Wildguzzi.com
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: AJ Huff on May 23, 2019, 05:23:39 PM
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I need another stereo system right now as much as I need a stroke. But I keep seeing vintage pieces pop up on Facebook that sure are tempting. But I'm really clueless about say 60s and 70s stereo equipment. What was primo then but now can be had for a song? I see lots of Sansui and Marantz. Also Pioneer but I always looked down on Pioneer because JC Penney sold it :cheesy: maybe I shouldn't?
-AJ
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All three were good brands, although Pioneer sold budget equipment too. I am not sure any of it can be fixed when it fails.
I am using vintage 1974 speakers continuously for my home entertainment. I did supplement them with a sub a few years ago.
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Check out the back issues of Audio Magazine and Stereo Review, going back to the '60s.
https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Audio-Magazine.htm
https://www.americanradiohistory.com/HiFI-Stereo-Review.htm
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I need another stereo system right now as much as I need a stroke. But I keep seeing vintage pieces pop up on Facebook that sure are tempting. But I'm really clueless about say 60s and 70s stereo equipment. What was primo then but now can be had for a song? I see lots of Sansui and Marantz. Also Pioneer but I always looked down on Pioneer because JC Penney sold it :cheesy: maybe I shouldn't?
-AJ
Almost anything from the '60's or '70s from Sansui or Marantz is first rate (if it works). I have a Sansui receiver hooked up to my Magneplanar MG-1's (which are notoriously inefficient) and it drives them with no difficulty. Things like scratchy potentiometers can be fixed. Anything with a completely dead channel or something like that I'd probably pass on, unless the cause was obvious. Nothing wrong with Pioneer, either, but in the day they were considered a notch below Marantz and Sansui.
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Pioneer 838 driving Bose 901s. Marantz turn table. My set up back in the day.
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Let's not forget USA Made McIntosh built up north in Birmingham, NY.
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It's amazing how many folks have been using some of the same audio equipment for nearly 50 years.
I am with ya man. :boozing:
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My recollection is that Marantz was almost on par with McIntosh in the 50s and 60s, but went downhill in the 70s.
I looked at McIntosh stuff last year and the tube equipment from the 60s and 70s is selling for more now than it did then.
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I’m running a 74 or so Kenwood KR-5200 receiver with a modern turntable, CD player with USB input and Pioneer S-X4G bookshelf speakers. Sounds great IMO plus the lack of a remote helps get my arse off the couch to adjust volume :grin:
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McIntosh is still Uber expensive. Marantz and Sansui average around $150 per piece. Some up in the $350 range. Same with Pioneer and Kenwood. I saw Sansui receiver today for $25. I have no reason to believe it doesn't work. A lot of these you can try before you buy.
-AJ
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I had my Marantz 2270 that I bought new "back in the day" recapped and it sounds great. You can pick up 22XX's on craigslist for less than 2 Benjamins if you shop carefully. I dropped a couple of hundred more in it for the recap. As a plus it has this cool blue LED backlight. I ran it with JBL 4311's for many years but didn't have room in the "forever" house for them when I retired. I picked up a pair of medium size Paradigms with a sub for $100 locally. I was listen to Ella Fitz and Etta J on them today. Old school audio rules!! These kids with earbuds don't know what they're missing.
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Don't forget Sony.. and Yamaha. Should of keep my Sony gear..
http://www.firstwatt.com/pdf/art_sony_vfet_40yr.pdf
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Wasn't NAD top of the line? That stuff is under $100.
-AJ
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I picked up a older Marantz some years back. The sound was exceptional,but got tired of tuning in different stations.A friend gave me a newer sony tuner with modern station tuning. I have to admit there was a noticeable difference in sound quality.
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Thread drift.
I bought a nice (READ BIG INVESTMENT) lake house that was completely wired when built for speakers. they are everywhere, and ugly! I want to just cut the wires off and shove them into the wall when I paint. I have been told do it and don't do it. So would the wires be potentially of value to a potential buyer in the future. if so I can put an ugly cover plate over them but I hate to do that.
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Well, in that time (7ties, 8ies) I sold and repaired that stuff. I still have a lot of my equipment from those times. And I developed a love for the Pioneers, especially the old "fat" silver amplifiers and receivers (838...). Even good loudspeakers (HPM, S - series) were present. But this stuff now is expensive. I was able to get a Kenwood C1 preamp for my Philips MFB - active loudspeakers in mint condition (really!) for a laughable price at Ebay. Together with the smaller M1 main amp this even today makes a very good sounding combo. And JBL 4311 / 4312 would be a nice addition. Or a Klipsch Heresy III.
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I had been out of the stero game for many years and came across a freeby Sony 1130 AMP and Sanyo turntable.. Well that has been added to with some stuff from my dad that pasted away.. Some of his old Dynoco stuff he built back in the 70's.. a old Nakamichi 700 tape deck, and some old real nice shape Optimus I, and V speakers.. not the best stuff made, but I have like 100 bucks in it, and sounds great to me. I just like the look and feel of the old stuff.
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Hello AJ,
Here is what you can expect from a high quality vintage stereo:
1) great looks (but the lights will dim over time and need replacement-cheap and easy) 2) scratchy controls (need occasional spray cleaning with De Ox or the like - easy) 3) gives off heat (mostly non-integrated circuitry, not integrated circuit boards - simply make sure there is adequate ventilation and it will be fine) 4) no remote, no internet connection (you can buy a bluetooth dongle to connect to cell phone and internet if you want to - cheap - connect it to the aux) 5) years of great sound and a bunch of jealous friends and guests. For my $, early to mid 70's Marantz, Luxman, Sansui, Pioneer...in that order. P.S. I would go with modern speakers, only because they are smaller, more efficient and older speakers will eventually need new surrounds.
Enjoy!
DougG
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Middle '70's Pioneer 1010, Dual turntable, Teac reel-to-reel, JBL speakers bought new. Don't have the speakers, the amp made popping noises on one channel last time I tried it, turntable has some glitch where it won't spin at the correct speed and the belt is gone, too. I would like to get the stuff going again, still have 500 albums on vinyl and 500 albums on 7" reels.
Larry
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A lot of is in the amp, Not sure what brands are best to start off with (take other's suggestions on that), but they key for that vintage warm tone is in the tubes. I'd look into the ones that have the most tubes, as that would likely indicate better control over the frequencies that are adjustable (bass, mid, treble). I've messed around quite a bit with vintage bass/guitar amplifiers (hence the name Groover), and a lot of the tone comes from the tubes selected. It's a whole different world when you tap into that Audiophile world out there, and goes way-way back to tubes created for military/war for transmissions that are being sought out after for best sound today. I was deep into this a few years ago, and it's a lot of fun when you start tube rolling to find "that tone" that you are after. Again, this is based on bass and guitar amplifiers, but my research at the time I found that this was the same for music listening amplifiers, as well as radio broadcasting. You know that voice tone sometimes you hear on AM radio and you wonder why it resonates so well? It's a lot the voice obviously, microphone, but someone spend tons of hours trying to find the right tubes in their amp/pre-amp to get just the right tone. Even modern radio stations may be using some old tube(s) from the 50's. RCA, Phillips, GE, then there are the plate types inside (material), shape, right aging, there is a lot going on there. Have fun!
