Why nobody uses McIntosh with Vandersteen?


Is it a classic mismatch or what? I mean nobody recommends Vandys for Mac and vice versa. I love both brands but if I buy Vandersteen 3A Signature I'll have to start looking for amps. I once tried hooking up 6900 to 3A Sig's and on 4Ohms the sound was dead while on 8 Ohms it was alive but thin. Is it the autoformers?
antonkk
Thanx Theo but it's not only the dealers - when was the lats time you read about a great Mac/Vandy combo here or on any other message board? Mac owners use B&W, JBL, Tannoy, Sonus Faber etc but never Vanersteen while Vandersteen owners use Krell, Audio Research etc.
I use Revel, but I don't see where it is relevant. I guess I have never looked for the combo here, but it doesn't mean it doesn't excist. I really think you should contact Audio Classics and Richard Vandersteen. If you already have Mc amps and like the sound, I am willing to bet that you will be happy with them driving Vandersteens. Personnaly I have never cared for the Vandersteen speakers, but it has nothing to do with Mc amps. I think they work in certain enviroments, just never appealled to me. My dealer has tried to get me interested but I just never heard what I want to hear. I have a close friend that loves his 2's, he drives them with Yamaha and Adcom.
He wants to upgrade his amp and tells me he would like a Mc amp but his wife gets involved and it all stops there.
I think at one time Cherry Creek Audio in Denver sold both McIntosh and Vandersteen, I am sure they must have sold some systems with both.
Theo,
Just a guess--the Vandersteens have a very pleasant, forgiving sound (not really my words but those of many who I've attended shows with), and MAC has the same sort of sound. So the thinking might be that together they would not be revealing enough.
While I can understand that basic thinking, I don't necessarily agree. Tubes are considered softish,but more revealing perhaps than the Mac Solid State, like the 6900.
As to the Autoformers, I couldn't say, even though I attended the McMasters Training in their bustling metropolis!lol
On the taps for the loudspeakers, I know exactly what you mean, it makes one wish there was a 6 ohm tap.
THIEL's sound good with MAC--as they ARE forward to some folks, (not all, for sure). It may be, as you said a classic mismatch.
This is one reason why, in developing loudspeakers, I used the Halcro (very low, low, low distortion, but in some opinions, dry (I've even heard some say amusical), then Grypon, then a 10 year old Receiver from Harman Kardon.
Admittedly, I didn't try the Mac, it may be that it's just 'soft' enough to be a mismatch.
The good news is, you've got lots of options.
Good luck,

Larry
"Mac owners use B&W, JBL, Tannoy, Sonus Faber etc"

McIntosh MC501 monoblocks with Wilson Sophia II's here (4 ohm), no thin problems.

Isn't the "feature" of the Autoformer is to make the amp is compatible with more speakers?