Why do no audio enthusiasts use McIntosh?

Hello, no offense taken, but I have sold over 3,000 cars and drove and serviced them all, the reason my ferrari analogy was, well Ferrari is a very misunderstood car by most people, they think they are "tempermental',"expensive to repair and mucho high maintenance....nothing is further from the truth...Ferraris are extremely well built and well engineered....and serviced at the proper intervals are very easy to live with.....the whole point of a sports car is tohave fun driving it....i.e. does it put a smile on your face...to me Ferrari does it every time....same with Mac....hence my analogy. Just because a manufacturer is big or small has no merit with me....it is their product and value in the marketplace that counts....and Mac being in the home audio business for so long one might say they have it down......meaning they can build a hi end amp more efficiently than the competition, thus bringing to market an amp that a lesser company simply can't do...as in the MC 275...tough to beat at that price.....anyway an interesting point, of ALL the cars that I have sold and serviced....the 5 Ferraris needed just about the least amount of attention...who knew.

Hi Jc51373, Yes we all have opinions and we all hear differently. Krell is your amp of choice and McIntosh happens to be mine. Most systems differ in components not to mention room treatments. System synergy is what we're all looking for in this wacky hobby. I think what has most McIntosh owners scratching their heads is your description of this amp as "Dry and etched"............"unemotional and uninvoling" are a bit more subjective and that is your honest opinion. This is close to 180 degrees opposite of my experience with this amplifier. Musical with a relaxed presentation, involving, emotional and just a smoth sweet sound would be my characterization of this McIntosh amp.

Vanilla & choclate........... we all have opinions

Good luck with your new Krell's!

Although I can't afford any Mac gear I've demoed a bunch at my local "dream store". Also known a few people who own and swear by the stuff. It seems that ever increasing "detail" in audio gear has tended towards a brighter sound. While all that detail is impressive at first , it just gets annoying to me after a few hours. McIntosh gear seems to have a more soothing , relaxed sound that you can leave on all day and not think about anything but the music.
After a couple divorces I'm down to a little integrated (Marantz PM7200) that has the same type sound-with the obvious caveat that it ain't Mac. I like the signature "Mac sound" and would use their amps in a heartbeat if I could afford it.
Finally , I've noticed that Mac amps definitely have speaker preferences. They don't seem to like many planar or ribbon speakers. Hook a pair of Mac monoblocks to a pair of Klipschorns or LaScalas though , and you'll hear why the old guys love their "blue eyes".

Alaric, I like your description "blue eye"..Funny stuff.

It's true though, opinions are all unique, or you know what they say, they are like a-holes, we all have em and they stink!

Anyway, not meaning to brand bash, just state my experience, if it came across as brand bashing my bad. Who knows, I could get this FPB in my room and think it sound terrible. Doubtful, but possible, and I would be honest either way, Krell or not. If it doesn't sound good, I don't see the spending the kind of money we spend on this stuff, cause in the end albeit cliche, it is TRULY all about the emotion of music, not just the delivery of it.

Wouldn't it be interesting to get the 2 camps together in one place to demo/debate what each is hearing/looking for? Of course liability policies would have to be up to date and all furniture removed. I wonder if the experience would be convergent or further polarize?