Sorry, went off on a tangent. Point being, I'd look for a good old tube amp as you main component. Probably easy to spot because they will be the higher/taller ones, and very heavy because of the transformers. This is a good case where weight will equate in quality (the bigger the transformers, will likely mean more and bigger tubes). Brand means some, but what's inside means more.
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Thread drift.
I bought a nice (READ BIG INVESTMENT) lake house that was completely wired when built for speakers. they are everywhere, and ugly! I want to just cut the wires off and shove them into the wall when I paint. I have been told do it and don't do it. So would the wires be potentially of value to a potential buyer in the future. if so I can put an ugly cover plate over them but I hate to do that.
I'd put cover plates over the holes. Actually, junction boxes with cover plates. The wiring is a feature of the house that could be desirable to the next owner. Someone spent a lot of money having the house wired for entertainment.
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I bought a Marantz 1030 amp in 1972 and took it to college with me. It was my main amp from then to about 2007. Still worked great, but I wanted more power so I put it on Ebay. I'm in Michigan, and somebody in Japan bought it for a fair chunk of change (don't recall how much).
Great little amp, 15 watts RMS per channel, and never a problem with it.
Still using the Altec Lansing speakers I bought in 1972, on my secondary system, hooked to television.
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You may find this web site helpful.
https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php (https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php)
You have to "subscribe" for $25.00 to see their Barter Town For sale and WTB but maybe there is a deal near you for some vintage audio?
Gerry
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Middle '70's Pioneer 1010, Dual turntable, Teac reel-to-reel, JBL speakers bought new. Don't have the speakers, the amp made popping noises on one channel last time I tried it, turntable has some glitch where it won't spin at the correct speed and the belt is gone, too. I would like to get the stuff going again, still have 500 albums on vinyl and 500 albums on 7" reels.
Larry
Larry, the popping noise may originate from a fault a lot of old Pioneers had. There are in the power supply circuit several transistors that stabilise the voltage for the different stages of the amplifier (tone control, preamp. pre-driver). They tend to desolder themselves from the PCB. Cleaning and resoldering of these contacts mostly mended that problem. I have experienced that problem at a lot of very different receivers and amplifiers over the years, also at my own SA 8500 II. Mostly it´s an easy fix.
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Had Marantz Imperial 6 speakers with a Scott receiver and Technics turntable bought in 1969.
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Gosh, you guys are making me feel so inadequate. I've got an old Radio Shack receiver and some ancient Bose bookshelf speakers. I felt I was "doing it," mainly because I was hoping the reputation of Bose would pull me through.
Joe
(https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/~FUAAOSw7mpbSqqQ/s-l300.jpg)
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i've got a quad 303,33 combo , excellent sound even compared to modern top of the line hifi...
they were legendary at the time
and as quirky, and as rebuildable as a old guzzi (https://i.pinimg.com/originals/53/f8/1e/53f81e90cda866a5af27590e2cd70d78.jpg)
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Hello AJ,
Here is what you can expect from a high quality vintage stereo:
1) great looks (but the lights will dim over time and need replacement-cheap and easy) 2) scratchy controls (need occasional spray cleaning with De Ox or the like - easy) 3) gives off heat (mostly non-integrated circuitry, not integrated circuit boards - simply make sure there is adequate ventilation and it will be fine) 4) no remote, no internet connection (you can buy a bluetooth dongle to connect to cell phone and internet if you want to - cheap - connect it to the aux) 5) years of great sound and a bunch of jealous friends and guests. For my $, early to mid 70's Marantz, Luxman, Sansui, Pioneer...in that order. P.S. I would go with modern speakers, only because they are smaller, more efficient and older speakers will eventually need new surrounds.
Enjoy!
DougG
Doug, I politely disagree with several of your points. For example 3). The heat is not produced because the amps had discrete circuitry but because they were analogue. Most had Class B - loudspeaker amplifiers, some hat AB (where even more current produced heat when in idle state), some even were genuine Class A amplifiers (like e.g. the absolute unbeatable Pioneer M22 end amplifier). These things were heating devices. Todays amps are normally digital, so the end transistors (be they integrated or not) are always either totally opened or totally shut. In both states they emanate nearly no heat.
I think the order you put the makers in is not correct. Because all of these makers were very equal. Each of them had brilliant products and others that were ok.
And the loudspeakers? High effiency you can expect from some very old constructions that are in production even today (think Klipsch Heresy, Cornwall, LaScala, Klipschorn). I have still to hear a really good small loudspeaker of today (with the exception of studio equipment like Genelec).
And yes, the Quad components are phantastic.
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I have a Marantz 4300 receiver. Warm sound that Marantz was famous for. They are pricey today. Also there is an Akai 838 black reel to reel, and a Marantz 6300 turntable. The dust cover for the Akai reek to reel looks like a pair of Mickey Mouse ears. Coolest dust cover made. A good one today is $200. Speakers are a pair of Pioneer HPM 1500's, the ones with a 15" woofer and the round plastic super tweeter on top. That setup will drive you through the wall before the speakers break. No sub needed.
I always considered McIntosh to be a cut above the rest. Couldn't afford it so bought Marantz. Beautiful receiver. If you want true vintage Marantz get one that says "Superscope" on the label. Anything built in Sunnyvale or even Japan is good.
Pioneer hired a top speaker designer away from JBL to create the HPM line of speakers. They are outstanding in every way, but very pricey on today's market. I bought the HPM 1500's around 20 years ago for $250. Newly refoamed. Today they sell for over $2000!
On my bucket list is an Nakamichi Dragon cassette deck. Extraordinary cassette player. One of the best analog pieces of stereo gear ever made. Now a good one is around $2000.
If I had a room big enough I'd have a pair of Martin Logan speakers in addition to the HPM's.
Love analog gear.
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Sorry I'm late to this one.
As Nelson Pass says, "The objective needs of amplifier users are largely solved on a practical level, and when that happens, we turn our technology into art." For me there isn’t a better expression of art than going vintage, and since audio (not just amplifiers) is largely solved technology, there's no reason that it can't sound good doing it.
1. I would keep the power down. Up until the late 70's one of the big challenges in stereo was delivering clean, low noise power.
2. Based on No.1 I would integrate a modern, DSP'd subwoofer (or two) into the system. That solves the power issue nicely and opens you to better vintage speakers for less dough.
3. I'd use speakers that presents a very high and flat impedance curve to the amplifier. Two way at the most as the crossover networks of the days were still evolving. A vintage amp will love you for that!
4. As few of controls (tone, balance, etc) as possible. If you like the looks of one with knobs then fine but figure a trip to repair shop to get everything cleaned up.
My front end is 100% digital so I've never done the turntable thing if you need to go that route.
Recommendations? I'm a big Papa Pass fan so if the late 70's is still vintage to you then Thresholds would be my main target. Also, if you can find a Marantz 250 I've heard them sound good pushing even modern speakers. Yep the NAD is a go to vintage buy; lots of cash strapped college kids walked in to a stereo store in the 70s and walked out with a 3020.
