Why do no audio enthusiasts use McIntosh?

Bob Weir Grateful Dead 


 

I think that there is a thread dissing McIntosh all the time is an interesting thing. Boy, they seem to be doing pretty well these days. They must be doing something right. why is that? why is there always a thread like this? i think it’s actually a good promotion of McIntosh to be honest. Geez after reading all these negative posts I think I have to see what this McIntosh is all about. They must be the benchmark if everyones comparing to them. lol  Their equipment sure holds its value.  Does anybody elses?  lol

I have always admired McIntosh since the late 1970's even had a mac dealer in Des Moines Iowa. Well, it is 2019 I am scanning A'gon here and see an ad for a pair of Mac Mc30 mono tube amps. i write and then we speak by phone, I ask if I can come and audition the Mc30's? he says yes, only 2hours away.  I am a huge vinyl fan and assume a tube amp guy is also. I ask what turntable does he own?

No table and no CD no preamp he only streams his audio. I know my destiny is to rescue these mono amps.  I inspect and listen they had been restored and NOS tubes, they came home with me for just over $4k!! Then within 2 weeks I again on A'gon find refurbished Mac C20 preamp with the brass bar $2K again I save the preamp.

My Mac gear now plays my jazz lp's through my Nola Boxer S2's and will be part of my legacy to my son. 

I have a C29 preamp connected to a MC2100 amp, 1970's steely dan bliss. I love Mcintosh. Outstanding SQ, build quality, been running for decades without a moan of trouble. If you ever decide to part ways, high resale dollars are waiting.Turn it up!

My first electronics was a hand me down from my dad a Fisher X202 tube integrated, fm100 tuner , Marantz 8b and altec 804 in the early 70’s. I regretted selling them when I went to university. Had my share of Japanese gear in the 80’s. After my kids got grown up I got bit by the bug again. I could never afford new gear so I was in the merry go round of gear swapping used mid and entry level high end stuff. Audio Research, Bedini, Quad, Perreaux, Bryston, Counterpoint, Aragon, Acurus, Sonographe, Conrad Johnson, Luxman, GAS, Moscode, Threshold, Krell, Classe, Linn, Naim, Accuphase, Cary, Audible Illusions, McCormack. My first Mac was the MAC1900, then a MAC4100, C28, 6100. I lucked out on an estate sale and picked up C32, MC2205 and MR78, I kept them as my second system. My main system now is an Audible Illusions Modulus 3A, and an Accuphase P266 class A SS.

Mac gear are good sounding imho and yes the sight of those blue lights and big vu meters are icing on the cake, they are much more reliable than the others, never had good luck with Audio Research, Counterpoint and Krell gear they were not reliable. Older Mac gear are good investment pieces they hold their value, I find the older Mac gear are voiced to be on the warm side. Older guys like me like that 60’s and 70’s warm sound.