Audio Video News

If you own McIntosh or Audio Research gear and you’re thinking of upgrading, now is the time to do it. Both brands have announced compelling trade-up programs.

The McIntosh Home Theater TradeUp Program offers U.S. and Canadian owners trade-in values of up to 40 percent of a component’s original MSRP when they trade up to a new McIntosh AV processor or processor/amp combo. The company is also offering allowances of up to $4,000 for non-McIntosh brand AV receivers and processors traded in toward the purchase of new McIntosh models. Trade-in units do not need to be in working condition or include original packaging.

The McIntosh offer runs through June 30. Complete details and a list of McIntosh models eligible for trade-in are available at mcintoshlabs.com.

Audio Research’s first-ever trade-up program offers U.S. owners of older amplifiers, preamps, and phono preamps trade-in values of up to 75 percent of a component’s original MSRP when trading up to a new model.

The Audio Research offer runs June 15 through July 31. Complete details and a list of models eligible for trade-in are available at audioresearch.com.

McIntosh was founded in 1949 by Frank McIntosh, who teamed up with Gordon Gow to build a better amplifier, challenging what was believed possible at the time. The result of their work was the “Unity Coupled Circuit” for which they received a U.S. patent.

Audio Research was founded in 1970 by William Z. Johnson, who began designing custom audio electronics in the early 1950s and operated a specialty audio retail store into the mid-1960s. Johnson is credited with playing a key role in reviving vacuum-tube designs at a time when major audio brands had abandoned tubes in favor of low-cost solid-state devices, which he felt were inferior in terms of musical accuracy, the principle on which he founded the company.

McIntosh and Audio Research are part of the McIntosh Group, which also owns Sonus faber, Sumiko, Wadia, and Pryma.