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NAD amp I bought in the early 90's and Klipsch Herasy Speaks I found on craigslist for $250.00 (my old Boston's were TOAST!)
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The quintessence of this thread? Old HiFi equipment was and is great. It oozes quality, glamour, and when it is made by those famous old companies from Britain, USA and Japan and is well-maintained (think electrolythic condernsers!) it still sounds good even compared to modern equipment. From Germany at least old Braun receivers are good.
By the way: the good old Dual CS505 belt-drive turntable is still sold new. Made by exactly the small company that produced that thing for Dual back then.
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NAD amp I bought in the early 90's and Klipsch Herasy Speaks I found on craigslist for $250.00 (my old Boston's were TOAST!)
It would difficult to find anything on the market more than equal to that.
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I love my Advent Heritage loudspeakers which I have recently re-foamed and am getting to know my Monitor Audio Silver 5i speakers on another system. My amps are ho hum, generally, but I've had many great years of service from my Sony STR-D990 receiver.
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and those of us trying to sell stuff can't get any interest!!
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Hmm....I have a couple oldies...
JVC JA-S55 integrated amp hooked to a Kenwood KT-5500 tuner that drove DLK towers. They needed refoaming and for some reason my dad gave them to a niece's husband.
Next, a Fisher RS-2015 tuner/amp.
Finally an Optimus STAV-3170.
I need to get these hooked up again. I cleaned all the pots on the JVC and never hooked it back up.
My brother had a Luxman unit years ago. On power up the face retracted to expose the controls. The system to retract the face kept going tango uniform so he binned it.
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I had a Marantz Model 22 receiver which I liked very much. Great sound for its class, and I just adored the Marantz design.
Sadly it started needing repairs after (quite) a while, and I didn't find it worthwhile to keep it. Should have kept the front plate at least, as a fond memory!
The Marantz fed a pair of huge Pioneer speakers. Five-way I believe, which I concluded wasn't an advantage. They, too, were worn out after many years.
Not certain about the turntable, but I believe Thorens 150. Pick-ups? Long forgotten. Do I still have some Shures lying around?
But I tend to think of my electrostatic Koss headphones as the best part of my system.
And I believe the vinyl record was the most important element in the chain. Later, there were also super FM transmissions.
Listening to good music, from a good quality vinyl record, on the Koss headphones - a great experience.
Anyway, also my ears were worn out. Today I enjoy listening to music from my desktop, delivered by Bluetooth directly to my hearing aids...…
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I have a couple of Marantz 22XX receivers that I used as shop units. The basement shop still works, the garage shop needs a re-cap, new lights, and repair of a channel.
I can fix them, but I really don't WANT to. It is a royal PITA to do, and it's worth $200 when you are done. I picked up a simple Yamaha 100W unit with bluetooth... This thing is great- it works and sounds way better than the Marantz that was there. It wasn't worth the effort to keep going or baby it along. I'll fix it one day, but I doubt I'll replace the $130 Yamaha with anything else.
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So when I read "re-cap", that means new capacitors? General maintenance? A cleaning?
I am told that it's "no" to new transistors $$$$.
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So when I read "re-cap", that means new capacitors? General maintenance? A cleaning?
I am told that it's "no" to new transistors $$$$.
Correct.
I've re-capped a couple of free computer monitors. I need to re-cap some of my stereo amps.
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Correct.
I've re-capped a couple of free computer monitors. I need to re-cap some of my stereo amps.
correct? I asked several questions, which one?
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I just bought a Sansui AU-777 amp and a Sansui TU-888 tuner (both in lovely walnut cases), with some vintage 70s Jensen speakers, from a used-audio-equipment store here in Madison. The guy running it started in the business in 1973, and had all sorts of wild old stereo equipment lying around. He had so many old CD players that he threw one in for free. Now I need to pick out a turntable (and a stereo cabinet).
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correct? I asked several questions, which one?
Sorry. I meant to say "correct" on the capacitor replacement.
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Sorry. I meant to say "correct" on the capacitor replacement.
thnx
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In my living room are the Cerwin Vega speakers bought new around 1975...I replaced the woofers about 20 years ago. Power is a newer Yamaha reciever..In my basement shop is a 70's made in Japan Sherwood Recierver and unknown speakers...I listen to a few hours of music daily..
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John:
You can still buy a version of the NAD amp very much like your vintage version for a very reasonable price like NAD has always been (high value) and the Heresy are still available new. In today's money the price of the speaker really has not gone up much if at all, also high value.
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Recently picked up a set of immaculate Klipsch KG5.2 loudspeakers from the early 90's for free. Anyone have any impressions of these? So far, mine is "OMG!!!"
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AR Cambridge amp , Rega turntable and Magnum Dynalab tuner with a pair of 10" Tannoys . Going on 4 decades and still a treat to hear ! Peter
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i've got a quad 303,33 combo , excellent sound even compared to modern top of the line hifi...
they were legendary at the time
and as quirky, and as rebuildable as a old guzzi (https://i.pinimg.com/originals/53/f8/1e/53f81e90cda866a5af27590e2cd70d78.jpg)
WoW just Wow I always wanted that system and the Electrostatic Speakers that looked like radiators too but could never afford it
Ended up a lot later with a pretty much budget Musical Fidelity System which I really like driving some B&W speakers, but still hanker after the Quad. Did it not stand for something like Quality Audio Domestic or the like?
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_dijFeRtjZCyuOFcMKbSY1x27MWMCn1gy9UiTqoysulctxQqLMsIStMeFgupa3mmBOn7V0uvPE20Gr46BkK2_Nc8Uxl5LawXznFQqshPF_iLCJIcpj1ZZqzbOOEpSB4fVIhk5qe03zPv1HpYJchcs3XpURZ1wZ8GLdv783Rvo-M9b6EJnEcfyVl3ALcuNAlWSPDgk4C-ymn5OEbS6Jd-CfM_SEoRXhkvZomlzn12ulWqH3VqOE3g2_OxDe0QdKM7GrFUkd5xVtamgBSO_gA5JDEbEoSqmIYueLNXSpz9wKyyKCMVZrzWUSk5sH7tznaJM5r_gbYiCS7ultPoAnkG6ZINGJ303fYpqdrlsBYy4yWLPJai3qT5q53v0aKeHylImUSF1gN9RPRFG7Mo817PH2VUG2ffZ0Yv_AnLrMvacDX1yTdd6AXNue3IJ2mCPRCaTfrQ8vkx0UKuQgD6sW1ldAOX_HNl7UHaV5YfhEKteaRxBFFMhnK9b2lu9I2Un8GexLxlBlkMIFIgk3eMBzAMJ5rdZJeWT7AsPp-4do76UvPYNn6XztsBOQ_E2g0562A7EO_C2z_Vze-3jUoYVRKKM1_7Sp_IFfX3Gtiyf8emqBHLLV37I1CtXFo-NwnzWZK1Wjft8P5oT0ZYyOSN6SQd7wtFcW9z80AXZUFfT2PbEz2-6HavH73DQwc=w1311-h983-no)
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I have a Marantz 4300 receiver. Warm sound that Marantz was famous for. They are pricey today. Also there is an Akai 838 black reel to reel, and a Marantz 6300 turntable. The dust cover for the Akai reek to reel looks like a pair of Mickey Mouse ears. Coolest dust cover made. A good one today is $200. Speakers are a pair of Pioneer HPM 1500's, the ones with a 15" woofer and the round plastic super tweeter on top. That setup will drive you through the wall before the speakers break. No sub needed.
