I've been in the audio sphere for over 50 years. I have equipment that is vintage, used and modern. The only vintage equipment that engages me are turntables. What I like about many, slightly elevated quality, vintage TT's is that they are frequently semi or fully automatic and still have decent tonearms
The Allure of Vintage Audio Gear
Vintage audio gear holds a unique charm, offering rich sound and timeless design that many modern components can't quite replicate. Brands like Marantz, McIntosh, and JBL are still revered for their warm, detailed sound, especially in tube amps and classic speakers. While modern technology offers improved reliability and lower distortion, vintage gear brings a sense of nostalgia and character that many audiophiles crave.
Do you prefer the warmth of vintage, or do you lean toward modern hi-fi innovations? How would you mix vintage with modern in your setup?
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Given most of our ages on this forum, most of us started out with today's 'vintage' equipment. Like most things, if you owned top of the line equipment from the better known companies, your equipment sounded good and would sound at least decent by today's standards. For those of us that didn't own TOTL equipment, what we did own sounded fine, until you heard something that sounded appreciably better. The big difference back then was attitudinal. The tendency was to use what you had until it fell apart or became too expensive to repair. Lots of reasons for this, including strict enforcement of MSRP in the 60's & 70's by dealers and manufacturers. With the 80's came stores that offered discounts like Tech Hi Fi and Crazy Eddie's and so, buying new components became more common. For myself, I started out with a used Philco/ Voice of Music suitcase style system (tubes) that lasted 5 years until I purchased a SONY HP 161 compact phono system (solid state) that got me through college to when I purchased a Pioneer 636 / EPI 100/ Dual 1228 set-up (solid state). Sound quality wise, it sounded fine. On rare occasions, I thought it sounded excellent. But there were limitations that I would just look past. I could only get so excited when listening to the music. Things changed when I started to spend more and went with separates (ADCOM) and better speakers (KEF Q55). About 20 years back, I went through a vintage phase and refurbished two Marantz receivers (2216 and 2240). Expensive proposition. I had genuinely lusted for the Marantz receivers as a teenager. Bit of a let down ultimately. Very warm sounding, hit all the nostalgic notes, enjoyable, but they did not match up to the more modern components I had. Used one of the receivers as a tuner in my main system, where it really shone nicely. Now, if only there were decent FM stations to listen to. The other receiver I gifted to Les Paul, who was a Marantz collector himself. I do love the look of vintage equipment and every so often, I get tempted to chase something, but I stop myself because better sounding components are out there for the same money as tracking a vintage piece down and restoring it. There's also less vintage equipment (60's & 70's) out there. | ||
I've been in this hobby for more than fifty years and have owned quite a bit of Hi-Fi gear; both solid state and tube. Solid state gear has come along way from the late 1960's when its sound was one dimensional and flat. Gone was the bloom of tube gear. Today both technologies are well implemented. As for vintage gear I have owned quite a bit over the years but have only kept a few pieces that I really enjoy. My 1962 Macintosh MR65B was the first tube stereo tuner manufactured by the company and my Dad's old Dynakit Stereo 70 that he built with the help of my Mom back in 1961. Dad was color blind, so Mom organized all the color coded parts for him so he knew where they went during the assembly. lol There's nothing like a well sorted piece of tube vintage gear to bring out the enjoyment of your favorite music. 😊 | ||
I have both and I really love vintage gear, the restoration process, the sound, the look, collecting etc. I can be very rewarding and expensive, like vintage automobiles. I have 3 vintage systems, and the one piece I could swap out and use in my main modern system is my McIntosh Mx110z. Although it doesn’t have the inputs and features of my C2300 preamp, the sound is amazing, and an FM tuner as a bonus. I realize this is not for everyone but it is a very enjoyable aspect of this hobby for me. | ||
Most of my gear is "vintage" -- the newest additions include a set of KLH 5's (which I love) and a 2018 Dennis Had Inspire "Fire Bottle" 45 amp and matching LP3.1 preamp. My main setup is a MC-225 built in 1963 with an ARC SP17 preamp pushing Klipsch Forte II's. I have my original Nakamichi Stasis system from 1987 hooked up to Polk Audio Monitor 10 speakers, and a Kenwood KA-9100 from 1977 with Electrovoice speakers.
