What are your feelings about McIntosh?

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Lebowski, Sep 28, 2019.

  1. Rolltide

    Rolltide Forum Resident

    Location:
    Vallejo, CA
    I don't think there's a single concept on Earth I understand less then high-end watches, so it's kind of fascinating to read these posts. Akin to landing on the moon for me.
     
  2. Jujigatame

    Jujigatame Forum Resident

    Location:
    New Jersey, USA
    That's like saying you didn't want to wait for the Mercedes AMG C63 to come in, so you bought a VW GTI instead.

    Go to any Rolex AD and they have a bunch of watches for sale, no, they don't have every model in demand (I'm looking at you Rootbeer GMT and Oystersteel Ceramic Daytona), but you can easily buy another GMT or Daytona. My jeweler wants to sell me a white gold Daytona that replicates the oystersteel, for less than the steel version!!! It's nuts! White gold with a ceramic bezel and white face. Looks better than the steel and is real gold, but doesn't have the cachet of the real oystersteel at the moment.
     
  3. Jujigatame

    Jujigatame Forum Resident

    Location:
    New Jersey, USA
    It's hard to explain.

    There's something about wearing a piece of incredible engineering on your wrist. The labor and skill required to create a fine hand made watch is amazing. A thousand tiny parts all working together flawlessly.

    The feel of a great watch on your wrist is really indescribable. It just feels right. I don't wear any other jewelry (my wedding ring is a silicone band), or have any tattoos, so I guess this is really the only form of expression like that I have.
     
  4. advanced101

    advanced101 Forum Resident

    I consider audio an experience, the feeling it gives you. Could be the sound quality, nostalgia, the big blue meters, etc. If Mcintosh provides you pleasure then that is the ticket. My first memory of Hifi was at an audio store with a Mac stack. I was just in awe. Told myself someday when I could afford it I would buy a stack. I eventually did, and have since moved on, you know, typical audiophile just needing to change things. Certain things just make you feel good, and that is OK! - Rolex Owner :)
     
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  5. Jujigatame

    Jujigatame Forum Resident

    Location:
    New Jersey, USA
    I like my Panerai a lot. It's big and chunky, and half the fun of Panerai is changing out the bands to get a totally different look on a whim.

    Don't buy new though, they depreciate faster than any other brand and you can get great deals used.
     
  6. captwillard

    captwillard Forum Resident

    Location:
    Nashville
    Your comparison is way off. Buying a Toyota Avalon instead of a Lexus model that no dealer had, could tell you when they would get one, and couldn’t guarantee that you would get it if it came in.

    As I said, I couldn’t get what I wanted from Rolex, so I went with Tudor which was a better choice than selecting an available Rolex that I didn’t like. None of this appears to be a problem with Mac gear.
     
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  7. KeninDC

    KeninDC Hazy Cosmic Jive

    Location:
    Virginia, USA
    The assumption is that a Mac (or Rolex) purchaser does not really know anything about hi-fi (or watches) and has more money than brains. This is classic reverse snobbery.
     
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  8. Jujigatame

    Jujigatame Forum Resident

    Location:
    New Jersey, USA
    Yeah, that is probably a better analogy.
     
  9. captwillard

    captwillard Forum Resident

    Location:
    Nashville
    I think they get associated because they are well known legacy brands. Mac, for example makes nice gear while SimAudio and Bryston make gear every bit as good and have better warranties. They just don’t have the name recognition that Mac does. That doesn’t mean that buyers of Mac aren’t aware of Bryston or Sim, but somebody that doesn’t know about hi-if has a better chance of knowing Mac over any other brand.
     
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  10. Jujigatame

    Jujigatame Forum Resident

    Location:
    New Jersey, USA
    Just out of curiosity, what Tudor did you go with instead of the Rolex?

    The Black Bay Chrono is very nice.
     
  11. SandAndGlass

    SandAndGlass Twilight Forum Resident

    Sorry to have given the wrong impression. As you say, I'm just speaking like a tube guy (sort of).

    Tubes are not some magic thing that makes any speaker sound better.

    I used the tube PrimaLuna KT88 based Prologue Five on one of the main Zu, Omen Definition towers. Other than that I only reserve tube amplification for the vintage horn speakers and legacy direct radiators I have that are from the 60's.

    All of my other speakers, are powered by solid state amplifiers, which I feel are better suited to the task they are performing.

    Most speakers that are designed and manufactured after the 1970's that are not either horn or audiophile speakers will sound and perform better with solid state amplification, as that is how they were voiced.

