Seeking Honest Opinions: Your Experience with McIntosh Audio Gear

Owned McIntosh for a long time, off an on for decades:

1. Sound Quality: above average, a little warm to neutral, but a bit much on the mids and bass... great for rock music, but prefer other equipment for a more balanced approach.
2. Build Quality and Design: Dislike all the lights and meters. So damn bright and flashy. Design is done well though and their build quality is average compared to other hifi equipment at similar cost. (still pretty good though)
3. Value for Money: It is average to good. I know Americans will point out the 'made in usa' makes it great... but it doesn't necessarily mean anything.
4. Customer Service and Support: Fantastic. Here is where they remind me a bit of Bryston, "have a problem, no problem we will look after it for you for a reasonable price".
5. Overall Experience: 6/10. But I have moved on to what I feel is equipment that have more honest and neutral presentations.

I feel like McIntosh is what you buy when you want to say you have hi-end equipment but aren't really someone who researches and listens to a lot of different equipment. While it is still good equipment, once you audition others, you will soon find out that perhaps McIntosh isn't really what you want or need. But still good.

I have been a McIntosh owner for over 30 years. 

I will state that when I would visit stereo / hi-fi stores over the decades (when we still had hi-fi stores!) and salespersons would ask what I had for a system, I was embarrassed to some degree to state that I owned McIntosh due to the comments and that I would get.  Not sure where that really came from...other than the assumption that people disliked the colored, house sound from years ago, the logo font choice and the blue meters.  McIntosh, seemingly more than any other stereo manufacturer, has indeed generated a fair number of detractors that really dislike these products.

I still remember a few clubs/bars in my area in the '90's that would have a McIntosh amp behind the bar running the sound system.  All beat to heck, lights burned out, top of the amps battered for years of setting stuff on them, but still operating year after year.   

My mid '70's MC250 amp is still going, and my Clarion years MAC preamp is still 100% functional.

Right on jheppe815. Mac equipment is solid, as well as the resale value. Unlikely to take a hit on the buy in cost other than general inflation.

 I have multiple Mac pieces. It sounds "warm" to me. I have nothing to compare to. My ears love the sound and I suppose I could "upgrade" but what would be the point. My ears and brain have come to accept my Mac equipment as audio nirvana. Would just turn into a rabbit hole with many dollars needlessly spent. 

SQ - I have owned four different McIntosh combinations over the years and I would consider their sound quality to be solid, punchy, clear and powerful, never shrill.   

BQ - just outstanding.  Beautifully crafted and very unique.  Touching McIntosh equipment always invokes a sense of quality craftmanship.  Some bash the meters but what a distinctive brand identity.  They are also incredibly reliable. 

Value - McIntosh is too expensive but when you add in most pieces ability to hold their value, I think it changes the expense to benefit ratio.  Seems you can always get your money back and in some cases more.

Customer Support - never had to use it but I hear it is exceptional.

Overall - I would highly recommend McIntosh to most listeners.  I just have confidence that Mac gear delivers in most all situations.  It may not be the very best of the best, but when you consider everything involved, it's a hard to be brand. 

No one has mentioned convenience. I have a M/X 123 A/V processor that controls my audio and video. It came bundled with Apple Music, so no separate streamer, DAC, etc. necessary. My audio is powered by a McIntosh 275 tube amp. For movies, etc,, I use a MC8207 seven channel solid state amp. Coupled with a MAC4BACCH filter, it sounds better than a million dollar system I recently heard at a very high-end dealer in New York. I cannot over-emphasize how much the BACCH adds to my system.