Vintage Hi-Fi

[alex0103]

I didn't know where to post this so maybe admin will move it to the appropriate section.

I wanted to know if anyone else here is into vintage hi-fi from 1970s -1990s and if so, what is their experience of buying it and any tips or guidance or preferences for speakers, amps, tape decks, cd players or what era they prefer. Has anyone mixed vintage with modern such as old amps with new speakers or vice versa or modern streaming devices with vintage gear. Any preferences for certain makes of speakers or amps?

 

[Judge]

I run two audio systems side-by-side in my living room. Though for the most part they are independent of each other. Separated by about thirty years difference in technology.

Older system: Sony STR AV 900 2 x 100 watt receiver with 2 cherished Boston Acoustics T-830 (rebuilt) speakers.

Newer System: Sony KS-370 Audio/Video 5.1 x 167 watt receiver with 5 speakers and one subwoofer.

With a Sony DVP-710H DVD/CD Player set up to output through either receiver.

More often than not I use my two-channel system to play music, and my 5.1 system as a home theater. With my Roku device set up to play music/MP3 audio or video through my 5.1 receiver. I converted all my cassette tapes to MP3 and CD formats about 12 years ago, shortly before my remaining Teac tape deck with Dolby B and DBX died.

 

[Leo Zed]

My brother have me his old Marantz receiver (from the late 70’s) and Polk Audio speakers (from the early 80’s), but I have yet to set it up. He told me that the Marantz receiver was solid state.

If you are interested in getting a vintage receiver or amp, look into getting the older ones having vacuum tubes. My brother says that they have a characteristic sound to them that many audiophiles love. I bet you could buy one from eBay.

As for myself, I use a Mesa electric guitar tube amp. I absolutely love it. Since the speaker cabinets (very heavy) require two people to move them, I bought an additional smaller solid state amp. I had to return the solid state amp because it sounded terrible to me. But these are guitar amps. Still there is a huge difference in sound between tube and solid state technology.

 

[alex0103]

My brother have me his old Marantz receiver (from the late 70’s) and Polk Audio speakers (from the early 80’s), but I have yet to set it up. He told me that the Marantz receiver was solid state.

If you are interested in getting a vintage receiver or amp, look into getting the older ones having vacuum tubes. My brother says that they have a characteristic sound to them that many audiophiles love. I bet you could buy one from eBay.

As for myself, I use a Mesa electric guitar tube amp. I absolutely love it. Since the speaker cabinets (very heavy) require two people to move them, I bought an additional smaller solid state amp. I had to return the solid state amp because it sounded terrible to me. But these are guitar amps. Still there is a huge difference in sound between tube and solid state technology.

Would love a tube amp but well out my price range unfortunately. I have heard they sound really good though.

 

[alex0103]

I run two audio systems side-by-side in my living room. Though for the most part they are independent of each other. Separated by about thirty years difference in technology.

Older system: Sony STR AV 900 2 x 100 watt receiver with 2 cherished Boston Acoustics T-830 (rebuilt) speakers.

Newer System: Sony KS-370 Audio/Video 5.1 x 167 watt receiver with 5 speakers and one subwoofer.

With a Sony DVP-710H DVD/CD Player set up to output through either receiver.

More often than not I use my two-channel system to play music, and my 5.1 system as a home theater. With my Roku device set up to play music/MP3 audio or video through my 5.1 receiver. I converted all my cassette tapes to MP3 and CD formats about 12 years ago, shortly before my remaining Teac tape deck with Dolby B and DBX died.

Thanks for sharing. So you prefer the new system to the older one?

 

[Nitro]

Tube type amps are all the rage to purists because of the softening effect you get from a filament.
It smooths out the crispness of digital signals which adds a layer of warmth to the audio.
Transistors only know two states, on or off.
Sometimes oldschool will still beat the pants off the latest greatest tech.

 

[alex0103]

Tube type amps are all the rage to purists because of the softening effect you get from a filament.
It smooths out the crispness of digital signals which adds a layer of warmth to the audio.
Transistors only know two states, on or off.
Sometimes oldschool will still beat the pants off the latest greatest tech.

Absolutely it will yes, that goes from some vintage speakers too.

 

[Judge]

Thanks for sharing. So you prefer the new system to the older one?

Let's just say that if a audio source I'm listening to was originally made for only two channels, I'd prefer to listen to it with my older system dedicated to two-channel sound.

However if I were to listen to it on my newer system, I have the option of using a "sound field" with Dolby Pro Logic II that artificially takes those two channels and turns it into 5.1 sound. Though it doesn't make it sound necessarily superior to my older receiver that has surround sound, a built-in 7-channel graphic equalizer and above all, better quality 3-way Boston Acoustics speakers.

Conversely most any original multiplex sound source I tend to play on my newer receiver/home theater system.

Basically more audio channels greatly improve audio pertinent to a video source. But if it's audio only, IMO more channels do not necessarily improve sound quality itself. My tiny five Sony speakers are nowhere near as good as my two Boston Acoustics T-830 tower speakers.

 

[Gerald Wilgus]

For speakers, I'd go with JBL L26. Because of their response and transparency they were much in demand as studio monitors back then. I have never used them with a tube amp and I'd bet they rock. Hmmmmmm . . . how much to build a high current tube amp? That may be nice with my old Thorenz turntable and vinyl platters.

 

[grommet]

I didn't know where to post this so maybe admin will move it to the appropriate section.

I wanted to know if anyone else here is into vintage hi-fi from 1970s -1990s and if so, what is their experience of buying it and any tips or guidance or preferences for speakers, amps, tape decks, cd players or what era they prefer. Has anyone mixed vintage with modern such as old amps with new speakers or vice versa or modern streaming devices with vintage gear. Any preferences for certain makes of speakers or amps?

Klipsch Heresy speakers, McIntosh solid state amplifier. The speakers are amazing, some of the best you will ever hear. They are usually unfinished looking in plain plywood which makes them go unnoticed. McIntosh solid state amplifier, 60 watts, would give you everything you would need with those speakers. They have tube models but I think those would cost thousands.

The 1970s and 1980s have some of the best high fidelity speakers and amplifiers ever made, in my opinion. JBL made standing speakers that were incredible and so efficient you could shake the room or house with just a few watts.

My suggestion is not to go with looks, go with performance. The best way to test equipment is to play something with high dynamic range. The best audio to test speakers et al would be CDs by Flim and the BB's. Strange name I know. Get their Tricycle album. Using this bands music to test audio is so universal that when I was in Boston at a house a salesperson had just to demonstrate equipment, I started asking if he had the group and he finished my sentence for me and got out the CD I was thinking of and even the track.

The point of high dynamic range, something you can test with a good vinyl LP too is to listen with your eyes closed, if you have eyesight. Listen from the very beginning of the song, I mean the part that you usually think of as silent. It isn't. If you listen to a track you have heard many many times on other equipment, you will notice there are sounds where you never heard them before, starting before you realized there was music.

Keep listening and notice instruments starting sooner than you realized and trailing off faintly the same. Really great equipment will let you hear what you've been missing all this time.

 

[alex0103]

Am sure they sound amazing but way,, way out of my price range. I am more of a budget vintage audio guy. I would actually love an Hitachi power and pre amp from late 70s set up and maybe some Technics SB 7000, Roger LS3/5A or Yamaha NS 1000 speakers. Other than that I would go for a Naim, or Quad or Linn set up, a vintage British hifi set up. If I had the money.