The Allure of Vintage Audio Gear

perkri:  Glad to hear you’re going to delve into a pair of Heathkit UA-1’s. I’ve restored a few of these along with Heathkit EL84 integrateds which use essentially the same circuit. Some things I learned:  Use the schematic to the UA-2; minor but important changes. Use orange drop caps for a (slightly) vintage sound, fancy caps for a more modern sound.  Good luck finding good 6AN8 tubes!  Buy a bunch 😆.  Rewire the feedback switch to full feedback and no feedback.  The Heathkit circuit is designed to be totally stable with no feedback.  Also, the 6AN8 that is the quietest without feedback is a keeper. Most importantly, the power supply was designed for a 115 VAC primary. Today’s AC at 120 VAC+ will run the outputs at or beyond their limits so build a bucking transformer,  simple and cheap.  This also applies to ANY vintage tube circuit. I have a set of rebuilt UA-2’s on my den system driving B&W 805 D3’s with no want of any more power.  It’s glorious 👍.

Define vintage. Is it like cars where 25 years old qualifies for an "antique" license plate?

Another false dichotomy.

Some vintage is harsh.

Some contemporary stuff conveys a warm sound.

There is no need to sacrifice quality in a vintage system.

I’m a vintage guy, but I sacrifice little to nothing in terms of detail. My system is not for everyone, it may have a coloration but the information is mostly all there.

I ended up vintage because I took what I started out with when I was 14 years old and built out from there according to my inclinations and preferences based on my personal aesthetics and ideology. I guess some sentimentality enters into it: I’ve had most of the components in my system for 40+ years now, so they are an extension of me.

aesthetics:

- analog gives me what to my ears are a warm, rich, detailed and silky smooth sound.
- I have chosen gear as much for how it looks, its vibe etc but I don’t sacrifice sound

ideology

- I am an environmentalist. So, I have chosen gear that is very energy efficient, and I fix it when it breaks. I don’t go out and get the next latest and greatest thing, because when my system is running optimally, it can sound as good as most anything out there regardless of cost.
- there are starving people in Gaza and the Sudan and in Newburgh NY. Repairing, recycling equipment is extremely cost effective, a way to control my spending and keep it modest.

theaudioatticvinylsundays.com

About 15 years ago I bought a Marantz 4400 and a 2325 on eBay. The quadraphonic unit was really cool with the tube oscilloscope.  They both sounded tired so I had the 2325 re-capped and it sounded much better- but by real HiFi standards it was pretty much lifeless. Loud- yes, and really beautiful to look at but as a faithful reproducer of quality recordings they pretty much suck. 

I loved the nostalgia part of owning them as my first "really good" receiver in the mid 70s was a Marantz 2215B. I still have a Pioneer SX780 in my workshop and it too sounds like crap- but it's pretty and brings back good memories. 

"Vintage" is where the fun is, for me. Much of it holds its value, so experimentation doesn't break the bank. This helps me up the learning curve- yes, an Eico HF81 has great midrange, but at the cost of flabby bass. A Precision Fidelity C7A preamp, now restored, sounds wonderful, but the dealing with the psycho who was the only qualified person to work on it in my area was a nightmare. Having multiple systems to play with is part of how it works for me. What electronics can I put behind Quad ESL57's to make them sing? And in so doing find that the best tweak is to raise them off the floor with home-made fully adjustable stands! Can I really "build" a supertable by deconstructing a Lenco, hand-restoring the good parts, and installing them into a plinth made from science lab countertop material? How good can Altec 604's sound with a new 45 SET amp? Do Jagusch crossovers push them over the top? Can a restored Nakamichi deck actually make my cassettes listenable? You just don't know until you try, and going vintage makes it much more fun by making the journey the destination . . .