@5farms 70% off new Mac gear would have definitely swayed me!
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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@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. |
Modern Mcintosh is unfairly maligned imo. I have an ARC REF160S amp/pre-amp combo, a Pass XA3.8 amp and a Mcintosh mc462 amp/C53 pre amp that I use on my Martin Logan ESL15A speakers with some REL s812 subs. the Mcintosh gear holds up quite well when compared to the ARC and Pass. It does NOT have a particular sound signature that stands out and is musical, dynamic, detailed and neutral. All of the folks commenting on it having "house sound" or "throaty" or "soft" etc. must be imagining this or be listening to old gear or through mediocre systems that are coloring the sound. My system is really revealing and it does not present this way. And, the MC462 at 450 watts/rms is a top rated amp both by Stereophile and The Absolute Sound and one of the writers (Sasha Matson) bought his sample unit and runs his Wilson's with it as his main amp. In addition to being bullet proof and sounding good, Mcintosh is pleasing to the eye and enjoys good to great resale value. |
Every year for the past two or three decades people have come out to explain why the company Apple is going to fail, or has lost its way. And every year Apple proves them wrong. People want to be able to say they were the one who saw it coming first. When you’re a leader in your industry, you’re a target. Reading about audio equipment is all fine and fun, but it’s meaningless without your ears. |
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