Your first experience with McIntosh

In the mid-1970s I was interning at an architect's office, learning some of the ropes of house designing and cabinet detailing before going off to college...I had a chance to assist with the detailing of some cabinetry in a living room of a really nice new house. The cabinetry was for a beautiful stereo system...McIntosh. Detailed the cabinet, the owner (also the contractor) built it and then I had a chance to see and hear the end product...just wonderful. I don't recall the model numbers, but I certainly remember the big blue meters--might have been an MC2105, 2125 or 2205. Now, all these years later...I have a MAC 4100, and hope to soon have some big blue meters too. :music:
 
my first mcintosh bug was a 1900 receiver i bought in 1977, then a 2105 in 1982 which i still have then a mr500 in 1987, then a 2255, then a 240 , a mr 55a, mr66 with ma6 , verdin P153. all i still own except the 1900.. Once You Go MC YOU Never GO Back!!!!!!!!!!!!!! plan on buying more ... really got the mc bug in the 70s........
 
3 years ago, buying a C28 for $20! Brought it home and never listened to it. Sent it to the Mcintosh factory for a full refurbish. Got it back and realized how bad the power switch-volume control switch is and so I never listen to it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Either I had no volume or .25 volume, no in between. Mcintosh told me "that's just the way it is!"............... Been eye candy with my MC2505 ever since.
 
My first direct experience was June 11, 1976 at the Boston Music Hall, seeing the Grateful Dead. Hearing the bass sound, powered by a MC2300 blew me away. It took me almost 4 years to afford a Mac (after drooling at them at the Stereo Shops of Mass in Newton). I found a used 2105 for $250 that was pulled out of a mobile recording rig. It was a mess cosmetically and the filter caps needed replacing. After a new glass and new caps, I proceeded to beat the snot out of it with my bass and it never complained once (and all my musician friends thought it looked really cool, with those blue meters). The glass broke a few more times and finally I let it go. I remember bringing it to a couple clinics at the Stereo Shops of Mass and seeing the clinician (Dave?) smile as he saw come through door, looking like hell and knowing that it would test better than the published spec, which it always did. He wanted to put it in an ad to show the level of abuse that these things can withstand.

Flash forward to today and it's still going strong as my subwoofer amp in my home studio. I should try cranking it up as bass amp one of these days. Every now and then I put it up against a modern pro audio amp and it just blows them clear to Kansas. I also have a pair of MC30s powering a couple of Heresy's in my living room, which sound great, not least on a great soundboard recording of the above 6/11/76 show!

Thanks Phil and thanks McIntosh!
Edwin
 
My first exposure to McIntosh was when I was in engineering school. I landed a part time job at a really good high end store where we sold most of the big names at the time. GAS, Dahlquist, Linn, Naim, Bryston, Nakamichi, Levinson, Snell, Threshold etc..Our crosstown competitors sold McIntosh, Klipsch, B&O and Nakamichi. If it isnt clear by now, we were the cool guys and had a steady stream of manufacturers in our store to discuss the fine points of audio.

We were known for our service and even though it was the late 70's we would install your gear for free. When you came in to listen we would usually find out your favorite wine or beer and supply it along with a selection of records geared to your listening tastes. I successfully sold against McIntosh for years without actually hearing it since we were armed with the best competitive knock offs directly from the mouths of the coolist designers in the industry.

When I graduated for engineering school I lucked out and took a job with a large prestigious computer firm where my competitive skills were honed to another level altogether. One day my boss invited me over to his house for dinner and invited me to hear his hifi. It was an entire McIntosh stack. I denigrated his system and claimed as a manager in a high tech company he should really consider gear that was more up to date...

Well with that kind of insensitivity and arrogance I was quickly promoted about four levels over the next few years. The question remains would I be the Chairman of that company if I had a bunch of McIntosh equipment in my 20's?

