I was sitting listening to my main system consisting of an Audio Research SP8 preamp, NYAL Moscode 600 Maxi, Vandersteen 5 speakers, Thorens TD126MkIII with Sumiko Blue Point, VPI HW16, and was completely satisfied, again, with the experience. (Kimber 12TC, Morrow, Straightwire, AQ and Furman accessories) All the equipment has been well cared for and kept in good repair: caps replaced, TT overhauled etc. But it has an average age of about 30 years! I love reading about all the latest gear, and lust after some of it dearly, but... I'm satisfied with what I have. I'm playing with digital and having my fun with that, but I was wondering: Is anyone else still happy with equipment that is now considered "vintage"? (I don't think of it as "vintage", I just think of it as long-lasting!) So... what's the oldest piece in your rig? Mine is the Moscode. 40 years young.
My system is mostly new except my sole source, a beautifully restored Woodsong Garrard 301. I searched for many years for a good used restored 301 and finally found one. Not only it is at the center of my system, after getting it I upgraded my entire system to match the quality and beauty. I think the original 301 is about 60+ years young. Still competes with the best. And I still long for the sound of my Quad 57s. I lived joyfully with them for 10 years. Ultimately decided I needed more dynamics, bass and treble. But the 57’s midrange can still be compared to the best. After all, most of the music is in the middle. Surprised more folks have not mentioned 57s.
I have two McIntosh MC30s circa 1957, paired with an MX110Z early 1960’s. I am in love with the sound and will probably never part with them. This is my vintage system. I have a main system which is more current and an office system anchored by a 1960 MC240. I love he sound and looks of all of these. Life is good.
Pair of AR9lsi pushed by Perreaux PMF2150B/SM2 and an old Hafler setup w/ DH110, DH500 driving a pair of Mission 707se and a DH120 driving a STAX headphone.
I run a mid 90's rig consisting of a Krell KSA 300S, KRC2 preamp, KPE phono, Krell 250/2 CD player, Denon DP 47F turntable, and Thiel CS6 speakers. I also have a Teac X1000R-BL R2R and a Nakamichi 505 Cassette deck. I have relatively modern CD and SACD players plus a couple external DACS and a Hana cartridge but the core of my system has been the same for 30+ years. I bought the Thiel speakers a few years ago from an audio buddy (it was a perfect match for my Krell amp). Before that I was running Mirage M3si's.
I attended AXPONA in 2017 to see how great the new gear was. I expected to be blown away by the new stuff, especially the ultra expensive gear, but I was happily surprised. It turns out that my rig is competitive in SQ with pretty much all but the most expensive systems at the show. I remember listening to a particularly impressive sounding six-figure room featuring big YG speakers and thinking, "Gee, that sounds alot like my system." Many rooms had cables and cords that cost more than my entire rig but I would put my system up against them any day.
Three rooms stood out - the million dollar room featuring Von Schweikert Ultra 11 speakers and VAC electronics, the MBL room with 101 E Extreme speakers, and the Sonus Faber room featuring Aida II speakers and D'Agostino amplification. These three systems were a significant step above mine and if I had the money I would love to own them. There were a few other ultra expensive rooms that just didn't do it for me. I genuinely thought my system sounded better.
I feel very fortunate to have selected the gear that I've assembled. I'm in a position where I could afford to upgrade but without spending six figures+ I'm not sure I would be happy with the result. Many times when I listen to my system (especially on a good recording) and I hear something that I never noticed before, I sit there smiling and shaking my head because it sounds so good.
I have several older pieces including Dahlquist DQ10, stashed away, plans to restore, upgrade, Thorens TD160, many, many mods. Harman Kardon T60, outboard power supply mod, Conrad Johnson MV-55 modded with Jantzen Z Superior caps, 1986 Klipshorns, only bass enclosures remain stock.
While original date of manufacture may qualify as vintage, are they really vintage when upgraded and modded? Also, recently sold N.E.W. (Nirvana Electronic Works) DCA66. Class A solid state amp powered by four 12V lead acid batteries. I purchased this from new, 1995.
This made me find info about my many Vintage Components, Thanks
I love Vintage Audio Components, looks/quality/features. I
am proud of keeping them going. Refurbish them myself if mechanical, electronic
fixes by pros. Spares of the very old stuff.
kept all other console components: Viking 2 channel stereo
tape deck; master control panel; fm tuner; am tuner; programmable clock, phono
preamps, fm multiplex
………………………….
1964:
PREAMP: McIntosh mx110z Tube Tuner/Preamp (just overhauled
by Audio Classics)
I have been using Altec 604E speakers (made around 1965) since 2005 and EMT 948 turntable (made around 1990) since 2011. All off them are great stuff and very good value for money. EMT turntable is plug and play. Altec 604E sound nice as is. But to get more modern sound and to use all their potential they need some tweaks like - super tweeter and better crossover (although the stock crossover is not bad at all).
