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McIntosh - is it that great?

I'm just curious if McIntosh gear is all that great. How does their older power amps compare to new products from other high end manufactures? Are there any products I should stay away from. I like the idea of owning vintage McIntosh stuff. Most of their stuff seems pricy. Is it because it's that good or do people just like to collect their products. thanks for you opinions--Matt
mattman
looie
10 posts
 
I always thought the slight edge in the sound was due to my horn speakers. But now, with a McIntosh preamp, the edge is gone! - After about 30 years, and preamps ranging from Heath to EICO to JBL to Yamaha to AGI to Quad to ARC.
tubeaholic
2 posts
 
I recently dumped a mint SX-828 receiver for a Mac 1900, world of improvement, dumped a Nakamichi ST-7 tuner for a Mac MR-74...this 74 is so far and away better sounding it
blew my mind.
captlee
3 posts
 
It depends on speakers, pre-amps, and cabling. The Mac 602 bettered the ARC Ref 300 MK2's on the mid-tweet panels on my Genesis 2's, but when I bought Wilson MAX2,s the Mac didn't work well at all. Now it's back to ARC tubes and all is nirvana again.
bertvandijck
8 posts
 
Nice to see this much opinions on amplification...I have owned from Rotel to Primare, Pathos, Krell and Sugden Class A. Never I was entirely satisfied untill I heard MC 352. Still wondering if another preamp ( I have now a C40) could better it...
Rgrds
markd51
762 posts
 
I question whether this post will make it here, and I'm no krell basher at all, but I read the comments about McIntosh Gear being considerably overpriced, but yet rarely ever read a comment about krell, or Levinson gear being overpriced.

Usually I note that many krell owners spring $9K, $12K, and up, but something like a 600, 650, 750 Amp, and in four months, the Amp is back at Krell getting some "latest greatest" improvement/upgrade.

I realize that perhaps some in the hobby have more money than sense when they buy ultra-expensive gear, and maybe go out, and buy $75K worth of gear just like they'll go out and buy a $70K BMW, as a "status symbol", but, I don't clearly understand the reasoning behind these owners quickly sending the gear back for some mod? If the equipment is so good (which it probably no doubt is) whay are many of these Krell owners so compelled to rush this gear back to improve it? At it's cost, is should be able to stand on its own laurels, without needed some hot mod/update every few months? My reasoning is they "hopefully" bought the gear because they liked the sound. Evidently a few months later some must be coming to conclusions that thier sound is NOT satisfying them? Mark
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