Steve McCormack is really out

leftwinger57

Most of you hi-end amplifier owners already know that the Mcormack amplifiers do not exist any more as new machines. I was curious and the small window says they were bought out by the very high end Conrad-Johnson. Ok way out of my league but people loved Steve's amps and when he rehabbed them and signed is work. There was a number to call and I did and Steve is totally out of the picture. Conrad-Johnson offers only a cursory a cleaning service and no up grades this for $130 + plus shipping both ways. Who buys Conrad -JOHNSON these days ?

F1nut

It's McCormack.

Is this where you called? http://smcaudio.com/

A lot of folks still buy C-J gear.

Gerres26

I contacted Steve about a month ago to inquire about possible work and he was still offering upgrades then.

leftwinger57

Thanks for the correction even though everyone on this here forum knew who I was talking about. Yes it's nice to correct !!! I don't know of anyone buying high expensive Conrad -Gear. Maybe eruropeans flushed w/ cash. ??

tonyb

leftwinger57 wrote: »

Thanks for the correction even though everyone on this here forum knew who I was talking about. Yes it's nice to correct !!! I don't know of anyone buying high expensive Conrad -Gear. Maybe eruropeans flushed w/ cash. ??

Dude, what on earth are you talking about ? CJ gear is not any more expensive than many other brands. Their used gear is a bargain too and McCormack amps can be had for as little as 6-700 bucks. Hardly Euro inspired richness.

Clipdat

We were confused about who you actually called. And, we just want to try to avoid spreading the word that Steve McCormack is out of the game or is some how done offering mods. His ModSquad service at smcaudio.com is still fully operational and he still listens to each amp that comes through before it goes back out to the customer.

leftwinger57 wrote: »

Thanks for the correction even though everyone on this here forum knew who I was talking about. Yes it's nice to correct !!! I don't know of anyone buying high expensive Conrad -Gear. Maybe eruropeans flushed w/ cash. ??

mhardy6647

Drove by a nice but not terribly remarkable house this afternoon with a Lamborghini in the driveway. Plenty of "haves" out there, at least in New England. Plenty.

F1nut

leftwinger57 wrote: »

Thanks for the correction even though everyone on this here forum knew who I was talking about. Yes it's nice to correct !!! I don't know of anyone buying high expensive Conrad -Gear. Maybe eruropeans flushed w/ cash. ??

Lew, the point is you called Conrad-Johnson instead of Steve McCormack. Of course, they are going to tell you he's not with them because he isn't, he has his own business.

The fact that someone answered the phone at C-J should have told you people are buying their gear. If they weren't, no one would have answered the phone.

leftwinger57

So Skip, as impressed w/ the high end customers how many did you sell or did they just oogle like common folk. I did hear that Conrad Johnson has a big following in Japan. Seems to go w/ the JBL L-100s and 4311s going for mucho coin along w/ McINTOSH. I presented this over on AK. There is a Geico commercial w/ strategically placed 4311s placed so the tweeters and mids can't be seen. I think these are them. In a very neat hip apt excluding the cat litter. (i watch way to much tv)

tonyb

DSkip wrote: »

Lew, I've had a few parties interested in the $50,000 MastersounD PF100 monoblocks. I've also had more than one party inquire about the $100,000 Rosso Fiorentino Florentia.

The customer base is here. Some of these guys can create quite the humbling experience even for me, the distributor.

I think Lew's idea of expensive is anything over 500 bucks.

Many here in the states use CJ gear. Just because you don't see them at BestBuy doesn't mean only the rich can afford them. Many other brands you probably never heard of also sell well here.

Many of the older models to these more expensive brands are certainly within reach of the common folk. Skip brought up he has customers looking at 50k gear, there is a heck of a lot of real estate below that, even just below 5k.

Audio has products for every wallet, just like most any other consumer products. Even Polk, that's why they have different series of speakers, aimed at different segments of their customer base. Same with cars, appliances, clothes, etc.

Sounds more like your pissed off you can't afford CJ gear Lew. Heck, I'm pissed off I can't afford nicer gear too, but I don't berate any brand for being expensive. I'm not pissed at Mercedes because I can't afford one. Oh wait, I can afford one, if it was 3 years old. Same goes for audio products, you may not be able to afford new retail prices, but some models at a few years old suddenly become within reach.

I've often said, as an example,that some of these higher end brands processors make great SS 2 channel pre amps. you can pick them up for under 500 bucks, sometimes under 300. Most sold new for 2-3k. You just have to know what to look for....and where.

nooshinjohn

leftwinger57 wrote: »

Thanks for the correction even though everyone on this here forum knew who I was talking about??

I have no clue who or what you are talking about.

verb

Gosh I just learned this! Yeah I'm very happy with my DNA125! But I need a moment, a moment of silence! Sad really.

Good to see that he still services his products though!
http://www.mccormackaudio.com/index1.html

pglbook

verb wrote: »

Gosh I just learned this! Yeah I'm very happy with my DNA125! But I need a moment, a moment of silence! Sad really.

Good to see that he still services his products though!
http://www.mccormackaudio.com/index1.html

It is my understanding that Steve McCormack still does upgrades/mods on McCormack products via his own company, SMc Audio.

verb

Yep. Always good to see the products can still be worked on. For me, alleviates a bit of apprehension when buying vintage gear.