@dabel....Yeah, sometimes you've got to be a dolt to comprehend what it feels like..*L* Good of you to post the link to lights....when they go *foom*, we're in the dark and guessing about such.....loved the 4300 on his site, a subtle beast that one could fondle until the salesfolk chased you off.....
Oh, one vintage' item not remembered but assigned to the 'shop audio'; an SAE 2 band parametric EQ that makes whatever can survive 'being in a wood shop and the abuse thereof'....a Sony rcvr and CD changer for tunes to drown out the chop and other saw breeds.... The speakers? Anything that survives....hung from the beams, where relative safety from dust exists....*L*
I recall from the early '70's a bud working at a t-shirt printing shop had an air-driven 4-color printer that was Loud as F when 'engaged'....so they'd slung a pair of old JBL's aimed at the operator 8' away running at 9+ on the knob....don't recall what drove it 8+hr./6days/monthly/yearly (since I didn't work there), but it apparently didn't implode from the 'enthusiasm' required to overcome the racket. It had to....once you started that machine, it ran until that 'run' of prints was either completed, or something went awry.... The latter was not a pleasant occurrence....ink drying in 4 aligned silkscreens, potentially 'blocking' the images and/or sticking to a shirt in the middle of the sequence? Like stuffing a large firecracker into a large ant mound and watching the frenzy wrought....*L*
Headphones were popular, even with the JBL's. ;) I assume that most of the operators wear hearing aids like moi'....but I never worked there, instead into other loud environs....like a panel saw, cutting aluminum or brass sheets @ 1" a minute....
"Hey, Jer'!"
"HUH?!"
"I SAID..."
"WHAT?! (Stop saw...)
"The office wonders when you'll be done...."
"Within your lifetime..." (Hit the switch...deadlines is deadlines....)
I am using a recaped Marantz 2285 Piooner SX-1250 With klipsch Frote Ii ; Nakamichi cr7A , Sony 760 Es , technics St-9038 (Great tuner) and waiting repartir is my first piece of gear ; Sansui AU-217 II amplier.. Nice Sound , but not better than New components
An Aiwa f770 & f660 tape decks, cambridge t500 tuner (if considered vintage), and a kenwood 4007 tuner...all work great. Everything else is up to date stuff...
I’m big on vintage gear also having just the past couple of years gotten back into the audio world. Kids, college, etc. being the main reasons I got out of it the past 25 years or so. But I digress. MY main rig right now is Martin Logan CLS driven by a Audible Illusions 3, Krell KSA 150, Velodyne sub, McIntosh MR71 tuner and a Revox B77 R2R. Some pretty old, some newer but I’m happy as a clam with what I have and find the sound more enjoyable than some friends stereos with Wilson’s, Levinson, etc. it’s not always about what is the latest and greatest although I’m sure much of the newer gear is exceptional sounding, but I’ll keep my old man stereo any day.
System #1: Fully restored Sansui AU-717 (1977) and fully restored Sansui BA-F1 (1979), horizontally
bi-amped. Marchand XM-9 active crossover. Canton speakers (1990 and 1996) and subs (1989 and 2002). Morrow Audio interconnects and speaker cables. Denon DCD-A110
SACD player. Denon DNP-800NE streamer. Furman Elite 15 PFi power
conditioner.
System #2: Harman Kardon HK 730 receiver (1976). Canton speakers (1979).
Canton sub (2002). Marchand XM-9 active crossover. Morrow
Audio and Kimber Kable Silver Streak interconnects. Kimber Kable
speaker cables. NAD C 516BEE CD player.
I only have one piece of vintage gear that is still wired up in one of my rooms. It's a 45w Harman Kardon integrated amp I bought in the early-mid 1980s for about $250, IIRC, from a high-end shop near Washington DC. No WiFi capabilities, no LED front panel, no remote control ... but it still gets the job done, year after year.
In contrast, less than 2 years ago I bought a combination DAC/streamer/pre-amp. Made in China. Sells for about $3400. Well, lately, my system no longer recognizes it as a "Roon-Ready" networked device. So on the LAN, it now only works as an Airplay receiver. I've been trouble-shooting the darn thing for days, trying to figure out if it's a hardware problem, a settings problem, a network or firmware or software problem. Complicated!
I have mostly vintage gear. A pair of Altec A5s, a pair of Altec model 19s, and a pair of Altec model 15s. I still have a Kenwood M1D amplifier. Turntables are a Thorens TD 318, and a Dual 1229. The McIntosh MC 7100 is getting old too. My preamp and subs are new. Also new are my cabling, crossovers, diaphragms, Dac, streamer, and things of that nature. I do love vintage gear.
