OMG - WHAT? WHAT?

[Mr Peabody]

I'll share this, my impression the writer seems pessimistic regarding the acquisition.

McIntosh Group Acquired by Bose; Does This Deal Make Any Sense?

Bose announced it has acquired McIntosh in a deal whose terms were not released. Does this deal make any sense?

www.strata-gee.com

 

[Mikado463]

So, MIT now owns the whole 'shebang' !

 

[a.wayne]

I

It's not just in the past; McIntosh and Sonus faber currently provide the audio components for Maserati and Lamborghini. I know this for a fact because during Monterey Car Week in August, I interviewed the McIntosh and Sonus faber executives about the designs and systems used in these cars for the audio publication I write for. I auditioned first-hand the audio systems in these cars, and their audio performance and ability to create an actual soundstage within the car was impressive. Here's the Lamborghini Revuelto I heard one of the systems in (BTW, these are all my photos).

The Masterati Folgore that uses McIntosh and SF systems.

And the Maserati MC20:

Note: All photographs are my copyright.

I’m more impressed about you being at Monterey ..

 

[a.wayne]

Wha

Back in blue collar land, my reference of McIntosh in cars is the Jeep - I believe some Grand Cherokee and Wagoneer models. Not sure who makes the speakers in these systems, but maybe someone here knows.

If I were a less honest man, I might go to the Jeep dealer and get a test drive just to see what all of this McIntosh hubbub is about...and if I were even less honest still, I might never return to the lot.

Problem is that my car will not die - it's a 2008 Grand Marquis that at 130K miles is showing no signs of slowing down, so I guess I'll have to wait to start thinking about a new car. (Not a terrible problem I guess, all things considered

Whats a Grand Marquis ..?

 

[JCS123]

Wha


Whats a Grand Marquis ..?

It's Mercury's version of the Ford Crown Victoria. It has been one of the best and most reliable cars that I've ever owned.

 

[Randy Myers]

You are correct. I remember Mac did have some car audio in the past, head unit and amps.

I remember seeing a cool roadster owned by one of the Infinity reps years back with a Mac head unit and all Infinity amps and speakers.

Jeep still offers McIntosh systems.

 

[Randy Myers]

I hope Bose drains the swamp over there at Mc. Mc has become the equivalent of the deep state of audio. I hope Lila Snyder cleans house.

Mike, quite harsh on McIntosh. I recently had the single finest customer service from McIntosh that I have ever received from any company in my entire life. Drain the swamp, deep state... really Mike?

 

[a.wayne]

Sales vs service ..!

Maybe Bose can reduce the blue meter madness on everything , just in time to stop power meters on PC and IC ...



MMGA ( Make Mac great again )

 

[Randy Myers]

Meters belong on the amp, no where else. The reason I got the C49 instead of the C53. I did not need the extra features and meters. The C49 and C53 are the same pre-amp other than the extra features on the C53. The C49 has more than enough features for a pre-amp.

Irrelevant to what non-Mc fans say, the McIntosh gear is fantastic performance equipment, more features than anyone could use, and built like a brick shit house. It has by far the best resale value of any gear out there. Every time I have sold a Mc piece it sells in days. Other pieces not so much.

I know, I am biased. I grew up next to the factory. I am very happy with my Mc stack!

 

[nicoff]

….

I am very happy with my Mc stack!

That all that matters Randy! There is a lot of Mc envy out there

 

[Mike]

Mike, quite harsh on McIntosh. I recently had the single finest customer service from McIntosh that I have ever received from any company in my entire life. Drain the swamp, deep state... really Mike?

Yes, really. It rots from the head down.

Glad their support has been excellent for you. When my Mc amps caught on fire last year (maybe I should post those videos huh?) they were useless. Yes, both amps. We took a second pair on trade earlier this year, one of those also went up in smoke. That’s 3 out of 4.

 

[JohnJ]

Yes, really. It rots from the head down.

Glad their support has been excellent for you. When my Mc amps caught on fire last year (maybe I should post those videos huh?) they were useless. Yes, both amps. We took a second pair on trade earlier this year, one of those also went up in smoke. That’s 3 out of 4.

Well Mike-

That would certainly turn me off to the brand too.
Perhaps you can provide some more details about the amps.
How old were they and had they been "worked on" prior to your acquiring them, if so by who and what was done?
Also, were they purchased new from an authorized dealer (by you or the original owner of the trades) or if not, did you reach out to the folks at McIntosh and what was their response?

It's no secret that I am a McIntosh fan but I have had some minor issues. Catching on fire is a whole other thing! Color me very curious!

John

 

[Mike]

Well Mike-

That would certainly turn me off to the brand too.
Perhaps you can provide some more details about the amps.
How old were they and had they been "worked on" prior to your acquiring them, if so by who and what was done?
Also, were they purchased new from an authorized dealer (by you or the original owner of the trades) or if not, did you reach out to the folks at McIntosh and what was their response?

It's no secret that I am a McIntosh fan but I have had some minor issues. Catching on fire is a whole other thing! Color me very curious!

John

Less than 2 years old. Never worked on. Same model. For both pairs. Both owners bought them new. They were trading them in. One traded his pair on Block Audio, the other on MSB M500’s. Yes, I reached out to Mc and because technically we were the second owners, they told us to pound sand. Zero help. I used my connections to find an independent repair center. 8 months later, we got them back.

