I'm partial to the older Mac tube gear. A properly serviced C22 preamp is one of the best preamps money can buy. They also hold their value and even appreciate in value over time.
A buddy of mine used to be the Mac repair tech at San Francisco's House of Music. The stories he told about the current line of Mac gear suggest that their reputation for build quality and reliability are based upon the older classic gear, like the C22, and not the current line.
The 275 tube power amp is also a classic, and like the C22, holds its value and appreciates over time.
There are other tube products, such as those from tubes4hifi.com, which are MUCH less costly and every bit as good, but they don't have the cache that the classic Mac gear does. But they are highly affordable.
A buddy of mine used to be the Mac repair tech at San Francisco's House of Music. The stories he told about the current line of Mac gear suggest that their reputation for build quality and reliability are based upon the older classic gear, like the C22, and not the current line.
The 275 tube power amp is also a classic, and like the C22, holds its value and appreciates over time.
There are other tube products, such as those from tubes4hifi.com, which are MUCH less costly and every bit as good, but they don't have the cache that the classic Mac gear does. But they are highly affordable.