Seeking Honest Opinions: Your Experience with McIntosh Audio Gear


I'm reaching out to this knowledgeable community to gather some honest feedback and personal experiences regarding McIntosh audio equipment. As many of you know, McIntosh has a storied reputation in the high-end audio world, known for their distinctive blue meters, impeccable build quality, and, of course, their sonic performance.

Whether you've had McIntosh gear in your setup for years or had the chance to experience it in some capacity, I'm curious to hear about your encounters. Specifically, I'm interested in:

  1. Sound Quality: How would you describe the sound signature of McIntosh gear? Do you find it warm, neutral, or something else entirely?
  2. Build Quality and Design: McIntosh is renowned for its craftsmanship. Has their build quality lived up to your expectations?
  3. Value for Money: Considering the premium investment McIntosh demands, do you believe the performance and satisfaction derived justify the price?
  4. Customer Service and Support: Have you had any experiences dealing with McIntosh's customer service? If so, how would you rate their support?
  5. Overall Experience: Would you recommend McIntosh to fellow audio enthusiasts? Why or why not?

Your candid opinions and personal stories will be invaluable, especially for those considering making a significant investment in their audio setup. McIntosh has a dedicated following, but every listener's ears and preferences are unique. Let's shed some light on the real-world experiences behind the brand's prestige.

Looking forward to your insights and honest opinions!

128x128uavnola

Showing 1 response by emergingsoul

I use the MC 901 mono amplifiers which allows me to biamp my speakers. The speakers are B&W and I use transparent cables and power cords and and an above average pre-amplifier and streamer dac. I don't use mcintosh pre-amplifier because I hate looking at the stupid green light all the time and I'm not sure the quality of the processors is as good as other manufacturers Plus I don't like the way it's configured for a home theatre bypass which turns off the TV screen when you're listening to stereo when using home theatre bypass which really sucks.

You really need to biamp and use quality interconnects to get the best out of any system. Especially B and W speakers. I thought about using a tube amp from VAC or CJ but I was concerned that the bass wouldn’t be what I wanted. Really wanted to biamp using tubes and solid state and McIntosh was the only company that could really do it given what their skill set is. So far it’s working out.

My only complaint as I mentioned in another thread is that the stock tubes they use are crap and I’m in the process of evaluating new tubes.

If you have issues with the amplifiers good luck getting them repaired very quickly.. McIntosh support of warranty centres is not where it needs to be and the length of Time you need before it’s fixed could be several months and very uncertain. I’m not sure why they use Best Buy to sell their products using Magnolia. That’s disappointing in my opinion and cheapens the brand.

Reliability was a big factor in my purchase decision and strong dealer support which is the case for me at least.