Taking retro design cues from the legendary McIntosh MC275 Vacuum Tube Amplifier, the MA252 combines the best of vacuum tube and solid-state circuit design to create an amplifier that is both visually and sonically stunning.
The preamplifier stage uses two 12AX7a and two 12AT7 vacuum tubes housed inside stylish protective cages; the output stage is a direct coupled solid-state amplifier that delivers 100 Watts per channel into 8 Ohm speakers or 160 Watts per channel into 4 Ohm speakers.
An all analog design, it comes with 2 unbalanced, 1 balanced and 1 Moving Magnet phono input. All 4 inputs can be given user-friendly names in order to simplify user control. Bass and treble tone controls help fine tune the music to one's personal preferences. A full range subwoofer output is included for use with a powered subwoofer to further enhance low frequencies.
The MA252 features McIntosh Monogrammed Heatsinks™ which are connected to advanced high current output transistors. These transistors eliminate the typical amplifier warm-up time so that the MA252 is in peak operating condition from the moment it is turned on. A powerful control microprocessor is used for smooth system operation, along with some of the latest audio-grade circuit components that deliver the best possible sound.