McIntosh -- good for show, not for sound, says dealer

Like anything blanket statements like "good for looks, not for SQ" gloss over tens of thousands of counter examples. 

My case: I run an old McIntosh power amp (MC-2300) and I love it. It's perfect for my needs (driving old, power hungry speakers) and I think it sounds wonderful.

About eight years ago I picked up one of those C-22 commemorative preamps (came out in 1995 I think) and didn't really like it and sold it.

So I end up thinking they're a good brand but caveat emptor. You have to do your due diligence and listen.

@oldhvymec 

  Don't hold back, tell us what you really think.

"Mac is sort of like the Rolex of audio..."

russ69, 

How many times has that stupid, meaningless sentence been uttered here? And you have to do it once more...it's embarrassing.

Gotta order a pair of their new speakers 

This is either my first or second post here. Mostly, I just read but since I’ve got two vintage Mac amps, I decided to chime in. One has autoformers and one is direct coupled. I front one with a Mac preamp. The other with a Rotel preamp. Nothing sounds veiled to me. I truly don’t get where that comes from. As a matter of fact, the direct coupled MC2002 is quite lively. My MC2155 is smooth and warm and I anything but veiled. Speaker choice can make anything sound veiled or lively.