Is Mcintosh the most popular Hifi brand?

[Puma Cat]

Originally Posted by 2fastdriving

I agree, and I was biting my tongue about this.

I also think that comparing Dartzeel with Mcintosh isn't exactly something you can do by looking at numbers.

Let me just say, I have heard the Dartzeel and it's freaking awesome, specs fade away quickly when you are listening to those babies.

Ohhh, yeah.

Even the Integrated, the CTH-8550, is one of the best-sounding components I've ever heard, bar none, regardless of price.

The DarTZeel gear is end-game.

[Puma Cat]

Originally Posted by For The Love of Music

Dan D’Agostino

Right, forgot about Dan.

[Puma Cat]

Originally Posted by For The Love of Music

Yes, I would give my left nut for a pair of DartZeels!

Puma summed it up nicely to the affect, it’s not so much the brand but the designers that contribute in making the brand.

And I say, amps are only one part of a multi-part process

I was very happy to own Adcom, Carver, McIntosh and D’Agostino.

It’s the music that Rules, well the equipment too! [emoji851]

[audioguy3107]

Originally Posted by Mamrak1

I would imagine that the Dartzeel amp at $170,000 is out of price range for most audio consumers. The whorehouse gold color doesn’t help matters.

I bet the guys over at DartZeel never thought they would have their casework referred to as "whorehouse gold" Maybe that should be a new Sherwin Williams color!

- Buck

[Puma Cat]

Originally Posted by audioguy3107

I bet the guys over at DartZeel never thought they would have their casework referred to as "whorehouse gold" Maybe that should be a new Sherwin Williams color!

- Buck

Knowing Herve Delatraz' sense of humor, he'd probably find it amusing.

[Masterlu]

Originally Posted by audioguy3107

I bet the guys over at DartZeel never thought they would have their casework referred to as "whorehouse gold" Maybe that should be a new Sherwin Williams color!

- Buck

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Still-One

Charles, the number of watts are a poor predictor of what it will take to get the best out of a pair of speakers.

I agree completely, but the number of clean watts the amp will supply must be the starting point. That's why measured specs are important. Therefore, the Dartzeel 468 would be a non starter for me. I wouldn't have it in my room driving my Alexx under any circumstances. If you gave it to me, I'd sell it or perhaps just look at it in a trophy case behind my sofa. I think Dan A'gostino will tell you that for a solid state amp to work properly it must loaf, i.e. be non stressed or work at a maximum of about 10%. There is no question that Dags and Wilsons are a superb match for this reason.

I want equipment that is reliable. When I sit down to listen I fully expect it to turn on, not to create any transients (period) under any conditions, and to sound great. I want equipment that looks great. I want equipment that measures great including speakers. If Wilsons didn't both sound and measure great I wouldn't have them. Mac and Wilson satisfies my ears.

I will make one comment about Mac meters. They actually work! Put the meter in the peak hold position and I absolutely know my peak watts because I can easily see the meters from my sitting position, with my equipment arrangement. Almost all meters on even the most expensive of amps are totally useless. Guarantee you MF doesn't know his amps are regularly employing the protective circuits of his amps since they will only supply 100 watts at 2 ohms. I absolutely know I need 120 watts on occasion from my Alexx. Most of the time 12 watts but put on Mahlers 6th and the volume of the D1100 on 75%, I need `120 watts. It is so clean and pure, it doesn't even sound loud but my oh my the ending will blast you out of your seat. It's what you pay the big bucks for. It's incredible. Last time I checked 10% of 1,200 watts which is the minimum power output of my 1.25KW's is 120 watts or within my 10% requirement. I note this requirement does not apply to tube amps. That's why tube watts are "bigger" watts than solid state watts. A 75 watt MC75 is therefore the equivalent of a 750 class AB solid state amp. A 2301 is a monster.

I am currently looking at an XVX (329,000.00). I realize this speaker is in the stratosphere for many but I will be driving it with my 1.25KW's and haply so. I expect no problems whatsoever.

[clpetersen]

Great post! (Charles)

[JBT]

It's an iconic American brand. I wouldn't call it the most popular because it's expensive.

[KeithA0000]

I don't know about 'most popular' - maybe most revered or most desired. For me, I've got a nice Technics amp, a nice Carver amp and a few others. They all sound fine to me. I found myself wanting up upgrade - but to what? Finally, I was eye-balling a couple of Marantz amps, and then... hey, what about a McIntosh? After a few months of hmmmm-ing and hawing, I finally bought an older MC2205. It's much more of an amp than I've ever had before, and oh my, is it HEAVY!! Just installed into my system this week. Looking forward to some time to test-listen for more than a few minutes...