McIntosh Upgrade
mark090852
Posts: 996
Uh-oh, I wish I hadn't seen this. I might have to upgrade. This looks very interesting! 
https://www.mcintoshlabs.com/products/integrated-amplifiers/MA352
https://www.mcintoshlabs.com/products/integrated-amplifiers/MA352
McIntosh MA252 Integrated Amp, LUMIN D2 Network Music Player, Yamaha Aventage RX-A840 receiver, Emotiva XPA Gen3 2 channel amp, Polk LSiM 703 speakers. Oppo UDP-203 Blu-Ray player, Polk LSiM 705 speakers. Polk Signature S20 speakers.
Comments
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Ok then; before it gets dumped on for it's garish looks and whatever else I'll be the first in the thread to say I like it. Not enough to bring one home but it is unmistakably Mcintosh and won't be confused with anything else.
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motorstereo wrote: »Ok then; before it gets dumped on for it's garish looks and whatever else I'll be the first in the thread to say I like it. Not enough to bring one home but it is unmistakably Mcintosh and won't be confused with anything else.
Love the looks too!Basement: Polk SDA SRS 1.2tl's, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,McIntosh MCD301 CD/SACD player, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2, Series2 Digital Cables, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Series2 XLR's, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, Northstar Designs Intenso DAC, Antique Sound Labs AV8 Monoblocks, Denon UDR-F10 Cassette, Acoustic Technologies Classic FR Speakers, SVS SB12 Plus sub, MIT AVt2 speaker cables, IFI Purifier2, AQ Cinnamon USB cable, Groneberg Quatro Reference IC's
Spare Room: Dayens Ampino Integrated Amp, Tjoeb 99 tube CD player (modified Marantz CD-38), Analysis Plus Oval 9's, Zu Jumpers, AudioEngine B1 Streamer, Klipsch RB-61 v2, SVS PB1000 sub, Blue Jeans RCA IC's, Shunyata Hydra 8 Power Conditioner
Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Rotel RCD-1072 CD player, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
Garage #1: Cambridge Audio 640A Integrated Amp, Project Box-E BT Streamer, Polk Tsi200 Bookies, Douglas Speaker Cables, Shunyata Power Conditioner
Garage #2: Cambridge Audio EVO150 Integrated Amplifier, Polk L200's, Analysis Plus Silver Oval 2 Speaker Cables, IC's TBD. -
Looks fine to me, but I'm not sure I'd go as far as unmistakably McIntosh (FWIW).
Looks like someone grafted a GAS Son of Ampzilla on top of a Mac product -- changed the meter light bulbs, too, of course.
As a (Mac-bashing ) aside -- I do find it wryly amusing that Mac's embraced the cheesy 'tube cage' style of the cheap Chinese amps that started a decade or so ago.
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Oh God, not the Monoprice saga again! Basement: Polk SDA SRS 1.2tl's, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,McIntosh MCD301 CD/SACD player, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2, Series2 Digital Cables, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Series2 XLR's, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, Northstar Designs Intenso DAC, Antique Sound Labs AV8 Monoblocks, Denon UDR-F10 Cassette, Acoustic Technologies Classic FR Speakers, SVS SB12 Plus sub, MIT AVt2 speaker cables, IFI Purifier2, AQ Cinnamon USB cable, Groneberg Quatro Reference IC's
Spare Room: Dayens Ampino Integrated Amp, Tjoeb 99 tube CD player (modified Marantz CD-38), Analysis Plus Oval 9's, Zu Jumpers, AudioEngine B1 Streamer, Klipsch RB-61 v2, SVS PB1000 sub, Blue Jeans RCA IC's, Shunyata Hydra 8 Power Conditioner
Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Rotel RCD-1072 CD player, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
Garage #1: Cambridge Audio 640A Integrated Amp, Project Box-E BT Streamer, Polk Tsi200 Bookies, Douglas Speaker Cables, Shunyata Power Conditioner
Garage #2: Cambridge Audio EVO150 Integrated Amplifier, Polk L200's, Analysis Plus Silver Oval 2 Speaker Cables, IC's TBD. -
Oh God, not the Monoprice saga again!
Exactly; I suppose it's possible that someone with smudged glasses could mistake a VPI tt for a Target tt to. I mean look at the similarities
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Oh God, not the Monoprice saga again!
I wanted to post a photo of an early 2000s Yaqin amp, but (gasp) I couldn't find one online. I'll dig up an old catalog anon -- meanwhile, I knew the Jaycar (etc., etc.) had the cheezy cages. Before Mac -- that, of course being the point.
My work is done here.
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I don't know Doc, I think the tube cages are actually functional... What happens when your kid hits a baseball into your listening room, "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" style? Before tube cages, it shattered all the tubes and messed up the finish of the amp. But now, you crack the tube sockets and mess up the faceplate. Much more likely that it'll still work, plus you don't have to buy new tubes (assuming they don't still break, which they probably will.)
In seriousness, I like it. I don't think I'd own one, but I like it. -
mhardy6647 wrote: »Oh God, not the Monoprice saga again!
I wanted to post a photo of an early 2000s Yaqin amp, but (gasp) I couldn't find one online. I'll dig up an old catalog anon -- meanwhile, I knew the Jaycar (etc., etc.) had the cheezy cages. Before Mac -- that, of course being the point.
My work is done here.
Ok then; here ya go (sorry about the dust)......... a pic of my early 2000s Yaqin integrated sans removable tube cage waiting patiently for cooler weather for a chance to go back to work here.
The only similarities I can spy with my bent glasses between it and a tubed Mac unit is the use of the MC in it's model name, the chrome chassis they both use and possibly the tubes
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mlistens03 wrote: »I don't know Doc, I think the tube cages are actually functional... What happens when your kid hits a baseball into your listening room, "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" style? Before tube cages, it shattered all the tubes and messed up the finish of the amp. But now, you crack the tube sockets and mess up the faceplate. Much more likely that it'll still work, plus you don't have to buy new tubes (assuming they don't still break, which they probably will.)
In seriousness, I like it. I don't think I'd own one, but I like it.
I currently have the MA252 and the wire cages already saved my **** one time. I was leaning over the amp to adjust some wiring for a lamp that is placed on top of the entertainment center. I didn't realize it, but my waist was leaning into the front right tube area and it had bent the cage over several degrees. The tube was not touched, and all I had to do was straighten up the cage and things were right back to normal. So I'm a believer in those cages, on my McIntosh anyway.
McIntosh MA252 Integrated Amp, LUMIN D2 Network Music Player, Yamaha Aventage RX-A840 receiver, Emotiva XPA Gen3 2 channel amp, Polk LSiM 703 speakers. Oppo UDP-203 Blu-Ray player, Polk LSiM 705 speakers. Polk Signature S20 speakers. -
Here is my setup.
McIntosh MA252 Integrated Amp, LUMIN D2 Network Music Player, Yamaha Aventage RX-A840 receiver, Emotiva XPA Gen3 2 channel amp, Polk LSiM 703 speakers. Oppo UDP-203 Blu-Ray player, Polk LSiM 705 speakers. Polk Signature S20 speakers. -
I love the simplicity of that system Mark.
Thanks Derek. The seating positions aren't ideal for listening, but we still enjoy it very much.
McIntosh MA252 Integrated Amp, LUMIN D2 Network Music Player, Yamaha Aventage RX-A840 receiver, Emotiva XPA Gen3 2 channel amp, Polk LSiM 703 speakers. Oppo UDP-203 Blu-Ray player, Polk LSiM 705 speakers. Polk Signature S20 speakers.
