound to a more punchy & fast sound. I purchased a used McIntosh MC152 Power Amp to mate with my MC-49 Preamplifier. I think this will be a nice marriage of 2 similar audio components.
The bass will be faster than the McIntosh Hybrid Tube Amp but still have some bounce & character to it. It probably won't be quite as smooth as their hybrid tube amp but it's still will probably be a quite pleasing sounding combination of amplifiers. I think the sound might be more akin to a 4% French Creamy Vanilla Ice Cream and not a
diet/0%fat
Vanilla. lol.
I love the PrimaLuna Tube Amp sound. I'm thinking down the road, of adding 1 of their little Tube Preamps. I'll attach both my tube and solid state preamplifiers to a nice quality switching box & switch between them depending on my mood. That way I can eat 2 different flavors of ice-cream in 1 sitting if I want to. lol.
Thanks again for posting these informative & fun videos. I appreciate them & really learning a lot from them.
Kind Regards
From New England,
-David-
No strawberries or vanilla here, only the finest Terry's chocolate of a review! Delicious!
Hahaha :)
Hi Terry, nice review. I would like to understand more about tubes to replace the originals in this great amp, and how they can get different way to change the sound, thanks in advance for your help
I have the poor man's version…McIntosh MC152 Power Amp (w/autoformers) driven by the Schiit Freya + (w/NOS Tubes and upgraded capacitors and resistors in the tube stage). I prefer the looks of my combo, too! The Mac power amp has a simple clean esthetic without all the 70's style knobs. I am getting GREAT nuanced POWERFUL sound..and my Schiit Loki Max is inline to adjust for bad recordings!
Great review Terri …McIntosh gets overlooked a lot these days. Would love to have a listen of this amp!
Excellent vid
Thanks man
I used my Oxford dictionary to decode all of adjectives you use to describe this amplifier 😅😅😅😅
Haha that is the first time anyone has ever said that about my vocabulary - great banter
The McIntosh ma352 is a gorgeous sounding and looking beast,worth every penny,paired with klipsch RF7111 and JL subs
Just upgraded from the 252. Amazing amp
Thank you Terry another top notch review. I love the design of this as a hybrid amp, wouldn't work as a solid state though.
That was a great review. The value of the equalizer cannot be overstated and it’s even a bit odd how Mcintosh is pretty much the only in the world that even offers it. Play an older song that wasn’t recorded very well, add some bass, brighten it up with some treble, close your eyes and you’re in bliss. Newer recordings, simply turn off the EQ with your remote for pure clarity. I LOVE my MA352 with walnut Sonus Faber Sonetto 3’s. The Serafinos are my dream speakers.
Thank you Brent
Why do you think that Mcintosh is the only company in the world offering EQ?
Exactly! I have the MA12000 and the 8 band equalizer is really good enabling you to tweak the sound to your liking. I'm considering the MEN220 Room Correction by McIntosh to add to my MA12000.
Great review. I have the McIntosh C8 tube preamp and a pair of McIntosh MC830 monoblocks. That were released after the 352. I’m guessing it’s the same hybrid concept.
Yes very much so and probably more so separating the components out :)
What a system... 🤤
I would love to get your take on matching tube preamps with solid state power amps. Shockingly few CZcams videos on the subject other than ultra high end. Pretty please!
I love the look of their hybrid integrateds. I had a 252 which I found a bit underwhelming. Considered moving up to the 352 but in the end decided to go separates and haven’t looked back. Nice review as always.
What is your current separate setup if I may ask ?
Same as here. Where did you go?
@@kevtn8 C22 mark V and 452
I have the 252, and I like it. Changed the tubes this week for matched pair 12ax7 and 12at7 from Harma (I previously typed Mullard, and edited this post to correct) and now i LOVE air! Huge leap in performance compared to the stock tubes.
Interesting and I thought different tubes would be interesting to try here
Got mine from Watford Valves. ECC83-HARMA STR CRYO (Harma Cryo ) GBP 26.00 x 2 = GBP 52.00
ECC81-HARMA STR CRYO (Harma Cryo ) GBP 26.00 x 2 = GBP 52.00
Difference was immediate. Sweeter, tighter, fuller.. and an obvious extension to the soundstage and imaging.
