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April 8, 2015 - 3:40pm
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McIntosh components not working at dealers
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Mac brings a lot of history and panache to the table to justify the price. You're paying a premium for the name, but all tube gear depends on the quality of the valves being used and there are a lot of mediocre tubes being produced by very few companies these days.
Just a guess, but I suspect the dealers of tube gear are reluctant to monitor the health of the valves until they start exhibiting problems, which they ALL will eventually. Like lightbulbs, they have a varied life expectancy before they go poof and have to be replaced.
Provided warranty and servicing of the particular brand of tube gear is readily available, I would draw no conclusion from this sort of thing and wouldn't hesitate to buy Mac gear if that's what turned me on. They do look bitchin', that's for sure.
There are many companies making quality tube gear these days and the selection of features has never been better. The bottom line, though, is that tube gear isn't plug-play-forget like solid state, so make sure you have confidence in the brand's ability to survive and service.
That is an incredible run of bad luck. If Catch is right about the tube, it's disappointing the staff at the store couldn't diagnose it. (Or maybe they could but didn't have a spared tube, another troubling possibility.)
Some other tube gear to consider: Rogue Audio (big fan), Audio Research (I want), Valve Amplification Company/VAC (I have), Vacuum Tube Logic/VTL, Rogers, Cary, and Conrad-Johnson.
I went ahead and decided on an Audio Research LS27 pre and a PrimaLuna Dialogue premium for power. The combo sounded amazing and I was thrilled to hear something I felt sounded better than the Mc 2500/275 combo. I'm sure a lot of factors had a contribution to my listening experience, but for the price, the PrimaLuna is just stunning. The LS27, well, was just amazing with tubes or ss for power. I'm very happy with this preamp.
Welcome! rretch-
if you live near Dallas TX, you owe it to yourself to visit both;
Audio Concepts
John Fort Audio
Over the years, I must report that, I have visited many Audio Shops that had gear improperly set-up or not at all?
Over the years I've bought new, and used, McIntosh equipment and never had a problem when purchased. But the only tube gear I have is their MR-67 tuner. That was on the shelf at a Mac dealer and I bought it on a whim. The last time I had it turned on it was fine. I say that because I only have one tuner input on my C-28 pre-amp and for the past several months I've only been playing my MR-78.