Although some audiophiles can't understand it, "Look and Feel" of the equipment is important, and MacIntosh has always been the best. And some of the sonics are very good, if not the absolute best. Cost is relatively high, but for some people this is a non-issue.
Why do no audio enthusiasts use McIntosh?
With the exception of some of there tube gear, not many really use this stuff(or admit to it anyway), I am mainly referring to there amps. They look pleasant, they look good on paper and have the price of high end gear, but I seldom hear anyone claiming to like or one day dreaming of owning McIntosh. I have never really listened to there stuff, no good word of mouth sort of scares me away from it, the only people who like it are those who sell it, an uncanny coincidence? I don’t know. Sorry it this has been covered many times in the past, I ran a search and could not find anything.