McIntosh

Yes they are bashing my equipment. You must have missed it. They started this, not me.

 

It has not been lost.

 

It has been my experience that most of the people I have encountered who had derogatory, or less than flattering remarks to make about McIntosh equipment had never even heard any of it, not once; a few had never been in the same room with a piece of it

I have encountered this both in person as well as the venue of Audio forums

A truly ignorant (literal sense of the word) parroting of internet noise promulgated by folks' who's agenda I will never understand, although I have my own thoughts as to possible motives

 

Used to have Linn and liked it quite a lot. Now have McIntosh and like it much more. Obviously there are many good brands.

 

The exact thing can be said about Bose Bashers.

 

My father had a pair of first series 901s paired with a C26 and MC2505. I thought the system sounded pretty awesome...

 

I kept those pieces for at least two weeks. Although they sounded quite good, I sold them for my Audio Research - Audiolab combo sounded better to me. But the Mc pre and amp were from the 50s or 60s I believe and my rig was from the 70's so I don't think it was a fair comparison. (Still wish I could have kept the Mc MR-78 Tuner). Also, while selling Krell, Classe Audio and Jeff Roland, Mc pieces were brought in, and heard at Hi-Fi shows. A few years ago, Mc integrated, (100w per, $4,500. model) compared to Music Hall 125w per integrated, ($1,500.). Then in Hi Fi stores often to see what is new.... including several weeks ago listening to that $72K McIntosh- B&W system. Most dealers who carry McIntosh have a system up and running so rarely does more than a couple of months go by that I don't hear some Mc.. ...And, heard some Mc yesterday at a store where I went in to see the new Devialet amps that they also carry.

 

Hello,

Please tell me if you would; what is the woofers' outer compliance on your Dali MS5s made of?

Thank you

 

901s were all about placement and room
My favorite record store in the late '60s early '70s used them
Sounded great; filled a small store nicely
Haven't heard any of the newer 901 incarnations

Have heard many pairs of their "book shelf" and floor standing models; I don't want them but the sound was fine

Ultimately, speakers are like trumpets, guitars, saxophones or any other Musical instrument; what you choose to play is all a matter of personal taste(s)

But unlike Musical instruments, and fortunately so, unless you're a touring artist or in a band, the speakers you choose to love will never have to play in an ensemble or any other public array.
The only ears that they will ever need to please will be your own (and not the "band director", conductor, critics or the crowd)
(Advent stackers not included )

 

talking about old bose or the modern stuff? because the two are very very different

 

There's a big difference. Almost everyone who is even remotely interested in Bose has heard their products. For many years, they were in many major shopping malls, and everyone has relatives with a Bose clock radio or a 321 home theater system. But, many McIntosh bashers appear to have little experience with their products.

 

I agree Bose doesn't seem like a very good comparison. McIntosh might get given the dreaded "lifestyle product" label by its detractors, but Bose willingly self-applies that label these days. Their goal is living room friendliness vs. "big boxes everywhere". McIntosh's goal seems to be to put as much gigantic stereo gear into your home as you're willing to allow.

 

sounds like a good goal to me!

 

exactly, if anyone has heard a McIntosh system or products they are not criticizing the sound. It is simply jaw droppingly amazing. The price point, aesthetics or size of equipment can certainly be called into question and I have found those that sell the equipment to be guilty of sneering elitism from time to time but to say it is anything less than the benchmark is wrong.

I mean the gigantic speakers with the 100 tweeters are weird and the $10,000 glow in the dark turntable is probably more style than substance but I would gladly brake laws to own them.

Bose is a gateway drug, it serves a purpose and is much more than just a brand. the idea that anyone buys either Bose or McIntosh because of the brand alone is wrong. Now Beats is another story.

