McIntosh MA 252 Hybrid Amplifier

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thunderbrick

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Re: McIntosh MA 252 Hybrid Amplifier
« Reply #20 on: 5 Nov 2017, 02:12 am »

You clearly have never listened to a Mac amp before.


Too expensive, Scott.

mjmsound

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Re: McIntosh MA 252 Hybrid Amplifier
« Reply #21 on: 5 Nov 2017, 12:28 pm »
I'm with Scott, they are there when needed, (if the tone controls can be switched out). But Why did Mcintosh make it digitally controlled?  :scratch: The LED's under the tubes should have been red or orange. :lol:

FullRangeMan

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Re: McIntosh MA 252 Hybrid Amplifier
« Reply #22 on: 5 Nov 2017, 03:19 pm »

You clearly have never listened to a Mac amp before.

The use of tone controls is a choice, not a requirement...but go ahead, exclude a BIG chunk of music out there because it sounds like hammered shit on your "Hi-Fi" system. Me, I think I'll crank the bass up a bit or trim the treble a tad with my tone controls so I can enjoy ALL of my music regardless of the recording quality....on my mid-fi rig  :duh:


I though you was a tube man Scott.

Wind Chaser

Re: McIntosh MA 252 Hybrid Amplifier
« Reply #23 on: 5 Nov 2017, 04:37 pm »
I was a tube man, until Class D came along and kicked my tubes ass out the door.  :lol:

FullRangeMan

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Re: McIntosh MA 252 Hybrid Amplifier
« Reply #24 on: 5 Nov 2017, 04:53 pm »
A tube input stage and a CLassD stage would be great.
What is your D amp now?

Wind Chaser

Re: McIntosh MA 252 Hybrid Amplifier
« Reply #25 on: 5 Nov 2017, 05:00 pm »
DAC Cherry Maraschino King mono amps.  :green:

FullRangeMan

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Re: McIntosh MA 252 Hybrid Amplifier
« Reply #26 on: 5 Nov 2017, 05:34 pm »

Scott F.

Re: McIntosh MA 252 Hybrid Amplifier
« Reply #27 on: 6 Nov 2017, 01:03 am »
I though you was a tube man Scott.

I am still. The big Mac system just has a tubed pre. I run a few more vintage systems that are all tubed (HH Scott 299's). No more SETs though. Just got tired of feeding them expensive tubes every year.

FullRangeMan

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Re: McIntosh MA 252 Hybrid Amplifier
« Reply #28 on: 6 Nov 2017, 01:42 am »
Just got tired of feeding them expensive tubes every year.
:thumbdown: No complaint here I run Russian tubes :thumb:

jibzilla

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Re: McIntosh MA 252 Hybrid Amplifier
« Reply #29 on: 4 Jan 2018, 06:43 am »
This is a shame, if this amp need tone controls to sound properly it keep the amp in the Mid-Fi grade, it seems more suited to the Life Style category imo.

Tone controls are essential if your going to get the very best out of your system. Most of them are found in pro audio though. The schiit loki mini makes the Mac tone controls a moot point but to each his own. I run a sony se-p900 that set me back a pretty penny. Would not have it any other way.

catastrofe

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Re: McIntosh MA 252 Hybrid Amplifier
« Reply #30 on: 4 Jan 2018, 11:39 am »



Man, your listening room sure has changed since I last visited!  Very nice!

FullRangeMan

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Re: McIntosh MA 252 Hybrid Amplifier
« Reply #31 on: 4 Jan 2018, 12:32 pm »
Tone controls are essential if your going to get the very best out of your system. Most of them are found in pro audio though. The schiit loki mini makes the Mac tone controls a moot point but to each his own. I run a sony se-p900 that set me back a pretty penny. Would not have it any other way.
Sorry Jibzilla I was not clear, I will try again:
If an amp or pre amp has tone controls or Flectcher-Munsson Loudness in the circuit it is a mid fi equip, due to the disastrous effects these devices cause to the music signal.

An even worse situation would be if an amp needs tone controls to have some audible satisfactory bass or tolerable treble, this means that without tone control this amp linearity is not satisfactory neither to the human ear nor more to a freq chart 20 / 20kHz, obviously the target of  this kind of equip are not hi-fi audio.

The fact that tone controls exist in pro audio equipment are unfortunate and it is not a worthy example of any sound quality, they has tone controls by necessity due the low quality of circuits and speakers used, since guitars, basses and keyboards have all their own tone controls.

The pro-audio amps have tone controls by necessity due the low quality of circuits and speakers, they are not a reference to high-fidelity equipment, quite the contrary, guitar tube amps are designed to produce high distortion for guitarists to be satisfied with the sound, guitarists call this distortion harmonics, bright, tone body etc and these guitars amps have many tone controls as bass, mid, treble, presence, compressor, reverb some bass amps even have an graphic Eq as Hartke HA series.

