OP,
Interesting hearing more about your system. I owned Olympica 3 speakers for many years. They were real game changers for me. To me, it also reinforces the potential for your system to be significantly improved with a tubed preamp… I am a big Audio Research fan and simply love their preamps… well, and phonostages… and amps.
FYI, a classic pairing is Audio Research, Sonus Faber speakers and Transparent interconnects. I migrated in that direction for decades (not by knowing the association, but by careful component choices) and now… that is what I have. Best system, for me, that I have heard.
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First, as the OP, let me say thanks to all who posted in response to this thread. Audiogon is a good place, with thoughtful and helpful members!
The consensus seems to be that my 20+ year old amps, which have been in daily use for about 14 years, and used only intermittently for about 7 years (2014-21), should be good for another few years at least, if properly serviced (and assuming parts are available). I'm glad to learn this, because as I noted, I'm not itching to make changes just to make changes. I've even learned to live without a remote for volume control, like the ancients. It's not so bad!
Overall, I'm pleased with the sound of this system, which was much improved with the replacement of B&W 804S speakers by Sonus Faber Olympica III speakers last year. (The B&Ws were good, and I had no complaints until they were destroyed; the SFs are in a different league.)
Several members have suggested I reconsider my preamp situation, perhaps going to a tube preamp. I appreciate the thoughts, and may do that at some point. I also might get another SS preamp. I have zero technical expertise, though, and I'm not handy, and don't like messing with equipment. That was why, when I bought my MC402 many years ago, I didn't go with my other finalist, a VTL power amp. The VTL sounded fantastic to me, placing opera singers in 3-dimensional space, as if they were on stage. But the VTL ran hot, and seemed like it was going to be a demanding sports car, requiring attention.
As for Class D and similar amps, I haven't heard any of the more recent products. What I have heard, perhaps 8-10 years ago, left me un-wowed. But technology advances, and I keep an open mind.
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I just checked the Universal Remote database, and the Magnum Dynalab code set is there. That means you can have an MX remote programmed to include your tuner’s operating controls, along with any TV & sound system you have. The MX-790 is $349.00 and a basic program is usually under $200.00. Not worth it just for the tuner, but as a total solution maybe. Alternatively a cheap code programmable one from a blister pack might have it for $10.00. The GE or Phillips ones use the UEI database, which is vast. They are annoying to set up, but hey, they’re cheap.
Give your back a break and get a good Class D, Purifi Eigentakt or GAN FET amp, which will be as transparent and powerful as you need without the hernia. NAD M23, or for more esoteric appeal, Orchard or Mytek. All under $4000.00, some a lot under.
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I have very successful experience with several vintage tube receivers, mono amps, preamps, some 1958, others 1964. Complex tape recorders from the 80’s. TT from the 80’s.
One example: McIntosh mx110z tube tuner/preamp, 1964. bought on eBay, tubes all tested good on my tube tester, listened, loved it’s sound for 2 years as received,
Then, sent it to Audio Classics for overhaul. Best thing they did was replace all the old rca corroded jacks with new gold plated jacks!
They replaced several capacitors and resistors because ’at this age, many of the components had drifted in value’.
Oh yeah, they aligned the FM tuner.
Great, but could I hear the difference? Nope, sounded great before and after, but those corroded jacks were problematic, new ones let me sleep better!
IOW, drifting out of value more than likely true, but audible, that’s hard to say.
Cleaning pots, switches, tightening tube sockets contacts with tube pins, testing tubes: I do that myself, but if not, the old stuff definitely benefits from having a shop do that.
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Everyone has given good advice thus far, and I agree that with proper maintenance they should last for many years. You said that your wife was a classical musician. I I were you; I would explore a tube preamplifier. I think that you will both discover more realistic timbre and decay from instruments as well as better flow.
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This is a tough question. Solid state gear is quite reliable and rarely have problems, but, when some transistors go, they cannot be replaced and the amp is toast. Tube gear is more prone to failure, but older classic tube gear can be repaired and returned to service for a very long time. Some ultra high quality tube gear can operate without any repairs or parts replacement for many decades. A friend has a Western Electric 124 amp that sounds great that has all original parts that is probably 70 years old. My amp is a Western Electric 133 re-build with almost all of the parts being vintage (all except the power transformer and choke, input jacks and binding posts), and it has operated with no issues for about 12 years (no tube changes, and the tubes were old when I got the amp).
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In 1972 my wife and I bought a McIntosh MC2105 power amp. Now fifty years later it is still playing in the basement party room at my son's house. I imagine it is terribly in need of recapping, but for half a century it has played music every time it is turned on.
