I have seen some Interesting comments about Mcintosh lately

Generalizations typically have their basis in fact somewhere, but not always. I’ll certainly go with #2. The Mac dealer in San Francisco, The House of Music, caters to the wealthy. A very close friend was their repair tech for over 10 years but left not long ago because he couldn’t deal with complete lack of scruples of the new owner.

He told me that the newer Mac gear isn’t particularly durable and is often very difficult to properly service.

Mac made their name on the fine tube gear they built way back when. That tube gear sounded very good then and still sounds that good today.

But it’s not the ultra wealthy that buy the classic old Mac tube gear. Those buyers are mostly true audio enthusiasts who have the money to drop $4k on a tube amp. Here on Audiogon, that’s not all that high a price to pay for a top end tube amp. It’s a boatload more than *I* would spend, but that’s me.

I’ve critically listened to a Mac C22 tube preamp and that’s a very, very fine piece of audiophile gear. Own one of those and you’ll be way happy. But did I buy one last year when I wanted to get into a high-end tube preamp? Nope. Way too expensive. Got me a VTA SP13, brand new built just for me with a phono board, for $1500. Ya can’t buy a Mac C22 for less than $4000 and more like $5000. My VTA SP13 sounds at least as good.

I would certainly agree with #1 for those who are buying new Mac gear. They mostly get it to go with their ultra expensive home theatre systems. Here in the San Francisco area you can’t swing a dead cat without hitting an estate worth over $4 million. Home theatre setups in homes like that aren’t bought at Best Buy. They go to places like House of Music and drop Large Cash on the Best because when you have that much loot, you always buy The Best...

As for #3, 4 and 5 - they just sound like sour grapes to me.

I saved for many years to get my Mcintosh system, I have had it now about six years, I went both ways solid and tubes, I love my system, oh and I am not rich by far, my newest car is a 1993, and truck is a 1969. If I were to do it again, I would get the same system, and I do know there is better stuff, but my stuff is Mcintosh.

I can't believe some of these people on this thread, just because they either can't afford something or they don't like something, they put simething down like its a piece of s$@t. A Rolex is worth much more than a seiko or citizen, just because you can't afford it, too bad. You sound like a guy that says a seiko or citizen is a piece of junk because he has a timex, why would you pay more!

also I'm surprised you aren't putting down people who own Porsche's or Bugatti's, because a corolla can get you from a to b just as easy, so why spend the money for anything else? Porsche's will be in the shop more, much more expensive to maintain, but it is worth every penny compared to any Toyota.

As a current McIntosh owner in my late 20s, I have found the RIGHT pieces in the RIGHT combination to be one of the better values out there.  Scoff if you like, but I am a fan.  As so many have said, if it works for you, great - if you can't see the appeal, that's fine too.

One thing I'll say - my wife is constantly ribbing me (half-seriously, by the way) that "there's really no difference between all of my 'stereo boxes' and the sound out of our computer speakers.. it's just LOUDER."  The first time she walked into the room after I unboxed and hooked up my MA7000 Mc integrated, she looked, paused, and said, "well, it sure is pretty," before just as quickly leaving the room.

I count that as a win.  Even if it is visual approval from my wife - that has to say something, haha!

Regardless, some of the pricing has gotten ridiculous.  I was excited to see the introduction of the MB50, a streaming music player with balanced outputs and all.  As a 'millennial' I am interested in getting into lossless streaming, etc.  How better to do so than with McIntosh?  But after seeing that this 8" wide box with two antennas on the back, weighing in at 10 lbs or so will retail for about $5,000.. are you kidding me?

Let's not alienate the next generation of enthusiasts (me) with 1000% markups.  For now, if I want to venture into streaming, I'll buy a Sonos unit and a halfway decent external DAC.