Why nobody uses McIntosh with Vandersteen?

I don't see why it wouldn't be compatible. Contact Richard vandersteen see what he says. I wouldn't go with a dealers recommendation as they are usually bias to what they sell.
My local dealer tells me that I need to get away from my McIntosh Pre/pro and amps since he doesn't sell them. But he has plenty of McIntosh in his private system. But I fully understand as I sell cars and trucks for a liveing and beleive me you don't want to buy what i don't sell!
There is a lot of debate on the autoformer. Some say it is a muffler that dissipates the signal and others say that is it the best thing to put between the amplifier section and your speakers as it absorbs the radical changes in resistance as music plays. Personnaly I am sure there are much better amps for the money but I love mine and plan to keep them. I know this if I want to upgrade I can re-coup a larger percentage of my investment. The "thin" sound could be as simple as a cable brand. Call Audio Classics and talk with them as well as vandersteen and get their opinion they have a great team of McIntosh people there that love to help.

Thanx Theo but it's not only the dealers - when was the lats time you read about a great Mac/Vandy combo here or on any other message board? Mac owners use B&W, JBL, Tannoy, Sonus Faber etc but never Vanersteen while Vandersteen owners use Krell, Audio Research etc.

I use Revel, but I don't see where it is relevant. I guess I have never looked for the combo here, but it doesn't mean it doesn't excist. I really think you should contact Audio Classics and Richard Vandersteen. If you already have Mc amps and like the sound, I am willing to bet that you will be happy with them driving Vandersteens. Personnaly I have never cared for the Vandersteen speakers, but it has nothing to do with Mc amps. I think they work in certain enviroments, just never appealled to me. My dealer has tried to get me interested but I just never heard what I want to hear. I have a close friend that loves his 2's, he drives them with Yamaha and Adcom.
He wants to upgrade his amp and tells me he would like a Mc amp but his wife gets involved and it all stops there.
I think at one time Cherry Creek Audio in Denver sold both McIntosh and Vandersteen, I am sure they must have sold some systems with both.

Theo,
Just a guess--the Vandersteens have a very pleasant, forgiving sound (not really my words but those of many who I've attended shows with), and MAC has the same sort of sound. So the thinking might be that together they would not be revealing enough.
While I can understand that basic thinking, I don't necessarily agree. Tubes are considered softish,but more revealing perhaps than the Mac Solid State, like the 6900.
As to the Autoformers, I couldn't say, even though I attended the McMasters Training in their bustling metropolis!lol
On the taps for the loudspeakers, I know exactly what you mean, it makes one wish there was a 6 ohm tap.
THIEL's sound good with MAC--as they ARE forward to some folks, (not all, for sure). It may be, as you said a classic mismatch.
This is one reason why, in developing loudspeakers, I used the Halcro (very low, low, low distortion, but in some opinions, dry (I've even heard some say amusical), then Grypon, then a 10 year old Receiver from Harman Kardon.
Admittedly, I didn't try the Mac, it may be that it's just 'soft' enough to be a mismatch.
The good news is, you've got lots of options.
Good luck,

Larry

"Mac owners use B&W, JBL, Tannoy, Sonus Faber etc"

McIntosh MC501 monoblocks with Wilson Sophia II's here (4 ohm), no thin problems.

Isn't the "feature" of the Autoformer is to make the amp is compatible with more speakers?