Hello, All you you are so funny. Your gear is incredible. It might be old, but an old Porsche or Ferrari is still awesome and tons of fun to drive. I have a few older Sony pieces that are on a second system that I really enjoy. Too bad we can’t do an audio crawl. I am certain these systems you all have sounds unique and amazing. I also want to say how much I appreciate everyone taking the time to help out each other when auditioning and getting gear is so difficult.
Garrard 401 purchased as NOS from a guy in Germany who acquired it as part of EMI Germany's surplus inventory. My personal end-game vinyl rig. A couple of closet "waiting to repairs" from Tandberg and Audionics.
ADS 1230 speakers (1983), Thorens TD166 mk table (1985), Yamaha T3 tuner (1982 - though I bought it used 4 years ago), Quad 405 power amp (Dec. 1977), Nakamichi 410 pre-amp (Dec, 1977), NAD CD player (2016). My Sumiko Bluepoint #2 cartridge, at two years old, is the newest piece of equipment. The Quad and Nakamichi got rehabbed within the last few years and the cross-overs in the ADS speakers were recapped in late 2018.
As noted, I'm still happy with this stuff, especially the ADS speakers. To get "better" sound, I'd need to spend thousands more, something I'm not motivated to do at this late stage in my life.
The system I use is mostly composed of vintage gear, or of cables that are inspired by vintage technology.
Analog front end: Linn Axis TT with Linn K9 cartridge; Digital front end: Philips CD transport & Muical Fidelity Digilog DAC (from 1987, using TDA1541A chip, now set into NOS mode, and it's got a new output stage with premium caps and fully discrete op-amp); Amp: Audio Innovations ALTO mk1, recapped Speakers: JPW AP2 Cables: Duelund
I have owned this system for a while now, and having audiotioned some more recent equipment, I haven't got the wish to upgrade so far (well, maybe the cartridge).
The three eldest pieces of kit in my current system are:
Michell Gyro Dec - circa 1992 (modified to Orbe platter/DC motor in 1997/05) Audiolab 8000PPA phono stage - circa 1996Monitor Audio Studio 50's speakers - circa 2000 the rest of my system is fairly "modern", although my Koetsu Black dates to 2007 !!
*S* Some things just follow one around like puppies....;)
Recent "new"/old in the house, a pair of SMGa Maggie's that spouse has taken a shine to, Garrard Z-100 for vinyl (Shure, of course...), a Rabco SL-8 just because it is (and we're running the calendar backwards now), a pair of 12" Utah's with their matching horns (just because they're fun to play the latter's LOUD *L*)....a pair of older ESS large amt dipoles (like the Utah's horns.....Loud, but Better....*S*
...but the widget that's still in near daily use....
A Niles Audio CPM-31 6in/6out switch bay. 'Very analog.' *G* A>D>C>E.....or whatever combination you'd prefer.....A>A even, but why?
....or the other 'twins', for that matter...*shrug*
@dabel....My 1st 'serious receiver' was a 2270...driving a pair of 901B's. Cranked, the dial lights would dim on the bass lines. Refused to implode. Kept until I opted up to the Kenwood separates that I kick self harder for leaving get away....
@1971gto455ho....I had a serious case of lust for 4 Infinitesimal 0.1's when I first heard them....Those and a nice sub of the era "coulda' been a contenda' "....their Watkins' double drive woofers, woofwoofwow *L*
My main system Klipschorns, inherited from my father, are from 1973, albeit with extreme slope crossovers that are about 10 years old. Atm I'm using a Luxman 307 integrated amp from the same year
or I use a fantastic 2.5W Miniwatt
but I have some old Mullard amps from the '60s that I rotate through there occasionally.The front end is an Antipodes S30 server/streamer via a Denafrips Pontus DAC.
My 2nd system has home made KEF Transmission Lines that I made in 1977 and I use the old Mullards here too. The front end here is either a Digital/internet radio or streamed content from my PC via a Rega DAC.
My Favourite audio topic..Vintage Teac CD PDH-600 Yamaha Tuner Tx-1000u “ C. Deck Kx-1200 “ Pre. Amp. CX-1000 “ Amp. Pc 2002m “ Amp. Pc 4002m “ Amp. Pc 5002m Infinity Infinitesimal 0.2 speakers X 4 Infinity IRS Beta speakers Infinity SSW-212 servo subwoofer The pc2002m amp. 4 small 0.2 speakers and SSW-212 work with the T.V portion of the system. I seldom use the Tuner and C. Deck There is streaming gear although of course not vintage. I could ask for newer and find it…. But why !
My system is mostly vintage but all of the gear is new to me within the last 2.5 years. Denon DP-62L with a Gold Grace F-9 cartridge and Soundsmith nude ruby OCL stylus, Pioneer PL-41A with a Denon DL-102 mono cartridge, DYNA FM tuner, DYNA PAS-3X preamp, Prima Luna EVO 400 power amp and Magico A3 speakers.
