Mcintosh Question- Looking for feedback

I second tkalali thoughts regarding which speaker you use it with.  I own Klipsh LaScalas circa 1978.  With most every other I own ,several  including tube amps and integrated SS and tube they are dry and squwacky  (a new but accurate descriptor) , but with an old 50 watt SSmac, they sound pretty good.  It is just a symbiotic or synergistic phenomena.  I too think the sound is vague  and rounded in a general way.

Agree with Kalali and mechans, amps and speaks need a coherent match to sound best.  And it would be a luxury for most if we could buy both at the same time to ensure synergy.

I have had Mcintosh 501's SS mono's for 10 years or so and have run them with several speakers -  2 different sets of Thiels, Eggleston Andra II's and Polk SDA's.  The Eggy's and Mac's were a decent match, not a great match.  They have the same tonal profile thus resulting in over emphasis of certain frequencies, particular on lower midrange and down.  

Thiels and Mac's are a  better match than the Eggy's.  Maybe ideal maybe not.  For comparison sake I also use a Classe CA200 sometimes and they fill up the soundstage with the Thiels better than the Mac's but do not have the full bodied rich sound like the Mac's. They also do not have the clarity of the Mac's.   Everthing is a tradeoff to one degree or another.

I have never owned any other Mcintosh products and have never really considered another one, including preamps.  Not sure about other Mac amps but mine have a 10K input impedance which makes it challenging for many tube preamps to drive.  However, everything considered they are keepers for me, reliable, responsive to other equipment changes, cables and PC's, powerful and rich.  



   

Your HALO is an excellent unit. MAC has its own sound, which is somewhat euphonic and many people find pleasing.  I would listen head to head at length  before buying.