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I’ll have to do some more research on the receiver…. At first blush it sounds like a really weak link in the system. But if you are OK with it and are not looking to upgrade.
Decreases in sound quality happen at glacial rates. So, it is unlikely you would notice unless you dropped in a new component.
But… the MAc. Heavy is good! While it may be a bit inconvenient… this has always been a really good sign for me in the lady 50 years of pursuing the high end. I have found the relationship between sound and weight virtually perfect. I don’t think I own a component less then 35 lbs. Don’t move it a lot. Get help. It is worth it.
Definitely 20 years or more are appropriate on an audiophile component… and a refresh from the manufacturer will replace capacitors and fading components.
Sonus Faber speakers are very natural an musical… not surprising you guys like the sound. Order a new remote.
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I had a very good experience with MD last year when I inquired about fixing my MD102. We spent about a week trying to figure out the cause of the problem via email.
I live in Goleta, CA near the ocean and surrounded by mountains. I was using the MD ST-2 antenna indoors/outdoors and my MD 102 reception was not very good. Not as good as when I was in the Bay Area, CA.
We decided to send my unit in for a tune up and then I got the bright idea of upgrading. The person I contacted and worked with was
Jim Richards
jrichards@magnumdynalab.com
I think he is a VP at MD.
BTW - I have 4 tuners and the MD108T is the best one but I also have an Accuphase T-101 modified by someone who seems like a tuner savant from Los Angeles. That tuner at $1200 is almost as good as the MD108T. It has better reception and is slightly drier than the tube based MD108T,
The Accuphase modder is this guy. Though I do not see a tuner listed at the moment
ACCUPHASE C-200 Preamp! (Elegant Sound)! | Solid state | Audiogon
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Very amusing, @yyzsantabarbara! My dealings with MD have not been entirely satisfactory. I called them to see about getting a replacement remote; the person I spoke to said he would get back to me in a day or two. I did not hear from MD; after about a week, I called and emailed them on the same issue. They did not get back to me. About a month later I called again. No, they didn't have a replacement remote, and couldn't help me. Great product, but unimpressive customer service.
As for sending it in for a tune-up, I don't want to be without music for however long it would take (and I suspect MD would not be swift). But, @yyzsantabarbara, were they timely with you?
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@gg107 Why not send in your MD to Canada (or maybe Buffalo, NY) and have them give it a tune up. I made the mistake of sending my MD102 to fix the reception drift and got back a MD108T. The MD108T is great.
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@erik_squires Absolutely agree that the output transistors are typically the first to go of any transistors in the unit.
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@blisshifi
You aren’t wrong, it has just been my experience that the output transistors are the one’s that are most likely to go out of fashion and impossible to find replacements for.
The small power transistors tend to be interchangeable or remain in production forever.
To answer the OP's question I was answering the question of"when will my gear die and not be fixable?" vs. how often will it need to be serviced.
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+1 @erik_squires
And I would say not just output transistors but any transistors. If an amp drifts out of spec, or if it is a Class A or AB amp and that constantly generates a lot of heat, the transistors can get exhausted and not perform their switching duties, fail and cause leakages or shortages that can send the amp to protection more or fry them.
Tantalum capacitors almost easily fail and can melt or bubble up with too much heat over time. Electrolytic capacitors typically don’t leak, but they just don’t store and deliver to their spec as they dry up, which starts to introduce distortion and/or thinness to the sound.
Transformers are generally incredibly durable and very difficult to ruin unless too much excess current fries a fuse that is built into it. And circuit boards are generally fine unless something causes a short to fry it, typically from one of the electrical components as described above.
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The two big components that are at risk of ending a piece of gear are output transistors or tubes and capacitors.
Power supply / bypass capacitors may leak over time and need to be replaced. I put the longevity of newer caps around 30-40 years. Sometimes those fail catastrophically and take out mulitple parts at once making it financially difficult to fix.
The other part to this is whether the output components are available if they fail. Many a great receiver and amp have died from using parts that were no longer manufactured.
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Assuming one maintains amps with periodic replacement of parts and keeping in spec they may have great life expectancy, especially those with point to point wiring.
@blisshifi You mention 20-30 years plus the extra 5-10 years with proper maintenance. What would be cause of failure past this time? Are you thinking of things like circuit boards, transformers?
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Generally electronics should last a good 20-30 years of moderate to regular use before its capacitors and other electronic components do not perform as well as they should. Given that you haven’t used them that heavily, you should probably expect them to work well for another 5-10 years.
Because of their age, it might be a good idea for a tech to look them over to make sure they are running to spec. Amplifiers tend to need bias adjustments over time, and sometimes this can make the unit sound better on top of lasting longer.
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