Catalog McIntosh 2024

The products of the American company McIntosh Laboratory are known only to a relatively small circle of connoisseurs – they are high-quality, high-end audio equipment. Because it has excellent features, a unique design, and is hand-assembled, its price is exceptionally high. Tube amplifiers are the most respected among consumers, some of which are considered the best home audio solutions ever created. It would be correct to say that the McIntosh brand produces luxury goods aimed at wealthy audiophiles.

The company was founded back in 1949 by Frank McIntosh and Gordon Gow. The first products were presented to consumers in 1950. By that time, the world had already begun to emerge from the crisis caused by World War II, more and more enthusiasts of high-quality sound were appearing, and McIntosh products came in handy.

By the early 60s, the company was already firmly on its feet. The basic technologies for amplifiers were developed, as well as characteristic design (according to the official history, it was proposed by Gow), which would later become the hallmark of the product – a black glass front panel with gold letters (printed on the back of the glass, they were never erased) and an analogue volume indicator with blue backlight. The beginning of the 70s was marked by an expansion of the product range. Vinyl players, audio receivers, speakers and other equipment began to appear. Today the company can offer consumers dozens of different items.

However, despite the popularity of the product and the army of loyal fans, by the early 90s the company began to experience serious financial difficulties. As a result, it was taken over by the car speakers manufacturer Clarion from Japan, where McIntosh products were highly valued. The new owners did not make any significant changes to the brand philosophy and only slightly expanded the range. In 2003, McIntosh was sold to another Japanese manufacturer, D&M Holdings. Then in 2012 there was another change of owners, this time the Italian Fine Sounds SpA became the owner of the brand, which was part of the investment company Quadrivio Investment Group.

2014 was marked by McIntosh's triumphant return to its homeland – Fine Sounds gained independence and moved to the USA. The company changed its name to McIntosh Group and moved from Milan to New York. Today it owns a number of brands related to audiophile equipment. Such as Sonus Faber, Fine Sounds Americas, Sumiko Phono Cartridges and some others. As of 2022, McIntosh Group is owned by Dallas-based US private equity firm Highlander Partners. It should be noted that despite frequent changes in ownership, McIntosh's production facilities, as well as engineering and design departments, remained in Binghamton, New York, where the company moved back in 1951.

Interesting fact. When talking about McIntosh products, one cannot help but mention the story that occurred in 1986, when Steve Jobs entered into an agreement under which Apple could use the Macintosh name for a new line of personal computers. Despite the different spellings, the similarity in name could lead to lawsuits. Apple received exclusive licensing rights to use the Macintosh by paying McIntosh Laboratory a significant amount of money (details of the transaction were not disclosed).