 

Same difference, IF we stick with the classic, "no highs, no lows, must be B............." style bashing which originated when Bose was a speaker company

A speaker company proper, not the gadget, headphone, radio and little cubes purveyor they have evolved into

I've witnessed Bose pile ons many times by people who had NEVER heard a pair of 901s, with 901s being the original standard by which Bose sound was defined, judged and subsequently flamed by many many audiophools

 

Not much Bose experience with only those credentials.
My point is, a band wagon is a band wagon, and many participants just come along for the ride.

 

Please let me know what you mean by outer compliance. Are you asking what the woofer is made of? There are 2 woofers in this speaker.

 

Good morning,
The outer suspension compliance for the cone, what some call the surround, the edge what have you
The spider being the inner compliance
The part that rots with time if it's a foam type

Thank you

 

Bose is a long way from being a speaker company. That might be like evaluating the Cleveland Brown based on the 1960 season. The comparison point for Bose is not McIntosh, it is the speakers built into a TV or any all in one system. Those that wander into the mall store and get knocked out from a demo are coming from that perspective. They call it the "Lifestyle System" for a reason. You can hide it in you living room vs. building you living room around equipment as you would for a Mac system.

I have a lifestyle 28 and I haven't listen to music on it for over 12 years. It is way better than the speakers on the tv in my bedroom so it stays. and 901's are completely legit equipment.

 

Don't know but feels like a rubber to me. Why are you asking, are you interested in buying them or something?

 

It is important to bear in mind that any vintage unit is likely going to be in need of service for optimal performance, otherwise it is not a fair comparison.

Happily vintage McIntosh enjoys a prevalence of dedicated support and expertise than that for any single other vintage manufacturer. Typically, once a vintage McIntosh has been completely reconditioned, you will be set for a good long time.

McIntosh also enjoys one of the highest value retention in the consumer electronics industry. Often this means you can enjoy your equipment for many years and get a significant percentage of your money back when you go to sell. Some long term owners even report getting more back than what they had originally paid.

Finally, it sounds pretty darn good.

All considered, McIntosh is a "sound" investment all the way around. At least that is the way I see it.

 

First off, we (myself included) are hijacking/derailing this thread, for that, my apologies

It's not a total derail as the BOSE remark was and is relevant to the topic on one level

My last comment is this: first, you are either too young to know or remember, OR you're just not "listening" to what I and others are saying

BOSE was a stand alone SPEAKER COMPANY and a controversial one (the subject of vociferous BASHING) long before there ever was a mall store, a radio or a "life style" system

"Stereophile" and J. Gordon Holt had a lot to do with it. The BOSE 901 (it's reviews, both good and bad) was one of the focal points/battle grounds of a war between Audio magazines, their motives and philosophies

Much of the negative ink spilled regarding the 901, from the late '60s all the way up through 1979-80, true or not (subjective as well) has resulted in labeling BOSE with a negative mark, almost from the beginning and which has persisted to this day............EXACTLY in the same manner as McIntosh being labeled as equipment for doctors and lawyers with defective hearing has "stuck" with some

And THAT'S the comparison being made here; two high profile and successful companies and the perception of them as held by a significant portion of the public, driven by the Audio press and a continum of ignorance and internet noise and "group think" (today) by many who have never even HEARD the equipment

It is NOT an apples to apples equipment, sound or quality comparison, never was

It was an addendum to the discussion of PERCEPTIONS and how they come to be

 

You're awfully pedantic. He's not even disagreeing with you at all: Bose used to be a speaker company, 901's are legit, they're not really speaker company anymore, they make lifestyle gear by their own admission.

 

I don't see how my remarks make me "pedantic"

He, and others continue to reference the image BOSE holds today which has little to do with the events that were responsible for the less than positive "label" applied to them which has persisted since the '70s

The same as those "labels" applied by many to McIntosh and based in ignorance (by those who, again, have never even heard the equipment)

The "mall store" presence has simply exacerbated the prejudice amongst the herd; BOSE in fact is still very much a speaker company

I agree that their explosive presence in the electronics arena has obfuscated that fact (and fanned the "BOSE bashing" flames) but in only that regard does it have anything to do with the subject at hand