The Simplest Path to Audio Bliss
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Of the many ways to create a high-end music system, McIntosh may offer the easiest and most satisfying solution
by Tom Methans
April 26, 2022
Luxury home entertainment isn’t just about home theater. But because theaters tend to be big and loud, they usually get most of the attention, in a squeaky wheel kind of way. There are many other facets to this universe, though, that are just as beguiling and rewarding.
For a lot of people, the ultimate entertainment system is one devoted to music, not movies. But, thanks to the audiophile gatekeepers, there can be an intimidation factor to creating an uncompromised music setup that doesn’t usually come into play with a home theater—which is why we’re initiating a series of articles to help ease your way to attaining the ideal system without having to deal with any of the tweaky minutiae. The goal is to seriously lower the stress level so you can focus on the adventure and the pleasure—beginning with this piece from Tom Methans on McIntosh as possibly the most direct and hassle-free way to arrive at phenomenal music reproduction in your home.
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In the early days of home audio, buying a two-channel system was simple. All it took was a trip to the store where you could pick a top-of-the-line console pre-loaded with two speakers and all the current gear packed into a single piece of fashionable cabinetry. Since then, home audio has become increasingly complicated by highly specialized builders of single components (down to cables and power cords), leaving buyers with the chore of mixing and matching equipment. While some people enjoy that process, it’s totally unnecessary. As one of the last companies manufacturing a full spectrum of high-end equipment, McIntosh makes it easy again to put together a serious stereo system by combining one-stop shopping with luxurious components and extraordinary sound.
McIntosh had been making amplifiers in Binghamton, NY, since 1951, but it wasn’t until the 1970s that they added speakers to their home-audio lineup. With a solid history of professional applications, which includes supplying power to the original Woodstock Festival and Grateful Dead concerts, McIntosh was also becoming the go-to choice for sophisticated home audio.
I was reminded of the McIntosh magic when I auditioned a massive system at the 2018 Rocky Mountain Audio Fest. Instead of the usual double room at the Marriott allotted to smaller brands, Mac got a conference space filled with chairs like a theater and built on a foundation of two 158 lb. monoblock MC1.25KW amplifiers at 1,200 watts per channel driving a pair of XRT1.1K speakers, which are just shy of six feet in height with 70 drivers and weighing in at 181 lbs. each.
As we all savored the music, McIntosh representatives didn’t have to prove anything with specs, excuses, or value for the price, because the room sounded like a live performance hall.
Naturally, your space and listening habits dictate the power you need. Once the speakers are selected, McIntosh offers amplification from 75 to 2,000 watts per channel; digital or analog; tubes or solid-state; mono, stereo, or multichannel; as well as integrated, multi-chassis, and an old-school stereo receiver that does everything in a single box. Then the fun really begins. McIntosh has whatever source you want: Turntables, streamers, SACD/CD players, and radio tuners. They make everything except tape machines, but if you’re dying to try a reel-to-reel, Skyfi Audio (a partner company of Stereo Exchange for pre-owned and vintage gear) is restoring classic Japanese Technics RS1500s with the McIntosh color scheme to fit seamlessly into your system.
If those aren’t enough reasons to use McIntosh to take your first big step in high-end audio, consider that the equipment is at home in a mid-century den, Edwardian library, minimalist open-concept, or industrial loft. Furthermore, its build quality and timeless design ensure high resale value and legendary durability—McIntosh still services its vintage gear—for generations to come. Finally, those famous blue meters, they never go out of style.
McIntosh has been the choice of professional sound engineers, musicians, and music lovers who appreciate iconic American brands, but painstaking research and development has kept pace with the finest equipment in the world. Take it from Evan Fusco, Vice President of Stereo Exchange in New York City: “For decades McIntosh has continued their commitment to quality of construction and design, and in this last decade have elevated their products’ audiophile performance to the same top level.”
In addition to a variety of speaker brands, Evan has plenty of McIntosh electronics on display, and he will special order any McIntosh component you desire.
Special thanks to Evan Fusco of Stereo Exchange; Mark Christensen, Marketing Coordinator, McIntosh Laboratory; and Elliott White, Operations Manager, SkyFi Audio.
Tom Methans is a writer based in New York. As a Fulbright Scholar, he traveled all over Germany to see heavy metal bands before receiving his Master’s in Library and Information Science. He followed that with a 20-year career in the wine industry and now writes about music and audio equipment for Copper Magazine. When not watching 1970s movies, Tom listens to records on his vintage Japanese turntable.
the McIntosh MC1.25KW monoblock amplifier and XRT1.1K speaker
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