McIntosh MA-352 Integrated Amp $6500 (200×2)
12.9h, 22.7w, 21.9d, 66 lbs
Just out is this gorgeous hybrid integrated. With 200×2 of solid state power, MA-352 will drive any speaker out there. Yep, it has gorgeous blue meters too!
With a four tube preamp design MA-352 is a full analog piece.
It features two XLR inputs along with MM phono and 3 sets of RCA high level inputs.
It also offers RCA pre outs to drive a different power amp or subwoofer(s).
Further, Ma-352 has a five band EQ to tailor the sound to your taste.
Sweet!
Hegel H-390 Integrated Amp $6000 (250×2)
5.71h, 16.93, 17.32d, 44 lbs
Hegel has just upped its game a notch on its second biggest integrated. Hegel wants to be a one box solution for you. Run your Ethernet cable straight in (don’t even think about wi-fi!) and stream Tidal or whatever service – and call it a day! H-390 even supports MQA on all inputs!
Of course Hegel has appropriate inputs and outputs for far more options.
Analog ins: XLR and 2 RCA. Digital Ins: BNC, Coax, 3 OPT, USB-B, Network
Analog outs: RCA variable & fixed.
But being from Norway, they like a simple solution and this is it.
H-390 delivers a hammerin’ 250×2 with a damping factor of over 4000. That means the grip is tight. Things start, and stop, fast!
The way most people describe the sound of Hegel is to use terms like “immediacy” & “high resolution.”
Hi-Fi Plus: “It had an effortless dynamic range and grip over the loudspeakers we have come to expect with Hegel. I expected the Hegel H390 to be good because of its foundations, but I didn’t expect it to be this good. This has to be one of the best integrated amps money can buy at the moment, and is only really bettered by its bigger brother (H590, 301×2, $11k), unless you spend truly spic amounts of money. Wow!”
GoldenEar Aon 2 $880 Per Pair (12h, 8w, 10d)
Aon 2 is among the most refined small speakers at its price point. Why?
Aon 2 is a 6” 2-way with a ribbon tweeter. Not a bad start. But it goes much further.
For openers, virtually all competitors are in standard rectangular boxes and have ports to try to garner SOME bass. Adding that bit of bass with a port invariably causes the speaker to boom or “chuff.”
Aon 2 does not have parallel side walls. GoldenEar avoids standing waves and its Quadratic Radiators (two 6.5”) extend, as well as TUNE the bass- to avoid a “one note bass.”
Endemic to all GoldenEar speakers is superb imaging. It is uncanny how they can be a mile apart and still present a strong center vocal. Further, there is no more forgiving speaker for being stuffed away where she wants them- that will still present a full wall of sound- while maintaining the imaging we audiophiles crave.
Song Doesn’t Mean What We Thought!
The Beatles’ “Ticket To Ride” was written about a young woman taking a train to see her boyfriend- NOT.
John Lennon claimed the song actually referenced cards indicating a clean bill of health-carried by German “Professional Women” of the 1960s.