McIntosh MI 3 – High End Stereo Equipment We Buy

McIntosh is one of the most dependable brand names when it comes to high-end audio systems. For years the brand has been recognized by audiophiles throughout the world as equipment that delivers clear and consistent quality in music. McIntosh is probably best known for its amplifiers and preamps, but the company produces many other components and parts for stereo and home theatre.

What are the specs for the McIntosh MI 3?

Date Manufactured:
1964-1971
Signal strength (vertical) input:
700mV
Dimensions:
16 x 5-7/6 x 13 inches
Weight:
23 lbs

What else to know about the McIntosh MI 3?

"I very recently acquired a vintage McIntosh product that I am extremely proud of. This particular unit was introduced in 1964 and is known as the MI3 Maximum Performance Indicator. The MI3 is extremely rare today in the sense that the technology utilized within the unit is completely obsolete and that the instrument itself is difficult to track down given its age and the specific nature of its utility. The MI3 is a passive instrument, which is to say it does not affect the audio signal that is subject to. Rather, the MI3 is an audio-testing unit; designed to visually represent an audio signal. The MI3 achieves this objective via the use of a cathode ray tube, which is in turn driven by vacuum tube technology. When all the shiny paper and complicated descriptions are pealed away, the MI3 is an oscilloscope, no more & no less. The instrument allows the user access to a variety of different features, most notably the ability to monitor and thus reduce multipath. The MI3 was designed to be used in conjunction with a tuner; allowing one to tune more accurately and be aware of the presence or lack of multipath. The MI3 is also capable of displaying reversed polarities, out of balance audio sources, & missing channels. When a source is accurate in its representation of a stereo signal, the screen of the MI3 is filled with dancing glowing lights, a beautiful and chaotic interpretation of the present audio signal.While the MI3's usefulness in acquiring top-end audio clarity is minimal at best (especially the tuning utility), itself and units like it have become collectable for their use of cathode ray tubes. The technology is beautiful and just plain cool to look at. The build quality of the MI3 is top notch, as would be expected with any McIntosh product. The use of black glass and anodized gold font beautifully dates the unit, as do the silver pots. The McIntosh MI3 Performance Indicator is two things- a rare and elegant electronic instrument produced by one of the most respectable audio houses in the world & quite literally, a visual and design-based representation of 1960s technology." - MarantzPassion.blogspot.com

Brief History of McIntosh

Long mapped-to Binghamton New York – the current headquarters and manufacturing center for McIntosh Labs – not many people know the brand was originally launched outside of the Nation’s Capital in Silver Spring Maryland, in 1949. In 1956, the brand built their original facility in New York, according to the official brand website.

Other McIntosh Products We Often Buy

Typically, StereoBuyers purchases mostly used amplifiers, especially the vintage amps and high-end McIntosh models such as the MC202 or MC252, and the C220 preamp, for example. We have also purchased many pre-owned tuners from McIntosh over the recent years, including the MR67 and MR78 models, for example.

StereoBuyers has purchased tens of thousands worth McIntosh brand equipment since 2014, with individual buys ranging from $100 to well over $50,000. If you are moving, ready to upgrade, or have McIntosh equipment you do not or will not be using, why not contact us today to find out if it is worth good money?

If you are interested in selling your used McIntosh equipment to us in the greater NYC area or Colorado, please click here to fill out a Free Quote Form and we will get back to you. If we agree on terms, we come to meet you where you want, and pay cash.

The following images show actual McIntosh equipment purchased by StereoBuyers.