I always considered McIntosh to be a cut above the rest. Couldn't afford it so bought Marantz. Beautiful receiver. If you want true vintage Marantz get one that says "Superscope" on the label. Anything built in Sunnyvale or even Japan is good.
Pioneer hired a top speaker designer away from JBL to create the HPM line of speakers. They are outstanding in every way, but very pricey on today's market. I bought the HPM 1500's around 20 years ago for $250. Newly refoamed. Today they sell for over $2000!
On my bucket list is an Nakamichi Dragon cassette deck. Extraordinary cassette player. One of the best analog pieces of stereo gear ever made. Now a good one is around $2000.
If I had a room big enough I'd have a pair of Martin Logan speakers in addition to the HPM's.
Love analog gear.
I've got a M4300 amp as well, hooked to 1980's era Infinity Bookshelf speakers with a Sony Sub in my study. 2 years ago, I dug my wife's college era NAD turntable and our vinyl records and restored it. I also added a bluetooth module to stream directly from a phone or tablet or the PC with all the MP3's on a hard drive. We also have one of those things that lets you convert cassette tapes and LP's to digital. I started 5 years ago with the cassettes and CD's, and just started on the LP's. Though I love the warm analog sounds, it doesn't take long to grow tired of flipping LP's....
Our Pioneer Cassette deck gave up the ghost a couple years ago, and the matching stacked CD changer is not far behind. I use the Pioneer Receiver from that 1980's stack for the family room/TV stereo. The speakers were long blown out, I bought a set of Bose speakers at a yard sale a few years ago, and use a sub as well.
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So when I read "re-cap", that means new capacitors? General maintenance? A cleaning?
I am told that it's "no" to new transistors $$$$.
To answer the questions
recap...replace the filter capacitors as sometimes the older rolled versions leak capacitance as they age...newer (70 's and on) filter caps not so much. In the world of vintage guitar amplifiers a cap job or the wrong cap job could "ruin" the sound of the amp...that said in the hands of a knowledgeable repair guy with the correct style or quality filter caps, the amp could sound like new...again not always the desire of the owner.
cleaning? how old a system or amp? new tubes? biasing? retention the tube sockets....always a good idea done by the right person. I spent a lot of time with old tube guitar amps and still do :)
But now things have changed....we can talk about classic amp's and stereos as we would our affinity for old or classic bikes...but the reality is a lot of what is made now is way better than all but the best of the old stuff. Check out the systems you can put together from PS Audio....and you can spend from $600 to 30K. I just bought a Sprout 100 amp which blows away any high end audio from the 60's-70's or 80's..matched with a pair of ELAC speakers and a Pro-Ject Carbon turntable it's an affordable system that will satisfy!
one last tip...if you are interested in the best quality sound the easiest and most important upgrade you can make is....position....p ut your speakers on stands of the same height that do not wobble or vibrate, be sure to keep them a few feet away from the wall behind them... listen buy positioning yourself....measure the distance between the center of your speakers....that distance should be 80% of the distance between your ears and each speaker...example if your speakers are 9.6 feet apart your ears should be 12.0 feet from each speaker and at the same height as the tweeters...and a few inches makes a difference! It may sound like BS but it's not ...try it..to most people the difference is noticed immediately and is massive!
I know none of this matters if your working away in your shop while wrenching...but if you want a look into what the recording engineer wanted you to hear when they recorded the music try this...you should be able to hear depth and separation of the sound...sometimes seeming to come from somewhere no where near the speaker.
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I'd trade a Kenwood amp and tuner for a Dual 1229 turntable....
Or a reel to reel sony for the same turntable... or similar ...ya know.
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I’ve seen a couple of references to the NAD 3020 here so far. I bought one a couple months ago for short money to pair with the Celestion DL12’s I picked up (for free!) several years ago. For source I use a Bluetooth adaptor and feed it Radio Paradise’s FLAC stream or my iTunes library. It sounds good, especially the FLAC stream.
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So would the wires be potentially of value to a potential buyer in the future. if so I can put an ugly cover plate over them but I hate to do that.
Who cares? YOU live in the house now. Do what pleases YOU. :laugh:
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Even IF an audiophile bought your house and liked the idea of speaker wires available in every room, if the wires were too small for the length of run to power speakers, it might be a turn-off. That's what was in my basement; speaker wires that were laughably inadequate.
More than likely, though, any audiophile would rely on wireless speakers.
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i've got a quad 303,33 combo , excellent sound even compared to modern top of the line hifi...
they were legendary at the time
and as quirky, and as rebuildable as a old guzzi (https://i.pinimg.com/originals/53/f8/1e/53f81e90cda866a5af27590e2cd70d78.jpg)
Now THAT is some audio equipment. The rest of this stuff, meh...
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There are tons of vintage stereo amps out there that can sound nearly audiofile quality besides the big names.
Most of it is over priced and less expensive to buy than to repair.
Great old speaker driver designs, on the other hand, are much fewer because speaker design has improved immensely since the 70s or 80s.
Having said that, there are some really great vintage speaker drivers, ie: my Altec Lansing Voice of the Theatre types with compression drivers, some Klipsch, my Dahlquist DQ-10s, etc, but you have to research the cult classic favorites.
I finally settled on a Class A 2A3 Single ended Triode homebuilt tube amps using vintage & new transformers. The design is dead simple and anyone could learn to build one if determined enough. This drives the the 110dB efficiency 288B hi freq compression drivers attached to the 1005B horns loudly with only the 3.5 watts per channel.
The bass is a pair of Altec Lansing 515B 15" drivers in home built bass reflex boxes run by a new Jolida EL84 PushPull tube amp at about 25 watts plenty loud enough for 103dB efficiency.
Crossover duty is with a pair of active DBX 223 rack mount crossovers so I can run the bi amp set up with no passive crossovers, anywhere.
This system sounds great and is very fast and articulate, but aren't quite voiced right since known singers unique voices like Johnny Cash don't sound quite like they do in really life. For jazz, however, they are tops.
So after all that, I have found that the most accurately reproducing system (my alternate stereo) are a pair of Audio Nirvana 12 " Specials single full range drivers run by a pair of refurbished Sylvania 6BQ5 tube PP amps out of an old console stereo at about 20 watts with no crossovers at all.
Both use the same Sony TAE 5450 monster preamp from the 70s.
There are better sounding systems, for sure, but I am happy with what I got.
No one can tell you what you are going to like and stereo opinions are more varied even than motorcycle or religious preferences. No matter what you have, you will change your mind over time especially if you listen to other peoples set ups.