Various other systems utilizing Dynaco, Reisong, Scott, etc., so I see no need to spend thousands on "new" gear now that I'm in my 60's. The exception is upgrading turntables, cartridges, or adding an extra streamer. More power to those dropping $90,000 on a new ARC amp -- but I'll spend that on my fishing trips, boat, and 150 year old cabin overlooking the river at my 100 acre farm. Join me! | ||
@jasonbourne71, wow! I had the original 3 highboys I believe they were called and traded them for the 3A, then bought the 7 which was a more modern 3A. I worked in an audio store, and got 50% off retail. I think the 7 went for $800 retail price. I don’t remember why I sold them but I was going through a lot of gear back then, Kenwood integrated amps, then went on to Accuphase which was made by Kensonic back then. I kick myself for not keeping some of the equipment. I eventually stuck with GAS Ampzilla, Thedra preamp and a sleeping beauty moving coil cartridge on a uber expensive JVC direct drive turntable. | ||
I have a "vintage" Sonic Frontiers SFP1 PHONO PREAMP that I bought here on the 'gon in 2007. I bought it as a relatively "newbie" that I paired with a Benz Micro Glider MC cartridge, 1.1mv. it sounded great for years. I upgraded several components around it since then. 2 years ago I had it modified at Parts Connexion by Glenn and Chris. The unit sounded even better. Very smooth, clear, focused and dynamic, with plenty of slam. My point? Good luck adjusting it for resistance or capacitance (mm) if you want to swap carts. It involves soldering resisters on the circuit board, that's after you remove the screws and the top cover. Big PITA(SS). Modern gear lets you adjust everything on dials on the faceplate. Vintage great sound? Yes! Huge inconvenience? Yes! | ||
Top quality vintage tube gear has a sweet, musical tone which newer stuff doesn’t quite deliver. But for unhindered bass slam in the lowest octaves, that’s best served by solid state. My Marantz 7 preamp got the Pooge upgrades plus solid state power supply regulation. The sound sparkles. It is engaging and even seductive and it lost its slightly wooly sonic signature. My power amps are biamped; A Citation II with modern caps and Hexfreds in the power supply works above 400Hz and delivers the musical harmonics and the most fragile upper frequency details flawlessly. For the bass, a Carver 2.0 pro amp delivers effortless energy to a pair of custom speakers made from Boxer components formerly at the Hit Factory. And for all these parts to sound their best, I use interconnects that don’t get in the way: Pure solid core silver unshielded Silver Solids. | ||
Vintage gear can provide an affordable platform for mods and updates that can give stellar performance for a fraction of the cost of comparable new gear. My system is largely modded vintage tube gear, but the remote on my DAC brings me into this century! God forbid I should ever have a fire or a theft, because I’d be hard pressed to duplicate the sound I get with whatever an insurance company would offer in compensation. | ||
@stereo5 : I have both the tall and the short Rectilinear III speakers in my collection. Along with a pair of the mini-III's. Excellent but now forgotten speakers. I believe Richard Shahinian designed the III's. | ||
I got into high end audio to the extent I could in the early 70’s as well. With the exception of a few tube amps (generally from the 60’s) which brought unusual warmth with some real lack of details and a very high noise floor, but a unique warm sound… that old gear was just not good sounding in comparison to the gear available today. I keep an old early seventies integrated amp that I bought in 1972 around to look at. But honestly, it’s only good to look at. If I collected anything to listen to it would be some really old tube gear. | ||
@artemus_5 +1
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I had or heard the vintage before it was vintage. Some sounded good. Some was ehh, well. Some wasnt that good. I never heard Pioneer setup I could stand for more than 5-10 minutes. Denon was clean but all midrange. I had/still have a Harmon Kardon 730 receiver and the only thing I ever heard that IMO sounded as good was Nakamichi separates that a friend had. I went to stereo stores but many of the salesmen seemed to turn everything up too loud. Went to audition Carvers Amazing Loudspeakers which was hooked to a Carver preamp (& maybe amp). the salesman bragged about the haulographic (setting ?) on the preamp. It was horrible. I couldn't believe he was so proud of what my son and I thought horrid. One point I'd make is that even back in the 70's & 80's you had to spend more to get more. BTW I'm planning to get my HK730 restored to see how it stacks up against my existing amp |