Is Mcintosh worth the investment?

McI was never, in my estimation, really part of the "hi-end" mafia in the years when Harry Pearson and J. G Holt were big influences. It was always derided as solid, reliable gear that did nothing special, and was the choice of doctors and lawyers who had money and weren't deep into the hobby. Boy is that wrong.
While I was never a fanatic about owning their gear, it seems looking back, that I've owned and listened to a fair number of pieces over the years, starting with a modded C-24 in 1973. (That unit wasn't very good sounding, but I think it was a victim of the times- early solid state). Since then, I've owned (and still use) a large multi-channel amp for my home theatre-- it replaced a stack of three Audio Research tube amps that were too hot and sort of unnecessary for the purpose. The thing is built like a rock. I bought one two channel basic amp some years ago as a gift for my contractor- this guy would come at 2 am if there was a problem. (He lived down the street- now, he basically lives in an RV with 5 or 6 dogs, a couple of Harleys, and goes from Alaska, to Montana to Florida depending on weather. Love that dude. Nickname is "Knucklehead.")
I had one of their home theatre pre-pros- before HDMI was common. It sounded very good- and was far easier to manipulate than my early Meridian stuff.
I just bought an MX 110 Z that I'm having restored for a vintage system for my Quads. I can't wait to get it-- I haven't had a tuner in a million years.
So, while I've pursued some esoteric high end stuff over the years, I've come to like the McI gear. I don't know about the latest or the stuff with digital in it, but the amps seem to be largely bullet proof, sound great and seem to have a very solid resale market. Plus, they do look cool.

 

Congratulations on your purchase of an MX110Z. It's an all time classic piece of McIntosh.

Eva Longoria seems to enjoy hers. (0:12)

 

It's been taking some time to get it restored-- Bill Thalman just finished the restoration of my Technics SP-10, did the Krebs mod and sourced me a custom plinth set up for two arms. He is also working on my Quad II amps. I don't fault Bill in the least-- he keeps me up to speed and asks questions appropriately when he reaches turning points. We've sourced some decent tubes for the thing, I kinda shot my wad on the GEC KT 66's for the Quad amps, but I have plenty of NOS rectifiers here I can roll and have a few Telefunken small tubes in a box somewhere. I think he's using NOS Mullards for now, which I usually find a little "tubey" sounding compared to the Tele. But otherwise, yeah, I'm really looking forward to getting the McI in here, along with those Quad amps to run over my freshly restored Quad 57s. We are treating this as the "wife friendly" vintage system in the living room that can be used for casual enjoyment rather than solo listening audio fetish listening. Thanks.

 

MAC series receivers have integrated AM/FM with the MAC 1900 and the MAC 4100 (buy the latter, better reliability, and switches and pots less prone to issues). No HD on receivers. The MR 88 is the only HD Radio tuner from McIntosh. And a separate tuner.

 

While he's in there, you might want to consider swapping the tuner dial lamps for blue LEDs. They run cooler and look terrific on the dial.

 

nice catch. I'll ask him. Thanks, 62Caddy. When I was a kid, we had a '59 convertible, yellow with white leather, and that got traded for a '61 sedan. The days of having a new car in the driveway. I always got a kick out of twighlight sentinel. And all that metal work on the dash.

 

So I have 1 more question, just to satisfy curiosity.

Let's say at some point I bought that MA6700 integrated amp. Would speakers along the lines of something like Polk Lsim 703's be a decent set of bookshelfs to use with it? I know there are better.....I'm just trying to find a base line.

 

Unfortunately a '59 droptop is well out of my league but my '59 CdV sounds like a near twin to your parents' car.

45,000 miles and still wearing its factory applied lacquer.

 

Sure but a pair of LSi M705 or 707 would really do justice to the MAC's abilities - and visa versa, IMHO.

 

yes the speakers will do well and you can upgrade as you go along.

my 1st setup comprised a Cayin MT12 tube amp driving a pair of KEF Cresta II which i got fm
used market for $140 and then they sounded like a Million$ to me and used them for
quite some time before i hv some $$ to move on. and roll on 11years, i m still on speaker hunt... tis hobby is a bottomless pit.... haha....

 

Question the MA6700.

So it has a phono preamp in which is great. But what I was wondering about is the potential for recording vinyl to the PC using this. On the Soundblaster X7 that I currently have if I run the RCA outs from my phono preamp to the Line-In on the X7, I can change the sound input from within Windows to the Line-In and I'm able to record vinyl from that. If I'm plugging my turntable into this phono preamp of the MA6700 and I have the USB DAC running to my PC, would similar options will be there? I guess I'm just not sure what the USB drivers on the MA6700 provide in terms of access to the other inputs from within Windows. The manual is pretty vague when it comes to the USB functionality.

 

Woodstock was also powered with McIntosh.

 

Not sure I'd view any audio gear as an "investment" but the value of McIntosh equipment lies in the owner. If you like the way it sounds, looks, and performs then of course it's worth it. I sure did enjoy my modest integrate amp from them for four years (MA6300). I've gone in a different direction with my system but I wouldn't hesitate to go back to Mc - they do hold their value better than other brands.

