Do true audiophiles own Mcintosh gear

"Do true audiophiles own McIntosh?"

No, true audiophiles listen to their gear while McIntosh owners listen to music. Ha! cliched response I know, but why does McIntosh always suffer this crap?

Jamnesta,
Nice shot! I don't own McIntosh gear but I know where your coming from. Again, well said.

>> but why does McIntosh always suffer this crap?

I addressed this above: "...there is an inverse relationship between name recognition/availability and exclusivity. As a brand becomes more widely known it begins to lose it's cache among the cognoscenti."

If you think about it, McIntosh is one of the oldest audio electronics brands still in production. Marantz sold out in the 1970's and most of the other original "audiophile" brands from the Mc era are long since gone. They fulfill the above truth about high-end products in a way that few others can.

I have no horse in the McIntosh race - I don't own any of their equipment but have always had great respect for the company.

My journey in the listening chair has been ear opening to say the least. One thing stands out however from the sea of gear...class A designs sound more natural and have greater presence i.e...older Krell, KAV Krell and Evolution Krell (not evo). Tubes can be pleasing but give me just a little to much frequency extreme anomalies and a reduced sense of presence or tension. Mac is one of many solid state/tube manufacturers that make reliable good sounding gear, and that's ok. Mac can be warm, full and reasonably able to convey the essence of the music..it just doesn't give you goose bumps! I believe high end audio hit it's peak in the mid 90's and is being gradually dismantled in favor of ergonomics, current trends and alternative technologies. When I was growing up on vinyl and Bozak speakers, everything sounded amazingly full, dynamic and tonaly correct. My current rig gives me the same feeling on even redbook. Whatever you own, enjoy it and let each find their own yesterday.

i own a mac 275 amp. it is not a particular tube-like sounding amp. it is an amp many audiophiles would like if they took the time to listen to it.

i intend to sell it within a month.