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Is McIntosh a stepping stone into HI/FI?

I’m a McIntosh fan/owner and still own some Mc gear. This is not a knock on Mc sound; rather it be tube, autoformers, or straight SS, the sound is unlike any other. I was wondering why so many move to Krell, Levinson, Conrad Johnson, Ayre, and BAT. Is it associated gear, or a food chain thing? I understand that ears are like eyes and all fault to different desires. I’d like to know if/when you went back and if you feel McIntosh is a stepping-stone into hi-fi.
audio_elitist

Showing 2 responses by mapman

mapman's avatar
mapman
22,686 posts
 
If its just a stepping stone, its a pretty expensive one.

Mac gear is a reasonable choice for many hifi systems. Looks nice too! Nothing wrong with that.

I'll go out on a limb and say mac gear is generally not the best bang for the buck sound wise, especially in the internet age, but most gear is not that.
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,686 posts
 
"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.
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