How old were you when you got your first McIntosh?

Tom W1PF, I purchased my gear from Soundco at around the same time as your friend, later I did purchase some form Del Padre as Soundco closed it's doors. I followed Bob Cizek, "HI FI BOB". when he later went to work for Del Padre. I lived in Granby, Ma at the time.

Let's see if we can find the DATE that Soundco closed. According to a four page Lifschultz Transportation and Shipping newsletter from pop's file, Soundco was founded by John Lyman, President of Soundco. Robert Lyman, John's brother was VP and sales manager. I have a photo of Bob Lyman, a sale reps from Lifschultz Fast Freight, a Lifschultz Springfield terminal manager, and my dad standing together at Soundco on Dwight St. Lifschultz was based at 28 N. Franklin St. in Chicago with terminals from Boston to San Francisco and Los Angeles. There are no terminals listed in the south. They also had a business office at 650 W. 29th St, NY NY.

Bob Cizek was know internally in the company, and by regular customers as HI FI CI. Bob went to work for Del Padre soon after Soundco closed. I bought the C26 from Bob at Del Padre. He was so kool and treated me very well. Him and pop went back many years, probably to the late 50s or early 60s. Let's add this all up. The newsletter above was printed in Nov 1958, which was 7 months after I was born, and that was almost 60 years ago. Pop passed away in 1994 at the age of 73.

-Greg
 
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I bought my first McIntosh piece at Audio Arts in Youngstown, Ohio in 1988 at age 33. It was a MC2002 amp. I wish I still had it. Audio Arts closed in 2008. I now own a system with a MC275 mk.6,C22 mk.3, VPI Prime Turntable and Spatial M3 triode master speakers.9526A4B9-10DF-4934-8E63-C0F050F99771.jpeg
 
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OK, my 1st purchase @ Soundco was in 69 when they were on Dwight St. I made purchases in 69 thru 74 and I have a document here that shows they were closed on or about November of 1974. I have a letter from the attorneys that were retained as counsel to effect collection of accounts receivable. And yes you were right, Hifi Ci. I still have most of my receipts and documents from all my purchases. I was good friends with Bob, his daughter and son in law lived across the street from me here in Russell, Ma. I bought the MC2100 in 72, and the C28 and MR73 in 73.
 
Greg, what was your Dad's name, I might have known him. I used to go there every Saturday and just hang out. If Bob and Steve were real busy I would help customers that were waiting for help. I loved going there In my teens and early 20's.
 
My 1st purchase @ Soundco was in 69 when they were on Dwight St. I made purchases in 69 thru 74 and I have a document here that shows they were closed on or about November of 1974.

I have a letter from the attorneys that were retained as counsel to effect collection of accounts receivable. And yes you were right, Hifi Ci.

I was good friends with Bob, his daughter and son in law lived across the street from me here in Russell, Ma. I bought the MC2100 in 72, and the C28 and MR73 in 73.
I'd be interested in PM'ing you on the letter documenting the month and year Soundco closed. Didn't know where Bob lived, assumed Springfield. Good spelling you have there.. HiFi or Hi-Fi Ci. Also can share from an insider's perspective what happened to cause the shutdown. My family is from Russell Ma. Will PM you on that.

-Greg
 
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Greg, what was your Dad's name, I might have known him. I used to go there every Saturday and just hang out. If Bob and Steve were real busy I would help customers that were waiting for help. I loved going there In my teens and early 20's.

My dad's name was Dick Abbey. He also went by the name Bud. The following are photos of the 1958 Lifschultz newsletter:


John Lyman founded Soundco in 1938, it was a radio and sound service business.

Soundco_John_Lyman_traffic_256.png

You'll see pop is quoted in the figure above.


Here are photos of Bob Lyman and pop:

Soundco_Dwight_St.jpg


A photo of Bob Lyman with pop and some Lifschultz transportation guys:

Soundco_Dwight_St_Lifshultz.jpg

See illustration of Soundco at 147 Dwight St. (middle photo) in downtown Springfield, in the mid-late 50's. The sound room was on the far right.


-Greg
 
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You mean Steve Soumakis, the second audio salesman? I can remember the tech was Doug Hunter. Soundco had an excellent tech lab with the best test gear, much of it right out of their own stock. Yep they sold test too. Just beyond the tech lab was the audio stock room. You ought to have seen the new Mc and reel-to-reel tape deck cartons stacked up in there!


