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In the last 20-30 years, what has changed most...

I am curious, what has improved more in the last 20-30 years, amps or preamps?

Another way of asking would be, if you had to chose, would you rather have a 20-30 year old amp or pre amp?

It seems there are still some old amps that are holding value, but I rarely if ever hear about old preamps.

Just curious btw. I am not searching.
brianmgrarcom

Showing 2 responses by albertporter

albertporter's avatar
albertporter
4,949 posts
 
If we are discussing brand new product, this becomes a design and parts quality issue and not just endurance to have survive the decades.

I would choose the twenty year old amp matched up with the best modern pre. I actually get excited about several of the old amp designs but do not share that emotion with old preamps.
albertporter's avatar
albertporter
4,949 posts
 
I would not even mind going back even further on amp designs. There were many built at the dawn of the era of HI Fi that are still valid today.

First that come to mind are the Western Electric designs, the Marantz 16, Macintosh 225 and 275 and HK Citation.

Even the old Dynaco Mono's are still a very valid amp, even by today's standards. All of these benefit from the great tubes supplied in them from the factory, the same tubes we are scrounging around to find as NOS or clean used, even today.
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