Talked to a top end dealership in Phoenix az rolls alot of mcinbose and they thought the influx of cash could be a good thing in r & d. Mac has been bought and sold several times over the decades and yet it still exists. Got pulled from best buy most likely due to lose. Marantz,focal ect have all been through the exchange of Capitol through the years. Hope all audio companies stay in business. Mcintosh has gone to the dark side and has class d mi502 hypex module x4 very good 1kw in 4 ohms but not 200 amps to pound the base. Enjoy the music and Mcintosh is a great value on the used market.
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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@jfrost27 I never considered myself a McIntosh guy. Since my beginnings in this hobby in the early 80’s (as many of us in high end audio), McIntosh was never on my radar, mostly because of price, and the biased rep that they were more show than go. So, I never considered them, and it wasn’t because of the “McIntosh sound” 🤡 . Then, a couple years ago, my friend at Best Buy hooked me up with his employee discount, 40% off retail. Then came the split between McIntosh and Best Buy, and I lucked out with a two day blowout sale and snagged the latest preamp at 70% off retail. Well, I now have McIntosh gear, along with PS Audio gear. If people were honest, McIntosh has a lot of haters out there, but it has nothing to do with the “McIntosh sound.” |
@katzenjammer27, how about growing up a bit? Then you can play with the big boys. |
@5farms 70% off new Mac gear would have definitely swayed me! |
@socalml528 I found Hi Fi Haven when I was in HS in the mid-70's. I'd ride my bike from La Mirada to the shop on Saturdays and spend hours talking to Bill and Tim about various components, having owned a Fisher 210 receiver and a pair of I-can't-remember-speakers, as I had a wide variety on rotation.I ultimately bought a MA6100 integrated amp, and later an Onkyo tuner, Tandberg cassette deck and a Thorens TT from them. I sold the McIntosh 6100 to a friend about 15 years later for $100 more than I paid for it, and ended up with a Mc C31v preamp and a Mc 7270 amp. Somewhere along the way, I bought a MI-3 tube scope. To the OP, I still own the McIntosh equipment and enjoy it almost daily.
Keep auditioning gear and buy what sounds good to you. Everyone's ears, and budget is different. |
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