Why No McIntosh Recommendations?

I went from the very well-regarded Conrad-Johnson PV-11 to the McIntosh C220 preamp. My reason was mostly for functionality. I wanted a remote, tone controls, and a balance control with more range. I do not feel that this was a step down in terms of sonic quality at all. On the contrary, the C220 sounds wonderful. Smooth, but detailed, with a very large sound stage, and excellent timbre. I know it is not a full tube preamp like the C-J, but I am extremely happy with it.

It’s not their preamps that are being scrutinized here, they are the norm.
It’s more their solid state amps with transformer coupled output stages, that are very questionable to many.

Cheers George

I'm partial to the older Mac tube gear.   A properly serviced C22 preamp is one of the best preamps money can buy.   They also hold their value and even appreciate in value over time.

A buddy of mine used to be the Mac repair tech at San Francisco's House of Music.  The stories he told about the current line of Mac gear suggest that their reputation for build quality and reliability are based upon the older classic gear, like the C22, and not the current line.

The 275 tube power amp is also a classic, and like the C22, holds its value and appreciates over time.

There are other tube products, such as those from tubes4hifi.com, which are MUCH less costly and every bit as good, but they don't have the cache that the classic Mac gear does.   But they are highly affordable.

Firstly McIntosh is no longer owned by D & M there was a McIntosh management buyout a few years back and ownership is now McIntosh Group. They have subsequently purchased Audio Research, Wadia & Sonus Faber so now own quite a few top end brands.
I own a Mac MA8000 integrated amp (300w) and absolutely love it. I wanted to down size from my mono blocks, a separate pre amp and headphone amp. I now have everything in one box which better fits my smallish room. Also have a Mac MCD1100 CD player which has a great 8 channel DAC.
I love the sound, it’s very rich yet detailed and transparent. I adore looking the large blue VU meters dancing away and the green lettering especially at night.......with a large scotch ...ha ha. It’s beautiful eye candy.
Partners well with my Monitor Audio PL200 Mk11 speakers. (Interconnect and speaker cables are Atlas Asimi and mains conditioning is Audioquest Niagara 1000 with Audioquest NRG-10 power cables on amp and all sources).
The Mac gear suits me as I’m not into constantly trying out new stuff and constantly comparing this with that. Nothing wrong with that of course, just not me.
I did hear some amazing ARC amps a few years back but for me I’m not into all the sourcing/matching of “valves” (sorry I’m English ....ha ha ha) high maintenance and running costs.
So for me I just like to switch my gear on knowing it’s very reliable and sit back and listen to the lovely Mac sound.
(And the built in headphone amp is very good indeed not just an after thought).

The MC501 (Stereophile review), MC452 (Enjoy the Music), MC462 (Stereophile) were all highly praised and highly recommended by seasoned audio critics. 
(I own a MC452, driven by a ARC Reference 3 linestage powering some Yamaha NS-1000Ms') And the Yamaha's big beryllium midrange is unstoppable. Jazz, rock or classical; they do it all well.  I bought the NS-1000's new in about 1985.  The only speaker I thought that came close to their sound in it's ability to satisfy was the B&W 802 and 803 diamond series.   .....Yet I digress..... 

The McIntosh sound is exceptional.  I don't need the cosmetics or big blue meters, or the shiny handles; I'm not impressed by its' 105 pound weight or that Mac's hold their resale value fairly well; I bought and loved the MC452 for it's glorious mid-range, it's sonic detail and it's ability to reproduce every type of music with speed, delicacy and slam when needed.  ...And McIntosh equipment is very well-built.  Look inside them: they're very well thought-out.  

Output transformers: I listened to many combinations, whether they had output transformers or not. I can't detect any sonic signature with output transformers.  Some readers may think I just don't know what I'm hearing. I have been critical listening since I was teenager, and I'm 59 now.  Of course it's true all our thoughts and musical emotions are filtered through our own personal psyche and subject to opinion.  Many things can't really be proven or disproven (i.e, is this mains cable improving or detracting from its' musicality...?) 

 I've heard some audiophiles even question Ohm's Law.  By the way: you can't.....

I find the ARC Ref 3/ McIntosh 452/ Yamaha NS-1000M combination so satisfying that for the last few years I've had no desire to "upgrade." Everytime I listen, I just feel, "I can't believe this sounds so good"
  

@stringreen has it right.  Mc is BEAUTIFUL and pretty much always has been (very old Mc stuff is ugly, but so was everything back then--Marantz, etc.)

BUT, as I have posted before, it simply did not SOUND very good on revealing speakers like Maggies.  I LOVE their Sequerra-like display on the thing they made that showed performance--forgot its name as that was 45 years ago--and clearly they are built like battleships.  So was/is(?) Mark Levinson. 

Both these companies products did not hold up when SOUND was compared.  Well built, yes.  Broke like other brands, yes.  Good service, yes.  Expensive/showy, yes.

Now, today, they have different products, so you have to judge for yourself if their new stuff is better SOUNDING than their old stuff.

Cheers!