Why do no audio enthusiasts use McIntosh?

A Mac MA6800 just rescued my B&W 805s from the brink of being sold. I have had a lower budget system of Yamaha NS-1000Xs and an old Luxman L-507 amp that I've been extremely proud of for many years. It sounds much better than many very expensive systems I've heard.

Last year I added B&W 805s to make it 4-channels, mainly because of my poor hearing on one side (While it loses imaging, 4 channels means if I turn my head it all still sounds good, whereas with 2 channels I'll only hear one speaker). The system has a nice synergy, with the B&Ws adding smoother highs to make-up for the Yamahas weaker point of the tweeters. For the past year, however, I've wanted to replace the B&Ws with something offering more punch and bigger, tighter bass.

To make a long (and on-going) story short, I suddenly on a whim splurged and bought Sonus Faber Guarneri Homages. They look SO NICE. Unfortunately, they sounded AWFUL run by my old Luxman L-507, a 50-60 Wpc SS amp from 1973. Urgent to give the Guarneris a fairer shot at impressing me, I read about and found quite a few people recommended them with the McIntosh MA6900. As the MA6800 cost just a bit over half of the 6900, but still provides 150 W/channel, I brought an MA6800 home to try with the Guarneris.

This told me a little more, but not everything, about the potential of the Guarneris, but in the process, it did something unexpected. On the suggestion of a visiting British audiophile friend, I happened plug my B&Ws in to the McIntosh with some really good jazz recordings, and GEEEZE! What a match!

Those B&Ws won't be leaving my house at any time soon now, nor will the MA6800.

Really, McIntosh has become some what of an installer brand sold at licensed low voltage and home automation dealers. Right next to alarms and vacuume cleaners. I don't know what this does to the brands image, but surely allot of gear is falling into the hands of people with more money than knowledge of either audio gear or music. They have never heard of Mac nor a Dorian mode. lolol They just want a home theater because they went to a dinner party at so n so's house that had a big home theater and now they are down at the home theater store getting a one-on-one meeting with a consultant to talk over thier needs.

It's also being sold at some fairly big box stores, but I guess you need to sell somewhere. You can't fault a company for trying to sell a product and with all the smaller stores crashing, one needs to go somewhere so maybe this is not bad in and off itself.

Also, Mac car audio gear can't really help in the eyes of true audiophiles. What's next, an alarm clock radio?

Really, the many times I have heard Mac, it was okay, but did not reach out and grab me in any way. I could take it or leave it. Nothing to die for. I think the autoformers that make the amps weigh a ton is what probably gives people the impression of over the top build- their noting but dead weight, why does no other SS amp use output transformers?

I recently auditioned and bought a pair of MC501's driving Martin Logan CLX's via an MBL 6010D. I was and am blown away by the Mcintosh sound. I am listening to the music, live or studio, and no longer listening to the audio equipment. For so long I viewed this brand as anachronistic and appealing to those that did not know Hi-Fi. I am wrong. The Mcintosh product is state of the art, soundwise, design wise and looks-wise. A real manual is provided (not a garage company) and the packaging is as it should be for expensive gear. This is a company that knows its business and is very customer driven.

Time for a few audiophiles to stop "listening with their eyes" and audio review mentality and listen to the music with their ears!

Steve

If I were listening with my eyes, I think Mac would do pretty well:)

I heard that most new Mc equipment is bought by dentists...that tells you something.