McIntosh - is it that great?

I agree that there isn't another brand that has the same consistently high resale value. Some models are more popular than others, but the tube stuff is REALLY popular. On two separate occasions, vintage MC275s recently sold on ebay for more than a brand new MC275 IV. There's a brand new MC275 IV for sale right now on ebay where the bid price is almost identical for what you can pay for a new one!

I bought an MC240 and MX110 off ebay and had servicing done (mostly recapping). Sounds really wonderful. Beautiful really, like real (live) music.

Of course, I haven't bathed my $9,000 interconnects in Hai Karate and gone over my speaker cables with a drowsing rod to test for "directionality," so maybe I haven't acheived the ultimate in transparency and other "high end" drivel.

But it sounds really great.

you have a stereo for the ages...

They just look cool too. Like high end audio should look. I would take the aesthtics co these over Edge or Krell any day.

I thought I'd chime in here on one of the reasons I think Mac is so great, at least for their solid state. It's their hand wound autoformers. I got this from something Ron C, of McIntosh, said awhile back. Transistors are not very linear compared to tubes. They get pushed around by speakers, which are not resistors. Mac designs the output stage to be as linear as possible within a certain design and type of transistor they're using then couple it to the autoformer. The output stage stays very linear while the other end of the autoformer deals with the reactive speaker. It seems Paul Speltz is enjoying success with his aftermarket autoformer. Imagine Macs experience with handwinding their own all these years plus they're matched for that specific amp. I hope I haven't butchered his explanation too much.

I'm using a MC2200 & two MC2101 bridged to drive a pair of Watts & Puppies. Front end includes Levinson Reference Transport & DAC, Linn LP12 TT.

I've compared the MC setup against my other Levinson 26S pre & 30.5 power amp.

In general the Levinson produces a more clinical type of sound. However, as far as vocal and sonic quality, the MC will beat the ML decisively. The operatic vocal comes out very smooth & sounds like a voice with the MC.

Incidentally the ML 26s sounds decisively better than the new ML320 upon AB testing.

Running the MC2101 in bridge mode will have a much better imaging, sound stage and sound pressure. It is taking the best of both qualities out of ML & MC combined in one.