What is it about McIntosh?

[Siwel]

https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/...-grateful-deads-amps-to-listen-to-soviet-subs

Above is a link about it...

Fun read, thanks! It gets very strange around defense and defense contractors. Remember the Army's (I think successful) scheme to get Noriega to come out of his "bunker?" They played R&R at intense levels until he caved. I should see if there are any pics of the gear they used. We could ID it!

The gear JBL sold the gov through the defense contractor was for the boat's PA, so designed into the structure which wasn't a one off proposition. I don't know how they ran speaker level on the boats, what they used for amplification, 70V or low impedance, how many zones they had, etc. etc. All I knew was that they were buying the most expensive 8" full range speaker in the catalog by the hundreds. And that it was for new sub construction. It was an excellent driver by the way.

But your article is much more interesting, far more exotic application and more entertaining.

In the interests of kicking this theme until it is dead, I met Susan Wickersham at Alembic's surprisingly rustic headquarters in Sonoma maybe 40 years ago. It was a uniquely casual place at the time ( as factories go) and I'd guess it still is. That was a fun time in audio even for a plebe like me. Things were starting to change and the pace was picking up.

 

[anmpr1]

The gear JBL sold the gov through the defense contractor was for the boat's PA...

The closest I ever got to 'military' hi-fi was in the mid '70s. I was in the Army in Germany. Back then hi-fi was on everyone's mind, and all the manufacturers sponsored what I remembered was called an "Audio Club". But it might have been called something else. Located in Frankfurt, it was essentially a big warehouse (think Ikea showroom) where various manufacturers showed gear. You could order direct and have items dropped shipped to a stateside address.

I recall seeing the big floor standing JBL monitors (L300). It was the first time I encountered Accuphase gear (very expensive for Japanese sourced products). And, yes, McIntosh. Euro brands were relatively inexpensive (think ReVox and Dual). The big Technics direct drives that were recently introuduced (SP10 and SL1100a) were quite impressive.

Audio heaven for an aspiring gear-head.

 

[anmpr1]

Speaking of that era, our barracks were essentially an audio showroom. Of course no one owned McIntosh because it was too expensive. Mostly officers must have bought that stuff. I recall the following gear in the regular enlisted quarters--usually there were four men to a large room, so everyone pitched in and bought a piece:

Bose 901s (popular)
JBL L100 (over the top popular)
AR3a (not that popular due to the 'East Coast' muted sound--and everyone was a rocker)
Sansui speakers that had a lattice work wood grill. Tons of drivers in the box. More furniture than speaker.
Various Japanese receivers (Sansui and Pioneer, mostly).
Integrated amps were big (Kenwood, Pioneer, Sansui, Rotel)
Technics Sl-1200 (first version)
Garrard Z-100
Dual 1229
AR turntable
Cartridges (Stanton 681, Shure V15 III, and some Empires were what you'd find. Maybe an ADC)
Cassette decks were everywhere (Teac 450 was considered top end)
A few open reels (Teac and Akai mostly. Revox A77 was considered top end.)

Gear was so cheap that 'top of the line' was ubiquitous. In the room I was in we had both a Dual 1229 and Technics 1200 record player. If someone was discharged they usually just left the gear because it was too expensive to box up and send back. We had a Pioneer SX-1010 receiver. I don't recall how we were lucky enough to get that. For the day it was a monster w/100 watts per channel.

 

[Mountain Goat]

My uncle had those wood lattice Sansuis back in the early 70s. He's also had a Sansui reel-to-reel that fascinated my young self.

 

[kevinh]

My firenmd had a MAc setup around 77, ML4 loudspeakers with a Mac 2300. The dealer didn't sell him the Mac Eq for the system sorta muffled sounding but the system could play loud and it was bullet proof.

Whe I was in the AF 71-75 I wanted to go to Asia to get the Big Sansui speakers that were sold th=rough te PX overseas.

 

[Roadsterlover]

As painful as it is for me to acknowledge after nearly 50 years of enjoying McIntosh, I have to agree that the company is "losing its way" (the clock (oh God!) and the tube turntable). If you want to get a small sense of the original McIntosh culture, read the history of the company on roger-russel.com. Back "in the day", Mac sent out a gentleman, David O'Brien, to the brick and mortar stores. David provided a clinic for any gear that customers wanted to have tested. For Mac tube gear, if he found a defective tube, etc., it was repaired on the spot. David was also a genuine wealth of knowledge of audio, regardless of preferred brand. What a different from what I experience at a Best Buy/Magnolia store!

