McIntosh - is it that great?

gentlemen:

i recently reviewed the c 220 preamp. it will be available for your reading pleasure in a few weeks on the website
audiophilia.com.

i also own the 275 amp.

what is greatness ?

i have no answer, as it is too subjective and moot.

i found the preamp free of any significant deviations from neutrality. the amp needs some tube changes before i have any serious comments. with the stock tubes, the sound is threadbare.

I think Mcintosh amps look great and sound pretty good. I have heard quite a few of them in my day. They are kind of like Harley Davidson's, tough, powerful, and definitely have a following. And by no means am I knocking them as a company or as a finely built American product,but for my money, I don't run with the pack. Spectral and Halcro are where I'd put my money.

I have been in this hobby for about 40 years and if I had discovered Mac a long time ago I could have saved a mint!!!

I just inherited my father's system which includes Mac 60s (2) amps and an Mac 20 preamp, both purchased new in 1958! They had been unused for 6 years and they sound great.

I have an Audio Research VT-100 Mk II, but I have toyed with the idea of selling it and getting a McIntosh MC275. Has anybody compared the two amps? I would be interested in hearing people's opinions about how these two amps would compare sonically. My speakers are Acoustic Zen Adagio.