You can even make yourself think your own system sounds even better than it does.
Then there is the problem of finding good high fidelity program material which is a whole 'nother argument with even more opinions and variable.
Just dive in and start moving up the ladder of your own learned preferences.
(https://i.ibb.co/sb9Ljy0/221886-11736320081-1028-n.jpg) (https://ibb.co/sb9Ljy0)
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by the way, I have a working McIntosh MX110 Tuner Preamp I will trade for a Guzzi.
(https://i.ibb.co/kHWjFyB/Jg2-Sp-Idz-SUi8-He-Xmt-JJ0-CA-c4e595cb-2832-47a3-b17f-50b174cced73-1799x1349.png) (https://ibb.co/kHWjFyB)
Not quite as nice as this stock image pictured
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, my Dahlquist DQ-10s,
Mine were awesome. Needed a sub woofer, but awesome, just the same. When I married Dorcia and moved into her 900 square foot log cabin, though.. they sort of were a little too much. :smiley: Now, I'm deaf as a post, and my Adcom separates and NHT towers with sub are fine. Actually, the old Klipch surround sound and Paradigm sub in the man cave sound ok to me. Fortunately, now, my hearing aids are fairly hi fi. :rolleyes:
I quit listening to music for several years until hearing aid tech caught up. The distortion was painful. Wear your ear plugs when riding. (Guzzi content)
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I'd trade a Kenwood amp and tuner for a Dual 1229 turntable....
Or a reel to reel sony for the same turntable... or similar ...ya know.
:grin: I would never give away my 1229!
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The original question of "how to fix my Marantz" was well answered it appears.
Then there was a discussion on how to pick a good vintage amp.
Don't know if this will help anyone, but if I was going to build a superior sounding stereo, I would ask myself some questions.
1. What type of music and how loud does it need to be?
2. Size of room. (20 watts with good bookshelf speakers in a cozy den is a wonderful 'near-field' listening exeperience)
Then pick a speaker type. The speaker you pick will be the most important decision.
A new design will probably be best unless you are interested in vintage designs to try to save some bucks, do a little refurbishing, and like to research and learn.
Here is an audio forum discussion on many vintage speakers: https://www.stereophile.com/content/loudspeaker-hall-fame-1.
Here is some insight from what I have learned, but in no way is that the only way.
Bass sounds best when it comes out of the main speakers aimed right at you, rather than a subwoofer, but satellite systems can sound very good and I added a subwoofer even though I have 15" woofers in the mains.
Passive Crossovers have a large effect on sound and eat power, so if you are using crossovers in your speakers, they better be good ones. Often overlooked, but they can be complex and either good or bad. Hi end manufacturers put a lot of work into voicing the speaker with the crossover. 40 year old vintage speaker crossovers probably don't work right, anymore. By extension of that though, there are the full range single driver speakers like Fostex, Audio Nirvana and the hallmark: Lowthers that use no crossover. Those that like single driver systems are totally convinced they are superior to all else. Single driver speakers are not very good at loud rock and roll or loud pipe organ music.
Do you want high efficiency speakers? Every 3dB of speaker efficiency (SPL: 1 watt at 1 meter)indicates a doubling or halving of their power need for same volume. So a 10watt signal will be as loud as 20watts on a 98dB efficiency speaker than on a 95dB speaker.
If you are using micro flea power like with a tube amp using one #45 triode tube per channel making 2 watts, then you are going to use a high efficiency speaker like a Lowther or have it run compression driver horns which are also very high efficiency.
A speaker cabinet with multiple drivers and a crossoever network will require a lot more power. For instance Dalhlquist DQ-10 s have 5 speakers per channel and a crossover half the size of a chessboard. They only have a 10 inch woofer, but can easily handle 400 watts and need it. If one driver is bad or if the crossover isn't working right, they sound poor.
There is a large school of thought that low powered amplifiers with single or perhaps twin out put devices, ie one or two transistors or one or two tubes per channel, produce the cleanest and most un-adulterated sound. High powered amps will have many parallel push-pull pairs per channel, which produces a less precise signal. This is why high efficiency speakers are desirable for the low powered amplifiers.
So, either high or low efficiency can sound great, but generally efficiency may be a good indicator for comparison.
2-way or three way or 4-way or 5way?? I thought 2-way was all I would ever need and that could be true, but adding multiple drivers is a way for a manufacturer to improve the combined sound of a speaker array by splitting up the duties of each driver, so it is only using that driver's sweetspot. This is a way of producing a good speaker array (ie a tower) by using cheaper speaker drivers. What you are paying for in that case is the work of the designers in engineering the box and the crossover and doing a lot of R&D to get the sound right from budget speaker drivers. The other end of this is the high end speak manufacturers that use all high quaility drivers :ie Focal Grand Utopia. This is the speaker I would recommend for greatest sound with unlimited budget.
(https://i.ibb.co/yNd9Wk4/grande-evo-white.jpg) (https://ibb.co/yNd9Wk4)
For the rest of us mortals, the process goes on.
(https://i.ibb.co/rpqdp7t/UB5-gallery-1-1-750x579.jpg) (https://ibb.co/rpqdp7t)
A good starting point would be to get the best Monitor type speakers like some ELAC Uni-fi UB5 or Klipsch RP-160M with a NAD amp C 316BEE V2 and an 8" self powered subwoofer of some kind. Bookshelf speakers can have performance that defy their size and are testament that sometimes huge tower speakers are popular for the same reason some apartment dwelling urban people need huge diesel pickup trucks.
You will be forced to listen to MP3s or CDs unfortunately which are a less than optimum starting point for original recording quality, but fortunately you should be able to hear the difference on this system when you upgrade to a Thorens (edited spelling) turntable with a Grado cartridge and listen only to virgin vinyl records.
After listening to that for a while, you will have a good basis for comparison and will know where to go.
Vintage speakers may not be so great unless that specific model has an outstanding reputation for being outstanding and are in top working condition with original drivers. Vietnam era Sansuis or Harmon Kardon speakers you shipped from the PX in Saigon may not be so great anymore if they even were in the first place.
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Since this is an old thread, forgive me if I repeat myself.
I've had the same main speakers since 1974. These are Norman Labs with 12" woofers and two 1" tweeters with 3 position crossover in a sealed acoustic suspension case. These speakers had great bass for the time. I've had the woofers re-coned 3 times and replaced the capacitors once. I noticed about ten years ago, one of the speakers would rattle with loud heavy bass. So I finally added a SVS 400wt sub and set the cut-off at 100hz. What a difference. For some reason the whole sound of the speakers brightened up. Much cleaner sound. Of course the bass is clearer and more precise. The rattle is (mostly) gone (I could perhaps raise the cut off point but it really takes some cranking to get a rattle). In fact, I've tuned the speakers for more mid range and toned down the treble and bass. My receiver allows me to use equalizer settings and I have additional adjustment on the sub.
After all these years, they still seem to work and sound OK to my ears. Perhaps I am just too lazy or cheap (Guzzi content) to purchase new. And how how would I know if a new speaker will sound better in my house than the ones I had?