The system has evolved a lot since starting it back up in 2019. I dusted off the Infinity RS4b speakers and bought a Yamaha A-S3000 integrated amp. Sold my TEAC V-900X cassette deck, ADC 315-SS eq, and dbx 3bx III. I also took a Sony ES series CD player out of the system. I upgraded speakers and amp within the last year.
The sonics improved nicely with every change I made. I worked one one thing at a time. I started by upgrading the stylus on the Grace F-9 cartridge. I then obtained the best tonearm wand for the cartridge (black HT straight wand) based on calculations for cartridge mass, tonearm mass & cartridge compliance. The sonics followed the math and provided a rich new sound from the TT! Along the way I addressed the 1st and 2nd reflexion points in the room, which made a huge difference in sonics. Eventually I upgraded the speakers and then the amp after listening to four other amps in the system two of them SS and two vacuum tube.
Regarding your question, The PL-41A is from 1970, the PAS-3X is from 1971. I believe the FM Tuner is from around 1970 or so.
I recently replaced a 41 year old Audio Research SP6B and a 46 year old GAS Ampzilla with a Cary SLP05 ultimate upgrade and SST Son of Ampzilla II. Old stuff still sounds good, both well maintained with Ampzilla recapped and retransistorized, but oh man, new stuff is better! I also owned DQ10’s for 24 years, loved them, but the ATC’s are better too.
I have Wilson Watt 8 watt puppy’s and run McIntosh for amps but I still own a Nakamichi Dragon cassette player. When I have friends over and I play cassettes they are blown away on how clear and wonderful the sound is. Old gear still plays well if you take care of it!
I have a collection of vintage components, but the oldest (and Best) is a Scott LK-150 tube power amp (1961-1964). It’s been updated, respectfully, but not modified. It’s dead silent (unless it’s playing music, lol), works perfectly, looks awesome, and sounds amazing. I bought it as a second system amp, but it’s since replaced the excellent, current model amp that was in my main system. The main system is a mix of vintage and new components. They all play nice together.
I have a pair of Acoustic Research 3a speakers on walnut stands pushed by Audio Research M100 monoblocks through a conrad-johnson PV12 preamp with a McIntosh MR67 tuner. My turntable is modern though I still have my original Dual CS508 in the basement. I love it all!
I still use my 1976 Linn LP-12 though it's my back-up turntable now and has been periodically upgraded. It's kind of like the story of the guy who owned the axe that George Washington used to chop down the cherry tree and was in original condition except the head had been replaced twice and the handle three times.
Nice the Rogers - you should here them on my Class A mono blocks with the 16 Ohm taps!
Also try a RCA 5R4 instead of the 5U4 similar but different eBay about $20 shipped.
Guitars - got a '69 Strat and about 6 Les Pauls' a few Hamers, ES-330, ES-335, a Blonde Tele, etc. I have been searching for a good lunch box head amp to try out now.
Best vintage power amp I found was the Lafayette KT-550 changed the tube complement - hard to beat them if you can find one!
Building my own product line all point-to-point wired I guess they are all based on Vintage components in a way just better parts and transformers.
Original owner of a pair of JBL L65s (A) bought new from Pacific Stereo, Spring of ‘78 and which are still in daily use. They’ve been looked over & refoamed once in the mid nineties…no complaints since then. I bought a fair little collection of amp/source components around this same time (1978) to hook up to the ‘65s all of which are long……long..fizzled and gone.
I've got 30yr old Soundlabs, Krell amp & BAT preamp that were just "light used" when buying them. After a decade of happy use, now I suppose they are vintage! Cheers, Spencer
In my office system I have a Mac C-26 that I have owned for 46 years, it was recently restored by Audio Classics. Also, an Accuphase T101 tuner and a Denon DP-52F turntable. Reluctantly, I recently had to replace my Crown DC-300A amplifier with a Parasound. The Crown had a mechanical hum that I could not repair. Also, there is an older NAD CDP that I wouldn't necessarily consider vintage.
Most of my stuff is about 30 years old, and still working and sounding fine (fingers crossed). Some of the oldest are my Sonus Faber Electa Amator speakers, Classe Audio DR-15 amp, Stax Lambda Signatures, MFA preamp and Denon 3520 CD player. Over the years, I have added several newer pieces: Oppo 105D, Stax 009 phones w/tube driver amps, Benchmark DAC1 and a JA Michell GyroDec turntable with Rega arm and Benz Micro Reference cartridge. Can’t imagine selling any of it.
I love my JVC QL-Y66F turntable. It can hold its own with some of my newer more expensive tables (after some extensive damping of the plinth with plasticlay). I also have a Realistic Lab 440 table and some Klipsch Quartets. Oh, and a few FM tuners...
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