McIntosh has collaborated with world-renowned rock band the Grateful Dead to release two limited edition versions of its RS150 and RS250 Wireless Speakers. Although the differences are only cosmetic, each speaker includes the iconic Grateful Dead “dancing bears” motif and “Stealie” logo alongside McIntosh’s illuminated digital output meter that mimics the analog meters on McIntosh amplifiers.
Tip: To learn more about the RS150 and RS250 speakers, click here.
This collaboration, produced with the support of Rhino Entertainment, follows a decades-long relationship that began when McIntosh powered the Grateful Dead’s famous “Wall of Sound” live audio system. Unveiled at their concert at San Francisco’s Cow Palace on March 23, 1974, the Wall of Sound consisted of 48 McIntosh MC2300 amplifiers delivering 28,800 Watts of power – a truly groundbreaking sound system that immortalized the Grateful Dead as a live act in the annals of rock history.
“It has been an honor to work with the Grateful Dead for almost half a century of friendship – and we’re proud to celebrate our relationship with such a unique and high-quality product collaboration,” said Charlie Randall, President of McIntosh. “We’ve had the privilege to work with the Grateful Dead on numerous occasions over the past fifty years, using the latest in audio technology to amplify their music into a historic experience.”
McIntosh is also marking a new chapter in this storied history with a collaboration with Dead & Company, powering the intermissions of their summer tour with a custom audio system. During the intermissions of each performance on The Final Tour 2023, Dead & Company audiences will enjoy an unmatched high-fidelity sound experience listening to a vinyl collection curated by the members of Dead & Company and played through a custom-designed McIntosh MT10 Precision Turntable and a C12000 Preamplifier.
These intermissions will be broadcasted in the stadiums and amphitheaters during each concert, as well as through livestreams via livedead.co. The McIntosh x Dead & Company Final Tour collaboration will begin with the official launch of The Final Tour, at the Kia Forum Arena in Los Angeles, California on Friday, May 19, 2023.
“The Grateful Dead’s live oeuvre had always had two primary components that helped deliver the magic to Dead Heads: performance quality and sound quality,” said David Lemieux, Archivist and Legacy Manager for the Grateful Dead. “The former was fulfilled through practice, respectful listening, and otherworldly creativity and talent with which the band members were blessed. The latter, the sound quality, was fulfilled through McIntosh. From the band’s earliest days through their 30 year performing career 1965-1995, the Grateful Dead and their crew relied upon the unparalleled power and clarity that only McIntosh could deliver. Perhaps most notably, the Dead’s most famous and awe-inspiring sound system, 1974’s Wall Of Sound, was powered almost entirely through McIntosh. We’re thrilled to continue this partnership well into the 21st Century.”
Price & Availability
The McIntosh x The Grateful Dead RS150 ($1,500) and RS250 ($3,500) Wireless Speakers will be available to U.S. consumers only at shop.mcintoshlabs.com beginning Monday, May 15, 2023.
The regular versions are available at Crutchfield for $300 or $500 less:
- RS150 – $1,200 at Crutchfield
- RS250 – $3,000 at Crutchfield
Related reading: Blue Skies and Green Glass: The World According to McIntosh