Bill

 

I had a grandfather who used what seemed like a gigantic McIntosh receiver, or amplifier, don't know actually because I was a young kid. He was a post WWII businessman, conservative, loved classical music and I remember associating that piece of McIntosh gear with heaviness, classical music and understated quality. Somehow to me, the McIntosh look in those days (late 60s, early 70s) wasn't ostentatious but restrained compared to the glass and shiny metal behemoths that have become vintage and so popular now. Interestingly he also had some gear that his brother had assembled from Heathkit in the house too. I wish he were still alive so I could ask him about his equipment, including reel-to-reel. I have a soft spot for McIntosh partly based on those memories but would hesitate to pay for their gear these days. For those in the know, was McIntosh always as expensive as now?

 

Generally speaking, McIntosh equipment had always been very expensive.

 

My fave system was a bi-amped JBL Pro system with a McIntosh MC2205 driving the bass bins X'd over to the Mids with a JBL electronic dividing network to a Mac MC 250 I believe and then to the HF by a passive JBL x-over.

The pre-amp was an Mac C27. I really loved that system but some of the neighbours, not so much!
The Macs were very reliable and great sounding. If the product is being produced with the same care as back then you probably won't go wrong.

 

I have lusted after and owned McIntosh equipment over the years, currently have a C2500 tube preamp and MC452 power amp, driving a pair of Focal speakers (with that beryllium tweeter) and though I've traded lots of equipment over the years, have no desire to replace either of these McIntosh pieces.
Yes, many of my audio buddies don't like McIntosh equipment, are prone to buying more esoteric oriented brands, but I find the setup I have now is so "musical", I can listen to it for hours on end, without getting tired.
I do have an SACD transport, external DAC, power conditioner from PS Audio, but for analog amplification, really enjoy the "McIntosh sound".
As for getting McIntosh equipment for a "reasonable price", lots of Americans with "more dollars than sense" will try things out for a few weeks or months and sell them, that's how I've bought some of my McIntosh equipment, which I find does hold on to its value when purchased used.

 

The MC275 is first rate and while it isn't cheap, neither are most of the other tube amplifiers.

 

Haven't red the whole thread as yet -- but anyways, using zip 94590 as an example:

L&M Electronics Service Company
Daly City, CA United States

Address
2401 Geneva Ave
Daly City, CA 94014
415-586-1840


Available Services
Home Audio Authorized Service Center

Best sir,

Bob

 

That's true but let me expand on your last. I went from a McIntosh C500 tubed twin box to a very nice 2 box Kevin Hayes VAC Signature MK II w/phono. The day it arrived, I popped the hood on the preamp box & the craftsmanship of P-P wiring was just gorgeous. Immaculate comes to mind. It was just north of $20K. Kept it for 4 years and after the newness wore off, I tried every day to like it. It was a struggle and part of me didn't want to believe it -- but, even though beautiful and state-of-the-art, it was no match in my system with what I sold to obtain the VAC. Call it synergy lacking, a honeymoon gone wrong -- dunno. When McIntosh introduced the C1100 tubed two box; called my dealer who took the VAC back and replaced it with the C1100. Everything is back as I remembered it -- and am a very happy camper as they say.

The VAC is a great preamp by everyone's account; just not in my system. After that experience, for me anyways, P-P carries less weight in making any upgrade consideration.

Best Sir,

Bob

 

That is what I love about the Mc's I have been exposed to and lived with about 5 years now, the liquidity of the sound, very musical...what I call an "all day amp"!!!

 

Don't know which Focals you have, but I bought the Sopra 2s a few weeks ago and paired with my C2300 and MC452, I can safely say I'm good to go for the rest of my life. It's an incredible combination. I still may add a vintage McIntosh tube amp some day, maybe a pair of MC30s if I can find them, but any disposable income will go to vinyl records or CDs.

 

I've had my McIntosh tube amps for 15 years now. I bought them restored as they were originally manufactured in the late 1950's. I figure since they cured my gear acquisition syndrome, they were a worthy investment. And, I think they are still worth what I paid for them. Since they are tube-based, the transformers are the only components that are irreplaceable. But they are "potted" so they are probably going to last forever. They have an organic sound that while perhaps not "the absolute sound", is engaging and listenable for long periods.

I like the "Bell Labs" look of the early pieces.

 

It's not in the specs of the amplifier on the website but the MA6700 has REC outputs that are fixed output and will allow you to capture the analog signal from the internal phono preamp.

I do similar with my Mcintosh C47 preamp.

 

My MC60s from 1960 have been gone over by Terry Dewick, who by the way will replace caps and resistors with parts that don't change the nature of the performance, and perform to my liking. I've had 275s, a 2200. 2105 and various other McIntosh pieces over the years. All in all the 2105 amp, for the money, is a good choice.
As for expensive, an analogy- kind of like a wife. You don't know how expensive she really is until you part ways.