McIntosh XCS1.5K launched

[DMill]

It’s certainly a beautiful bold ridiculous piece of gear. When money doesn’t matter I’ll check it out

 

[sarumbear]

Yamaha YSP sound projector soundbars have even more complex arrays of drivers since now almost 2 decades, only that they are all controlled by separate DSP/delay and amps and thus can steer the sound direction to cleverly use the side and rear room walls for the fraction of the price, I have one for my TV, quite impressive engineering.

An Evolutionary History. - Yamaha - United States

usa.yamaha.com

That Yamaha was a great product. It was a phased array, which can control dispersion.

 

[thewas]

That Yamaha was a great product. It was a phased array, which can control dispersion.

Yes, I am happy to own one and hope they will make also successor of its latest implemention YSP-5600. It is also very interesting listening experience during auto or manual setup when the beam steering angle of the various channels is changed.

 

[GXAlan]

McIntosh Loudspeaker Division Part 2

McIntosh used to be an innovative company. Today, I think they have innovative products within a larger group of flashy lifestyle products. The MC462, for example, measures very well. The MC275 is a tube setup that is not intended to be a distortion factory. They are adopting HypeX amplification (ignore the rated specifications — look at the MC462 rated specification versus the measurements). They adopt Lyngdorf technology in their flagship home theater products.

The problem is that I just named a handful of products out of the entire portfolio…

Still, they are one of the few companies that genuinely make a lot of stuff in the United States and if I won the lottery, or won free McIntosh gift certificates, there are plenty of good electronics to get.

 

[DMill]

McIntosh Loudspeaker Division Part 2

McIntosh used to be an innovative company. Today, I think they have innovative products within a larger group of flashy lifestyle products. The MC462, for example, measures very well. The MC275 is a tube setup that is not intended to be a distortion factory. They are adopting HypeX amplification (ignore the rated specifications — look at the MC462 rated specification versus the measurements). They adopt Lyngdorf technology in their flagship home theater products.

The problem is that I just named a handful of products out of the entire portfolio…

Still, they are one of the few companies that genuinely make a lot of stuff in the United States and if I won the lottery, or won free McIntosh gift certificates, there are plenty of good electronics to get.

I would agree that they seem to get it. It’s really hard not to love the McIntosh vibe. Of course it’s overpriced but if you have the money and you want in on gear we are talking about 30 years from now. Not a bad choice. I’d love to see some more of their gear measured here.

 

[anmpr1]

McIntosh seem to just make stuff because they can.

Mac is like Gibson. The other day Waifu and I drove west, to the Gibson Garage. Just to look around. Beauty on display. I mean it. Yet a challenge to reality. That thirty thousand dollar LP takes your breath away? Pikers. Move right and check out the the fifty thousand dollar custom Custom Shop. I'm afraid to touch it. Or breath on it. I ask the armed guard, "Where's the the Epiphone exhibit"? If I was younger it would be Kramer.

In my mind McIntosh will always be associated with solid gear for the dollar. No nonsense and built to last. Frank and Gordon. But my mind is old. Not really relevant to today's scene. Nowadays? I have no idea what the hell they are doing... other than doing it because, like you say, they can.

 

[Vacceo]

Mac is like Gibson. The other day Waifu and I drove west, to the Gibson Garage. Just to look around. Beauty on display. I mean it. Yet a challenge to reality. That thirty thousand dollar LP takes your breath away? Pikers. Move right and check out the the fifty thousand dollar custom Custom Shop. I'm afraid to touch it. Or breath on it. I ask the armed guard, "Where's the the Epiphone exhibit"? If I was younger it would be Kramer.

In my mind McIntosh will always be associated with solid gear for the dollar. No nonsense and built to last. Frank and Gordon. But my mind is old. Not really relevant to today's scene. Nowadays? I have no idea what the hell they are doing... other than doing it because, like you say, they can.

Seems like their class D multichannel amps are good implementaciones of Hypex Ncores. Their AB amps are as good as they have usually been.

 

[james57]

looks like a new lidar for a semi

 

[617]

Seems like their class D multichannel amps are good implementaciones of Hypex Ncores. Their AB amps are as good as they have usually been.

Yeah and their big array speakers are probably quite dynamic and can play super loud. I haven't seen measurements.

I see no problem with McIntosh. It's not like you don't get something for your money.

 

[MarcT]

Yeah and their big array speakers are probably quite dynamic and can play super loud. I haven't seen measurements.

I see no problem with McIntosh. It's not like you don't get something for your money.

I heard their big tall array speakers at an audio show and they sounded really good to me. However, I wouldn't be surprised if measuring them revealed some issues.

 

[Chrispy]

Seems more about appearance, big surprise with that brand.

 

[anmpr1]

I see no problem with McIntosh. It's not like you don't get something for your money.

Yes. It's not like that. Even Mac couldn't get away with selling nothing for something. Um...er... wait a minute! They did figure out how to do that. Fifteen hundred dollars for a box of nothing. When it comes to marketing, these guys play hard ball, for sure.

