how did you get your mac gear

Please just humor me here. I always loved McIntosh gear from the minute I saw a 2105 w/ a c-28 pre and Dual tt. Then one of my favorite bands The Grateful Dead graduated from Fenders to all MAC gear in the mid 70's to early 80's and if good enough for them and road worthy enough they must have been fantastic as the Wall Of Sound proved once they got it dialed in right. I always worked, saved like most but never and I mean never could affrod the gear. So how did you guys get your mac? Inheritance, gifts, being successful or just lucky. I've seen some of your sigs and it just shoots gear envy right through me .Some have 2 2300s, 2600s and the newer way more intense amps. BTW there was a thread over at the Polk site asking about McIntosh in general and while many there own pieces the great majority was anti Mac because they said there is way better out there and while build quality can't be argued the prices for vintage gear was way to much for the majority of them.
I never thought a 2300 or 2500 w/ fans going would be suitable for home use but I was so wrong again.

Got a loan from the bank......:thmbsp: and I drive a crappy car.....my money is in my gear, not lounge suits, flash cars and other accessories...

I looked around the local for-sales ads, but then decided to buy form Audio Classics because of warranty and all the horror stories i read about but all this started because i joined AK I was very happy with system I had before my mac now I am really happy.

Was unable to find that discussion on the Polk forum.

Would like to read it. Mind posting a link?

To answer your question - 5 of my Mc pieces were found on eBay; Audio Classics for the rest.

Great outfit to deal with is Audio Classics; one cannot say enough good things about them.

From what I gather, the vast majority of AKers who own McIntosh equipment have purchased it used, myself included.

There are very few McIntosh units that cannot be brought back to spec with a good servicing whereupon it'll be good for another good many years.

I feel that used McIntosh in excellent condition is the most economical way to go while still enjoying every bit of McIntosh's legendary long term reliability and sound quality.

A lot of the Mc bashers can't afford it so it's an envy impulse to justify why they don't need it. Others I find say it's too expensive but every other week they are buying a 400-500 dollar piece of equipment. They just can't save up for the gear and rather have 10 receivers.

For me there has just been a point that I wanted tube equipment so Mc was the choice. I did buy my 275s new at a dealer and got a C100 preamp used from the dealer as well. The rest of my gear was bought used and in mint shape.

My logic is that when it becomes time to sell if ever Mc holds its value better than most companies. If you buy right you can almost get all your money back. Also the first piece is the hardest to get, climbing that hurdle and knowing how much you just spent on it. Then it's just a cost like anything else but you just don't buy as much.

You might notice in this forum when a member gets a new or new to them piece we all celebrate. We all know how hard it is to do and make that move on a new piece.

Anyway when you buy McIntosh it's money in the bank, but you can enjoy the music.

Funny you bring up Audio Classics. That's were I got my Adcom gfa555 sight and sound unseen just on their rep alone. To Kevzep I also drive a crappy car, a real pos Saturn so we do have so things in common just not enough cash.

My dad bought my first Mc setup for me as a gift when I moved out - an MX110, MC240, Dual 1019, and some vintage JBLs. He paid $70 for all of it at a sale in the local memorial hall ( think 1989 ) in the small town we lived in.

When I wanted more power ( parties in my 20s! ) I tried Phase Linear and Carver amps to no avail. The local McIntosh dealer was like, "Quit wasting your money on that stuff. Buy a used McIntosh 200 wpc amp and you'll find what you're looking for." That was 1991 or so and boy were they right. I bought an MC2200 and MC2300 shortly thereafter.

The rest is history. McIntosh is an excellent investment.

My MC2205 was bought on eBay. Shipped from NYC to ABQ inside the wood cabinet in a large box that had foam sprayed in the bottom and the top half in foam. I plugged it in and connected it to my Cornwall's and it sounded like "schiit."

Went onto AK here and saw the driver boards needed solder joints to be reflowed and power supply board rebuild. It was less involved than my Marantz 1200.

My son in college asked me if it was the best amp I had ever heard. I replied that it sounded great with the Cornwalls, clean and loud sound. Two hundred watts of power is way more than I need, but it creates a wall of sound for every type of music I play on it.

damacman said:

My dad bought my first Mc setup for me as a gift when I moved out - an MX110, MC240, Dual 1019, and some vintage JBLs. He paid $70 for all of it at a sale in the local memorial hall ( think 1989 ) in the small town we lived in.

When I wanted more power ( parties in my 20s! ) I tried Phase Linear and Carver amps to no avail. The local McIntosh dealer was like, "Quit wasting your money on that stuff. Buy a used McIntosh 200 wpc amp and you'll find what you're looking for." That was 1991 or so and boy were they right. I bought an MC2200 and MC2300 shortly thereafter.

The rest is history. McIntosh is an excellent investment.

Click to expand...

My Dad gave me $300 and kicked my out..

I got my first pair of MC60's in exchange for rebuilding another pair of 60's that my friend had. Have owned them since 1982. Bought my second pair of 60's from the same friend that I rebuilt them for. Paid a $1000.00 for them. Have owned them since 1988. It was the best investment in audio I made.

