Buying a new car in 2021 has not been a fun experience. It became a lot worse when someone plowed into the back of our car at the end of August while dropping off my eldest at college in Binghamton, New York. The McIntosh factory is not that far from SUNY-Binghamton (which is technically in Vestal) and it was supposed to be our last stop for a photo opportunity with my kids who wanted to see the famous sign. Is it weird that our accident happened in front of the Jeep dealership by the college? I think the universe was trying to tell me something.
McIntosh and Jeep took the car audio industry by surprise with their March announcement of the brand new McIntosh MX1375 Reference System for the 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer.
A McIntosh system in a premium American SUV made a huge splash in the marketplace; I did hear some grumbling from some in the audiophile community who felt that Jeep isn’t a high-end car brand and that the world’s premier manufacturer of audio/video components should have launched in a luxury US brand like Lincoln or Cadillac but I’m going to push back on that one.
I live in a community where Range Rovers, Porsche Cayennes, BMW X5s, Audi Q7s, and Maserati Levante GTs are fairly common. I notice new cars on the road and I’ve seen a lot of new 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneers as well driving around Rumson, Little Silver, Spring Lake, Deal, and Asbury Park. More than a few had the McIntosh MX1375 system. The people driving them didn’t look unhappy. I think McIntosh made the right choice.
Our Music Editor, Lauren Halliday, spent an evening at the 2021 Houston Auto Show and had a lot to say about her experience with the aforementioned McIntosh system and how it completely changed her perception of premium car audio.
The issue with that particular truck/SUV is cost. I certainly can’t afford one and I know a lot of people who prefer the Jeep Grand Cherokee or Ford Explorer ST.
The 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee is way more affordable and McIntosh has developed another premium high-end car audio system called the MX950 that is now available for that specific model.
From the press release:
McIntosh is proud to announce the integration of the McIntosh MX950 Entertainment System in the next-generation 2022 Jeep®Grand Cherokee – the Jeep brand’s best-selling vehicle, and the most awarded SUV. The MX950 has been meticulously designed and engineered to deliver a clear and immersive audio experience replicating a live musical performance. Jeep and McIntosh, two iconic American brands, collaborated to fuse the sound performance of McIntosh into the form and function of the Jeep vehicle’s architecture.
The MX950 Entertainment System offers a true “MAC” home theater listening experience in the vehicle. Using several patented McIntosh technologies, the system delivers crisp sonic reproduction of the highest quality, with low distortion and lightning-fast response. The system boasts 19 high-efficiency speakers in 12 optimal locations, including the 10″ subwoofer delivering unrivaled bass quality, resulting in a full surround sound experience. With a 17-channel amplifier, the MX950 provides up to 950 Watts of clean, uninterrupted power with McIntosh’s patented Power Guard® technology and LD/HP® (Low Distortion/High Performance) speaker design.
Engineers were given full discretionary power to reimagine the audio system design to envelop all passengers in pristine, McIntosh-quality sound. Custom automotive variants of the home audio system were created from scratch, each component specifically developed for the vehicle. The custom-tuned, coaxial speakers each have a 3.5″ midrange and a 1″ tweeter with a dedicated amp channel. The powerful 6″ x 9″ door speakers play lower and louder, with the rearmost speakers mounted in the liftgate boasting low enough, and in enough frequency alignment, to blend perfectly with the 10″ Dual Voice Coil subwoofer.
“McIntosh and Jeep are equally iconic American brands with over 70 years of history, each.” Charlie Randall, President of McIntosh, and Co-CEO of McIntosh Group.
“When we decided to return to automotive audio, Jeep was a logical choice for us – and given the pedigree of the Grand Cherokee, we were excited to be included in the new 2022 model,” said Charlie Randall, President of McIntosh, and Co-CEO of McIntosh Group.
The MX950 incorporates McIntosh’s iconic styling cues in the Grand Cherokee, featuring the brand’s iconic blue decibel output meters in the display, metal ridged control knobs, aluminum speaker frames and backlit logos on the door speaker grilles to accent the interior lighting with McIntosh’s signature blue. Additionally, the subwoofer grille is emblazoned with the McIntosh “Mc” logo as in McIntosh Monogrammed Heatsink™.
The McIntosh MX950 will be available in Grand Cherokee Overland and Summit, and standard in Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve when on sale later this year through Authorized Dealers.
Details on the pricing and packages will be available and listed on www.jeep.com.
