I had a McIntosh 2102 in my system for about 2 weeks while I was awaiting LAMM M1.1 monoblocks. McIntosh is frequently knocked by so many "audiophiles" - those who turn their noses up and look away, in favor of more esoteric brands. I found the McIntosh 2102 tube amp to be HIGHLY enjoyable and quite frankly I am tossing around the idea of getting rid of the LAMM's in favor of a pair of MC2102's (bridged). While the LAMM is truly a spectacular amplifier - it's not that much better than the Mac 2102 - and that really says something for the current generation of Mac tube products.
I think a pair of 2102's in bridged mode, producing 200 watts per channel would give ANY amp a run for the money. Not just in listenability, musicality and resale value but nearly all the qualities we seek in music reproduction.
Plus - they look gorgeous!
While I am personally not fond of McIntosh digital or preamplifiers (in any way), I do think their amps (even the newer solid state designs - which MUST be tweaked with the right interconnect for optimal performance) sound quite good and can easily compete with the best, most esoteric brands out there.
I think a pair of 2102's in bridged mode, producing 200 watts per channel would give ANY amp a run for the money. Not just in listenability, musicality and resale value but nearly all the qualities we seek in music reproduction.
Plus - they look gorgeous!
While I am personally not fond of McIntosh digital or preamplifiers (in any way), I do think their amps (even the newer solid state designs - which MUST be tweaked with the right interconnect for optimal performance) sound quite good and can easily compete with the best, most esoteric brands out there.