In the beginning I got a loan and traded in all my Scott equipment. I was working after school and during the summers with my dad at his auto shop. Then I went to work at the radio station in town, while taking engineering in college and also worked drama and musical productions at the college theatre. later I worked co-op at White sands missile range taking care of Ampex high speed recording equipment. Then I got a job working for a local sound company where I bought my Mac, servicing and selling Ampex equipment. After a year I could by Mac on the factory plan for techs and salesman. I bought pieces here and there over the next 30 years. After my retirement. I bought some pieces in Portland from a dealer whose partner had worked with our Mac rep in Texas. After that I connected with Frank Gow at Audio classics, and since I had known him from his supplying Twin plants in old Mexico. I have bought all my Mac from them. Oh I bought one piece from a customer of the dealer in Portland so he could a few more bucks than the trade the dealer offered. Audio Classic is my preferred source for sound equipment, because of the service they provide before during and after the sale. It can't be matched any where else. The knowledge they provide is right on and they will recommend options for your consideration. Your only job is to study and know in which direction you want to proceed when looking to buy equipment.

Charles Lucas Sales I assume. I knew Sam quite well.

When I heard a McIntosh system at Hawthorne Stereo where I bought my Fisher 500T I knew that was it. I saved for a year and in 1971 I bought my first Mac pieces. A C-26 and MC-2505. My niece now has the C-26 but I kept the 2505 and gave her a 502 instead. I just couldn't part with the 2505. It runs the outdoor speakers now. The rest I acquired many years later after my kids were grown.

leftwinger67 said:

Please just humor me here. I always loved McIntosh gear from the minute I saw a 2105 w/ a c-28 pre and Dual tt. Then one of my favorite bands The Grateful Dead graduated from Fenders to all MAC gear in the mid 70's to early 80's and if good enough for them and road worthy enough they must have been fantastic as the Wall Of Sound proved once they got it dialed in right. I always worked, saved like most but never and I mean never could affrod the gear. So how did you guys get your mac? Inheritance, gifts, being successful or just lucky. I've seen some of your sigs and it just shoots gear envy right through me .Some have 2 2300s, 2600s and the newer way more intense amps. BTW there was a thread over at the Polk site asking about McIntosh in general and while many there own pieces the great majority was anti Mac because they said there is way better out there and while build quality can't be argued the prices for vintage gear was way to much for the majority of them.
I never thought a 2300 or 2500 w/ fans going would be suitable for home use but I was so wrong again.

Click to expand...

McIntosh is now amongst the many high end items that I sell (and enjoy). I'm always dabbling in this or that. I got into Rolexes at a very young age loving but not being able to afford them, and saving up, buying one piece at a time, selling it and using the proceeds to make my car payment, then buying another and so on and so forth. Of course, I also got to wear them during that time, and I get to listen to my Mac gear while it "sits around".

I do find it funny that there are both guys on the Rolex forum and here that have talked about their crappy cars and how either Mac or Rolex are their hobbies and that's what they dedicate their discretionary income to. What's neat about that is that both brands are very aspirational and complementary to each other in some ways, and both have interesting histories and even people who are divided between vintage and modern. This also makes them both great sales markets, with the same kind of cult following.

I may move up to MBL at some point, but I don't really think you get much more return on your auditory investment after McIntosh.

Duke58 said:

I plugged it in and connected it to my Cornwall's and it sounded like "schiit."

Click to expand...

Hey now, Schiit DACs sound GREAT!

www.schiit.com

62 Caddy, It took a while. IThe Polk site changed up their format and it's a real pita to navigate. I did find the thread that I coincdentally started . As you will see and most of might be highly affended by their responses.I was mortified, it almost came to the level of Bose bashing..

http://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/comment/1943422#Comment_1943422

MC2100: Found on Craigslist in good condition at the low end of its normal price range. Sent to Terry DeWick for updating. My total investment equals what I could sell the amp for now. But I have no desire to sell — it sounds excellent to me.

C33: Acquired through a fair trade here on AK Barter Town. It's now my favorite piece of audio equipment.

Then I found a wood Panloc case on Craigslist. It needed some cleanup and was therefore relatively cheap. Looks great with the C33.

leftwinger67 said:

62 Caddy, It took a while. IThe Polk site changed up their format and it's a real pita to navigate. I did find the thread that I coincdentally started . As you will see and most of might be highly affended by their responses.I was mortified, it almost came to the level of Bose bashing..

http://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/comment/1943422#Comment_1943422

Click to expand...

I am not surprised.

Being partial to Polk myself, I had been there for a time but soon found it was not the place for me for this and other reasons.

I think the Bose analogy is fitting.

My first experience with McIntosh was back in the 70s at a local audio store that is no longer in business. When I heard the sound, I was hooked. However, being a teenager with limited funds, I made a vow that I would own McIntosh one day.

Fast forward to today, I found a MA5100 in excellent condition off the Bay. Once it arrived, I sent it to Audio Classics for service/repairs. Once the amp was home, I contacted Audio Classics and purchased a nice walnut cabinet.

The MA5100 has been doing service and it is a beautiful piece of audio gear. Factory specs say it puts out 45wpc. Once Audio Classics was done with service/repairs it is now putting out 58wpc. It may be small in watts per channel, but it is big in the quality of sound.

This one is definitely a keeper!

Trades. Mostly to downsize. I swapped some good stuff- Altec Magnificents, Klipschorns and a Precision Fidelity C-8. In return two mint 240s and a mint MX110Z. May not have been the best deal but I am happier without those massive loudspeakers here. And it's because I still have way too many. It was bad back then as far as stacks of gear dominating the house...