I have owned more McIntosh than probably anybody on this forum. I’ve been a fan for decades! But this company has been bought and sold 6 times in the past 20 years. They are NOT the same company they were in the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s or even early 2000’s.

Their sales reps, for the most part, think their shit doesn’t stink and are kings selling what today has become unreliable gear. They have major QC issues today. I sincerely hope they can address these issues. Their entire sales strategy is lost in 1980 with poor decisions - like the BestBuy debacle. I talk to enough Mc dealers and former Mc dealers to get the real inside scoop. One of my dealer buddies who just lost the line for some stupid reason that’s a real head shaker. After the Bose acquisition, he was laughing his ass off (literally).

I have no idea how this Bose acquisition will change things, but I suspect those reps will be out on their ass and CI Rep firms will be taking over. In my opinion, Mc needs a complete overhaul from the top down.

My friend and reviewer Richard Mak, the biggest Mc fan I’ve ever met has jumped off the bandwagon due to reliability issues. He posted about this on FB.

Mc hasn’t sent products for review or actively participated in shows in years and years. They’ve succumbed to trying to sell $1500 empty boxes and $2000 clocks. As I said, not the same company.

 

[JohnJ]

Thank you for the no holes barred response Mike!

Considering you are a dealer and the amps have a three year warranty, I'd be pissed too.

One of the reasons I traded my 275 and 75 mono blocks for the 3500's was that the output trans blew in one of the mono blocks. As they had been discontinued a few years earlier, no replacement was available and the time to have Mc make one become longer and longer. And yes, there was a caviler attitude on their part. Fortunately, my dealer was very good and worked out a decent trade/deal on the 3500's.

John

 

[nicoff]

It seems as if history keeps repeating itself with high-end audio companies. The founders work hard to build a brand, yet, for whatever reason (such as lack of a well thought out succession plan, lack of vision, etc.), are not able to successfully create an exit strategy to sustain the firm into the future once they are gone.
If this can happen to a company like Mc that had earned such a worldwide reputation in high-end audio, many current high-end audio companies better take note. Too many one-man show companies out there today that cannot survive if their man is hit by a bus.

 

[Mike]

Thank you for the no holes barred response Mike!

Considering you are a dealer and the amps have a three year warranty, I'd be pissed too.

One of the reasons I traded my 275 and 75 mono blocks for the 3500's was that the output trans blew in one of the mono blocks. As they had been discontinued a few years earlier, no replacement was available and the time to have Mc make one become longer and longer. And yes, there was a caviler attitude on their part. Fortunately, my dealer was very good and worked out a decent trade/deal on the 3500's.

John

Glad it worked out for you. Cavalier attitude is exactly how I would describe it too.

 

[Mike]

It seems as if history keeps repeating itself with high-end audio companies. The founders work hard to build a brand, yet, for whatever reason (such as lack of a well thought out succession plan, lack of vision, etc.), are not able to successfully create an exit strategy to sustain the firm into the future once they are gone.
If this can happen to a company like Mc that had earned such a worldwide reputation in high-end audio, many current high-end audio companies better take note. Too many one-man show companies out there today that cannot survive if their man is hit by a bus.

I’ve seen all sides from the absolute best in the business response (Pass) to the blame the customer for everything that breaks response (Sim Audio) to the we don’t give a shit (Mc). Everyone else is kind of in the middle or closer to Pass.

 

[Puma Cat]

I

I’m more impressed about you being at Monterey ..

Well, it's close by, only about 2 1/2 hours away, and I shot as an official track photographer for Laguna Seca for 7 years, so I know my 'round the area. Here's a photo I took of Rizla Suzuki MotoGP rider, John Hopkins blasting up the front straight at Laguna some years back at the USGP.



Apologies for the temporary digression.

Coming back to the subject at-hand: I've been reading Mike's comments about McIntosh, and honestly, having worked in high-tech companies my entire professional career, I can't say I'm surprised at what Mike has observed from the Mc executives, I saw the same behavior from the executives in the companies I worked in, too, though in a completely different sector, in Biotech.

Lastly, in reading Mike's comments about Pass Labs, I can't say I'm surprised, either. Having met Wayne of Pass Labs and Nelson of course (I originally met Nelson at a friend's house in Davis, CA back in...1980), they are two people of very high integrity and respectabiity. Personally, I can't think of anyone who has "given back" to the high-end audio community more than Nelson Pass. IMHO, we are blessed to have a true genius and such a wonderful person in the audio community.

The other company that really stands behind it's products and customers is Shunyata Research. Again, "real folks" with integrity.

 

[Mr Peabody]

Thank you for the no holes barred response Mike!

Considering you are a dealer and the amps have a three year warranty, I'd be pissed too.

One of the reasons I traded my 275 and 75 mono blocks for the 3500's was that the output trans blew in one of the mono blocks. As they had been discontinued a few years earlier, no replacement was available and the time to have Mc make one become longer and longer. And yes, there was a caviler attitude on their part. Fortunately, my dealer was very good and worked out a decent trade/deal on the 3500's.

John

That is not good when a company don't keep replacement parts. Leaves you with a boat anchor or parts for someone else.

Now if you trade those Focus for some JBL, along with the 3500 you'd have your own Woodstock, LOL

 

[Mike]

That is not good when a company don't keep replacement parts. Leaves you with a boat anchor or parts for someone else.

Now if you trade those Focus for some JBL, along with the 3500 you'd have your own Woodstock, LOL

Now you’re talking!