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Thanks for the info on vintage speakers Ozarquebus! Every time I see them come up I think maaaaybe. But I don't truthfully need them. I have a small room and my speakers work fine for my needs. But I get tempted every time.
-AJ
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I noticed about ten years ago, one of the speakers would rattle with loud heavy bass. So I finally added a SVS 400wt sub and set the cut-off at 100hz. What a difference. For some reason the whole sound of the speakers brightened up. Much cleaner sound.
That´s simple. Doppler effect strongly reduced.
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That´s simple. Doppler effect strongly reduced.
how so?
I see, it's the two woofers coming from left and right vs a single woofer source?
Still, the mid and top seems so much cleaner. I was thinking the amp might work less.
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No. Let´s assume, a woofer can transmit from 20 Hz to 400 Hz. A really deep bass of about 22 Hz lets the membrane swing with a big amplitude. Now a second tone of - let´s say - 220 Hz is also to be transmitted. With of course a much lesser amplitude. This second frequency now is increased and decreased in the beat of the bass. Remember, the amplitude of the deeper tone normally is bigger (think of the IHF A - filter). You know, when something is approaching you its sound appears higher, when it strides away its sound appears lower than the real frequency. This is the Doppler - effect. Now remember the woofer swings with 22 Hz. It modulates the higher frequency. A subwoofer cuts the real deep frequencies from the "normal" woofer. The lower mids are less modulated, they are clearer.
A very popular example is the JBL Control 1. In its Ur - version or even as "Pro" it was a very nice little speaker. On the edge of being really good. But there was in the past the fitting subwoofer "SB 1". These things connected passed the edge, the system was extremely nice to listen to. Because it was a lot clearer.
This is one of the main reasons why 3-, 4- or even 5-way systems are developed. And one of the reasons why a one-way - system can never sound well as soon as loud bass is involved.
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In 1975 I bought a set of Cerwin Vega's I still own. Simple bass and tweeter..I replaced the woofers 20 years ago.....Gone through several brand name tuner/amps that failed before their time.. Currently I use a Yamaha R-N303 ...For the Rockabilly, blues, early country and alternative rock I listen to at moderate volume, sounds as good as it needs to...
Sound systems opinions are very subjective...
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(https://i.ibb.co/4pH5Rnf/image.jpg) (https://ibb.co/4pH5Rnf)
NAD rockin’ since 1982
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There is no and will never be a really "neutral" sounding speaker. A speaker which can replay with the same absolute accuracy and precision the voice of Edie Brickell, a banjo, Keith Emerson´s Hammond, a violin, an old European Church organ, a Rolls-Royce Merlin, a symphonic orchestra, a Jackhammer or the voices of your children. So each time a speaker is chosen your own taste and of course your own (financial...) possibilities must be regarded. The fun a certain speaker raises in you. There are a lot of old speakers that can raise a lot of fun in me, JBL K2 S9500 standing in the first row, followed by Altec Lansing 19. But also Pioneer HPM series (and my own S1010), JBL 4311, 4312 and their relatives, Ohm F, Backes und Müller BM6, a lot more. My several types of Philips MFB speakers.
Each of them need very different amplifiers. This can be an old one or a modern one. The JBL 4312 e.g. sounded very good with the Pioneer A707 / 717 /727.
I think it is nice that we today can choose between all the old stuff via Ebay and others. Of course, one should know someone who can mend and repair this old stuff (as I have learned it I can do it myself for my devices). But I have yet to hear a modern speaker that can satisfy me. With the exception of Genelec or other first-rate studio monitor speakers.
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If you have a big old paper speaker, like a 12 inch church organ pull, take that and put it in a simple sealed wooden box, then play a Johnny Winter album into it. It doesn't have good bass, but the wailing electric guitar sounds like Johnny Winter is there.
A modern polymer cone or even exotic high tech driver cannot do that single task as well as the old paper cone. Of course, that is what it is supposed to sound like since a typical guitar speaker from that era is just a cheap paper cone and a ferrite magnet. Reproducer mimicing original source.
That is an example how coloration can work for you.
Another example is from people who love strictly violin music or the female voice; they like to use the Infinite Baffle speaker enclosure which is nothing more than an average full range driver in a hole on a board about 2.5 ft square.
No bass, but the resolution of that part of the audible spectrum is best achieved that way.
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I am in the beginning stages of collecting 70's audio gear. Been looking for a while but haven't found anything that flips my switch yet for a fair price. Looking for amp or receiver, tuner, turntable, cassette deck and and a reel to reel. Been looking which is half of the fun. Il piece together a setup that I like soon enough.
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bobrebos.
I went through the same process and became convinced that tubes were the way to go. Later on I discovered that transistor amps can do the job well, too. I discovered that it takes a lot of hours listening to really figure out how good your particular system sounds. Standing in the demonstration room of a stereo shop was a terrible way to decide.
After years of this and upgrading and trying different approaches, I had about three different stereo systems in operation for comparison. This enabled mixing and matching of different components to isolate and define their individual characteristics. Some stuff was built and most stuff was bought. I was never very good at repairs due to the complexity of consumer electronics. I did discover that simple electronics could be built from scratch due to online schematics, streamlining the design and omitting many of the unnecessary 'bells and whistles' aimed at attracting customers.
After having achieved good sounding systems I discovered that the original program material was the weakest link.
Farm Club: My initial idea was that CDs were the perfect source since most of my old records were worn and scratchy. I soon discovered this wasn't true and that is made evident by critical listening and the many 'dejittering' devices marketed to remove the digital sound and make it more analog sounding.
In response to this, I upgraded my turntable and cartridge to a mid range qualiity. It definitely was an improvement over CD, but this took months of listening before I was sure. Unfortunately old scratchy records didn't sound better and I started buying records in excellent to mint condition. In no time it became apparent that the cost of a new record collection was going to be more than the value of all my equipment. A different source of high fidelity recordings needed to be found. Strike 1.
Reel to reel, the ultimate hi fidelity. I got a decent Akai pro reel to reel and started scavenging the stacks and found some good original recordings that I though sounded much better than records. Unfortunately that format became re-popularized and the price of tapes is even higher than records. Strike 2. It is a lot of fun to have an R2R tape deck for making mix tapes from records, however.
Then I discovered digital downloads and quickly saw that MP3 really are lo fidelity, but have a pumped up clarity that is good for loud playing or in the car. I purchased a digital to analog converter, then joined an "audiophile" music streaming internet service with very high sample rates on their "audiophile' digital files and that sounded pretty good, but the number of high sample rate tracks offered was very small with a limited selection. Strike 3.
Take a walk to 1st base: I will mention that at one point I got a high end Pioneer tuner for FM listening, but the radio stations do not strive for excellent sound like they did with 70s album rock stations. It is great fun to have a beam antenna on a tower and be able to rotate it toward stations in distant large cities and use a high end tuner's filters to bring it out.
