McIntosh - is it that great?

I have been a consumer of audio gear for 30 years now. I have owned McIntosh, Krell, Conrad Johnson, Marantz, Perraux, Revox, and top end Sony, Yamaha, Teac 3340, Nak Dragon. Tubes & SS epuipment. I liked/loved/hated all at one point.
McIntosh cost are higher for many reasons. 1 overlooked fact is Americans handcraft each one in NEW YORK where the cost of living is higher. The comany has been on the cutting edge in amp research since it started. No other company even comes close to the number of Pat. McIntosh owns in amps!
McIntosh DVD players are always playing catch up and may not be the best value.
Looks and performance. Outstanding. Sold the Krell Amp KAV 300 because lack of involvement no meters. I wanted more than a box with led light, beautiful heat sicks. Don't get me wrong This is a wonderful amp. As far as the sound goes. B&W 801 s3 with Sigma IC's I could not hear any difference Just being honest. I don't have 100% McIntosh eqipment in the 3 rooms. But all have McIntosh amps.
If you are careful and buy a used amp lets say MC 602 New $8500.00 Used $5000 average. I would willing to bet a buck in 10 years you will still have a outstanding amp and be able to sell it for more. Just due to inflation, demand, and the fact that these are the best amps in the world. The reason I have owned so many different tpyes of equipment is I wanted to save a buck. But always compaired what I had to McIntosh. Once I purchased my First McIntosh I quit compairing and have setteled for the best. What a piece of mind. And if and when I do upgrade again I will just smile.

I have been into Audio since 1975.I got intereste in SouthEast Asia.I have ownedSansui,Pioneer,Technics,Pioneer seperats-spec1 spec2.Bose,High end Sony,Panasonic,SAE,Polk sda-drs Speakers,Krell Amp and Pre,Klipsch K-horns,BAT also.
I bought my first Mcintosh Amp,a mint MC2500 built in 1985 backin March of 05.I paid $2800.00 for the amp. Retail new was $3200.00 when it was last madein 1990.The amp is fantastic and I bet I can get at least $2500.00 if I was to sell it,if not more.None of the other brands I named can or do hold their value like that.I bought a new MC275 IV in Dec 05 and it is the best match for the K-horns I have found.The k-horns I got used from ebay a couple of months ago for $1960.00.I am now using a BAT-Vk3 pre,a BAT-PK5 phono pre with a new VPI Scout and a Mac MR-74 tuner that has been gone through by Terry Dewick and Tom Mannley.The tunner is from the 1970's and I bet down the road I can get what I paid for it $650.00 which is more than it cost new.All the Mac stuff I own is great and most liklyI will never sell any of it.I can also get just about any parts I need for any of Macs stuff no matter how old.Their customer service is second to none.What other company would build you a shipping container for a 21 year old amp to send to someone else to work on? Macintosh will and talk to you as long as you want about any thing Macintosh even if you don't have the piece you are asking about.Want a price quote on a new piece of Mac gear?You will either get an email or a personal call,which ever one you pick, the next day.Name another company that will do that stuff.The closest that I have found is Victor and his partner at BAT,one of them even answers the phone even though they are very busy they will answer all of your questions even if the model is no longer made.I am looking at new Mac cd players and will always use their stuff for as long as I am into audio.
Alot of the people,no not all of them,that bash Mac have never owned or even listened to it.I don't see how it cost any more than any other high end stuff.Yes there are better and higher costing stuff but none that holds it's value or is built as well.Any body who says they don't like the sound I would like to hear what it is that they did not like.But everyone is intitled to their own oppinion,I just wish it was based on actualy based on owning one or at least done several demos.

Hello. I am presently using a proceed avp2 processor with jm lab mini utopias. Transparent ref speaker cables, Cardas cables virtual dynamics power cords. Hydra power center. Mark levinson dac. As far as power amps, I was using the mc 352. I just sold it as well as my 2 0ther mc 2200's that were powering my center and my rears.(One of the mc2200 was bridged mono for the center mini utopia. I was very pleased with the MC 352 for the mains. I have upgraded my budget since and am Looking to spend around 10k for monoblocks for the main speakers. I have seen 2 possible buys here on audiogon. Can anyone help me in making my desicion. (here it goes.!!) I saw Mark levinson no33's for 10k VS the MC 1201's
Whomever can raise a good arguement in which of these paired babies I should purchase may email me epagak@hotmaiil.com

apples and oranges.....a more fair sonic shootout would be the levinsons vs a pair of 352's......the 1201's are way better than the no. 33's

This has been said before, but Mac is the Harley Davidson of audio. Not the fastest, most reliable, smoothest or best out there, but you ARE buying a piece of American culture. Those who defend McIntosh do it with the loyalty of a cult following, and many Mac lover's out there simply do not have the objectivity needed to make a neutral evalutation. It's ok, as many audiophiles are ''fans'' of certain manufacturers, and pride of ownership make up I feel a large part of audiophilia as a hobby. I am absolutely convinced that most Audiogoners here are not in it strickly for the music, but for the love of equipment itself in a larger margin that most of us will admit.

Back to Mac. My personnal experience, and by no means enough to base an definite evaluation. I admit to having purchased a 6450 Mac integrated back a few years ago. I bought it to fulfill my high-school years dream of ''owning'' a ''McIntosh''. The legendary status of Mac made me buy this integrated. The musical performance it generated made me sell it soon afterwards, as it was a big let-down for me, compared to the previous gear I had owned up to then, and especially when compared to my hyped-up expectations of this cult brand.

Still, I would buy a McIntosh product again, probably one of the newer designs, and maybe even vintage, and this after owning a lot of gear, most of it better than the Mac integrated I had once owned.

Looking back now, and closing the audio circus buy-sell-buy loop, I would buy one again as I feel that just buying it for the looks of it, the history behind it, and the way it transforms any ordinary living room into something special, is worth it. Even if it is at the expense of not getting what most audiophiles would consider top-shelf performance all the time. It would surely be good enough for me and all things considered, a wise choice.