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The Golden era of Japanese integrated amps, are we missing out?

Maybe it’s just me but.....
I just threw together an el cheapo system with a Sansui A-2100 integrated at its heart and diminutive Wharfedale Diamond 220 speakers.

And I still cannot get over just how good and right it sounds.... All for $240 total shipped!

So this got me thinking about the golden era of Japanese equipment and while tuners , tape decks and turntables appear to have large followings and a large knowledge and fan base, I do not get the same vibe on integrated amps?

Are there devotees of these amps out there?
I very rarely hear anybody talking about them and so many can be picked up for peanuts, I mean $75 shipped in perfect working order and decent cosmetics( and built in mm phono to boot!).
Are they likely to be the next " big thing" or?

Thoughts?
uberwaltz

Showing 1 response by sharbatgula

sharbatgula
19 posts
 
uberwaltz - Several have told me that those speakers do amazing with cap upgrades. Even with relatively inexpensive caps like Mundorf MKP or Clarity CSA.

I think it's a very inflated story. I just recapped my ~35 years Heco speakers to a disappointingly minute difference. I mean, 9 out of 10 people will not notice the difference. Only a very very slight change in transparency and twitter level and I think the highs sound harsher now. 
The original caps were bypolar smooth type and I recapped with Jantzen Cross-caps (MKP).

I'm not saying it doesn't work, but the speakers need to be very revealing and the caps probably need to be of higher (more expensive) class. It's not night and day on old equipment.
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