McIntosh MA252

McIntosh MA252: used price, specs, and what to check before you buy

By HiFi Registry Staff · Published November 1, 2026

In short: The MA252 is McIntosh's first hybrid integrated amplifier: a 12AX7A and 12AT7 tube preamp stage feeding a 100 watt per channel solid-state output, in a compact chrome chassis styled after the MC275. It launched in November 2017 at $3,500, and the US list price has climbed in steps to $5,000. Used examples in the US have recently been asking $3,900 to $4,300 on the open market, with dealer-certified units selling at $3,499 to $4,199 depending on when they were sold. HiFi Registry's recorded sales for this model are in the table further down the page. Prices checked November 1, 2026.

Versions and years

There is one MA252. McIntosh has not issued a Mk II or a revision with a new model number, and every unit shares the same circuit, tube complement and feature set. What has changed is the price.

Shipping began in November 2017, so the earliest units are 2017 builds. Recent pre-owned units have carried AGA-prefix serial numbers.

The MA252 was joined in September 2019 by the MA352, a larger hybrid with the same 12AX7A and 12AT7 preamp tubes, 200 watts into 8 ohms (320 into 4), blue wattmeters, two balanced inputs, a five-band tone control and a headphone crossfeed circuit, at $6,500 when announced. The MA352 is the bigger sibling, not a replacement; both remain in the current line.

Specs that matter

• 100 watts per channel into 8 ohms, 160 watts into 4 ohms, both channels driven, 20 Hz to 20 kHz. Australian Hi-Fi measured 130 watts into 8 ohms and 209 into 4 ohms at 1 kHz
• Preamp stage: two 12AX7A and two 12AT7 tubes. Output stage: direct-coupled solid state
• Inputs: one balanced XLR, two unbalanced RCA, one moving magnet phono with fixed loading. All analog, no digital inputs, no MC phono
• Outputs: one pair of speaker terminals, one mono subwoofer output, 1/4 inch High Drive headphone jack
• Bass and treble controls with bypass, input level matching up to 12 dB in 0.5 dB steps, input naming and assignment
• Power Guard clipping protection and Sentry Monitor, carried over from McIntosh's larger amplifiers; no output meters
• One Power Control output, one data port, no RS232
• Dynamic headroom 1.8 dB, THD 0.03 percent, signal-to-noise 97 dB high level and 80 dB phono, damping factor above 200 into 8 ohms
• Polished stainless steel chassis, 12 x 7 5/8 x 16 1/2 inches, 28 lb
• US list: $5,000 at authorized dealers (November 2026)
• Warranty: 3 years, limited to the original owner, void on units bought from anyone other than an authorized McIntosh dealer. Tubes are covered for 90 days

Used prices

HiFi Registry's recorded sales for the MA252 are in the table below this guide. What the wider market shows, as of this writing:

• Open market asking prices, US: $3,900 to $4,300 for complete examples with box and remote, going by eBay US listings from the last two months. Overseas asks run higher in dollar terms (UK listings convert to $4,500 to $5,500) and are not comparable for a US buyer because the amp ships as a 120 volt unit.
• Dealer-certified pre-owned: The Music Room sold a two-owner unit at $4,199 against the current $5,000 list, and earlier a one-owner unit at $3,499 when list was $4,500. Both carried a cosmetic rating of 8 out of 10 for light marks on the chrome.
• Aggregated: StereoNET Radar put the median of its tracked listings over the previous 28 weeks at roughly $4,000 to $4,450, down 8 percent, across a mix of US and overseas asks.

Put together, a clean US MA252 trades at roughly 70 to 85 percent of the $5,000 list, close to the retention the MC275 shows. The list price increases help: an amp bought new at $3,500 in 2018 can sell today for more than its owner paid. The range here rests on a thin set of sold data points plus asking prices, so lean on recorded sales where you can.

What to check before buying

1. Tube condition and hours. The four small-signal tubes are the only consumables. Factory tubes are standard 12AX7A and 12AT7 types and a replacement set is inexpensive, but ask whether they are original. The amp displays a "Tube Warmup" message at power-up; that is normal, not a fault.
2. Chrome. The polished stainless top and the tube cages show scratches and fingerprints readily, and most pre-owned units are marked down a cosmetic grade for faint abrasions. Ask for photos under direct light.
3. Power Guard and Sentry Monitor behavior. Power Guard lights when the amp is near clipping. If the seller reports it lighting at modest volume into ordinary speakers, something is wrong upstream or in the amp.
4. Phono stage noise. The MM input has fixed loading and a rated 80 dB signal-to-noise. Listen at a normal gain setting with the arm resting; hum points to grounding, hiss beyond the ordinary points to a tube.
5. Speaker terminals. Reviewers noted the binding posts feel rough when turned. Confirm they tighten fully and the included binding post tool is present.
6. Remote and accessories. Remote, power cord, manual and the factory carton. Missing packaging matters on a 37 lb shipping weight.
7. Speaker match. Hi-Fi News found the amp ran out of steam sooner than other 100 watt designs with difficult speakers in a large room. For low-sensitivity or low-impedance loads, consider the MA352 instead.
8. Warranty. A unit under 3 years old from an authorized dealer is covered for the original owner only. It does not transfer, and the warranty is void on units sold by non-authorized dealers regardless of age.

Who it is for, and what else to consider

The MA252 suits a one-box system where the buyer wants McIntosh styling and a tube front end without the heat, weight or retubing cost of a full tube amplifier. Reviewers agree on the character: warm and liquid through the midrange, solid-state grip in the bass, best at moderate volume with easy to average speaker loads. It has no DAC and no streaming, so plan on an external source.

If you want more power, more inputs and meters, the MA352 doubles the output in the same hybrid format. If you want a conventional McIntosh integrated with a digital module and meters, the MA5300 is the solid-state alternative at similar money. If the attraction is the tube stage itself, the C8 tube preamp paired with a small McIntosh power amp gives a two-box route at higher cost and twice the shelf space.

Frequently asked questions

What is a used McIntosh MA252 worth? Recent US asking prices run $3,900 to $4,300, and dealer-certified units have sold between $3,499 and $4,199. See the recorded sales table for what has actually changed hands on HiFi Registry.

Is the MA252 a tube amplifier? Partly. The preamp stage uses two 12AX7A and two 12AT7 tubes; the 100 watt output stage is solid state. McIntosh calls the layout Hybrid Drive.

Does the MA252 have a phono input? Yes, one moving magnet input with fixed loading. It does not support moving coil cartridges without an external step-up or phono stage.

Does the MA252 have a headphone output or a DAC? It has a 1/4 inch High Drive headphone jack. It has no digital inputs and no DAC; the design is all analog.

What is the difference between the MA252 and MA352? The MA352 is the larger sibling: 200 watts per channel instead of 100, two balanced inputs instead of one, blue wattmeters, a five-band tone control and a headphone crossfeed circuit. Both use the same tube complement in the preamp.

Does the McIntosh warranty transfer to a second owner? No. The 3 year warranty is limited to the original owner and applies only to units bought from an authorized McIntosh dealer.

Is the MA252 still made? Yes. It has been in production since late 2017 and lists at $5,000 in the US as of November 2026.

Related

• A Buyer's Guide to McIntosh
• McIntosh comps: MA352, MA5300, MC275, C8
• Live McIntosh listings on HiFi Registry
• Sell your MA252 on HiFi Registry, $25 flat, no commission

Written by HiFi Registry Staff. Not a review: HiFi Registry has not owned or auditioned this unit unless the text says so. Price ranges describe open-market sales and dealer asking prices observed on the review date and are not offers to buy or sell. How we research these guides