McIntosh
McIntosh MA252
$5000
Best Integrated Amplifiers · head-to-head
McIntosh MA252 vs Arcam A15
A sourced, side-by-side comparison. Arcam A15 is cheaper at $1099.95. Every spec and price links to its source.
Arcam
Arcam A15
$1099.95Cheaper
Which is better: the McIntosh MA252 or Arcam A15?
The Arcam A15 wins 1 of the 1 specs we compare head to head; the other wins 0. The Arcam A15 is the cheaper at $1099.95. The Arcam A15 both leads on specs and costs less — the straightforward pick.
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Full spec sheet
✓ marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.
| Spec | McIntosh MA252 | Arcam A15 |
|---|---|---|
| US price | $5000 | $1099.95 |
| Brand | McIntosh | Arcam |
| Released | — | — |
| Power per channel8 ohm (W) | 100 | 80 |
| Power per channel4 ohm (W) | 160 | 120 |
| Amplifier class | tube-hybrid | AB |
| Thd percent | 0.03 | 0.5 |
| Snr (dB) | 97 | 106 |
| Built in dac | No | Yes |
| Phono stage | MM | MM |
| Bluetooth | No | Yes |
| Analog inputs | 3 | 3 |
| Digital inputs | 0 | — |
| Headphone output | Yes | Yes |
| Weight (kg) | 12.7 | 10 |
Sources — McIntosh MA252: mcintoshlabs.com (verified 2026-07-13). Arcam A15: arcam.co.uk (verified 2026-07-13).
What's the difference between the McIntosh MA252 and Arcam A15?
Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (8 of 12). Matching specs are omitted.
- Power per channel8 ohm (W): McIntosh MA252 100 vs Arcam A15 80
- Power per channel4 ohm (W): McIntosh MA252 160 vs Arcam A15 120
- Amplifier class: McIntosh MA252 tube-hybrid vs Arcam A15 AB
- Thd percent: McIntosh MA252 0.03 vs Arcam A15 0.5
- Snr (dB): McIntosh MA252 97 vs Arcam A15 106
- Built in dac: McIntosh MA252 false vs Arcam A15 true
- Bluetooth: McIntosh MA252 false vs Arcam A15 true
- Weight (kg): McIntosh MA252 12.7 vs Arcam A15 10