 

[CDMC]

As painful as it is for me to acknowledge after nearly 50 years of enjoying McIntosh, I have to agree that the company is "losing its way" (the clock (oh God!) and the tube turntable). If you want to get a small sense of the original McIntosh culture, read the history of the company on roger-russel.com. Back "in the day", Mac sent out a gentleman, David O'Brien, to the brick and mortar stores. David provided a clinic for any gear that customers wanted to have tested. For Mac tube gear, if he found a defective tube, etc., it was repaired on the spot. David was also a genuine wealth of knowledge of audio, regardless of preferred brand. What a different from what I experience at a Best Buy/Magnolia store!

Wow!

https://www.mcintoshlabs.com/products/merchandise/McIntosh-Clock

I remember going to Magnolia in Portland the 90s when it was still independent. I was saddened when I saw Best Buy bought them, as I knew it was the end of a great thing. The original stores were great.

 

[watchnerd]

Wow!

https://www.mcintoshlabs.com/products/merchandise/McIntosh-Clock

I remember going to Magnolia in Portland the 90s when it was still independent. I was saddened when I saw Best Buy bought them, as I knew it was the end of a great thing. The original stores were great.

That clock is pretty cool, though.

 

[Tom C]

As painful as it is for me to acknowledge after nearly 50 years of enjoying McIntosh, I have to agree that the company is "losing its way" (the clock (oh God!) and the tube turntable). If you want to get a small sense of the original McIntosh culture, read the history of the company on roger-russel.com. Back "in the day", Mac sent out a gentleman, David O'Brien, to the brick and mortar stores. David provided a clinic for any gear that customers wanted to have tested. For Mac tube gear, if he found a defective tube, etc., it was repaired on the spot. David was also a genuine wealth of knowledge of audio, regardless of preferred brand. What a different from what I experience at a Best Buy/Magnolia store!

I think I know what you mean. You could relay on them for the truly finest quality of the time. But times have changed.

 

[beefkabob]

Wow!

https://www.mcintoshlabs.com/products/merchandise/McIntosh-Clock

I remember going to Magnolia in Portland the 90s when it was still independent. I was saddened when I saw Best Buy bought them, as I knew it was the end of a great thing. The original stores were great.

Wow... that's a joke. $1800? God, some people are stupid. I mean, this clock is an admission that the main reason to buy Mac gear is for the gauges.

 

[Doodski]

Wow... that's a joke. $1800? God, some people are stupid. I mean, this clock is an admission that the main reason to buy Mac gear is for the gauges.

I would much rather have one of these nixie tube clocks.
https://nixieshop.com/store.html

 

[beefkabob]

I think Magnlia is alright. It's certainly better than the nearest audiofool store. They have some mediocre speakers with those BW, sure, but the stuff is still pretty to look at. Good TVs. Good projectors. Etc.

 

[Frank Dernie]

That clock is pretty cool, though.

For everything except telling the time.
I didn't think anything could be less intuitive to glance at than a digital display but they have managed it.

 

[Frank Dernie]

the main reason to buy Mac gear is for the gauges

As always GDR!

 

[sergeauckland]

For everything except telling the time.
I didn't think anything could be less intuitive to glance at than a digital display but they have managed it.

Not only less intuitive, but also less useful.
No second hand
Not radio controlled, so not accurate over any sort of time period
As not conventional analogue, no 24 hour display.

All in all, an $1800 doorstop.

S.

 

[sergeauckland]

As always GDR!

German Democratic Republic?

S.

 

[Frank Dernie]

German Democratic Republic?

S.

Grin, duck and run.

 

[beefkabob]

My Carver amp has some decent gauges, but not as pretty.

https://images.reverb.com/image/upl...,t_large/v1561350545/sjowchnktql9nvhrkuxb.jpg

 

[Roadsterlover]

You know, I still buy and enjoy Mac gear. Not the clock though . Tom C. is right, times have changed. When Mac come out a boutique item, I just ignore it. But for their serious gear, they still do a fine job. I am totally enjoying my MC275VI and the MA5300 integrated is excellent. BUT, I always look for some of the passion in the design and execution with other brands. Amir's review of the Matrix Sabre DAC is a case in point. Same with Benchmark. These appear to be excellent pieces of kit. I'm considering mating one of these DACs with the 275. The quest goes on, and on, and (well, you get it).

 

[MakeMineVinyl]

To me, it seems like McIntosh is just designing all sorts of stuff and throwing it against the wall to see what sticks. Do they make a McIntosh Bluetooth speaker yet?

This is what has become of another great company of the past (at which I was an engineer)

And yes, I think they do make some good serious stuff, but those green LEDs under the signal tubes have got to go.