What a joke the company has become. Clown World. I'm guessing they have total contempt for their customers. How could they not? How could you not laugh at someone who gives you $1500.00 for a box of nothing? What else could they do? Sell a two thousand dollar clock that tells time using blue meters?

I equate the LightBox with stuff women might buy to show off, only not as practical--Prada or Hermes. At least with a Chanel bag, a woman can carry their stuff in it, around town in order to show off. How can you show off a Light Box?

You'd think people would take a look at what McIntosh is doing, and become too embarrassed to be associated with any of it. For crying out loud, who is advising them with product planning? H.L. Mencken?

 

[DMill]

Yes. It's not like that. Even Mac couldn't get away with selling nothing for something. Um...er... wait a minute! They did figure out how to do that. Fifteen hundred dollars for a box of nothing. When it comes to marketing, these guys play hard ball, for sure.

What a joke the company has become. Clown World. I'm guessing they have total contempt for their customers. How could they not? How could you not laugh at someone who gives you $1500.00 for a box of nothing? What else could they do? Sell a two thousand dollar clock that tells time using blue meters?

I equate the LightBox with stuff women might buy to show off, only not as practical--Prada or Hermes. At least with a Chanel bag, a woman can carry their stuff in it, around town in order to show off. How can you show off a Light Box?

You'd think people would take a look at what McIntosh is doing, and become too embarrassed to be associated with any of it. For crying out loud, who is advising them with product planning? H.L. Mencken?

View attachment 232144

I honestly don’t know who I think less of. The company who made it or the person buying it. I’ll say this for Mc, they aren’t making any claims for it doing anything but lighting up a logo. So technically not snake oil.

 

[Koeitje]

Thoughts?

What the fuck

 

[DonH56]

Glad to see this, makes my Revel Voice2 seem cheap (inexpensive, not poorly made).

 

[617]

Yes. It's not like that. Even Mac couldn't get away with selling nothing for something. Um...er... wait a minute! They did figure out how to do that. Fifteen hundred dollars for a box of nothing. When it comes to marketing, these guys play hard ball, for sure.

What a joke the company has become. Clown World. I'm guessing they have total contempt for their customers. How could they not? How could you not laugh at someone who gives you $1500.00 for a box of nothing? What else could they do? Sell a two thousand dollar clock that tells time using blue meters?

I equate the LightBox with stuff women might buy to show off, only not as practical--Prada or Hermes. At least with a Chanel bag, a woman can carry their stuff in it, around town in order to show off. How can you show off a Light Box?

You'd think people would take a look at what McIntosh is doing, and become too embarrassed to be associated with any of it. For crying out loud, who is advising them with product planning? H.L. Mencken?

View attachment 232144

I used to work in high end interior design, and I have seen far more expensive and far less impressive decorative objects than this.

 

[Recluse-Animator]

DSPPA

https://www.dsppatech.com/

 

[anmpr1]

I used to work in high end interior design, and I have seen far more expensive and far less impressive decorative objects than this.

Well... I think that tells the tale. And is probably about right. Sad to think about the legacy of Frank and Gordon. High-end interior design.

I have a fantasy... that I have a hi-fi oriented time machine. I imagine how it might have been. One daydream is taking an AHB2 back to 1975. Knock on Julian Hirsch's door and say, "Scope this one out, Julee..." And watch his expression after he hooks it up to his machine. Then I imagine his copy in next month's magazine.

Another is going back in time to 1946. Frank meets with his new hire, Gordon, and asks, "Now that you're on board, what ideas do you have that we can use to astonish our customer base, ensuring both our company's integrity and future? You know, we have to get serious, because there's a guy named Saul living in the City, and I hear he wants to take over the upscale audio market."

"Well, Frank... grapevine has it that a few guys in Jersey, over at Bell, are working out solid state amplification. I think that's the future, for sure. What say I get Bardeen or Shockley on the horn, and see if I can't get the dope?"

"Yeah, good idea. But that's not something we can take to market right now. We need something now. Not later."

"Don't worry, Frank. I've got a Plan B. It's something that we can make look nice, build cheap, and sell for top dollar. How about a box with a lightbulb in it? I think an empty box with a lightbulb in it, selling for a thousand dollars, is our ticket to the future."

Frank stands silent. Stunned. Then, slowly coming around, remembers the autographed bat he got from Phil Rizzuto. Taking Scooter's Slugger down from its wall mount, he starts ferociously swinging it wildly, smashing everything in the office. Staring madly at Gordon, he slowly approaches, tightening his grip. Gordon gets the hint, and swiftly exists, stage right.

 

[617]

The legacy of McIntosh is that by some miracle they manage to keep some jobs in upstate New York creating audio components that have largely been commodified and produced at far lower cost in China and Malaysia.

We should be thankful someone is making electronics which won't be thrown away and speakers which are weird.

 

[MarcT]

The legacy of McIntosh is that by some miracle they manage to keep some jobs in upstate New York creating audio components that have largely been commodified and produced at far lower cost in China and Malaysia.

We should be thankful someone is making electronics which won't be thrown away and speakers which are weird.

The Harley Davidson of audio?!