Do true audiophiles own Mcintosh gear

I think the more interesting question is who buys McIntosh Speakers? You never hear about them in any of the forums or see any print coverage or show coverage, yet McIntosh has been making them for decades - someone must be buyig them? Any good? Overpriced? As for my 2 cents on the electronics, I am surprised no McIntosh historians (of which I am not one) have weighed in. From what little I know, after the vacuum tube heyday they made transistor gear (like everyone else) which sucked, were bought out at least once in between or more, and then in the late '90s started making great stuff again. I have owned the MC300 and C15 combo, the MA6900, the 70's MA5100, and the MC240 and C22. Before getting long, two specific anecdotes. 1) I had B&W Matrix 802's in the late 90's and only when I paired them with the McIntosh MC300 did I feel like I was getting the best out of the speakers. 2) I heard the MC402 a couple years ago that made a pair of Spendor speakers sound like some of the best music I have ever heard in an audiophile system...

Jimmy2615, when going to a CES show in Vegas some years ago the guys next to me were raving about the new McIntosh speakers. One told the other that he should immediately go and hear them. I decided to do so myself. After checking in and dropping my suitcase in my room, I went to the McIntosh room. I was welcomed by a pretty girl who gave me a brochure. I walked into the room which for a change had only music playing. It was terrible! I turned around and on passing her said that I had forgotten an appointment. I never heard anyone say that I needed to hear the McIntosh speakers at that show.

So I agree with you. I have owned only a McIntosh tuner and took it on trade. It was good.

This is an interesting discussion. McIntosh has always been a class act. I have owned and still own (MR78) some of their equipment since 1969 when I bought a MA5100. I worked hifi retail in the 1970s and sold their equipment with no qualms and great enthusiasm. Over the course of time I met several Mac people, including Davey O'Brien, who ran their amplifier clinics, Gordon Gow, and Jim Carroll come to mind, there were others. Their equipment is built to very high standards and is quite reliable. I would say that it sounds very good, but is generally not - at least in most cases - what audiophiles (i.e. equipment centric people) are looking for. Because it is expensive and has a striking appearance it most definitely is a status symbol. People with a lot of money find it attractive. Since it looks good and sounds good, people who like music find it desirable. McIntosh has taken the high road over the years in terms of their marketing. Their clinics were a classic example. Another would be their insistence that their dealers buy expensive Wild-Herrbrugg microscopes and test equipment to check phono cartridges at a time when they did not offer phono equipment. They realized, however, that people in their target market appreciated and needed holistic support to get the most out of their expensive stereo systems. The company also spent time with their dealers covering not only floor layout and sound room design, but even holding training sessions on how to dress, how to greet customers, how to sell and so on for the sales staff. McIntosh was and is a remarkable company. No one ever got hurt buying McIntosh.

One funny anecdote about their speakers. The original speakers were the ML series, ML1, ML2, and ML4. When they came on the market, the store I was working at already had JBL SL8R and Paragon, Klipschorns, and Bozak Concert Grands on the floor. Since the ML4 and the Concert Grands seemed similar we paired them in the same room. Mac was not happy, but there was no room unless we dropped an existing line, something the store owner was not willing to do. Well we continued to sell Bozaks quite well, I think the Mac speakers actually helped Bozak sales. Anyway, eventually the K-horns went, and Mac had a room to dominate and they did better without ever becoming a big seller for us. Bozak and JBL continued to do very well. Then and now I think of Mac as a amplifier company above all else, and by the way, they offer speakers that seem pricey and don't sell well.

As for tuners, the MR78 is the best tuner they ever made, and they have made good tuners over the years. I like the sound of it and the selectivity and sensitivity of it really well. FM is still vibrant and alive and this tuner is a joy to listen to.

People can criticize McIntosh gear all they want but it is durable, well-made, aesthetically pleasing, sounds good, and holds its value. Not saying it is perfect, but I also don't understand where all the criticism comes from.

The criticism if any be fair is that it is very expensive and that the sound quality not as wonderful as some would hope for such a high price. I think it works well in classic combinations, I own a 50W SS MC amp amp it does work with the my Klipsch speakers of that same general vintage. I think better sound can be had otherwise `obviously.....