McIntosh Most Amazing Achievement 1970s

Victor

Super Member
Hi All

We did the 1950s and 1960s now its time for the 1970s.

What is McIntoshes most amazing achievement of the 1970s

Same as last time it could be a piece of equipment, a new circuit design, a division, an upgrade at the lab building... any achievement is fair game.

I don't know a lot about the 1970 at McIntosh so I'm looking foward to learning about the 1970s from your posts.

Thank you all for all the great responces in my 1950s and 1960s thread.

Victor
 
The one I think of immediately is the Power Guard circuit. An excellent feature for more modern lower efficeny speaker drivers. :)

Carl
 
The Classic "Look" of McIntosh

While it may not rank up there with some of the technical achievements managed by McIntosh, I would have to say the 1970’s most amazing McIntosh achievement was in the styling.

The early solid-state units introduced the full black glass fronts and the first use of the “big-blue-meters”. However, they made do with some of the styling marks of the earlier tube units – pointed end-caps and knobs and somewhat spartan graphics.

Not that these units weren’t gorgeous, but…..

It was the early 1970’s when the McIntosh styling really came together. In October of 1972 the MR78 was introduced (followed in July of 1973 by the MPI4). This was the first use of the flat end caps and the cylindrical knobs with the black centers. Add to that the meter and dial bezels and you had what is arguably the most perfect “look” for any hi-fi gear.

The MC2125/MC2205, the C32/C29/C27, the MR78, and the MA6200 (not to mention the MAC1900) were simply an industrial-design coup.

The proof of this achievement can be seen across the current line of McIntosh products - 32 years later, McIntosh carries on with the “classic look” established in the 1970’s.

VintageMac
 
Carl,
I agree power guard was a great achievement. I love the piece of mind having McIntosh protection circuits on my side so I don't ever have to worry about my speakers or my amp. The dealer that I do most of my shopping at almost always has a McIntosh amp hooked up in the main listening room with no problems, at insanely high listening levels. When he uses other amps, which is only about 10% of the time he has blown several fuses and one amp and 3 speaker drivers on non Mac equipment. I was there once when a new non Mac amp came in and he hooked it up to a pair of Magnaplaner speakers and the amp cut out after less than an hour, then he put an equal watt McIntosh amp on with no problems at the same level.

McIntosh piece of mind: priceless!

Victor
 
VintageMac
Yes the looks are a huge achievement!
When I invite people who don't know McIntosh over to listen to my system their first comment is always on the look of McIntosh. So far the comments have all been good and they generally start out "WOW look at that". It takes a while to realise how good it sounds but the visual impact is instant.

Victor
 
Ron Evans came to work and invented Power Guard. He also made the MC2205 work after inheriting the unfinished design from another engineer. Ron doubled the actual power, lowered the distortion and the 2205 beacame a huge seller.
Ron Evans is nowVP of Engineering and oversees all designs and is a critical original thinker. The company would not be the same without him.
Ron-C
 
I would say the MR78 tuner was Mac's best achievment in the 1970's. Not too long ago I was reading an article in an old Audio Magazine about how the MR78 came about out of a desire to outperform the Marantz 10B. According to the article the MR78 was the first tuner to best the 10B.

Mike
 
MTY
I agree the MR78 was a great achievement. I also read stories of Frank McIntoshes desire to better the 10B. It could almost almost be called an obsession from the stories I read.

And to think you could have the designer Richard Modafferi still tune up a MR78 or do modifications at www.audioclassics.com which are claimed to make the MR78 better.

Victor
 
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Their most amazing achievement was to stay in business when the Japanese virtually took over the US market.

That's not a slam, it's a compliment. Good business model, good marketing, good product, and a lot of luck. Many other companies were not so fortunate.
 
EchoWars said:
Their most amazing achievement was to stay in business when the Japanese virtually took over the US market.

That's not a slam, it's a compliment. Good business model, good marketing, good product, and a lot of luck. Many other companies were not so fortunate.

I was thinking the same thing. Not only was it an achievement just to stay in business but the bigger achievement was not to sell out and go mass market, as so many hi-fi companies did in the 1970s.

Victor
 
I think the most amazing McIntosh achievement of the 1970s was the ML speaker line. Once again McIntosh comes out with a new product and once again right out of the gate their first speaker the ML-1C is a major winner. :) AMAZING :)

With the brilliant work of Roger Russell the ML speaker line produces the entire 20-20khz range with the help of the MQ101 or MQ102 equalizer. And of course they are built McIntosh tough and the woffer can handle the added work the equalizer puts it threw. Its too bad many customers at the time did not get the info that the MQ101 or MQ102 equalizers are required, not an option.

Thank You Roger Russell

Victor
 
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