Old SS amps


What are people's experiences with old SS amps. And I'm talking old like close to 20 years. I guess this can be called vintage(though to me it's yesterday.)

 

Either you bought it new and have had it that long or you bought it used.

Is buying it used a really bad idea even though it was owned by one person with no service issues? Like an old Pass.

I hear something about capacitators needing to be replaced. Should it be avoided like the plague? Am very interested in one but don't want to be stuck with a cat in a sack.

Thanks for any thoughts.

roxy1927

Was listening to a couple of days ago with a friend's Dynaco ST-70 which he had it recapped a few years back. He claimed that he spent some $$ to put in premium parts. Well that really paid off. Driving some JBL speakers, they really sound great. but he claimed that before the re-cap, the music was really unlistenable. Those ST70 he got were from the 70's and was never recap till recently.

 

Tinned Compressed Air with a Straw Nozzle and Deoxit is a real friend when entering the inner sanctity of the Vintage Circuits, Panel Control Dials and connections scream their thank you when getting Deoxit Treated from the Devices innards. 

Many Many sing once more with a few minutes of this care being administered.  

I bought a gently used B&K ST-202 power amp in the early '90s. That thing worked perfectly from day-1 to now. Sounds pretty good, too.

 I have 3 power amps, 2 vintage and a newer one. I like my old Phase Linear 400 Series 2 amp. Sounds as good as anything newer IMO. Could do with larger power supply caps and and more reliable output transistors. But for that investment it would well worth it. 400 watt amplifiers are insanely expensive now.

I own and use daily a Krell 300cx amp. Original owner since 2002, capped by Krell about 8 years ago, never had one hiccup with this melodious but powerful amp. Won't leave it until it leaves me. So if an amp is well-cared for and from a high reputation mfr., go for it. Neal