Does Mc Intosh make reference gear

"Well below reference." What a disingenuous comment. Reference is whatever a given manufacturer is willing to pay for or someone's ego insists it is. Everyone's hearing is unique to that individual and what one likes another may dislike. Note that Harry Pearson put a McIntosh C2300 in his "reference" system a year or two ago. Is that relevant? If so, why and under what conditions? Musicians, who produce the material the rest of us judge audio equipment with and should know, can't agree about the color of the sky at any given point in time, much less what something "should" sound like.

I've had a great variety high end gear over the last 35 years and have settled with a McIntosh pre and amp.
Reason: it sounds like music. Period. And, that's why I'm in this hobby.
I'm guessing that those who bash it have never heard it.

Well, I've learned on this thread that high end was born in the 80's. Thanks Elizabeth. Then Csontos tells me the Brits were the reason in the 70's. Wow, what was I doing in the 60's? And thank you Csontos for your opinion on McIntosh. I think old Harry Pearson might disagree with you about your thoughts on their "also ran" tube stuff. You know Harry? The founder of Absolute Sound. His reference is Mac tube. But what does he know? Have you actually ever listened to a Mc275 or an Mc2301? I doubt it. But I guess it makes no difference since the British invasion.

"I'm guessing that those who bash it have never heard it."

Maybe, but I gotta say I have heard a lot of poorly set up Mc based systems in A/V shops that target the wealthy in general (certainly not audiophiles, though a lot of the gear they sell is pretty good) and that lack of audiophile level quality control probably contributes to the uneven reputation with audiophiles.

I've also heard mc sound very good when done up right. So my opinion is it is as viable a product overall as most but has unique appeal due the brand and its styling.

Regarding origins of the high end, I would say it started to reach its peak back around 1970 or so with the introduction on the OHM A and F, large full range speakers capable of lifelike presentation and dynamics on a large scale. THat is of course when working correctly, which was often not the case. Things took off from there, thanks largely of course to Al Gore...:^).