Do you have a My First McIntosh story?
 

Before I was 10 years of age, the first personal music equipment I bought was a McIntosh tube receiver - 40 watts per channel. In fact, I had to buy separate, a wood chassis cover. Actually, if memory serves me, my dad bought it because he was concerned I would electrocute myself with the guts exposed. Yeah, he was right because I always got into trouble. LOL

Anyway, I saved up a long time with my paper route, raking leaves, mowing lawns, washing the neighbors windows, watering lawns... you name it... anything a kid could do to earn cash - [oh yeah, I collected cans/bottles too] and I needed loads doe. McIntosh wasn't cheap then either.

Ah -- I remember, the receiver at that time was just radical and I loved it. I was the kewlist kid on the block. Of course, I was one of those kids that played ball or anything physical [still thrive on physical sports/actively to this day] the streets with my neighborhood kids or while the folks were at work, raid the liquor cabinet [dilute the booze with water] and party on lawn and smoke.

I regularly blared AC/DC, Rush, Led Zeppelin, Ted Nugget, Queen, Heart, The B-52's, Journey, Foreigner, ZZTop, Pat Benetar, and Eddie Money from my bedroom window with some massive huge 3 way speakers. The McIntosh totally rocked!

Eventually I grew up, went to college and forgot about the stuff [bought Bang & Olufsen gear instead]

It wasn't until I went to visit my mum early last year and I went into the attic to grab some of my old junk. I couldn't find my receiver, the Gerard Turntable, Teac Tape Deck or speakers.

Wait for it -- dear ol' mum sold the McIntosh for $50 when she had garage/yard sale.

I was speechless. It's not like I can yell at my mum. But it did fired me up to buy McIntosh again and the gear I have today is way more killer awesome!

Wow when I was 10 years old I got a small transistor radio for Christmas and I thought that was the coolest... Guess I got jipped.

David.......My first McIntosh was purchased as part of a whole system I bought from a friend. I lived in San Francisco as did my friend but he was returning to Seattle to live and did not want to transport the sound system. For $900 I bought a pair of McIntosh MC30 mono amps, a Dynaco FM1 tuner, and a pair of Altec Lansing Voice of the Theater speakers. I built a Dynaco PAS3 preamp from a factory kit and already owned a Dual 1019 turntable with a Shure V15 Type II cartridge and an Akai reel to reel w/ Crossfield heads. That was in 1968 and that system rocked the house. I have owned McIntosh gear in one form or another ever since.

First McIntosh Memory
 

When I was just a young boy in the early 80's, I remember seeing the blue lights of my father's MC2105 stereo amp flanked next to a C32 preamp in his "library". He also had those furniture-like ML2C speakers in a beautiful walnut finish. I didn't have an appreciation for the equipment at the time but I grew up feeling like McIntosh was in my blood. About 25 years after those earliest memories, I got hit with the same bug my father did and bought my first system.

When was your first experience with McIntosh?

I also was a young boy. I was 12 years old in 1970. My dad had brought home a McIntosh receiver. I too was transfixed by the lights. But it was verboten for me to touch it despite the pleading to my dad.

I was so insistent that he finally relented and told me that if I plugged in the headphones first, then and only then, could I turn it on. I think he was afraid I was going to blow it up.

Upon relating this story to him decades later he told me that he first had a Dynacast kit he had put together and then a Fischer. But the Mac was his pride and joy.

Nice! Thanks for sharing. :)

My brother and I would often go to the mall, just to pay visit to high end audio store. There was a "back room" that normally had its door closed, but you definitely heard something was going on inside. We always walked right in, knowing what wonders were in there.

Inside, they had a wall (well, a rack or two anyway) of Mcintosh amps and preamps. I can't for the life of me remember the brand of turntables they sold, but I do remember them using Nakamichi cassettes decks and Pioneer RT-707 and RT-909 reel-to-reels for sources (later they got the Nakamichi Dragon, damn!). I also remember only one of their speaker brands; Klipsch. The Cornwalls, the Klipschorns, and of course, the Heresy. Ever since....I've had the McIntosh bug and knew I one day would be rocking a Mcintosh!

Dan,
I totally understand. Sometimes we part with gear to help us upgrade (or other reasons) but you never totally lose the appeal that led you to that equipment to begin with. Plus, there are memories behind it as well. Thanks for sharing!

Great post. Lol, my father had the Nakamichi Dragon as well. Very cool machine indeed. He also used a Bang and Olufsen turntable which was nice as well.

I've enjoyed reading all the previous posts. Takes me back to about 1973, I was 4, I sneeked into my father's listening room and marveled at the two MC60s he had hooked to a Harmon Kardon Citation 1 preamp. I would turn on the power switch just to watch the tubes glow in the dark. He used AR3 speakers and a Thorens TD124 turntable and a Sony real to real....as I grew into my teens with this system. He later retired the amps and preamp for a Sansui receiver. (wow, what a step down:D)

I inherited the MC60s (thank goodness he kept them) and had them recently re-worked by Terry DeWick along with a MC275 I acquired later. I still listen to them and remember the first time I saw them glow.

Thanks for the memories......