I was planning an upgrade before the year is out, but decided to keep the 252 as a direct result of this upgrade.
Whilst not my main system (that’s in a different room), this system is in the room where my records are kept, and now find myself enjoying it a lot more than previously.
Defo worth a go. Would make an interesting follow up if you get the same results.
@@AnalogueOctober , I’ll never buy anything Russian related again. Especially military. What they’re doing to Ukraine is sickening.
I've changed mine for Golden Lions and sometimes I put back Macintosh back, and change in sound is unbelievable. hard to describe, but if people are likening it with stock tubes, I'm not sure how this is possible :)@@AnalogueOctober
A great description of this amp's sonic character. I have auditioned it a lot, but alas it was not in the cards. Own the 252 though placed in an office system and found pretty much the same. Albeit, that little integrated does not drive things with same authority of the 352. Nonetheless, I find the smoothness that this series of McIntosh amplification to be really appealing. Hopefully, a review of the C8 with 830 will be explored in the future. Being entry level there is just not a lot of information out there on these things.
As always, a great review. Can you give some insight as to how this compares to the MA9500?
I would need both here at the same time sorry I didnt have that
The MA9500 is solid-state in both pre-amp and amp sections.
@@PursuitPerfectSystem thought from your experience with each recently, you could give some insight in the differences in sound. Thanks
Would this be a good match with Paradigm Persona’s? Considering this and the Anthem Integrated.
this is the best review of this Amp i have ever seen . thank you. i love the look of it. yet i have not auditioned it yet.
excuse my ignorance. i'm a rookie , and trying to learn as i go. my questions is: can you hook up a DAC and a Streamer to the MA 352 . ? THANK YOU
You would have to hook up a music source and dac if its a digital source to this mac, its just an integrated amplifier.
@@PursuitPerfectSystem thank you for your swift reply.
A true price comparison would be the luxman 509x, what would you prefer terry?
Mcintosh 352 or hegel 390 whitch one for B&w 702s2 speakers is better match ? Or maybe different Mcintosh ...8950 ?
Nice review Terry
I think the amp looks very good , shame your not local to me as I’ve got a pathos Inpol heritage at the mo. (bit better than the m33😂)
Would be nice to compare the two on those lovely speakers.
Hope your doing well .
Nath.
Nice amp
@@PursuitPerfectSystem yeh it’s just a bit too big , and heavy to move around. 58kg . Have you heard the new Colter Wall album .
I love it , would have never even heard of him if you didn’t mention him .
58KG is enourmous - I didnt know there was a new Colter Wall album but I am going to have to get it on vinyl of course :)
Did you drop the review sample? The front/top lid is bent... or is this regular McIntosh quality?
Well spotted, this is a demo unit that has had a life before it came to me :)
I’m lured in by full tube amps
Compare with Luxman? Rhetorical question…
I think all systems need a tube somewhere. They add depth of sound stage and musicality.
I also chose a hybrid integrated amp but it's a solid state pre and tube power from KR Audio.
I chose this direction from experience. It's hard to find good NOS tubes and there's a lot more power ones out there than the smaller ones.
How does it perform at low volume?
I've never heard the MA352. I wonder how it is similar and different from the MC152 solid state Power Amplifier? The 352 doesn't have autoformers output stage technology...the 152 does. Since my speakers are relatively inefficient, perhaps the MC152 is a better choice. I have an entry level Mc preamp..so together, these Mc amps sound smooth and pleasant..
kind of tube-like in their sound. Any ideas.
which brand is the hifi rack?
This review begs the question of how the well the MA12000 performs (McIntosh's top of the line hybrid integrated power amp). Most other reviews have said that the MA12000 blows the 352 out of the water and that the 12000 is the pinnacle of hybrid integrated amp design.
I've had the MA12000 for 6 months now and I can tell you it's incredible! The tone controls work great. I heard the 252 and 12000 side by side and the 12000 is a totally different animal - more musical, bigger sound stage, a lot clearer and detailed.
