What he is claiming, though, is that while you’re enjoying the Mc experience, you are foregoing better quality experience with other gear. In part, he says, you’re taken in by the looks of Mc. In part, you’re just stuck in a comfy cage. You’ve settled for lesser gear. Are you content? Sure. So are those who eat pork rinds and call them gourmet food. But you’re missing out on the real audiophile experience that Mc. cannot deliver.
So, he’s not bashing Mc owners, per se. He’s pitying them for being stuck. And he’s warning those not yet owning Mc gear -- or the other brands which are not truly audiophile as he defines it -- to steer clear of those audio cul-de-sacs.
this is elitist b-s -- it is as intellectual dishonest as it is self-serving
properly functioning mac gear of ANY generation is absolutely good enough to fulfill the audiophile pursuit - a garrard record player, a dynaco iv tube amp and a pair of jbls or bozaks from the 1960's do it... let’s get real -- we are here today because people 50-60 years ago desired and pursued great music played beautifully in homes for enjoyment - the fact that it has an aesthetic quality and looks cool too is totally besides this central point
the gear matters (imo it is too strong to say it doesn’t, it needs to meet some suitable level of quality, in spite of what some here would like to think), and of course, so does the room, and most importantly, so does the attitude and willingness to desire it and pursue it, with time, effort, money -- these things need to come together harmoniously