McIntosh -- good for show, not for sound, says dealer

If going up in value is the determining factor, then marantz must be better.

This dealer is nuts. If mac wasn't the best, they wouldn't increase in valueb. In 1976, I bought my Ma6100 integrated amp. To this day, it's still playing flawlessly daily, AND ITS NEVER BEEN SERVICED. I should say it also handles high resolution music files with ease. I originally paid 649.00 for it. The last offer I had was 2400 00.but ill never sell. 

tuscanycation,

Who's a good dealer?

It's a good dealer!

Thanks @arafiq   I had got this rack from a seller on Audiogon about 18 months back. Paid $600. I believe they import it from Vietnam. Nice quality and craftsmanship. I bet it’s gone up in price now. 

@bugsnest beautiful system, and love those racks. Do you mind me asking where did you buy the racks from?

Thanks guys. 
 

@randym860 theres almost 4” clearance above the amp. The front of the frame hangs low but there’s plenty of clearance beyond that (see the space above the Oppo). 
That said, this beast runs cool to the touch. I don’t crank it up too high for general listening but it’s never warm even playing continuously at 40%. 

I also like the rack. I have the 462. Any heat issues with the limited ventilation on top???

Beautiful, and I love the rack.

I just got done putting together my dream system. OCD Mike might throw up at this but I'm loving every moment of it!. No regrets.

mattmiller

 

 

Mcintosh makes so many products, it started in the 80’s when they were purchased by Clarion. Now they are part of the Fine Sounds Inc family.

I don't understand why all the hate for those that love the McIntosh brand. It's like Ford vs. Chevy. Let folks enjoy what they like.

you expect quality analysis on the Jerry Springer show? Try another channel or get a life…..

You people are still talking about this? You need a real hobby. I think a few of you are better suited for politics considering you never seem to give any real productive advice.  

However, every Mac owner on this thread, in one way or another, continues to defend the brand, with obsessive allegiance....

makes you wonder if Putin got badly dissed for his vintage Mac’s playing Stravinsky back at the Kremlin..

round here that‘s a declaration of war..

"If I currently owned Mac, I would certainly buy them." If the clock told the time as well as the amps played musically, you would be constantly late for any appointment.

classic struggle session in this thread. why does anybody care if a dealer doesn't like mcintosh? that's his opinion, you have yours, and somehow, some way, the world keeps on turning. hilarious

I never said " every " Mac owner was, as I indicated " many ". However, every Mac owner on this thread, in one way or another, continues to defend the brand, with obsessive allegiance....I would guess, that if that clock and sign were offered to Mac customers, for the cost of $200. each ( maybe even a little higher ), everyone would buy them. We spend that easily on wires of all sorts, isolation devices of all sorts, fuses, and so on. If I currently owned Mac, I would certainly buy them. Enjoy ! MrD.

I am not obsessed with the brand, but if someone gave me one of those displays, I'd use it.

Many of my Mac friends and clientele own lots of these Mac signs and clocks, as they are obsessed with the brand. 

@twoleftears,

And………..Your point? They make a clock and a sign and that invalidates the brand?  What really is your point here, are you lusting for the clock or sign and can’t find one? Or, are you nitpicking a 75 year old American Company and one of the most successful companies in all of Audio?   Your attempt at humor is lame at best.  Try again. 

A  cool $1800.

Even better value at $1500.

Heaven forfend that an audio company should capitalize on its looks...

I can say I did not buy my Mac because of looks. If looks were important to me I would not have bought tekton speakers... it IS about the sound.

Brand matter way less than acoustic...

This resume all audio threads unbeknowst gear idolatry ignorance and some sellers professionally biased oriented ignorance...

It doesn't matter what brand you use because some people will always have something negative to say about it. Not everyone will all agree that one brand is the best. This is why folks we have an amp game!

But some might not know, Dead first or early PA were 4x MC240 bolted to a board… 200#, probably running mono at 80-90 watts per amp….

"Did you know that The Grateful Dead used McIntosh amplifiers for there shows even Woodstock. What a buncha lawyers! Hahahaha."

I don't think that there's anyone who doesn't know that Matt.

@vuch ,

”Mikey told his side of the story of what happened. He said people can continue to buy the brand if they want. That’s not sour grapes. That’s explaining his decision to drop the brand and move on. If the company didn’t honor it’s agreement and then put unrealistic demands on Mikey as a provision of continuing to represent the brand, who could blame him for dropping them?”

You are free to believe what ever you want, but I think it’s bad form for him to to bashing company after company and it seems a little suspicious that he’d attack them in such a way. And by the way, it seems that Denafrips is sold in at least 19 other countries, by at least 19 other dealers who don’t seem to have a problem with  how Denafrips does business.

