McIntosh -- good for show, not for sound, says dealer

Outside of the US, McIntosh are a known brand but there is no large fanbase. Generally, if one of their products is good, people will buy it but I've never seen the "wall of McIntosh" installations.

At any one time, a vendor may have a brilliant DAC in their line-up but a weak preamp. In 5 year's time it may be the other way round. I don't know why people don't pick the best sounding product rather than buying everything from one brand. I've never owned more than one product at a time from a vendor.

Drop a large rock into a large fishbowl and watch the fish go frenzy...;)

Yup, Macs'/Rolex is 'bout right.  But that makes anything 'new' like the latest digi- wrist thing or cell...."Hot" with a tag to match, 'till it's not.

...of course, there's exceptional exceptions.

There's a lot between gold and crap.

I suppose D'Agostino is the Breguet of audio then. Watch/audio comparisons are utterly fatuous. In the context of this thread and the references to Fine Sounds, the Rolex comparison is particularly inaccurate seeing as Rolex is one of the few Swiss watch companies which is independent and not owned by a luxury goods conglomerate.

Over priced!!? Take a look at Boulder, Ayre,  Jeff Rowland,  

Mark Levinson,  Bryston,  AR, Gryphon. My 8900 

was half the price ot the Mark Levinson 585 5 

Have you listened to Mark Levinson?  Just saying

. So what are the recommendations./alternatives.  Haven't seen

any mention.  It's an acquired taste. I like Killians.