McIntosh MEN220 Output Defect - How much longer until corrected?

[jdandy]

Have you seen the new billboards on Highway 7 and Highway 11 in Binghamton?





All things considered, I believe that owners of the McIntosh MEN220 have demonstrated a high degree of patience and civility with regard to the defective balanced outputs. Many of us have incurred needless additional expense purchasing unbalance interconnects in order to continue to use the MEN220 in our systems while we wait, and wait for McIntosh to correct the design flaw.

In light of this well documented balanced output problem, and McIntosh's stone faced silence on the state of any corrective action, it appears that MEN220 owners are considered a low priority. I find this frustrating, and I am finding my patience being tested with the endless waiting with no information from McIntosh on when owners can expect this issue to be resolved. It hasn't been easy to remain patient, nor has it been enjoyable incurring additional costs ($1400) to jury-rig the MEN220 into my fully balanced sound system with unbalanced cables while I wait in limbo for the fix.

I am still here, McIntosh, and I am still unhappy with the factory defect designed into the McIntosh MEN220 product, and sold to unsuspecting loyal customers. There are lots of us quietly waiting for you to get the balanced output flaw corrected and put this issue to bed once and for all. Is this too much to ask? I can send you a fresh photo of me for the dart board if you need one.

[piolaxo]

Hi Dan,

I understand your patience is running out after this process since you debugged,
and eventually make McIntosh realise that there was an issue with the balanced
outputs, up to this date. It is more understandable since you probably were the
first to raise the concern. I'm just curious, when was the last time you contacted
your sales rep or the place where you bought the MEN220.

If the fix has been implemented on the new units (as per the other thread), then
it would be tempting to think that one could get a replacement for the loyal
customers out there. I mean, how many units are out there before the fix are we
talking about?

Sal

[Still-One]

Dan
I agree that by now we should have received some "official" communication from McIntosh regarding our MEN-220's. I have verified on the Registration Website that McIntosh has my e-mail address, my home phone number and the name of the dealer I purchased the unit from. If it is a quick fix I would even think about driving the unit up there, and take a tour while they repair my unit.
Jim

[hkval]

McIntosh:
1.Have I caused any damage to my 1.2KW's by running balanced cables from the balanced, actually unbalanced, output of my MEN220 to the inputs of my 1.2KW's?

2.Before I was aware of the problem, I ran balanced subwoofer cables from my MEN to my 2 JL Fathom 113's. The JL manual says this is a definite NoNo. I wish I had knowledge of the problem before I did this. Do you think I caused any damage to them?

3. Like Dan, I spent several hundred dollars on unbalanced cables for the processor loop to avoid the defective outputs, but my objective has always been to have balanced cables throughout the system.

Silence is not "Golden" in this case, it is just "Unfair".

[jdandy]

Originally Posted by piolaxo

Hi Dan,

I understand your patience is running out after this process since you debugged,
and eventually make McIntosh realise that there was an issue with the balanced
outputs, up to this date. It is more understandable since you probably were the
first to raise the concern. I'm just curious, when was the last time you contacted
your sales rep or the place where you bought the MEN220.

If the fix has been implemented on the new units (as per the other thread), then
it would be tempting to think that one could get a replacement for the loyal
customers out there. I mean, how many units are out there before the fix are we
talking about?

Sal.......Yes, I have discussed this with the dealer, and there is nothing any dealer can offer. This is a factory design flaw, and must be addressed at the factory level. Information that is coming out piecemeal indicates the fix has been created, and it has been implemented on the production line, but that parts and circuit boards have been difficult to acquire. I do not know this to be a fact, as tidbits of unverifiable information seem to be coming from any number of sources. As I understand, no new MEN220's will be replacing owner's MEN220's. There will be a modification to existing MEN220 components, at least that is what has been coming down the grapevine. In my estimation there are most likely less than 200 affected MEN220's.

I keep hearing how the MEN220 is not an issue for the MC2301, or the MC252 and some other amplifiers, but that is just smoke and mirrors in my opinion. The owners of the MEN220 will all need their units modified with the fix. I would not want a known defect to exist in my MEN220 even if it did not cause an overheating issue with my balanced amps. What if I want to sell it, and the next owner has the problem. He is going to be most unhappy with me for selling him a defective MEN220. McIntosh needs to fix every single defective MEN220.

[Masterlu]

I own a few MEN220's and would like to get them all repaired.

[jdandy]

It just seems to me like it's time to get this task accomplished and put out to pasture.

[mike175gr]

Straight talk and a reasonable request. A formal communication is long overdue...

[T-3G]

I almost pulled the trigger on this when it first came out. Glad I didn't. I wonder if someone at McIntosh Labs is getting fired for this - it's obvious their test team (assuming it exits) doesn't have a world-class test scenarios. You would think that a world-class audio manufacturer that charges world-class prices would test a new product with their own, current line of products... apparently not.

Okay, I understand that shit happens sometimes, but along with their test team their PR and customer support team suck also. McIntosh, take care of your customers. This is your opportunity to make sure people who bought the unit are well taken cared of. If you do, we will continue to buy your products. If you fail, you will ensure people won't buy your products again. And I'm talking about COMMUNICATION - this is PR/customer support 101. People aren't angry for the design flaw (unintentional), but people are upset about your lack of communication (intentional).

[wakkz]

I thought they tested everything they send out?