How strange! Someone who buys gear for other reasons than the music ! For how the gear *looks* ! This is part of the motivation for high-end products whatever they are. People do not spend $10,000 on a Rolex watch to know the time, hell, they don't even EXPECT it to keep time (an $80 Timex Marathon quartz watch is actually more precise). But, for some, having a Rolex just to look at or to feel around one's wrist is beyond understanding for most people. Buying McIntosh gear just to look at the meters is no different - and is more sincere than the many here who pretend not being of the same behavior to some degree with their gear. And I bet he actually feels more satisfied compared to the lot of ''audiophiles'' who ''analyze'' the sound of their 5 to 10 favorite cd's searching for flaws with their present gear...which will pave the way to upgrade madness, of course. For some it's McIntosh meters. For others, it is abut the 1 inch-thick faceplate, or the prestige brand - yet we hide those reasons behind a smoke screen in thinking people will believe that it is about the music. For some, sure - but I haven't met many around the audio altar.
The first response by Tpreaves
''The old phrase "He's got more money than sense" seems to apply to your friend!!'' is wrong and somewhat condescending if I may add - If McIntosh meters do it and it stops there, it may actually be a cheap alternative to the endless buy-sell-buy routine for many here on Audiogon.
