The two music icons came together in 1974 when the Grateful Dead unveiled their famed "Wall of Sound" at the San Francisco Cow Palace. The most unique traveling concert sound system in history, the system was 100+ feet wide and 3 stories tall. Powered by 48 McIntosh MC2300 amplifiers delivering 28,800 Watts of power (the actual rated power is highly disputed), the Wall of Sound delivered sound to the hundreds of thousands of fans lucky enough to experience it in person. This now legendary system has inspired modern concert amplification and lives on as one of the most pivotal moments in music history.
The new McIntosh Laboratories official capsule collection commemorates this milestone. Inclusive of a t-shirt and sweatshirt, the items are created just in time for holiday gifting season, each featuring the official Grateful Dead logo and famous photo of the Wall of Sound by longtime band photographer Richard Pechner. The authentic collection is available exclusively from McIntoshlabs' online store.
The Wall of Sound was actually comprised of 586 JBL and 54 Electro-Voice speakers of multiple types, powered by 48 McIntosh MC2300 Amps, created a huge structure that provided a unique backdrop for the brand, fusing the concept of backstage and PA. At the time, the photographer, "Richie" Pechner, was working as a roadie for the Grateful Dead and in the design and staging of the Wall of Sound. Taken during the sound check, the extreme clarity of his documentary shots are attributed to the front lighting of the house lights creating a daylight appearance. A high quality scan from the original negative allows high-quality reproductions that are available commercially from the photographers website.
"We are proud of our history working with musicians to bring sound to the masses," says McIntosh President Charlie Randall. "We have stayed in touch with many artists, and I am proud to call Bob Weir a friend. We were very excited to celebrate the Wall of Sound and allow music and McIntosh lovers to join us as we toast that epic sound system."
Since its inception, McIntosh has been powering some of the most important moments in music history and pop culture. From President Lyndon Johnson’s inauguration speech to Woodstock, McIntosh has not only witnessed history, it has shaped it. The Grateful Dead and McIntosh are music icons and their partnership has been special, working together on many previous projects. McIntosh continues to build high-performance amplifiers at their factory in Binghamton, New York – just as they have for almost 75 years. The MC2300 is no longer in production but Jerry Garcia's personal McIntosh MC2300 amplifier from the Wall of Sound was auctioned off for over $375,000.
The new official capsule collection is available exclusively from McIntosh at shop.mcintoshlabs.com.
www.mcintoshlabs.com