Extra Innings:
Finally, oddly enough, I have come back around to the lowly cassette as the ultimate compromise. I do not remember them sounding so good originally, but they were always a car format or in my lo fi system I had as a young man. Today with a good system and a mid grade cassette deck with clean heads, they sound amazingly good. A factory recorded cassette sounds absolutely outstanding. Sometimes a cassette is damaged by magnetism or heat, but a well stored cassette will be good. Later cassette tape technology was improving with Type II tape inside. The little pad falling off under the tape can be easily glued back on and there is an unlimited supply on them for nearly free from discarded gospel and spoken word tapes. Sometimes the tape case tightens and causes tape drag, but this can be repaired if it is a rare recording by transplanting the reels into a donor case. In some case the actual tape becomes sticky and must be buried at sea.
The essence of using old cassettes for high fi program sources is the fact that they are very cheap. It also brings a certain level of satisfaction when a 38 cent (with military discount) cassette from the good will store of Ray Charles instrumentals is rescued and restored and sounds as good if not better than vinyl.
(https://i.ibb.co/ZJhbb5J/20190524-cassette-bike-1600x1200-2x.jpg) (https://ibb.co/ZJhbb5J)
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bobrebos.
Extra Innings:
Finally, oddly enough, I have come back around to the lowly cassette as the ultimate compromise. I do not remember them sounding so good originally, but they were always a car format or in my lo fi system I had as a young man. Today with a good system and a mid grade cassette deck with clean heads, they sound amazingly good. A factory recorded cassette sounds absolutely outstanding. Sometimes a cassette is damaged by magnetism or heat, but a well stored cassette will be good. Later cassette tape technology was improving with Type II tape inside. The little pad falling off under the tape can be easily glued back on and there is an unlimited supply on them for nearly free from discarded gospel and spoken word tapes. Sometimes the tape case tightens and causes tape drag, but this can be repaired if it is a rare recording by transplanting the reels into a donor case. In some case the actual tape becomes sticky and must be buried at sea.
The essence of using old cassettes for high fi program sources is the fact that they are very cheap. It also brings a certain level of satisfaction when a 38 cent (with military discount) cassette from the good will store of Ray Charles instrumentals is rescued and restored and sounds as good if not better than vinyl.
(https://i.ibb.co/ZJhbb5J/20190524-cassette-bike-1600x1200-2x.jpg) (https://ibb.co/ZJhbb5J)
Ouch. I threw out hundreds of cassettes when we moved 3 years ago. That was like a kick in the gut. The only thing that helped was that I had replaced most of them with CD. For me, I'm all in with CD. I never liked vinyl. It's not portable. It scratches. You have to get up to turn it over. There's no seek or fast forward function. I loaned a prized EP of mine once upon a time to a friend and he returned it to me warped. He had left it in his truck while we were at work on a hot summer day. That was it for me. CD came out and I went all in. I get that good vinyl has better sound. But the too many cons to one single pro, that I'm not even sure I can hear at this age, isn't worth the time or money for me to invest in vinyl. But it's interesting what you say about cassette. I had what I believe to be a good mid-range deck, mid-80's Denon, and I can still remember the tape hiss. That went away with CD and I liked that.
-AJ
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bobrebos.
I went through the same process and became convinced that tubes were the way to go. Later on I discovered that transistor amps can do the job well, too. I discovered that it takes a lot of hours listening to really figure out how good your particular system sounds. Standing in the demonstration room of a stereo shop was a terrible way to decide.
After years of this and upgrading and trying different approaches, I had about three different stereo systems in operation for comparison. This enabled mixing and matching of different components to isolate and define their individual characteristics. Some stuff was built and most stuff was bought. I was never very good at repairs due to the complexity of consumer electronics. I did discover that simple electronics could be built from scratch due to online schematics, streamlining the design and omitting many of the unnecessary 'bells and whistles' aimed at attracting customers.
After having achieved good sounding systems I discovered that the original program material was the weakest link.
Farm Club: My initial idea was that CDs were the perfect source since most of my old records were worn and scratchy. I soon discovered this wasn't true and that is made evident by critical listening and the many 'dejittering' devices marketed to remove the digital sound and make it more analog sounding.
In response to this, I upgraded my turntable and cartridge to a mid range qualiity. It definitely was an improvement over CD, but this took months of listening before I was sure. Unfortunately old scratchy records didn't sound better and I started buying records in excellent to mint condition. In no time it became apparent that the cost of a new record collection was going to be more than the value of all my equipment. A different source of high fidelity recordings needed to be found. Strike 1.
Reel to reel, the ultimate hi fidelity. I got a decent Akai pro reel to reel and started scavenging the stacks and found some good original recordings that I though sounded much better than records. Unfortunately that format became re-popularized and the price of tapes is even higher than records. Strike 2. It is a lot of fun to have an R2R tape deck for making mix tapes from records, however.
Then I discovered digital downloads and quickly saw that MP3 really are lo fidelity, but have a pumped up clarity that is good for loud playing or in the car. I purchased a digital to analog converter, then joined an "audiophile" music streaming internet service with very high sample rates on their "audiophile' digital files and that sounded pretty good, but the number of high sample rate tracks offered was very small with a limited selection. Strike 3.
Take a walk to 1st base: I will mention that at one point I got a high end Pioneer tuner for FM listening, but the radio stations do not strive for excellent sound like they did with 70s album rock stations. It is great fun to have a beam antenna on a tower and be able to rotate it toward stations in distant large cities and use a high end tuner's filters to bring it out.
Extra Innings:
Finally, oddly enough, I have come back around to the lowly cassette as the ultimate compromise. I do not remember them sounding so good originally, but they were always a car format or in my lo fi system I had as a young man. Today with a good system and a mid grade cassette deck with clean heads, they sound amazingly good. A factory recorded cassette sounds absolutely outstanding. Sometimes a cassette is damaged by magnetism or heat, but a well stored cassette will be good. Later cassette tape technology was improving with Type II tape inside. The little pad falling off under the tape can be easily glued back on and there is an unlimited supply on them for nearly free from discarded gospel and spoken word tapes. Sometimes the tape case tightens and causes tape drag, but this can be repaired if it is a rare recording by transplanting the reels into a donor case. In some case the actual tape becomes sticky and must be buried at sea.
The essence of using old cassettes for high fi program sources is the fact that they are very cheap. It also brings a certain level of satisfaction when a 38 cent (with military discount) cassette from the good will store of Ray Charles instrumentals is rescued and restored and sounds as good if not better than vinyl.
(https://i.ibb.co/ZJhbb5J/20190524-cassette-bike-1600x1200-2x.jpg) (https://ibb.co/ZJhbb5J)
Outstanding information. Thank You!!! :thumb:
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I have a double CD player/burner. I can copy a cd, record from LP, tape, radio, or other. However its much easier to use a usb stick except for recordings that aren't readily available for download (most of my LP's)
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Wasn't NAD top of the line? That stuff is under $100.
-AJ
NAD was the new kid on the block that went head to head with more expensive gear (NAD 3020 being the most expensive). I currently own a NAD streamer and use it with ATC loudspeakers that I bought on a work trip to London.
Some brands are Heirloom quality. Think Accuphase, Luxman (pre/post alpine), Audio Research, Pass Labs etc. But you’ll pay out the nose...
