McIntosh Labs!! Consumer Electronics Still Made in USA! Yes, You Read That Right.

Over the past 30 years, the US has seen its consumer electronics manufacturing capabilities all but disappear. Some of the most venerated American brands have been relegated to the dustbin and other once iconic names live on only through 3rd party licensing deals. And while there are numerous reasons for the near extinction of this sector of manufacturing; from foreign nations dumping products in the US below market cost, labor/management issues and a lack of political will, the company I'm about to profile has weathered trends and economic cycles for over 60 years and they are still going strong! Nestled in Binghamton, N.Y., meet McIntosh – and no, they are not part of, or affiliated with, Apple/Jobs et al.

“McIntosh makes the finest amplifier there is.” - Les Paul.

For those unfamiliar with Les Paul, he impacted literally every form of music you hear today. For starters, think of Jimmy Page, Slash, Jeff Beck and Al Di Meola. Odds are when you see them perform they are playing a Gibson Les Paul model solid body electric guitar. Other musicians that use the Les Paul include Alex Lifeson, Zakk Wylde, Pete Townshend, and even Paul McCartney. This legendary guitar was created by Les Paul and Ted McCarty, then the President of the Gibson Guitar Company. The Gibson Les Paul was one of the first solid body electric guitars and it has changed very little since the 1950’s when it was introduced.

How many products are revolutionary, then remain essentially unchanged and then become a standard in their realm? So you don’t listen to that loud rock n’ roll music? Well consider that literally every single recorded song in the last 50+ years has benefitted from Les’ innovations in multi-track recordings. So now you know about Les Paul - and why an endorsement coming from him carries the weight that it does.

So What Makes McIntosh Special – Other Than Being Made in The USA and Earning Les Paul’s Ringing Endorsement?

Well, think of McIntosh as the Buggati or Ferrari of audio - performance, innovation, endurance and a rich history. In fact, McIntosh has 35 U.S. Patents. Moreover, McIntosh is considered the "Holy Grail" of sound reproduction by audiophiles around the world. A large part of McIntosh’s legendary quality and performance comes from the fact that they do their own research and development. In addition to great R&D, all of their products are still made by hand in their Binghamton, N.Y., facility. McIntosh is the last remaining audio and home theater electronics company in the USA that maintains in-house product development/R&D and manufacturing right here in the USA without the use of subcontractors or outsourcing.

McIntosh makes a complete line of audio and video products that include video displays, source units, power amps, pre-amps, loudspeakers and car audio. Below are some photos of their products. But I would suggest going to one of their dealers, so that you can HEAR their products.

While McIntosh does not make a product for every market segment, there may not be a better company in the world making high-end audio and home theater systems. If you are a music and tone fanatic then you must check them out. And like most high-end manufactures they do not sell their products at “box stores”, rather they market their legendary products through a network of independent dealers.

If you are looking for proof that America can still design and BUILD world class audio and video products, look no further than McIntosh. The gold standard in audio electronics around the world – made right here in the USA.