What is it about McIntosh?

[luft262]

1. They look pretty.

2. They're expensive.

 

[mhardy6647]

Appendix:

They work well as radios.
They sound pretty good.

Sub-appendix (of little or no incremental merit - but I feel like typing):
The one flavor of Mac product rhat I like is (was) their tuners. At least through the MR78.
The one Mac product I have and actually use (sometimes) is a tuner (MR67).

 

[ribonucleic]

Brand psychology is a fascinating thing. I don't know why the green logo and blue meters should produce such an ineffable sense of "hi-fi lifestyle" but they do. I would find pleasure during a listening session by gazing upon one of their amps in a way that I would not were it a Benchmark - even though I have greater esteem for the latter as a piece of engineering, even though I would judge a Benchmark owner the deeper adept of audio fancy.

Ironically, the thing that prevents the Mac from being even my lottery fantasy amplifier is one of its hallmarks: its leviathan mass. Even if I hired a younger, stronger man to install it upon a suitably adamantine stand, I would feel cowed by the knowledge that I could never budge it again.

 

[Zaxdad]

I’m pretty new to all things audio, and I’m curious about the mystic of McIntosh. I haven’t listened much at all to them but really appreciate the designs. It seems there’s a whole subculture not unlike Harley Davidson, people can’t really explain why they like them, they just do. What is the draw?

-Derek

I sold McIntosh for about 30 years starting in 1969. I can't tell you how many customers would say"my dad always had McIntosh, now I can afford it" It had nothing to do with performance or any other normal buying criteria. The same thing with Klipsch.

 

[dorakeg]

I sold McIntosh for about 30 years starting in 1969. I can't tell you how many customers would say"my dad always had McIntosh, now I can afford it" It had nothing to do with performance or any other normal buying criteria. The same thing with Klipsch.

Haha, I would say this is the power of brand value. People wants McIntosh because it's McIntosh.

For myself, I am more of fan of krell. Not the current one but the old one when Dan was around. Back then I could never afford krell gear, now I am slowly collecting old krell gears, because its Kell.

But for Dan's new Amps, they are way too expensive for me.. haha, so just the old krell.

Having said that, I would still love to be able to buy a McIntosh one day.

 

[Astoneroad]

Haha, I would say this is the power of brand value. People wants McIntosh because it's McIntosh.

For myself, I am more of fan of krell. Not the current one but the old one when Dan was around. Back then I could never afford krell gear, now I am slowly collecting old krell gears, because its Kell.

But for Dan's new Amps, they are way too expensive for me.. haha, so just the old krell.

There's also current value to be had. I picked up a 300 wpc MC 7300, fully restored, from the original owner for $2300. I'm sure that I'm paying for aesthetic, but not much when looking at similar performing "modern" amps.

 

[Tom C]

There's also current value to be had. I picked up a 300 wpc MC 7300, fully restored, from the original owner for $2300. I'm sure that I'm paying for aesthetic, but not much when looking at similar performing "modern" amps.

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Very Nice!