Why do no audio enthusiasts use McIntosh?

A few months ago I was bitten by the Mac bug. It's hard to understand, but as you do some research you start to get pulled in and the next thing you know you want to sell all to build a Mac system and, I don't want to be too negative here, you sound like all the rest of the die hard Mac owners talking of Mac's "over engineering and build quality...".

I believe you can build a Mac system that sounds wonderful, but I don't think Mac has a corner on the market for engineering and build quality, in fact I recently owned a Mac C42 and it is a nice piece, but as far as the smoothness of the controls and their use, IMO, they were not up to the level of the Levinson I used.

So, I suppose the point of my post is to give my point to two views I see.

1) The original poster questioned why there are no audio enthusiests who use Mac, I believe there are. Mac is one of the players in the high-end arena. Like many manufacturers, they have some great products and some maybe not so great.

2) Those that are die hard Mac users, the Mac bug has bitten so hard it has brought blindness! I am talking from experience here. I was reading the comments of those who have used the same amp and pre for 20-30 years and wouldn't change, Mac is so musical, Mac's unique looks, etc. Next thing you know, there is no other brand.

As to the young man that just purchased the MC352 and C42, that was the exact combo I was looking to, and from my research this is a nice setup, enjoy them.

We all could be blessed by buying pieces that we were just so happy with that we didn't want to change them and enjoyed them for 20+ years!

I must not of seen the light, I would take a C5!

BTW, a C5 is not a Mac preamp, but a Vette.

I sure would like to know how Mac got this "Creme de LaCreme" reputation, at least to many. Through the years I have read numerous comments from people that had a life long desire to own Mac gear as they held it in the highest esteem; I sometimes wonder if Mac never changing the essential look of their gear set them apart in some way in the eyes of some.

From my view, no facts here, just opinion, in the early / mid 1970's Mac did make gear that may be considered the "Cream", but certainly through the 1980's and early 1990's I don't see this as the case and far from it. That said, since the late 1990's it seems Mac is building gear that is once again exceptional.

I speculate some of these people heard a system in the 1970's with Mac gear that made a huge impression on them and through the years Mac gear has always stood out to them, as its looks haven't changed much.

To the previous post, sorry to hear the Mac presentation turned you off so bad, but before you abandon them, I recommend you get another (proper) demonstration, it seems to me, as I stated above, Mac is making some very nice gear these days.

LOL!!!

Don't know what your missin' Tim. :)

You know me to well Tim, in fact...