What Hi-Fi? Verdict
A cheap preamp, but beset with a multitude of sonic flaws
Pros
- +
Low price
- +
colourful power meters
- +
relatively open sound
Cons
- -
Dynamically deficient
- -
messy presentation
- -
lack of finesse and resolution
Why you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. Find out more about how we test.
There’s something quite traditional and ‘hi-fi’ about owning a preamp/power amp combination.
And, French company Advance Acoustic gives you the chance for relatively little money in the shape of the MPP202/MAA402 pair.
We’re a sucker for power-level meters, and those equipped on the MAA402 emit a subtle blue glow, each one pierced by a bright red needle.
It’s satisfying seeing them bobbing away to a beat.
A severe lack of finesse
Unfortunately, there’s something deeply unsatisfying about the sound.
To be fair, you’re greeted with nice spaciousness – but within that space there’s little order given to instrument and vocal placement.
Tunes are tainted with coarseness and a serious lack of refinement; music sounds flat and dynamically deficient, and it isn’t long before the amp loses your attention.
The preamp’s Boost EQ button provides a subtle boost to low frequencies for standmount speakers, but it doesn’t improve on the overall quality of sound.
