Is McIntosh a stepping stone into HI/FI?

Speaker synergy and personal taste generally guides one with electronics decisions these days. Historically, McIntosh was of great consideration in the world of Hi-Fi as there were few other choices. One can easily appreciate McIntosh for their continued level of quality and reliability right through the companies repurchase.

Nothing to do with their sound but I find their now timeless appearance and sensible visual and physical ergonomics something that simply ain't broke. Things even todays most exotic componentry fails miserably at. Lets face it, we're an older mans hobby. We don't see very well, so we can't text any more than five words a minute. Did McIntosh designers see this coming all this time?

About a year ago I dipped my toe into the McIntosh pool with a used C220 preamp. This replaced a C-J PV10 preamp that I liked a lot, but lacked some of the control flexibility (especially the range of the balance control) to work in my rig. I could not be happier with the C220, or with the service from Audio Classics where I bought it. A tube upgrade has really made this preamp sing, as well as made it very quiet. It is super reliable, and functions without a glitch. I lucked out on system synergy with my Odyssey Stratos amp and Ohm Walsh 2000 speakers. The only preamp I would consider moving to now would be the C2300, which has even more flexibility. I know Sam Tellig gave the C220 a lukewarm review, but in my system, my room and with my music, even mediocre-sounding LPs and CDs sound absolutely wonderful, with better sounding source material (especially SACDs) sounding sublime. You know you're getting there when you sit listening with that you-know-what eating grin on your face, like I often do. I know many consider Mc gear expensive audio jewelry, but, all things considered, I think Mc gear is a fair value at retail, and a killer value when buying mint or near-mint used.

Several posters have referred to the "McIntosh sound". Would someone describe this?

I've heard McIntosh gear at a couple Magnolia dealers on quite a few occasions. I have never come away with the feeling that the McIntosh gear was doing anything special. But this may have been do to the large listening space or the Audioquest cabling.

No doubt, that McIntosh sure is pretty. Especially a full rack of just McIntosh gear.

"I have never come away with the feeling that the McIntosh gear was doing anything special. "

I think part of the perception of a Mc sound is psychological, associated with the distinctive more vintage oriented aesthetics than many competing brands.

When I hear Mc gear, I am more aware of the sound of the particular speakers used than I am of the Mac gear itself. For example, B&Ws sound like B&Ws, Totems like Totems, PSB like PSB, etc. I am quite aware of the mac aesthetics, and as a result find it hard to say there is a definite unique sound to the gear, though I do tend to associate it with a smoother more vintage type sound rather than a highly resolved and detailed one.

07-05-11: Tzh21y
The mc275 is slower, but I love it. Heck it is a tube amp! I could probably say that it is slow, rounded, yes, midrange beauty, yess, colored, maybe a little, and I think I am going to put another record on right now. An audiophile friend said that I am listening to more music than anyone else he knows.

I don't know which generation MC275 you have, but the current v3 has good bandwidth and risetime even by today's standards. The Stereophile review and measurements indicate that its -3dB bandwidth point is 91Khz, and the rise times of its square wave responses correspond to that and are very precise and square. Given that, the treble rolloff you perceive may simply be its uncommon smoothness, and the reason you play so much music through it is because it conveys more of the sonic and emotional cues of live music including that transparent, seamless tube midrange combined with commendable speed, clarity, and frequency extension with no ringing, harshness, or overshoot.

It is a great amp for the money. That is very hard to argue.

It is a steal for the money, if you love music.

At about $4.5K new, indeed, what's not to like? If I had the coin I'd have one in a heartbeat.