Advance Paris A12 v. McIntosh MA352

Always McIntosh :)

Maybe the sound isn’t quite as divine
As amps that cost less and measure just fine.
Maybe the looks aren’t sleek, sharp, or clean -
Not minimal modern, not brushed-silver sheen.

Maybe those blue meters, glowing so bright,
Irritate some when they stare at them late at night.
Maybe the weight is absurdly extreme - 
A workout disguised as an audiophile dream.

Maybe the knobs feel a touch overdone,
Like retro excess from 1971.
Maybe the price makes your wallet retreat…
Yet somehow it still feels impossibly sweet.

Maybe the quirks make the critics all scoff…
But flip that switch once - and good luck turning it off!

Would help greatly to know what you’re using now, what specific improvements you’re looking for, what sound characteristics are most important to you, and what speakers you’re using.  Also, why would you limit yourself to just those two — the meters?

FYI

The Blue meter lights on an  A10 Classic could not turned off or dimmed.

The A12 is probably the same.

John

@vvvvvv6    Post of the year award?

@vvvvvv6 prose is on the nose.