My message to all youth is don't take a chance, buy at least one system with McIntosh gear --- even if you dont want to --- better safe than sorry.:scratch2:
 
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My first McIntosh was a C26 that I bought for $200 from an audio store back in the mid '70s. My dad was purchasing agent for Soundco Electronics (now defunct) in Springfield, MA and that's where I got `exposed.´ Can recall seeing MC2105, MC2205, MPI4, and MR77 in the showroom. They all looked like black Mercedes. Took the C26 to state college and got an EE degree, with partying and football all the way! :)

Fast forward to 1985 in Chicago where I took a job. Located EZ Teletronics (now defunct) in downtown Chicago where I really started buying Mc gear. Each Saturday that I'd stop in, he'd have more McIntosh trade-ins. Scooped up 5 used and 1 new McIntosh from EZ. What a guy!! Still have all 7 of those pieces, which have been in storage mostly since 1993.

-Gregory

MR77, C26, MC2505
MR80, C33, MC2205, MCD7007
Thiel CS3.5
 
This story is strange but true. I became aware of McIntosh quality some time in the 60's, but I don't know exactly when. I thought it was good but too expensive. One summer day in the late 80's I was walking home to my then apartment on W. 78th street in NYC. There was a slight drizzle. What did I see in the street with the garbage in front of the apartment building next to my building but a MC2505 power amp and a c26 preamp. I quickly picked them up one at a time (my door man laughing) and took them home. Garbage finds are not uncommon in NYC. I dried them off, waited a few days to dry thoroughly and tried them out. Great! I removed my Yamaha integrated and used them for about 10 years. Switched to an Odyessy Statos for a few years, then bought my mc402 and a c712. I felt I owed the company for the gift.
 
This story is strange but true. I became aware of McIntosh quality some time in the 60's, but I don't know exactly when. I thought it was good but too expensive. One summer day in the late 80's I was walking home to my then apartment on W. 78th street in NYC. There was a slight drizzle. What did I see in the street with the garbage in front of the apartment building next to my building but a MC2505 power amp and a c26 preamp. I quickly picked them up one at a time (my door man laughing) and took them home. Garbage finds are not uncommon in NYC. I dried them off, waited a few days to dry thoroughly and tried them out. Great! I removed my Yamaha integrated and used them for about 10 years. Switched to an Odyessy Statos for a few years, then bought my mc402 and a c712. I felt I owed the company for the gift.

Sounds like the Roberts 1040 R-R deck I found in front of 246-248 West End Ave.......amazing because I had one of them at the time it was in great shape...was tossed because the rubber bumpers that held the capstan motor to the frame dry rotted....and the motor was hanging by the capstan belt...I found all mint Mullard and Telefunken tubes in her.....still can't believe the find....right here on WEA@72Street!
 
Curiosity as much as anything

Mid to late eighties. I was finishing college. The local shop was in a large mall and I just wandered in. The emotions were very pronounced. The place was dark, very hushed (treated) and the mac stuff was in something like a carpeted 'church' in the back. It was probably set up to be something of a late 70's groovy rich guy lair. K-horns, KEFS, giant advertising showing how the MACS were used in the Navy subs.
I was very curious. The sound was very very good although I honestly did not listen as critically as I could have at that time since the whole experience was new to me. Not too many bright lights, bright music and pushy sales 'dudes' like I was used to at the discount o rama stores. I am sure McIntosh really put effort into presentation (just like a car dealer), and believe me IT WORKED. I eventually left with a 7270 that (repeat it with me) I SHOULD NEVER HAVE SOLD.
 
(from another post of mine)
Well my best friend (still is!) Russ had another friend Chris who had his own stereo system. We were 17 when we stopped by his house to check it out. Magnepan speakers with MAC60 amplifiers... don't remember the preamp or anything else - but it was very impressive looking. Don't remember how it sounded and it didn't make much of an impression on me sonically.

