No Love for McIntosh ?

[BruceD]

I very much enjoyed their room at Rocky Mountain Audio Fest. See my impression and answer to your question here: http://audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/rmaf-2016-mcintosh-audio.916/

Sheesh at least it must've been better than the Half ballroom they had at Newport couple of years back--truly woeful

BruceD

 

[audioguy]

Mac often elicit envy: They are the brand that non-audiophiles most easily recognize as High End Audio .. Once the non-audiophile gets past the mention of Bose, next comes Mac Intosh ... Worldwide

Bose to McIntosh .... Now THAT is a leap of serious length. But, like you, I do detect a bit of "snobbery" when downplaying the McIntosh brand.

When I lived in Atlanta the first time in the 1960's (yes, I am THAT old) there was a high end store called "High Fidelity Sight and Sound" - an audio and camera shop (waaaaaay pre home theater), run by a guy with a very strong accent. He was a huge Mac dealer. He pronounced McIntosh as "Mick-In-Tish" with the emphasis on the "In".

I have an acquaintance who runs Macs on his system and it sounds fabulous - including the MX160 surround processor.

 

[twitch]

This is pretty insulting.

my apologies, not the intent.

Maybe it's confusing to most that audiophile has taken on the meaning of people with tastes to achieve the best sound, but it has... it's not so literal anymore.

The problem with certain 'audiophiles' is that the emotional connection becomes greater with their 'gear' than it does the music and that IS ridiculous !

Now with that being said the intelligent audiophile understands that the 'gear' is merely the conduit through which the music flows. Synergy of ones 'gear' and the listening environment in which it plays is without question important, for just throwing $$ at 'audio jewelry' is not the answer and I'll bet the majority here know that !

 

[still-one]

In the good old days tube Macs albeit dark, colored, and somewhat muddy sounding created great atmosphere and mood for the music that's why they were so loved by Jazz lovers in the Far East. Stick an EMT, Garrard 301/401 or Thorens TD124 with SME 3012 & a vintage SPU at the front with pair of Klipsch corner horns or iconic JBL and you'll have more magic & emotion than majority of the high end systems of today. Unfortunately today's Macs have inherited nothing besides the name and industrial design from the great old ones, the new ones are made by the same people who manufacture the current Marantz, Denon, etc. for the mass market, it's just a name...

david

Your really aren't up to date are you. You are several years behind.

 

[ddk]

Your really aren't up to date are you. You are several years behind.

I'm not! I know the company changed hands few times in the last several years but it's always investment groups! I see & hear Mac gear all the time they're not a rarity by any stretch of imagination.

david

 

[Folsom]

The problem with certain 'audiophiles' is that the emotional connection becomes greater with their 'gear' than it does the music and that IS ridiculous !
!

I use to be more worried about that. But now I just accept that people are having fun however they want and there's nothing wrong with that.

 

[still-one]

I'm not! I know the company changed hands few times in the last several years but it's always investment groups! I see & hear Mac gear all the time they're not a rarity by any stretch of imagination.

david

Their products save for possibly a HT processor had little or anything to do with Denon or Marantz. Several years ago their was a MBO by the head of Fine Sounds and Charlie Randall with the support of investment money. The group is acting independent.

 

[twitch]

I'm not! I know the company changed hands few times in the last several years but it's always investment groups!

I could be mistaken but did not ARC go through the same thing ?

I see & hear Mac gear all the time they're not a rarity by any stretch of imagination.

david

so, does something have to be 'rare' to sound good ?

 

[still-one]

I could be mistaken but did not ARC go through the same thing ?



so, does something have to be 'rare' to sound good ?

ARC along with Wadia, Sonus Faber and Sumiko Subwoofers are all part of The McIntosh Group.