If you stick with vintage solid state, there are some good-sounding amps and preamps from the '80s, such as VSP Labs, Amber, Threshold, Electron Kinetics (the Eagle line), Bryston, and others. Even the "budget" components were pretty good, such as Adcom and Parasound, though Adcom got a LOT better in the next 20 years after the GFA-555.
Not so much so with the SS stuff from the '70s. By today's standards most would be considered edgy, etched, and lacking microdynamic refinement. The Marantz Pro and McIntosh stuff was pretty smooth, though.
OTOH, in the late '90s the Crown Macro Reference was a Stereophile Class B recommended component.
Not so much so with the SS stuff from the '70s. By today's standards most would be considered edgy, etched, and lacking microdynamic refinement. The Marantz Pro and McIntosh stuff was pretty smooth, though.
OTOH, in the late '90s the Crown Macro Reference was a Stereophile Class B recommended component.