More photos of the 1958 Transportation and Shipping Newsletter:

Lifschultz_newsletter_pg1.jpg


John Lyman, president:

Soundco_John_Lyman_256.png


Bob Lyman, VP and sales manager:

Soundco_Dwight_St_brands_256.png

Did you catch that? GE vacuum tubes and Channel Master antennas!

Soundco bought so many GE tubes over the years that pop, the Wholesale manager, and their wives were awarded a trip, paid for by General Electric, to the Island of Mallorca [Spain] in the Mediterranean on a TWA 707, nonstop from Kennedy Intl. That was around 1971.


-Greg
 
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To put it in context, here's a paragraph from Lifschultz in 1958 describing American Jet Planes:

Lifschultz_jet_planes_256.png

They were referring to the Boeing 707, the aircraft that brought the Beetles to New York, if I'm not mistaken:


-Greg
 
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Getting back on topic.

If Soundco closed in late 74, and I was a junior in H.S. in 74-75, there was no money to buy any McIntosh from Soundco. I did buy some paperback books and electronic parts there. It wasn't till late 76 or 77 that I bought the C26 from Bob Cizek at Del Padre.

Here's a picture of Louie Del Padre in his Springfield store:

July 13 1988 Republican photo Louis DelPadre on Worthington St Springfield.jpg

The sound room was in the back of the building there.


Clock from the Soundco stock room on Roosevelt Avenue:

The Channel Master clock from Soundco is hanging on the wall in the lower level just behind the garage here today, still lights up, and keeps accurate time.

CM_clock_Soundco.jpg


The clock reads: CHANNEL MASTER – COLOR PICTURE TUBES

CM_clock_Soundco_lit.jpg


I added a toggle switch (lower right) to control the light in the late 70's.

Soundco_clock.jpg

The clock measures 16" x 16" and 4-3/8" deep.

It needed a new circular fluorescent tube in the last 10 years but still works great after 45 years.


-Greg
 
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February 8, 1969. I was 21 and just got off the carrier USS Intrepid in Norfolk, Va. (with my discharge) after a nine-month tour in Vietnam. (The happiest day of my life, ever, by the way.) My parents met me and I asked my Dad to drive me to the local Mac dealer to whom I had sent deposits for a new MR71 and MI3, both with slant-leg cabinets. The MR71 was $399, the MI3 was $299, and the cabinets were $29 each. Thinking about that day always makes me smile.

Dave
 
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February 8, 1969. I was 21 and just got off the carrier USS Intrepid in Norfolk, Va. (with my discharge) after a nine-month tour in Vietnam. (The happiest day of my life, ever, by the way.) My parents met me and I asked my Dad to drive me to the local Mac dealer to whom I had sent deposits for a new MR71 and MI3, both with slant-leg cabinets. The MR71 was $399, the MI3 was $299, and the cabinets were $29 each. Thinking about that day always makes me smile.

Dave
Thats a great story!
 
Time to kick this can (thread) down the road a bit.

Was fortunate to dig-up another photo. That's pop who was a manager at Soundco in 1958 when the pic was taken, holding his newborn son Gregory at 10 wks.

Soundco_dad_1958.jpg

More info from family records in 1958:

family_records.jpg


So I'm changing the caption under my avatar to Soundco Kid.. wherever the control pan for that is. :idea:

The photo was taken 60 years ago this summer. To keep it on topic, my first McIntosh was probably in the fall of 1976 at age 18. Pop died in 1994 at the age of 73.


-Greg
 
Late 30's early 40's it's been so long I can't remember . It was a MA-6100 then a C-26 that I ran with my carver M400t..
 
Its great to read about some of you who have your original Macs. I wish I had some of mine. C-22 or the two 275's, maybe the two MC 60's or the Little MA230 I bought in 63 though I would swear it was earlier. I wouldn't want the Carmel speakers back. But maybe a pair of efficient Tannoys would work or the latest 604's from Great Plains audio might be a match for the MA230. The one piece I never owned and would want would be a few MC7200's.
 
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Well, I'm new to AudioKarma and McIntosh. Just got my first McIntosh; a vintage C 28 preamp at 60 years old. I cleaned the pots and all works well sans front panel lights. It sounds so sweet! I love it! I still have to replace the front bezel bulbs and have found just barely enough information to be able to do it.
 
Well, I’m 68, and just walked (barely, with all that weight!!) in the door with an MC 2105 amp, and this is my very first piece of McIntosh ever! I am awaiting an MX-113 preamp/tuner that I purchased 2 days ago, but is still in transit. I am so excited and can’t wait to hook up my newly upgraded system! Really looking forward to listening to my new system, took a long, long time to join the club, but that makes it all the sweeter!
 
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