McIntosh and the Grateful Dead go way back. Their partnership dates to some of the most legendary live sound setups in rock history, and now, they’re bringing that connection into fans’ homes. To celebrate the band’s 60th anniversary, McIntosh has launched special editions of its RS150 and RS250 wireless speakers, featuring the iconic “Stealie” skull-and-lightning-bolt logo and anniversary branding. 

If you’re a Deadhead who also happens to love high-end audio, this might be a tempting collector’s piece.

McIntosh’s relationship with the Grateful Dead is more than just a branding exercise. Back in the ‘70s, the band was known for its experimental approach to live music—not just in the way they played, but in how they delivered sound to audiences. The most famous example? The Wall of Sound.

Designed in 1973 by the band’s sound engineer Owsley “Bear” Stanley, the Wall of Sound was one of the most ambitious concert speaker systems ever built. It used 48 McIntosh MC2300 amplifiers to push a staggering 28,800 watts of power through more than 600 speakers. 

The idea was to provide audiences with clean, distortion-free sound at an unprecedented scale. While the Wall of Sound was short-lived due to its complexity, its impact on live sound technology lasted for decades.

McIntosh was also behind the amplification system at Woodstock in 1969, where the festival’s sound setup relied on 20 McIntosh MC3500 amplifiers. The Grateful Dead performed on the second day, further solidifying their link with McIntosh’s high-fidelity audio.

Now, with this new speaker release, McIntosh is giving fans a way to bring a piece of that legacy home.

The McIntosh RS150 and RS250 have been around for a while, but this anniversary edition adds some Grateful Dead flair. The RS150, a 120-watt mono speaker, gets a fresh design featuring the Grateful Dead’s “Stealie” logo, now updated with a “60” in the center, surrounded by the years “1965” and “2025.” The RS250, a more powerful 650-watt stereo system, gets the same graphic treatment along with the phrase “Sixty Years So Far.”

This isn’t McIntosh’s first Grateful Dead-themed release. Last year, they launched a similar edition that also included the band’s famous dancing bear motif. This time, the bears are gone, and the focus is on the updated Stealie logo and official Grateful Dead lettering.

Aside from the design, these speakers keep everything else the same as the standard models. That means McIntosh’s signature look—glossy black finish, illuminated logo, and blue-lit power meters—remains intact.

On the technical side, these speakers offer multiple ways to stream music. Wi-Fi connectivity supports Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Google Cast, and Apple AirPlay 2. There’s also Bluetooth with support for aptX and aptX HD, ensuring high-quality wireless audio.

For those who prefer wired connections, the RS250 includes HDMI ARC (for TV integration), a phono input (for turntables), a digital optical input, and outputs for a subwoofer and wired headphones. The RS150 keeps things simpler with its focus on wireless streaming.

If you’re eyeing these as a collector’s piece, be prepared to pay a bit extra. The RS150 costs $1,500, which is $300 more than the standard version. The RS250 comes in at $3,500, a $500 increase over its regular counterpart. That extra cost is purely for the limited-edition branding, but for die-hard fans, it might be worth it.

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