Old SS amps

@drmuso 

Thumbs up from a fellow Classé owner! The David Reich designs were fantastic. I definitely have a pair of DR-3 VHC on my bucket list. 

Happy listening!

You need recapping if you turn the unit on, there is a flash of flame and the room fills with smoke. I found it (enormous, heavy, Adcom receiver) in a thrift store for $30. For $80 in parts (power supply capacitors) and a bit of work it now sounds wonderful. It's built like a tank! I'm still hunting for bargains but will wear goggles and a mask when powering them up for the first time. Perhaps I can find one of those flame proof suits Nascar drivers wear. That $12 Yamaha tape deck didn''t blow up, but it didn't play tapes ether.

@boomerbillone 

What you need is a dim bulb tester, not a gas mask 😂

In 1979, I purchased a McIntosh MC2120 power amp for $800, if I recall correctly, from which I graduated to Odyssey monobloc amps in early 2024.  The 2120 was in use the entire 45 years, less one month in the early 2000s for a refurb, which included an LED, capacitors, and other minor parts replacements, which cost me about half of the original purchase price.  The amplifier performed superbly, and I upgraded because I realized that I would better sound with more power for the speakers, and I actually considered seeking another MC2120 to bi-amp the speakers, but I was convinced to purchase more powerful monobloc amps.  With appropriate care, SS amps can serve a long time quite well. 

Many older power amps are still excellent - check them out and have them recapped if they need it. I still run small production Class A amps like the Belles A, a pair of bridged Classe DR3 VHC, a stereo Classe DR3, a Jeff Rowland 5, and a Robertson  4010 in various systems,