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.
