McIntosh Honors Virgil Abloh With a Bold Orange Amplifier Unveiled in Paris

ducurguz
Oct 2
2 min read

The one-of-a-kind MA8950 celebrates Abloh’s creative legacy with McIntosh’s handcrafted engineering.

Yellow McIntosh integrated amplifier with blue power output meters, visible text "MC PHONO 40%", and labeled knobs and buttons.

Virgil Abloh’s Legacy Lives On

Nearly four years after his untimely passing, Virgil Abloh’s cultural influence continues to inspire across music, fashion, and design. His studio and collaborators have carried his vision forward — from concept cars with Mercedes-Maybach to the creation of the Virgil Abloh Archive, which now houses more than 20,000 objects from his groundbreaking career.

Now, his love of music and culture is celebrated in an exclusive collaboration with one of America’s most iconic hi-fi brands: McIntosh Laboratory.

A One-of-a-Kind Collaboration

The McIntosh MA8950 x Virgil Abloh Integrated Amplifier was unveiled at the Grand Palais in Paris as part of the exhibition “Virgil Abloh: The Codes”, which runs during Paris Fashion Week (until October 9, 2025).

This special edition amplifier merges McIntosh’s legendary audio engineering with Abloh’s fearless aesthetic vision. It features:

Handcrafted construction at McIntosh Labs in New York.
A striking signature orange finish, echoing Abloh’s experimental design language.
The brand’s iconic blue VU meters and heavy-duty build, symbols of audiophile prestige since 1949.

Orange and silver McIntosh MA8950 integrated amplifier, showing various input/output ports. Text includes model and company details.

From Concept to Reality

The origins of this project trace back to early 2020, when Abloh — a longtime admirer and personal user of McIntosh gear — approached the brand with an artistic proposal.

Though his passing in 2021 paused the collaboration, his team and McIntosh brought the vision to life in time for what would have been his 45th birthday on September 30, 2025.

The result is not just an amplifier, but a cultural artifact that bridges music, fashion, and high-end audio — a fitting tribute to an artist who blurred boundaries at every step.

A Statement in Sound and Style

While the McIntosh MA8950 is renowned for its powerful sonics and robust engineering, this custom edition stands apart as a unique creation, unavailable for retail purchase.

Instead, it serves as both an homage to Abloh’s creative spirit and a celebration of music’s central role in his life and work.

✨ In short: McIntosh’s bright orange tribute amplifier is more than hi-fi gear — it’s a museum-worthy symbol of Virgil Abloh’s enduring legacy, unveiled in Paris on the day he would have turned 45.