McIntosh MXA60 Integrated Audio System First Look

[admin]

McIntosh has the answer. The MXA60 Integrated Audio System is a standalone tabletop system complete with a CD/SACD/MP3 player, 75-watts per channel amplifier, and speakers.This system is for the true connoisseur of high end audio. The preamplifier is tube powered (yeah!) and the speakers are two-way bass reflex.

Discuss "McIntosh MXA60 Integrated Audio System First Look" here. Read the article.

 

[JerryLove]

$7500 for a small integrated. I think this is a pretty niche' market.

 

[Adam]

I think this is a pretty niche' market.

Yeah, unlike your run-of-the-mill McIntosh gear.

 

[MapleSyrup]

I know McIntosh holds its own in many ways. I know their components are top quality and that there's avid fans who'll swear to the superiority of McIntosh gear. So may I take this oportunity to publicly say just how god-aweful ugly McIntosh equipment is? Who wants a big black box with oversized black and silver knobs and two stupid-looking needles bouncing back and forth to boast about? Then viewers are further tortured to see green and blue lights. Green and blue? McIntosh gear look as though an eleven year old built something over night because he procrastinated his science project until the last minute.

And their speakers are nothing to brag about either. Some of them look as if someone upchucked a bunch of circles onto a wooden cabinet. Please spare me the horror.

There's more to be said about the value (what you pay comapred ot what you get) but I'll be merciful and not go there (this time).

 

[MapleSyrup]

In defense of McIntosh speakers, tri amping seems very cool. And I'm sure they sound fabulous (as well as their electrical gear, I've never demoed (sp?) them). And that is where it ultimately counts.

 

[JerryLove]

The meters are a taste you either have or don't but about the knobs.

I used to think the same thing of the knobs and buttons on (for example) the 125 pre-amp. But when you see it in person, especially in a dim/dark room. It really is a work of art.

I don't want Mc because I think they are better: I really just like the look (and their performance is excellent). Sadly, the premium is *too* high, and the only non-speaker Mc gear I have is a 1976 amp.

 

[Alex2507]

The link to the record cleaning machine made me weak in the knees.
I'm going back to the vent now.

 

[Davemcc]

$7500 for a small integrated. I think this is a pretty niche' market.

Agreed. I'm out.

 

[BMXTRIX]

McIntosh or the Bose...
...McIntosh or the Bose...
......McIntosh or the Bose...

With so many excellent ways to spend my money, how can I possibly choose?

Maybe I'll get both, along with that B&O system I saw.

Top shelf all the way for me baby!

 

[Boerd]

Agreed. I'm out.

Me too - 7500$ for these???

 

[MapleSyrup]

Jerry Love

But when you see it in person, especially in a dim/dark room. It really is a work of art.

That I would absolutely have to agree with you. They do look splendid in the dark. While I would not encourage you to use that argument about your (used generally) wife - "This is my wife, not much to see but she looks great in the dark. Like a work of art" - you are correct.

 

[Boerd]

That I would absolutely have to agree with you. They do look splendid in the dark. While I would not encourage you to use that argument about your (used generally) wife - "This is my wife, not much to see but she looks great in the dark. Like a work of art" - you are correct.

To continue with the idea:
"And (in the dark) she (the wife) sounds fantastic!"

 

[jamie2112]

Too much money for this IMO.Much better spent other ways for sure.

 

[JJMP50]

I'll take one as a gift! Kind of a Bose radio on steroids.

 

[bandphan]

I'll take one as a gift! Kind of a Bose radio on steroids.

Thats just wrong to use the "B" word in a Mac thread, just wrong...

 

[Adam]

Too much money for this IMO.Much better spent other ways for sure.

You mean like a pair of 801's, along with an amp and pre-amp?

BUY THEM!!!

 

[TRT]

Insane! For 7.5 large, do you know what kind of Emotiva setup one could have?

 

[The Dukester]

I agree that this piece is over the top. However, I am a McIntosh fan that owns several pieces of their equipment (in fact I'm listening to it as I type this) and will defend the company as a whole. They put out top quality pieces that work well, last a long time, sound great and hold their resale value well.

Whether or not you like the style of their equipment is totally a subjective thing but to say they are overpriced pieces of junk that are even remotely in the same category as Bose is just ridiculous, imo. This piece may not be desirable to the masses, but evidently Mac thought it would meet a need to enough of their customers to warrant producing it. Time will tell.

Mac does not set out to be the low price leader in mass marketed equipment. If you can't afford it, don't bash it, though. IMO they offer good value for the higher end lines. You can pay a lot more and not get any better performance....or the blue lights, either

Will I be buying the MXA60? I don't think so. Will I continue to look at new Mac pieces and potentially buy something in the future while enjoying the ones I have? You bet.

 

[haraldo]

wow, this is something

So these are probably something like $1500... plus $6000 for the design... That I think is horrible anyways

I don't know why there's a CD player, have they not heard about music servers?
Where is the digital input for those with modern equipment?

I never used a CD player after I switched to the Squeezebox and I would never go back, cannot imagine in my wildest fantasies why anyone would buy sth like this with a CD player

And wow.... FM and AM radio, geeeeeeez

 

[WmAx]

Hahaha. For this many $$, you can buy a great condition used pair of B&W 802N, or even 802D for not much more used, if you look around for a while.

-Chris