MA352....any love?

[sandman]

Originally Posted by DavidParis

Well, I may have spoken too soon. Strange how this business works. Now at 100 hours the MA352 is nearly unlistenable. Very very bright with little bass. The sound is steely, cold with a massive pyrotechnical display of sibilants on male and female voices. Can't believe what I'm hearing. The MA352 is replacing an Accuphase E480 I had on trial which itself was destined to replace a Naim Supernait 2. That amplifier was very very good with the Sopra 1s.
Incomprehensibly, I checked and verified with numerous dealers and owners, in multiple countries by the way, to ensure that the MA352 would marry well with the Focal Sopras. Everyone agreed in the affirmative. What I'm hearing now is totally unacceptable. It's a bit premature but I've alrezdy rolled some current production GL AX and ATs and they're slightly better than the (probably) rebadged JJs from McIntosh. Worse yet, I also acquired some authentic NOS Telefunken 81 and 83 smooth plates. Still too bright. I will spare you the endless power cord, interconnect and speaker cable changes. Atleast three of each recently to experiment. Not sure what went wrong but I'm in deep trouble now.

Just curious if there was a final outcome to this problem?

[DavidParis]

Originally Posted by sandman

Just curious if there was a final outcome to this problem?

Yes, it's quite strange and very frustrating. At first listen on the Sopra 1s, I thought it was very good and I thought I liked what it was doing with the sound signature. After about 100 hours on it. It has become nearly unlistenable! It is is shrill, thin, metallic with a screaming, screeching treble that would wake up the dead. The midrange is recessed and distant, totally unexpressive. The bass has all but disappeared and when it is there it is loose and flabby. Very poor performance overall. Voices are literally transformed into a litany of sibilance unlike anything I've ever heard. Do you know of any songs without words beginning with S or T? I don't! In fact, this thing has transformed my well-known reference recordings from Steely Dan, Donald Fagen, Pink Floyd, Sade and Deutsche Grammophone classical composers into horrifying calamities of sonic agony. I still have trouble realizing how bad this really is.

So, what did I do? I changed 3 sets of speaker cables, interconnects and power cords. No effect. I rolled a full set of new production Gold Lions to no effect. I the purchased some expensive NOS Telefunkens and got no effect. I changed the source and it did nothing. I then connected some Sonus faber Concertinos and it was the same, all treble and no bass.

Even funnier, I recounted this experience on some McIntosh sites and FB groups looking for advice and suggestions. I was summarily banished as a heretic because I did not proclaim that McIntosh was made by God himself and that it made the very sound of angel's voices singing from on High. It was probably even worse than the Naim forum. It was inconceivable to these people that the MA352 could be considered anything less than a mysterious, magical box that makes heavenly, blissful sound.

I stand firmly by my impressions. The amplifier is overrated, overpriced and underwhelming. It performs poorly and is not musical at all. This is the first amplifier where I hear "confusion" in the musical signal. On complex passages, the thing gets lost, confused and drowns out details of instruments and voices and combines them into an unintelligible mush that really is just noise. Never heard such a demonstration of sonic incompetence in all my years, which are numerous at this stage.

Now I have an ungodly expensive chunk of dorky metal ruining any hope of listening to music. I swear a 50$ Chinese Class D from Aliexpress could do just as well...

[Topkho]

I really think there’s an issue with your MA352. Many many satisfied users out there.

[sandman]

I just picked up my MA-352!
When I get time to set it up I am hoping for a better outcome than the prior posted experience.

[OSAR]

Sandman, how's the MA352 working for you?

[sandman]

I am embarrassed to admit this. it is still sitting sealed in the box. I was reconfiguring my listening room, waiting on wires, some home remodeling projects then the holidays. I know "no excuse". But I hope to be listening by next week!

[eljr]

Originally Posted by JWJW

Anyone here on AA have one and is happy with?
Would love to hear your impressions.
Thx!

No I don't but I regret to this day that I traded in the 252 which I bought when it came out.

I was happy with what I traded up for but I should have never let go of the 252. Point is, I assume the 352 is even more wonderful.

[FreddieFerric]

Originally Posted by sandman

I am embarrassed to admit this. it is still sitting sealed in the box. I was reconfiguring my listening room, waiting on wires, some home remodeling projects then the holidays. I know "no excuse". But I hope to be listening by next week!

Around these parts that's a hanging offense Pard.

[IllinoisCheesehead]

Hi all. I’ve had my MA352 since early November 2021. I would say overall I am pretty happy with it. I did have an experience similar to what DavidParis described above. Right out of the box, it sounded pretty good. Then about 40 hours in, it turned very harsh sounding with sibilance in the treble of anything I listened to. Didn’t matter if it was an analog or digital source. I stuck with it thinking maybe it just needed more time to burn in. At about 80 hours, the harshness went away. It has not returned since. I have no idea if it was the tubes, the amplifier section, or what, but it was a very noticeable transformation.

At this point, I am sort of on the fence as to whether I will keep it, or sell/trade and move up into Mac tube separates. I feel like I’ve gotten a taste of McIntosh with this piece, but now I want more.

I joined this forum in the hopes of getting some advice from those with more experience with McIntosh. Looking for opinions on the best options on what Mac gear to pair with my Martin Logan Impressions.

[DavidParis]

Originally Posted by IllinoisCheesehead

Hi all. I’ve had my MA352 since early November 2021. I would say overall I am pretty happy with it. I did have an experience similar to what DavidParis described above. Right out of the box, it sounded pretty good. Then about 40 hours in, it turned very harsh sounding with sibilance in the treble of anything I listened to. Didn’t matter if it was an analog or digital source. I stuck with it thinking maybe it just needed more time to burn in. At about 80 hours, the harshness went away. It has not returned since. I have no idea if it was the tubes, the amplifier section, or what, but it was a very noticeable transformation.

Hello,
Sorry you weren't absolutely convinced and "blown away", as the meaningless and contrite expression goes, by the MA352. I had high hopes and gave it a full two months. I stopped counting at 150 hours and it never was a bit musical. You can't please everyone I suppose and my idea of good sound will be different to another person's ideal. I have since traded it in, at a loss, to upgrade my older Naim electronics that do indeed correspond to my expectations.

Another thing that literally bothered me to no end was the numerous McIntosh dealers and their sales techniques and spiels. Atleast 10 different dealers in the US, 2 or 3 in the UK and as many here in France all INSISTED that the MA352 would be "perfect, awesome, a match made in heaven" with my current equipment. Each and everyone of them was dead wrong. They're sole preoccupation was to make a sale and move on to the next customer. Get this, NOT ONE DEALER even asked about lmy listening space, my sonic goals and preferences and NOT ONE even asked about the type of music I listen to. Anybody noobie with 5 minutes of experience knows full well that specific music types are better reproduced with certain equipment. For example, the person who listen to opera and 17th century clavecin will not require the same system or amplification as a heavy-metal headbanger. It's just common sense. I have subsequently lost all confidence with dealers, online reviewers, the HiFi press, etc. It's all about $turnover and advertising dollars.
So, the McIntosh definitely wasn't for me but as we know everyone's mileage may vary. Good luck with your quest. Brgds.