Life begins and ends with a 1961 MC240….
synergy does pretty much say it all
An Audio Amateur's question about McIntosh Audio
I casually follow and read many of the mainstream audio gear magazines and YouTube reviewers. Most of them will publish annual lists of their top or favorite devices of the year, decade etc., and through them I am able to learn about high-end distinguished brands and their products.
On the other hand I have also noted from discussions among other audiophiles that equipment from McIntosh is of very high quality.
What I have noticed, however, is that I don't see any of the magazines or professional/semi-pro reviewers include a McIntosh product in their top recommended lists.
Why does this dichotomy exist? If McIntosh is so good why don't their products make it into top XYZ lsts?
I am a newbie and I might be missing something obvious. But I'd appreciate some education here.
Thanks,
Amit
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- 42 posts total
@ghdprentice i could say the same about your beloved ARC, but I won’t. BTW, it is spelled McIntosh, not Macintosh, that is an Apple. 🍎 |
I think it's easy to hate on a brand that is massively successful for the long term. Sort of like how there's always people who disregard Porsche or Ferrari and instead look for less obvious choices. I've observed the same thing with popular and successful sports teams too. People like to be contrarian. This is independent of whether or not the brand/team in question is actually any good or not. Personally I have a great respect for McIntosh, even if I don't currently use anything from them. I can see why so many people love them, and can also see why some overlook them for more detailed and resolving components. |
As it's been pointed out , McIntosh is more like an investment and easy to sell if you decide you want to upgrade to more power or somethng different. Looks awesome with the blue meters and very musical. Pairs well with my old restored JBL speakers. I have an MA7900 int. amp from 2016 I purchased 6 years ago used it is 200 WPC into 8 ohms with both channels driven. I also have an MR71 all tube FM tuner from 1963 restored that is the best sounding radio ever made in my opinion. Decide how much power you need for the size of the room and the speakers you'll be using. Another thing great about Mac is there are factory authorized repair places throughout the country and parts are still available too. |
Mcintosh has been contentious in hifi circles for decades. I think it started in the seventies. One of the biggest gurus in the hifi publishing world (maybe Julian Hirsch?) panned a Mcintosh in a review and Mcintosh took strong exception. The argument escalated until Mcintosh kind of ended it by retreating from the stereo publishing world, pulling all advertising from stereo mags and not providing any equipment for review. For several years there was zero mention of Macintosh in any of the hifi magazines-at least in the US. You would find full-page ads in Esquire and ads in Popular Science but none in HIFI, Stereo Review, or Audio magazines. With no mention in the major publications, information about Macintosh in the audio circles was largely rumour-based and word of mouth, resulting in a reputation that the brand was expensive and not really high end but was aimed at well-heeled folks like doctors and lawyers who wanted showpiece equipment to impress their friends. It wasn't until the 1990s that Macintosh started reappearing in reviews and ads in the publications, with consistent high marks by the reviewers. And, even though I have not seen a poor review, the stigma kind of still hangs on in some people's minds today. I can't really speak to your comment about lack of mention in today's articles as I really haven't read hifi magazines for a few years now but my impression is that Macintosh is currently a well respected brand with a strong following. My Mac gear is now over a quarter-century old and still going strong. Bill |
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