Oh, and  I don’t have Mac anymore and but other  than breaking my little toe on an amp about thirty years ago ( and then I said a lot of bad words!) I have nothing bad to say about the brand.

JD

@daveyf 

anyone else agree with this?

absolutely! My supervisor started off with McIntosh gear when he first got started. As his tastes changed he was able to sell the gear at no loss and move up to more expensive and esoteric brands. He loves McIntosh gear, but as he told me his listening style changed and his gear long with it. 

there's a dude on another thread who's head over heels because he's got a system that enables him to listen to his speakers and ignore the music - serious!
 

@pesky_wabbit 
I am not surprised. Some people become so focused on analytical listening that they stop hearing the music. It’s only about the “sound”. 

There are a lot of brick and mortar stores dealing in high end that can keep the doors open solely due to their McIntosh sales…and are therefore able to offer more esoteric gear as a benefit, even if these lines sell to a fraction of McIntosh. To me, that gives McIntosh value, as I want these folks to stay in business and continue to offer the variety that they do…anyone else agree with this?

Mcintosh makes so many products, it started in the 80’s when they were purchased by Clarion. Now they are part of the Fine Sounds Inc family. Prior to the 1980’s they were mainly known for their rugged and built like a battleship amplifiers, over the decades this has not changed you just have to wade through a whole bunch of crap to find the Mac products that are worthy. The McIntosh MC352 is a great example of a double balanced push-pull solid state amplifier that sounds fantastic and was designed in house by Charles Randall ( McIntosh Pres). And of course the Magical MC275 tube amp, the MC2600 was a truly awesome sounding solid state behemoth. McIntosh also made many direct coupled amps to drive speakers with a more difficult load, these are less desirable on the used market. Today MAC makes high wattage solid state amps that are very expensive quad balanced designs. A amplifier to me has to drive my speakers NOT my ears, and I can listen quite loudly for long periods without ever feeling fatigued, that’s what a great McIntosh amp is all about!

Did you know that The Grateful Dead used McIntosh amplifiers for there shows even Woodstock. What a buncha lawyers! Hahahaha.

Also, Ive never met a Krell person who likes McIntosh...just saying.

Matt Miller

Jessica Williams is pouring out her witty soul tonight…thru my 60 year old MC240…..

ah, sublime……

Jessica Williams 2001 Live At Maybeck

As others have said it is personal taste and I love the sound of mine. But my mac is far more likely to still be working in 30 years.

Richiegtt,

We don't use foul language here, and I'm sure the moderators will inform you of that if you continue to do so.

As far as the guy in the YouTube video from the OP's post...to each his own. I've heard Mac on a number of occasions and they sound stellar to me. Maybe not his taste...but mine for sure. Easy to listen to, engaging and effortless sound. I've heard w/ B&W and Klipsch and impressive to say the least. I can't imagine Sonus Faber not sounding good as well as many other brands too.

None of you that constantly argue about the "sound" are actually into this hobby for the music.

there's a dude on another thread who's head over heels because he's got a system that enables him to listen to his speakers and ignore the music - serious!

Jay is a very honest person in his review....I liked very much his video....

brain+heart is a winning couple ....

I can say that even if i am at the opposite of his way of speaking about audiophile experience and costly gear.... (I insist myself on no cost products and acoustic....)

But the world is enough big from different perspectives and needs...

@stereo5 And you should, that is why you bought it.

It is an Iconic Brand and like Mr Jay says if it weren't for McIntosh most of these other brands would never exist.

People just love to hate like Laoman.  

Sorry never lived in East Berlin. @laoman 

Some years ago there ws a childrens’ programme on TV with a ventriloquist’s dummy called Jerry G. This was the Jerry G show. I often wondered what happened to Jerry G. Now I know.

"Jerry G, Jerry G, who and what and where is he"?

I don't care what anyone says or thinks, I love each and every piece of McIntosh equipment I own.  It sounds great, makes me happy and I no longer futz with my system.  I just listen to music which relaxes me.  Many of you aren't happy and constantly futz with your system, doesn't leave much time for listening, does it?

My feelings about  all these threads is  about Mac sound is certain people??? Trying to take sales away from Mac intosh .

Here is a good retort to this OCD Guy.

My take is that Mike cannot buy McIntosh and he is out smearing them.

He also had his AGD deal yanked also.

It is all conjecture at this point....

It is not false but it is not true either like many encompassing statement...

I like to discuss about "sound" but i listen music because my system and audio room are done...

Then i like to discuss what come about from my experience and experiments to help strirring what appear to be the right course for most and for me....

I am in the two categories at the same time.. . The most important category of people here i think....

None of you that constantly argue about the "sound" are actually into this hobby for the music.