Fast forward another year (1989) and I stop by his Chris' new house - this time his stereo changed - it was Quad ESL-63s, a Mac240 amplifier with all tube Lambda outboard regulators... even the output stage was regulated. Running a VPI HWIII turntable and ET2 tone-arm... and yes, this guy was only 19 with this stereo! - He delivered pizzas and saved his money to buy audio equipment. Finally got to listen to some music I was familiar with and it was the most mind blowing experience... I heard details on recordings that I had never heard before... plus some live music it felt like you were in the audience. I've been hooked ever since... I ended up buying my first tube amp from him at the age of 18 - a Dynaco 70 - just in time for college.
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Working my A off with a 1.75/hour job:tears: back in my second year of college I wanted a McIntosh 1900, Bloze 901 speakers, Zero 100 tt with V-15/2 cart,...trouble was the 1900 cost more by itself than I could possibly afford.:tears: So I settled for a Pioneer 828:boring: ......I thought about that 1900 for 35 years:yes: ....I finally purchased one and had Terry do a super tune....that was followed by a MR-74 Tuner (out went the ST-7 Nakamichi) which was followed by a MC-7200 amp (goodby ARC) now the hunt for a McPre....it was worth the wait...music never sounded as good as it now does!

Long live McIntosh, long live the KING!:thmbsp: :thmbsp: :banana:

L

Add a MC252 to the family.:music:
 
1976 I was a brand new school teacher fresh out of college and in the first job. I owned an HK receiver and a couple of house brand speakers from Wander Sales in Pittsburgh. Walked into a little Hi-Fi shop in Charleston, WV and the guy there sold me on the MA6100 which I still own today. He was kind enough to hook them up to several sets of speakers. I knocked off the DQ-10's and the Magneplanars because they wouldn't fit in my apartment. That left the Bose 901, A JBL upper end of which I forget the model (mucho $$$) which I liked but were too expensive, Ohm Walsh F's, Klipsch ? (which colored the sound too much for me) and the McIntosh XR5's. I chose the XR5's because they sounded the most authentic with my jazz recordings and were within my space limitations and budget. I think back today - that was one hell of a stereo shop! Since then I have had the speakers worked on once and the integrated gone over this past summer. After reading Roger Russell's web page I began lusting a few years ago for the XL-10's which I picked up a month ago. Now if someone can just tell what to do about those cracked speaker clips on the back???? Has anyone replaced them with updated connections?
 
It was when I was in college... our teacher wanted us to experience what it was like to work on a Mac computer...

Whoops! Sorry, wrong Mac! :D

Scott
 
A few years ago, dad went to another dealer (which now is my dealer), just to see what they had (turned out they had alot more than he expected). He asked the dealer if he could listen to the B&W 802's next time (just listening). So that next time, of course I went with him.
I listened to the 802's --no, they weren't driven by a Mc --, but I immediately felt 'home' at the dealer, there was the first time I actually saw a Mc (besides in audio magazines) the dealer has a MA6900, 501's C2200, MC207, MCD201, MC402, MX136, a Mc dvd player,... and immediately I loved them. I kept on going to the dealer, and one year later (a few months ago) I bought my MA6400...
 
My first McExperience

I was maybe 20 and i went to my girl friends brothers house for dinner.

I walked in and saw the McIntosh system in the room. I was wowed immediately.

He put on a Linda Ronstadt Album and I was hooked.

I waited almost 30 years to get my system, but I never gave up believing I would get a Mcintosh one day.
 
Sounds like the Roberts 1040 R-R deck I found in front of 246-248 West End Ave.......amazing because I had one of them at the time it was in great shape...was tossed because the rubber bumpers that held the capstan motor to the frame dry rotted....and the motor was hanging by the capstan belt...I found all mint Mullard and Telefunken tubes in her.....still can't believe the find....right here on WEA@72Street!

Isn't it great how NYC rewards you just for being here. :thmbsp:
 
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