Why do no audio enthusiasts use McIntosh?

Earlier this year, I attended a weekend AudioFest which was hosted by another audio organization in the Detroit area. There were close to two dozen “listening rooms” where dealers showcased their wares. McIntosh had two of them.

In the online afterglow of the event, someone asked what was their favorite listening experience of the Fest. After a pregnant pause of several hours where there was a reluctance to take the plunge, I posted that McIntosh, which included their 7-foot speaker array panels in the experience got my vote. This opened a floodgate of postings where McIntosh was at, or near the top, in many of them.

It would be divisive to name other competitors here. Suffice to say, that a lot of the high-end audio dealers weren’t represented and that this audio group, though worldwide now, has its roots in the rustbelt Midwest with a “pull-up-the-bootstrap” ethic that sees many recapping old Scott tube receivers and trumpeting thrift store finds of Rectilinear “Lowboys”. Nevertheless, this unscientific poll, may speak to McIntosh’s power to still enthrall even those who could never afford one – to put down that soldering iron for a moment and “have a chew”, as Boa2 put it.

Let's face it, "enthusiast" means that you are first into audio gear and second possibly into music, that is if your audiophile worries actually allow you to enjoy one CD or LP from beginning to end before your mind starts to wonder what it is you need to upgrade next. Yes, many McIntosh owners are very content with their gear and would not even consider anything else. Call them naive, or non-enthusiasts, but don't forget, many of them have played the gear switching game before, myself included and have stopped looking and caring after experiencing McIntosh in their system. I have played the game myself, been there, done that, got a T-shirt. While some are on their 25th amp, preamp or whatever else seems to be in style (look at the D-class amps thread) I'll be still happily listening to my 501's and smiling. To each it's own.

Our entire family has enjoyed the old man's MC7270 for no less than 20 years now. His Mac preamp/controller hasn't given a lick of trouble. The amp has pushed various speaker loads, it has backed parties and, it has enhanced our movie watching. Each morning when he wakes to fix his coffee, he flips on the Mac. Dad came over to my house the other day and listened to a little EL34 tube amp (brand name unimportant) I've been listening to recently. He was moved by the "presence". His first response, "The McIntosh has nothing on this! Sounds fantastic!" I asked if he was ready to try something new. "Nope. I love the Mac!" To me, his response said it all. His McIntosh stuff gives him all he needs or, all any of us should need from a stereo, enjoyment. As enthusiasts, we enjoy the never ending quest for the "absolute sound." The hunt is where we derive our enjoyment (or madness). I have to respect a product that is capable of giving its owner years of pride and enjoyment without fail. Cheers to McIntosh and to all the other manufacturers that keep the rest of us ENJOYING music. On a side note, I too was disappointed by my local Mac dealer's demo of their 4000 watt $200,000 system. I begged him to impress me with something normal people could afford as opposed to the mega rich and frivolous. ;)

This thread has evolved into a, "I like to listen to music, you like to listen to equipment" thread.

The original thread questioned McIntosh's ranking in equipment sorted by quality vs. reputation. Right?