Words of wisdom and just getting to the crux of the matter Larsky and Wolf. It is always striking to me how pedantic these topics can evolve into. Enjoy the music!
Why do no audio enthusiasts use McIntosh?
With the exception of some of there tube gear, not many really use this stuff(or admit to it anyway), I am mainly referring to there amps. They look pleasant, they look good on paper and have the price of high end gear, but I seldom hear anyone claiming to like or one day dreaming of owning McIntosh. I have never really listened to there stuff, no good word of mouth sort of scares me away from it, the only people who like it are those who sell it, an uncanny coincidence? I don’t know. Sorry it this has been covered many times in the past, I ran a search and could not find anything.
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@shadorne There are more effective ways of giving your output devices a "safe space" from the big, bad outside world of reactive loads that stunting their ability to control the load. I think Atmasphere would agree, the signature characteristics of tube amps are found in their distortion character and transconductance curves. I don't really have problem with their amps, but I feel what I'm listening to suites my needs better. |
Mac amps and preamps need to match well with whatever speaker you choose. I had a MC 7270 amp and MC C37 preamp driving Thiel CS3 speakers for over 20 years, starting in the late 80s. That was a wonderful match. I hated the weight of the amp, but Mac gear is very reliable and if a good match to other gear, a great investment. If you like the looks and sound of Mac gear, go for it. Years later when I tried using the amp with Maggie speakers, the charm wasn’t there. The protection circuits at higher volume kicked in giving off an awful artifact I couldn’t live with. No longer a good match. I easily sold off my Mac gear for a very good return after all those years. Given my long use, I’d classify it as an effective investment. I was an enthusiastic audiophile when I first bought the Mac gear, and I’m still one today, although I’m running very different gear (< 10 pound tube amp). Audiophiles do buy Mac, but many buyers don’t necessarily swim in these sites. They buy and enjoy, long term. |
"Why do no audio enthusiasts use McIntosh?" Not true! Over on the Audio AudioAficionado Forum (https://www.audioaficionado.org) you will find many Mac enthusiats who have very fine systems which also often include some of the very best gear from other respected brands. |
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