    Makes sense doesn't it? Even MacIntosh stopped manufacturing tube amplifiers, in favor of more powerful solid state amps.

    The general buying public today, doesn't go to to audio stores (not that there are that many around anyway), the go to the big box stores and buy big screen TV's and tower speakers for surround sound HT, which are all powered by solid state AV receivers.

    MacIntosh has always had steller looks. While I try to keep my living room HT area nice and balanced looking as far as audio gear is concerned, I am more from the pro-audio side of things and never really concerned myself with the asthetics of most audio gear, being fine to keep it in a closet or behind the TV, out of sight.

    But today, I am not alone in feeling that the high end playing field is filled with no shortage of quality products and can't help but feeling that Mac has gone way overboard in the "bling" factor.

    Just personal preferences, nothing at all against Mac or their buyers, many of whom are forum members that I have spoken with and exchanged PM's with. It's all good.
     
  12. captwillard

    captwillard Forum Resident

    Location:
    Nashville
    I wanted a no-date Submariner or a Air King. I got a Black Bay with the in-house movement.
     
  13. Rolltide

    Rolltide Forum Resident

    Location:
    Vallejo, CA
    I can relate, as I'm a sucker for over-engineering.

    My problem could be a general aversion to watches. I always thought they were kind of a PITA and I think the first day I had a cell phone with a clock was the last day I ever wore a watch. There could be something generational - I once led a beta test for the first true smartwatch (it wasn't Apple so it's irrelevant). The mostly <40 audience was very excited about the product until the reality of wearing a watch all the time began to sink in and they gave them back.
     
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  14. SandAndGlass

    SandAndGlass Twilight Forum Resident

    At to watches, the dumber the better. Same goes for smart appliances, smart homes and most other "smart" things.
     
  15. Jujigatame

    Jujigatame Forum Resident

    Location:
    New Jersey, USA
    I HATE smartwatches! If it doesn't tick, I'm not wearing it. To me, it really is about the engineering. A smartwatch will easily tell me the moon phases, but a mechanical doing the same, with leap year functions? It's amazing to be able to wear something like that.

    It really is more of an accessory than a necessity. Believe me, I get it that it doesn't make much sense.

    Realistically, an Apple Watch, or even a Swatch quartz will keep better time than the best Patek, so it's not really about telling time either.
     
  16. MichaelArcane

    MichaelArcane Purveyor of Terrible Opinions

    Location:
    Memphis, TN
    Finding a new Rolex sports watch actually isn't that hard, it is the buying part that is. Yes, Rolex limits their production to inflate its own market, but the dirty little secret in the industry is that ADs do have sports watches. They just won't sell them to anyone who walks in with cash. I don't know of too many ADs who don't actually have Rolex sports watches tucked away in their safes for their repeat customers. But that's the key. You have to be a repeat customer. If you've bought a few Rolex from them before or you just have an excellent relationship with them otherwise, you'll get what you want. The waiting list? Yeah, it's not really one. If you've bought from them before and/or they think you'll be a repeat buyer, you'll magically find yourself at the top of that list every time. All the ADs know they can play that game, and Rolex makes them sell a set number of run of the mill Oyster Perpetuals every single month without fail. Not moving those perpetuals? Rolex will yank your AD status right quick. So they use the lure of sports watches to draw people in to buy the harder to move Rolexes. And they reserve the sports watches for people who have bought them.

    So in fact those Rolex sports watches aren't actually as rare or hard to find as people think, you just have to smell like more than a single sale to get an AD to pull them out of the safe. I suspect that if any hi-fi manufacturer had the sort of clout where they could do that to force sales of other poorer selling models they would.
     
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  17. MichaelArcane

    MichaelArcane Purveyor of Terrible Opinions

    Location:
    Memphis, TN
    Not saying every Mac or Rolex purchaser doesn't know anything and have more money than brains, but the most popular brand in ANY market is going to attract a higher percentage of casual buyers than more boutique brands. That's the entire point of investing in brand recognition, to bring in casual purchasers while boutique brands can only bring in the hard core fans.
     
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  18. Pythonman

    Pythonman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Florida
    I like Rolex a lot. No apologies. They are supremely robust and accurate timepieces that hold their value strongly. I like Omegas and have a Bond SMP that was my daily driver for 12 straight years and again, accurate as could be if somewhat needing an overhaul every four years or so. My Rolex movement hasn’t been as much as breathed upon since it was made in 2007-2008. Both brands are spendy to be sure, even in stainless but compared to Jaeger LeCoultre and Audemars Piguet and Patek, Blancpain etc they seem like bargains.
     
