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Hail to Mcintosh

In respnse to another thread about why audiophiles dont' pick Mac.I think (in my humble opinion) is unfounded. Not everyone (as this is a BIG world) spend their time on audiogon or any other forum "playing expert in hearing sound reproduction". Sound is subjective.In the guitar amp world many players choose their amps for different reasons....some monetary,others by what their heros played and some by what their ears are hearing, build quality or a combination of things. I've owned many boutique,vintage fender and clone amps of famous designs....,to me ,nothing beats the sound of a 60's Marshall w/ a Strat or LesPaul guitar. And many would agree......but not everyone. SO WHAT!! Now getting to Hi-FI..... When I was 16 or so (I'm 43) I heard my friends Uncles stereo I was BLOWN away,much like seeing a rock concert when the band Has that......MAGIC and everything flows. I wanted it! It was some Mac tube gear and Klipschorns. The passed 3 years I've listened to MANY systems tube and solidstate and to my ears the Horn loaded speakers w/ tube gear does it for me . Doesn't matter whether Rock,blues jazz or folk. I've chosen Mcintosh first for sound,quality ,history,looks and convenience of my dealer ...Audioclassics.com. I live 1 hr away from both the factory and them! I bought my Mac gear from them used (MC 2102's, MC2000 amps,C2200 preamp,Rosewood Khorns,ect..)My C2200 went awry,I explained my problem to "Ryan" at audioclassics and he contacted Mcintosh,they never encountered the problem I described. I thought to myself "OH brother" NO stereo for awhile......WRONG!! Ryan drove down to my house with a Brand new factory sealed C2200 and said "here, its yours" and took the other one back. No, it was not a loaner but an exchange,what company or dealer does that??? Nuff said!
128x128tjnif
sbrtoy
122 posts
 
Good to hear you had a positive experience with them. many manufacturers are quite good in this respect, some are horrible, always good to know which are in which camp.

I am not sure about the other posting you mentioned but I would never consider their components due to their huge size and dated looks. Even Audio Research has been updating their look somewhat of late but not Mac.

I know this sounds pretentious but you have to admit that components like the new Mac music server look absurd with the 70's style front panel outputting the video to a flat panel TV to view the stored music on the wall above it.

I commented on the appearance of their gear to the dealer and he said many of his Mac customers continue to buy it because they can upgrade one piece and it always matches the others in their system. He also said many of them never even listen to other brands...to each their own.
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jgiacalo
446 posts
 
Tjnif makes an interesting point. I have owned a variety of speakers and electronics and none have pushed my buttons until I heard the newer Mac gear. On thinking on it I realized my first exposure was to Mac and other tube sound in the 60s and was blown away by it. I now firmly believe that early gear became my reference standard and nothing has quite sounded right to me until I heard the new Mac gear. It clicked with me because it matched my image of how home stereo reproduction should sound like. That's not to say that it is the 'best,' it just matched my early conditioning. But I sure soounds good.
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tjnif OP
77 posts
 
Right on Jgiacalo! I don't think their is a "better" but deninetly different sound (just like) guitar amps.But you know how I feel.......
soundlock
101 posts
 
My McIntosh gear goes back to 1959. I owned A C-20 Preamp, MC30 power a, Mc275 power amp. I got away from McIntosh for quite a number of years. I have a pair of Duntech Sovereigns that I've had for 20 years. I used ARC amps, Spectral, NRG, Edge M8M amp and Luminous Audio KST-150, just to mention a few. I recently purchased a McIntosh MC-402 power amp. I am over whelmed by this amp. I've bought my last amp. My wife's comments when she heard the MAC, was, honey, this a new ballgame. This is just the opinion of an old audiophile. FWIW.
flyski
40 posts
 
I've also been into audio for quite some time and have had my share of gear come and go. One day I happened to listen to a 402/C46 driving a pair of Totem Winds. That combo was making music, not audiophile sounds to impress and say "look what I can do with _______" insert your favorite audiophile word. Bottom line is McIntosh makes music to my ears and apparently many people agree, because they are still around after more than 50 years. I've given up on chasing the latest and greatest gear out there, just to be replaced by the next "flavor of the month" gear the next month or year. Since acquiring the 501 monoblocks, followed by other McIntosh components, I listen to music and have rediscovered my music collection which was always a hit or miss with other gear for one sonic reason or another. Some people say McIntosh does not have the last bit of resolution, to them I say, keep your resolution, my system is warm, analog sounding with a spacious soundstage, midrange to die for and it makes music sound like music not some analytical collection of sounds which you get tired of in a month. I've even bought a 275MKIV tube amp only to realize I already have tube warmth and gorgeous midrange equal to tubes with the 501's. I also happen to really dig the classic looks, build quality and the blue meters are simply addicting. I am a McIntosh fan from here to the end now and no other gear matters. Nothing anyone can say to change my mind, simple as that. Don't bother with examples, like I've said, I've had more gear come through my house than I care to remember or discuss. Long live McIntosh and thanks for reuniting me with music!
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