Scott F.

Re: McIntosh MA 252 Hybrid Amplifier
« Reply #32 on: 4 Jan 2018, 09:05 pm »
Man, your listening room sure has changed since I last visited!  Very nice!

Hiya Bob

Hope retirement is all you planned it to be!

Yep, big changes in the system. It's not near as resolving as the old system but it sure is pleasant to listen to.

fredgarvin

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Re: McIntosh MA 252 Hybrid Amplifier
« Reply #33 on: 4 Jan 2018, 09:36 pm »

You clearly have never listened to a Mac amp before.

The use of tone controls is a choice, not a requirement...but go ahead, exclude a BIG chunk of music out there because it sounds like hammered shit on your "Hi-Fi" system. Me, I think I'll crank the bass up a bit or trim the treble a tad with my tone controls so I can enjoy ALL of my music regardless of the recording quality....on my mid-fi rig  :duh:



You realize you are coloring the sound with all of that chlorophyll placed around your loudspeakers?

jibzilla

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Re: McIntosh MA 252 Hybrid Amplifier
« Reply #34 on: 4 Jan 2018, 11:44 pm »
Sorry Jibzilla I was not clear, I will try again:
If an amp or pre amp has tone controls or Flectcher-Munsson Loudness in the circuit it is a mid fi equip, due to the disastrous effects these devices cause to the music signal.

An even worse situation would be if an amp needs tone controls to have some audible satisfactory bass or tolerable treble, this means that without tone control this amp linearity is not satisfactory neither to the human ear nor more to a freq chart 20 / 20kHz, obviously the target of  this kind of equip are not hi-fi audio.

The fact that tone controls exist in pro audio equipment are unfortunate and it is not a worthy example of any sound quality, they has tone controls by necessity due the low quality of circuits and speakers used, since guitars, basses and keyboards have all their own tone controls.

The pro-audio amps have tone controls by necessity due the low quality of circuits and speakers, they are not a reference to high-fidelity equipment, quite the contrary, guitar tube amps are designed to produce high distortion for guitarists to be satisfied with the sound, guitarists call this distortion harmonics, bright, tone body etc and these guitars amps have many tone controls as bass, mid, treble, presence, compressor, reverb some bass amps even have an graphic Eq as Hartke HA series.

Ah ok. My pre and power amp do not have tone controls. Still I think Mac brings it well enough. I have seen worse is an excuse but it is kinda/mostly true nowadays. For me I like Sansui pre and Technics power.

Bob in St. Louis

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Re: McIntosh MA 252 Hybrid Amplifier
« Reply #35 on: 5 Jan 2018, 01:00 am »
I have tone controls, and I'm not afraid to admit it. The recordings I'm able to listen to have increased since I opened my mind to the thought and idea that all recordings aren't suited to every system, so that a "nudge" here and there improves the overall playback quality and therefor increased the shear amount of music I get to listen to.
After all, I don't seek perfection, I seek happiness and enjoyment. 

JerryM

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Re: McIntosh MA 252 Hybrid Amplifier
« Reply #36 on: 5 Jan 2018, 01:13 am »
... After all, I don't seek perfection, I seek happiness and enjoyment.

Hear, hear!!!   :beer:

Scott F.

Re: McIntosh MA 252 Hybrid Amplifier
« Reply #37 on: 5 Jan 2018, 02:25 am »
Hear, hear!!!   :beer:

Better things, for better listening enjoyment thru tone controls :thumb:


...and like BISL, I've got tone controls and I'm damned sure not afraid to use them....or bypass them, when listening to quality recordings.

Hey FRM. I defy you to listen to Oingo Boingo, Dead Mans Party at (say) 100dB and NOT wish you had tone controls at your disposal. I could list a hundred albums that have a shitty mix where tone controls make them listenable...but unfortunately, you have that clueless, lemming, purist mentality and will never get it. In turn, I hope you enjoy the same twelve albums that you listen to continuously because they sound 'the best' on your system.

FullRangeMan

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Re: McIntosh MA 252 Hybrid Amplifier
« Reply #38 on: 5 Jan 2018, 02:36 am »
Hi Steve I agree tone controls may be addictive, too good my lasts amps dont have it anymore, I have just 1 amp w/tone controls, it was the first one, also I started to buy audio mags with 16yo and fast become a audio purist.

jibzilla

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Re: McIntosh MA 252 Hybrid Amplifier
« Reply #39 on: 5 Jan 2018, 06:01 am »
I have tone controls, and I'm not afraid to admit it. The recordings I'm able to listen to have increased since I opened my mind to the thought and idea that all recordings aren't suited to every system, so that a "nudge" here and there improves the overall playback quality and therefor increased the shear amount of music I get to listen to.
After all, I don't seek perfection, I seek happiness and enjoyment.

That and no speaker is perfect. Even more than that no room is perfect.