Why do some audiophiles beat up McIntosh?


I've been around audio my entire life. I'm 45 and I bought a decent Technics system when I was 12 with my paper route money. Genesis speakers built in New England which were actually pretty darned good. I would spin vinyl every single day to the point it drive my parents crazy. My buddies father had a McIntosh system that I was in love with and he was allowed to play it. It was haunting for me to hear his fathers system.

Fast forward 28 years later and I'm perplexed at the hatred I see posted online about McIntosh. Is it really that bad or is everyone upset that McIntosh is so successful? It doesn't make sense to me that the resale value is the best in the business yet audiophiles bash them. I personally have always loved their gear and sound. I don't own any, and probably never will. Still, I just don't get it. I've always admired McIntosh. Looks aside, I always enjoyed the music. Can someone tell me that they're junk or do you just not like the presentation?
donjr
Hi Roxy54,
To answer your question:
I used to sell a ton of equipment for a friend who owned a audio salon back in the '70's & '80's.
Most of the doctors & lawyers that I dealt with would choose McIntosh equipment (amp/s, pre & tuner) either a Thorens or a Garrard TT, a Tandberg cass or RTR & B&W speakers.
I would get them package quotes, deliver & install @ their homes & then explain in detail how everything worked (usually for 2 hours or so).
Then I would go home & wait for the phone to ring.
Hi Richard - This is Dr. so & so - My wife just came home & I wanted to show her our new stereo system - CAN YOU TELL ME HOW TO TURN IT ON?
FWIW - I made a small fortune back then on the percentage I would receive on discount, the sales tax, delivery & installation.
So to sum it up:
I have heard many McIntosh systems in my lifetime & they really do sound pretty good, but not as good as 95% of the systems that I have had or put together in the past 50 years.
In retrospect:
I think that back then McIntosh was a rich kids toy & highly advertized, so the rich kids that read New Yorker, The New York Times & The Wall Street Journal thought that McIntosh was the best & went for it as only they could afford it - usually sight unseen.
As I stated in my first post: This IS IN MY HUMBLE OPINION & I did not mean to offend anyone!
Guys and gals, I'm not worried about why or why not someone likes Mac gear. I don't own any. I assure you that wasn't the point of my post. If I worried of such things could you imagine how the rest of my life would be? I'd probably have died from stress by now. I'm just curious what the audio community has to say about it.

I'm currently thinking about upgrading my Rogue Cronus Magnum to a SS integrated. The way I am, this could take years. I need to cover my bases and I'd be a fool to rule out McIntosh completely. I'm not willing to start buying and selling without
Sorry. I'm not willing to start buying and selling without researching all brands of integrated amplifiers. Is McItosh worthy of an audition? Well sure it is. At least with my speakers. They all are within reason.
I do own Mc and I still feel that there are better options out there for the money these days...
For me, although Mc sounds good, it's not as liquid and transparent as Krell for example.