Would you characterize the bass response as musical and clearly defined..fast?
Clearly defined yes, fast not really, it has more of a thick and chewy bass thats more rounded and pleasing, the non hybrids have a more dry sound which would give you a "faster" sounding to some degree.
Terry throwing around the term ‘vanilla’ he obviously never heard Jackie Deshannon’s & Van Morrison’s ‘Vanilla O’lay’ (Vanilla Au lait).
Bad to the bone. Great review man.
Vanilla sounds like it would go good with my Heresy Iv or some other lively speaker
ma352 mc intosh ou cs 150 cayin????merci
Seem to be some build quality issues with the assembly on the front corners? The bottom plate and the polished trim above it are both bent.
Is a demo unit that had a life before it came to me so likely happened in that time but I didnt do if
Interesting review Terry. I compared this to both the Pathos Logos hybrid, and the Accuphase e280 and e800 all with Focal Scala Utopia's. For me the Pathos gave everything this amp did for half the price. The e280 embarrassed it at 2/3 the price and without tubes. I don't understand the love of Macintosh. Maybe I should listen to this with Sonus Fabers
Pathos are beautiful amps, and the build quality is second to none.
@@SpyderTracks 100% agree! Pathos + Sonus Faber = perfection!
Can you review the 252 please. It's a lot cheaper and really 100w is plenty for most people. Even in this video the dial hardly went above 20w.
How much it cost that amplifier sir?
Did you listen to any UK Garage on that beast ?
I didnt its been a while for me since I busted out any speed garage
What is the price
Quirky looking? No, it's a beauty! And sounds as good as it looks.
My amplifier is a new Anthem STR (600 watts / canel in 4 ohms), great spec at nearly 7k$… good base, very precise… but… kind of “fatiguing” to listen, and voices are really pushed… I would like to test this kind of amplifier at home… I do not like to test that kind of equipment in a store (different acoustic, speakers, sources, etc…) 😢
Well, my chance is here. A dealer has one of these available at half off so. here I go spending 7500 Canadian because for that cost, this amp really cannot be beat. Canadian prices for this gear are now outrageous because the exchange rate is horrible. Normally this is 9500 U.S. dollars here plus tax. At 7500 Canadian it's a steal.
love the design but by your description it doesn't sound like my style of sound....really hate too too smooth sound. music needs some degree of energy and excitement to it.
There you go and thats why we have choice - some speakers add the excitement so the amp used with them doesn't want it too.
,In the US its only $7,000.00. In the UK is $11,554.98 , that is ridiculous.
Pro tip... dust tone controls with a soft paint brush and you won't move them.
That is a pro tip thanks
It's a party amp. In the best sense.
I prefer the look of the 252 it's simple shame Macintosh doesn't produce1 at 500 watts
I can imagine it sounds amazing, however I literally would not have the room for this unfortunately…or money hahah
🙋♂️HERE TO SUPPORT YOUR CHANNEL ,NEVER ASPIRED TO OWN MAC…BUT I HAVE NO PROBLEM HAVING FRIENDS WITH ONE ☝️ OR MORE 🤗💚💚💚
Where does the bread go in?
That's one strange looking Mac unit.
3:33 bro I don’t think you can say that
?
8 K? 😂
Looks ridiculous.
New FOSI V3 MONO D CLASS..BYE BYE MAC E MORE MONEY...
Any amplifier that runs off an external smps power brick is not going complete with an amplifier like this, especially with high end demanding speakers the mc is designed to drive
I’ve been around high-end audio for decades. As nice as McIntosh gear is, no one I know considers them audiophile, and I share that opinion. They’re build quality is beyond reproach and their price is generally justified but I could never live with any of their gear, with the possible exception of their classic tube gear. As always, everyone has an opinion.
I can see why some people think that but it doesnt get much more audiophile sounding than this amp - thats who this amps sound character is totally aimed at
Been a Mac fan for decades, but I have say this is about the ugliest amp they've put out
Overpriced...
generic like most MCs....
This one is not generic, there is some character here.
It's really ugly, it looks like nothing.