Is Mcintosh the most popular Hifi brand?
 

Just for fun discussion.
I have been here for some time and Mcintosh seems to always have the most active discussions and most number of Threads and replies over here.
It is really much more if u go and see the numbers against other brands sections.

So I am just wondering is Mcintosh the most popular and sought after Hifi brand?
Share your thoughts and why do u think so?

:banana::banana::banana:

McIntosh gear is a right of passage; you must own it first, before you can buy any other brand. :D

Something like that

I'm in jdandy's camp. In my heart I believe Mac's the best. Wouldn't swap it for anything on the market.

I like the way u phrase it.

Me too [emoji106]
I agree. I've tried other brands, all better than the others, but nothing works ... I always come back to Mcintosh.

In my ears and eyes nothing equals this iconic brand. And since I paired the 1.25kw with my Alexia2, I'm not ready to back down!

That does not mean that i claims Mc is the best brand in the world, but just that there is a special relationship between Mc and me

I understand how u feel.
Would u mind sharing some other brands and components u have tried?
After all this is about personal taste/preference as no right or wrong.

Thank you

Hasn't really migrated to blighty yet, though they have I believe a stockist in deepest Scotland. You need a beefy car and lot's of pricey gas stops, but if they ever come to London I will at last post a relevant post. Heard 'em on the tube and they'l be mighty fine in a detached house. Semi searched for the desk top's a while ago.

I started with the Jadis da88s, then the mx136 and mx150 with the 1201, then change with the couple Ayre kxr and mxr, and finally back to Mc with the C500t (that I still have) with the 452, then the 601 and finally the 1.25kw.

Once again, you are right; everything is a matter of taste, and there are many, many brands certainly better ... but not for me [emoji6]

Frank

Chericelise.......For me, McIntosh is the sound of music. It is as simple as that. No matter what other manufacturer's amplifiers and preamplifiers I have heard in people's systems or my own, McIntosh always makes me feel like I have returned home. It's comfortable, cozy, and feels just right. Not only does the equipment sound astonishing by all measure, it has an essence of truth in its sound that does not try to exaggerate any part of the frequency spectrum in an attempt to claim some sort of greater resolution, claims that many other companies make but seem only to be able to produce an etched presentation that in the long term does not please my ears. I'm not saying there aren't many wonderful power amplifiers and preamplifiers available from well known manufacturers, but there isn't one that has been able to pull me away from the joy that McIntosh preamplifiers and power amplifiers have given me for over five decades of hi-end audio involvement. Come to think of it, there isn't another audio company that I can think of that has produced such an extensive catalog of audio equipment for 70 years other than McIntosh. It's not uncommon to see 50 year old McIntosh components still in service and sounding excellent, even by today's standards. McIntosh still provide parts and service for most of their gear no matter its age. What other audio manufacturer can make that statement. I am also fond of the fact that McIntosh is manufactured in the USA, creating jobs and helping support American families. That means something in this day and time.

So, to answer your question, "is Mcintosh the most popular and sought after Hifi brand?", I would say it certainly is popular on a worldwide basis among a large segment of experienced audio enthusiasts. Most popular? Who knows, but you would not fail to recognize McIntosh gear when you see it, even from across the room, and you will see lots of it in plenty of high-end sound systems around the world.

By the way, it is McIntosh, not Mcintosh.

Here is a YouTube video I posted four years ago of my now 54 year old McIntosh MA230 integrated amplifier still producing amazing sound. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1eEhFwApxE