McIntosh XR-14
The McIntosh XR-14 is a big, rare, three-way loudspeaker that was described as "top of the line" in the company's XR line alongside the XR-6 and XR-7. It's a floor-standing design built around an eight-driver array: two 15-inch woofers with magnets described as "the size of a dinner plate," two midranges, and four tweeters, crossed over at 375 Hz and 3.5 kHz. The stated frequency response runs from 18 Hz up to 35 kHz. Each cabinet weighs somewhere in the neighborhood of 150 pounds, so moving one is a two-person job. That's one reason surviving examples tend to show wear.
The XR-14 was sold in pairs at $1,800. A period classified in Audio (February 1983, p.80) listed McIntosh gear among the "Laboratory Reference Standard" for the world. These were never common, and they're hard to find today in good condition. Enthusiast reviews describe the bass as deep, tight, and punchy, with overall sound that's "very impressive." The weight and rarity are the practical caveats.
Documentation on the XR-14 is thin. No official brochure, manual, or production-year record surfaced in research. A spoken claim in a video review suggests a 1975 release, but that's not corroborated in print. The configuration, the price, and the series placement are certain. On a pair, the woofers and cabinets are the things to inspect carefully.
- Type: 3-way floor-standing loudspeaker, 8-driver array
- Drivers: 2 × 15" woofer, 2 × midrange, 4 × tweeter
- Crossover frequencies: 375 Hz, 3.5 kHz
- Frequency response: 18 Hz – 35 kHz
- Original price: $1,800 per pair
- Weight: approximately 150 lbs each
eBay Listings
As an eBay Partner, we earn from qualifying purchases. This helps support our independent vintage technology research.