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There is no and will never be a really "neutral" sounding speaker. A speaker which can replay with the same absolute accuracy and precision the voice of Edie Brickell, a banjo, Keith Emerson´s Hammond, a violin, an old European Church organ, a Rolls-Royce Merlin, a symphonic orchestra, a Jackhammer or the voices of your children. So each time a speaker is chosen your own taste and of course your own (financial...) possibilities must be regarded. The fun a certain speaker raises in you. There are a lot of old speakers that can raise a lot of fun in me, JBL K2 S9500 standing in the first row, followed by Altec Lansing 19. But also Pioneer HPM series (and my own S1010), JBL 4311, 4312 and their relatives, Ohm F, Backes und Müller BM6, a lot more. My several types of Philips MFB speakers.
Each of them need very different amplifiers. This can be an old one or a modern one. The JBL 4312 e.g. sounded very good with the Pioneer A707 / 717 /727.
I think it is nice that we today can choose between all the old stuff via Ebay and others. Of course, one should know someone who can mend and repair this old stuff (as I have learned it I can do it myself for my devices). But I have yet to hear a modern speaker that can satisfy me. With the exception of Genelec or other first-rate studio monitor speakers.
Now that Oscar Heil's patent has expired there's been a reinsurance of Air Motion Transfer speakers and ESS, the original licensed builder, has cut the price on their line. I've got the Great Heil's mated to a pair of Hornshoppe Horns with Ed's crossover; Ed built the Horns to be a stand alone single driver but now that he's fallen in love with the AMT again I think he's working on something else to mate to it. That should be fun.
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Dillw,
"Great Heil's mated to a pair of Hornshoppe Horns "
I think you have the best system described in this thread, for sure!
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I have a stereo. Separate amp, pre-amp and tuner and tower speakers. It sounds best to me and is therefore the best system. I hope this settles the discussion of what equipment was or is the best. :laugh:
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Now that Oscar Heil's patent has expired there's been a reinsurance of Air Motion Transfer speakers and ESS, the original licensed builder, has cut the price on their line. I've got the Great Heil's mated to a pair of Hornshoppe Horns with Ed's crossover; Ed built the Horns to be a stand alone single driver but now that he's fallen in love with the AMT again I think he's working on something else to mate to it. That should be fun.
I run a set of ESS AMT1 on my quad 33/303 system.
great speakers.. suits the quad amazingly well
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If you could find some vintage Snell Acoustics K bookshelf speakers, they hit way out of their league and are reasonably priced. Any vintage transistor twin amp that has its own power supply for each channel would probably be good vintage risk for great sound. Any pair of mono amps. Any working V-Fet amp. (replacement V-Fets unobtainable). I have never liked Magneplanars or electrostatic speakers, but some bow down to them 4 times a day. The original Advent loudspeaker is a good vintage baseline.
I would like to try some kind of a Tannoy GOLD tower. There is something about Tannoy...
(https://i.ibb.co/bgZjGRP/a09cc62dbf6e9ebe6327f4ca4ebd030f.jpg) (https://ibb.co/bgZjGRP)
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I’ve got a Marantz 2250B with the wood case that is my favorite. Wouldn’t trade it for anything.
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Affordable audio gear has always included Adcom in the mix. Add some Klipsch KG or Heresy series speakers (may need re-coning as they're getting on in years now) and you'll be amazed at the fidelity and easy power. Some of this stuff is floating around at incredible prices these days.
I'll add: I bought an affordable Akai turntable with USB outputs for digitizing LP's and have been pleasantly surprised at how well it works for creating CD's and thumb-drive music that's very usable in my vehicles and good enough for casual home listening and not adding wear to your valued LP's.
(https://i.ibb.co/RcKkDMn/adcom.jpg) (https://ibb.co/RcKkDMn)
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Some of this vintage stuff would burn my wallet.
And I admit that most of you guys are speaking way over my head. I am also the least mechanical and technical person on this board.
But that's why I love to be here.
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For a good reason speakers like the Klipsch Heresy III are still in production (sort of Guzzi content).
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Some of this vintage stuff would burn my wallet.
And I admit that most of you guys are speaking way over my head. I am also the least mechanical and technical person on this board.
But that's why I love to be here.
Don’t feel bad. Much of the stuff posted in this thread is none sense posted by old people who think they know what they are talking about. Lots of Dunning-Kruger effect going on but somehow I still love being here😉
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Bought a McIntosh MA 5100 Preamp, Amp in 1968 for $500 new. That was a lot of money back then for a 20 year old.
Never replaced it, she's the only Amp I'll ever need. Never needed service and it still works and looks like the day I bought it.
Bill
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I've been using the same system for 20+ years now. That's vintage in audio terms.
Marantz 8B EL34 tube amp. Back in the nineties Marantz commissioned Valve Amplification Company (VAC) to reproduce the model 8B and 9 amps and the 7c preamp. This is one of those so its only 20 years old or so versus 50+ for an original. I bought and sold several kilobuck amps until I got this one and then just stopped. Its a great amp.
I use a Creek OBH-12 passive preamp. Really just a volume controller. Shouldn't work that great with a tube amp, but it does. I also have a Van Alsitine Super Pas3 I built in the eighties out of trashed Dynaco and a Van Alstine kit. It mates really well with the Marantz, but currently has a problem and needs to be fixed.
Source is an Acoustic Research EB101 turntable with Shure cartridge and a Theta transport (Jade) and DAC (DS Pro Basic III).
Speakers are ProAc Response 2s. I went through a lot of high end speakers before settling on these.
The system obviously suits me. It'll play old geezer rock just fine. Maybe a little light on the bass so for headbanging might want something else or I could hook up the two 15" Janis Wi subs I've got, but haven't used in years. I listen to a lot of acoustic music, bluegrass for an example, and on this its a superb sounding system.
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Well here is another topic that I may be able to add to. I worked in a stereo store in the early 70's that was in a small college town while I was attending the university. We sold Marantz, Kenwood ,Advent KLH and lots of albums and lifestyle accessories.Through them I bought a Crown amp and preamp and had Advent and Cerwin Vega speakers which I still use in the basement shop /bike area. I had a desire to upgrade to a more modern system. I began looking at various sites and in the course of about 2 years have a 90's McIntosh/ Klipsch setup that is amazing. I found a McIntosh C-39 Pre and McIntosh 7106 Amp for very reasonable deals on ebay. I added a Mac CD player and Tuner to go with my Thorens Turntable that I had from college. I found a beautiful set of 90's Klipschorns locally on craigslist that will let me crank the Macs up without distortion. 1 watt input will yield 105 db. The Mac has 6 100 watt channels so we have surround and a subwoofer. I have a close friend that buys, sells and trades vinyl. I have been able to significantly grow my album collection in the last year. The big Klipschorns require dedicated corners and absolutely fill the room with clean music. It helps to search wisely and know the value of the components while you seek what you are interested in. It has been fun!
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TwinBoy. Marantz 8B. That one was actually built when Mr Marantz was in charge.
A 'REAL' Marantz not a Superscope.
That 8B would be the perfect standard to compare other amps.