Seeking Honest Opinions: Your Experience with McIntosh Audio Gear

Having owned Mcintosh for over 10 years I am still enthusiastic .  I would not put much stock in the reference to the Best Buy listening saying it sounded like mush because the rooms in. the big box stores are not set up properly.  I have had my Mcintosh MC501's since 2009 and they still sound wonderful.  They have been paired with several different speakers and always sounded great, now they make my Sonos Faber Stradivari sound beautiful.  I am also using the a C2300 pre amp similar age with gold lion tubes.  I have no desire to change either.  I have Mcintosh home theater amplifie/surround processor system. that is less than a year old and they also sound wonderful. 

McIntosh has a storied reputation in the high-end audio world

Really??

Nah

Mediocre at best, dreadful design, appeals to dumb patriotism.

All this talk of American Craftsmanship, when there are infinitely better choices available domestically;  Boulder and Vac, to name two

I was looking at McIntosh gear a few years ago when I was shopping for a new integrated. But they are quite deep in length and wouldn't fit on my audio racks. I ended up getting a Luxman instead.

My Mac experience is that the tube stuff is a bit bottom heavy, the mids are good and the highs are a bit muted.  If you buy a brighter speaker like the B&W 800 series, tube Macs sound great. 
I never had a problem with their equipment, so I can’t speak to their service department.

They definitely have their own sound and will not work well with any speakers.

As an aside, they keep their value better than most High End equipment.

All the best.

OP..I have owned 3 McIntosh components

1. Sound Quality: How would you describe the sound signature of McIntosh gear? Natural, musical sound. Neither warm nor harsh to me.
2. Build Quality and Design: McIntosh is renowned for its craftsmanship. Has their build quality lived up to your expectations? NO..I purchased a lemon C-220 preamp that was not manfactured carefully. I sold it within the first year. No "firmware" updates for my stereo, thank you.
3. Value for Money: Considering the premium investment McIntosh demands, do you believe the performance and satisfaction derived justify the price? Too subjective a question ..every listener has a different definition of value.
4. Customer Service and Support: Have you had any experiences dealing with McIntosh’s customer service? If so, how would you rate their support? YES..I contacted support, helpful folks. My problem included the fact that after I took my C-220 in to a authorized service center MAC dropped the dealer off the authorized service center list while it was in for service. Ya can’t make that up.....
5. Overall Experience: Would you recommend McIntosh to fellow audio enthusiasts? Why or why not? IMO the recent (last 20 years) McIntosh gear is not made like it used to be. I would consider buying the 60s and 70s McIntosh gear if an expert MAC repair/restore tech is able to refurbish/maintain the gear. Better yet, buy PrimaLuna gear and as much as I like to buy US made gear, just enjoy a reliable experience with new equipment. I also recommend Schiit for great USA made stuff.