I have only had this hobby for a couple of years and with a recent move to vinyl bought an MC2200 preamp. I have loved it. I also bought a Musical Fidelity NuVista preamp. The differences in sound between these pieces and my Anthem PrePro is so distinct it's hard to be believed. I finally realize how subjective equipment choice and evaluation is with higher end gear. I am going to sell my McIntosh and Musical Fidelity because of space considerations, and just run a phono stage through an Anthem D1 Statement.
Long winded, but the only reason that I didn't just buy a McIntosh MX119 to replace all was they don't have HDMI or IEEE1394 on the board any time soon that I know of. Anyway, it's like anything else it's what you like. But from an investment standpoint, it's a no brainer. They are worth what you pay because they hold their value so well. Ferrari's analogy was spot on with Rolls Royce v. Ferrari. They are different beasts, but equally satisfying depending on taste. If you are thinking about purchasing any McIntosh equipment go ahead and do it. You are almost garanteed not to lose money doing it if you decide to trade out of it.
Good luck.
PS - I did try a Mac 501 amp setup for my Maggies and hated it. But it sounded great with a friends Joseph Audio Gear.
