• 1900’s–1940’s
  • 1950’s
  • 1960’s
  • 1970’s
  • 1980’s
  • 1990’s
  • 2000’s
1900’s–1940’s

McIntosh got its start in the late 1940’s.  Frank McIntosh had a consultancy firm in Washington, D.C. that designed broadcast and TV stations. His business demanded high power, low distortion amplifiers and the then-current offerings could not perform to their advertised specifications. He set out to create an audio amplifier that would not only live up to its specifications, but would exceed industry standards. 

To aide this development, McIntosh hired Gordon Gow in 1946 as an engineering assistant and together they would go on to design an amplifier that demonstrated extraordinary performance and set the standard for the audio industry to this day. The amplifier would become the 50W-1 and included McIntosh’s  first patented circuit – the Unity Coupled Circuit. This technology is still in use today.   

McIntosh Laboratory Inc. was incorporated in 1949 with Frank McIntosh as President, Gordon Gow as Vice President, and Maurice Painchaud as Controller.  Sidney A. Corderman would join them all shortly after the incorporation heading engineering, research, and development.

  • McINTOSH HERITAGE
    What was true in 1949 remains true today; customers trust McIntosh to combine extraordinary engineering and performance with heirloom-quality construction in every product.
  • McINTOSH PEOPLE
    Pride of ownership begins with pride in one’s craft. At McIntosh, our employee's craftsmanship and attention to detail elevate every product we manufacture.
  • McINTOSH SHOWROOM
    Imagine the possibilities. Check out some of our customer's cool McIntosh systems. You can also submit pictures of your own McIntosh system to be considered for the site.