Generalizations typically have their basis in fact somewhere, but not always. I’ll certainly go with #2. The Mac dealer in San Francisco, The House of Music, caters to the wealthy. A very close friend was their repair tech for over 10 years but left not long ago because he couldn’t deal with complete lack of scruples of the new owner.
He told me that the newer Mac gear isn’t particularly durable and is often very difficult to properly service.
Mac made their name on the fine tube gear they built way back when. That tube gear sounded very good then and still sounds that good today.
But it’s not the ultra wealthy that buy the classic old Mac tube gear. Those buyers are mostly true audio enthusiasts who have the money to drop $4k on a tube amp. Here on Audiogon, that’s not all that high a price to pay for a top end tube amp. It’s a boatload more than *I* would spend, but that’s me.
I’ve critically listened to a Mac C22 tube preamp and that’s a very, very fine piece of audiophile gear. Own one of those and you’ll be way happy. But did I buy one last year when I wanted to get into a high-end tube preamp? Nope. Way too expensive. Got me a VTA SP13, brand new built just for me with a phono board, for $1500. Ya can’t buy a Mac C22 for less than $4000 and more like $5000. My VTA SP13 sounds at least as good.
I would certainly agree with #1 for those who are buying new Mac gear. They mostly get it to go with their ultra expensive home theatre systems. Here in the San Francisco area you can’t swing a dead cat without hitting an estate worth over $4 million. Home theatre setups in homes like that aren’t bought at Best Buy. They go to places like House of Music and drop Large Cash on the Best because when you have that much loot, you always buy The Best...
As for #3, 4 and 5 - they just sound like sour grapes to me.
He told me that the newer Mac gear isn’t particularly durable and is often very difficult to properly service.
Mac made their name on the fine tube gear they built way back when. That tube gear sounded very good then and still sounds that good today.
But it’s not the ultra wealthy that buy the classic old Mac tube gear. Those buyers are mostly true audio enthusiasts who have the money to drop $4k on a tube amp. Here on Audiogon, that’s not all that high a price to pay for a top end tube amp. It’s a boatload more than *I* would spend, but that’s me.
I’ve critically listened to a Mac C22 tube preamp and that’s a very, very fine piece of audiophile gear. Own one of those and you’ll be way happy. But did I buy one last year when I wanted to get into a high-end tube preamp? Nope. Way too expensive. Got me a VTA SP13, brand new built just for me with a phono board, for $1500. Ya can’t buy a Mac C22 for less than $4000 and more like $5000. My VTA SP13 sounds at least as good.
I would certainly agree with #1 for those who are buying new Mac gear. They mostly get it to go with their ultra expensive home theatre systems. Here in the San Francisco area you can’t swing a dead cat without hitting an estate worth over $4 million. Home theatre setups in homes like that aren’t bought at Best Buy. They go to places like House of Music and drop Large Cash on the Best because when you have that much loot, you always buy The Best...
As for #3, 4 and 5 - they just sound like sour grapes to me.