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  19. Jujigatame

    Jujigatame Forum Resident

    Location:
    New Jersey, USA
    YES! THIS!

    I really hate the people that say "Oh, you only have a Rolex (or a Mac) because you don't really know about this other brand" I do know about watches, and you know what, I LOVE my Rolexes. Of course, I also love my other brands, but I really love the heft and substance of a Rolex. Very few brands have that kind of substance. The best built watch I ever owned was probably an Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore. It was so well constructed and solid. But honestly, even though it was great, I sold it, it just didn't float my boat like my Rolexes do. I may definitely buy another one someday, but I'm in no hurry. The thing about most Rolexes is that they pretty much always look good no matter what you're doing. Black tie, check. Work meeting, check. Casual dinner, check. Now, I'm not talking about all of them (some are definitely too much), but for the most part, they look as good with a tux as they do with jeans. You really can't say that about most Pateks or Blancpains, etc.

    I also have Mac equipment because I love the way it sounds, and I also love the way it looks.
     
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  20. captwillard

    captwillard Forum Resident

    Location:
    Nashville
    The new oystersteel sport models are rare, but I don't doubt some mega dealers have a stash (Torneau Time Machine would be a good example). If I can't get at the stash, is it pretty much unobtainable.
     
  21. MichaelArcane

    MichaelArcane Purveyor of Terrible Opinions

    Location:
    Memphis, TN
    And that's it, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and I'd argue aesthetics do play a factor in all of our hifi decisions...if it didn't there wouldn't be hundreds of pages of "show us your gear" pictures and gushing responses here.

    Which brings me back to a point I made earlier ( but was deleted for trolling?) that I think I can explain clearer and not run afoul of any rules.

    You can love the looks of Mac gear and I can hate them. Mac has a very distinctive signature look, so you're always going to get polarizing reactions from a unique aesthetic approach. You probably loved the way your Royal Oak looked, I cannot bring myself to like it. There's no denying it is a singular signature look, but because of that you'll likely love it or hate it.

    So when it comes to the green lights, people are going to love it or hate it. But you can't simply defend it by saying it is easily bypassed and expect people to completely remove it from their calculus. Turn it off, bypass it, IT IS STLL THERE. You still paid for it. It still is something that could possibly fail and have to be addressed before you can re-sell it. It's always just going to be there, and you can't un-know it. If you fall in the "hate it" camp, turning it off isn't a cure all.

    To show fairness, I've seen plenty of people online say they think the PrimaLuna cage looks stupid. And to be honest, I do think it looks way better without it. I could just respond "just take off the cage"...I mean it literally just lifts off. BUT, the person who just hates the look of it...they still paid for it. They can't just throw it away, because if they ever go to re-sell it the buyer is gonna expect that cage or a reduction in price. Now you have to put it in a box and store it somewhere, eating up storage space. On some basic level, you have to care for an item you hate. Taking the cage off isn't a cure all. And I might view that as minor, but for someone else it might be just enough to make a difference. I can't just think it's a dumb reason to buy elsewhere because it's not MY priority.

    FWIW, I keep my cage on because I have have toddlers who like to throw things. Function trumps form for me here. But often at night after they go to bed and I'm gonna listen for a while, the lights go out and the cage comes off.
     
  22. MichaelArcane

    MichaelArcane Purveyor of Terrible Opinions

    Location:
    Memphis, TN
    Just go in this weekend and buy a few Day Dates and give them to your friends for Christmas, I'm sure your AD will get you what you want in a jiffy.

    :wiggle:
     
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  23. 360-12

    360-12 Forum Resident

    I don't see any sameness between McIntosh & Rolex. My $15 Casio keeps time as accurate as a $15,000 Rolex. Can't say that about the sound produced by my $50 Radio Shack amp vs my McIntosh.
     
  24. DEG

    DEG Sparks ^^^

    Location:
    Lawrenceville Ga.
    My Mac ss pa and ss pre with my Vandies sound fantastic to my ears. I have a large room and the combo fills them sonically w/o stress, distortion, hum, just pure music.
     
    cnolanh likes this.
  25. Pythonman

    Pythonman Forum Resident

    Location:
    Florida
    Much as I think the Subs are iconic and cool, when I have strapped on a platinum Rolex President with the ice blue dial, oh man!! But $50,000 don’t come easy. Ouch!
     
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