Vintage Tube Gear Priced Insane Now


Few stereo tube gear are under $1K on eBay. If so are only 12 to 15 watts per channel. The vintage gear needs a complete rebuild on top of the horrid price. Most new tube amps do not have a phono stage either.

jimbennet

I bought an excellent condition Pioneer SX-82 for $225 shipped. Also bought new 7189A to replace under voltage 6BQ5 that came with receiver and five new JJ E83CC frame grid 12AX7s plus new replacement parts for $430 that is typical rebuild costs if you DIY

BTW- all original Elna PIO caps were bad. I bought Russian K40Y-9 replacements. Also note the JJ E83CC sound just like the Mullard 12AX7 long plate but extend further into the listening area. JJ are $28 for new, new Mullard 12AX7 are $200 each.

 

Supply and Demand , we all know that. I have a Rogue Hera pre that runs 8 Russian 6H30’s, I wish I could afford 8 of those little NOS babies. First world problems are the best. I went through the vintage kick about 15 years ago at the MidFi level. Bought Dynaco tube gear, Marantz and Sansui SS, JBL and Klipsch speakers. For me it wasn’t as Golden as I remembered, gave it to the kids. Regards , Mike. 

Supply and demand:

The amount of a commodity, product, or service available and the desire of buyers for it, considered as factors regulating its price.

You’re not the first to discover vintage tube gear… People have been aware of the merits of vintage gear for a long time. Look up Western Electric gear from the 30’s, then you’ll realize what people are willing to pay for vintage tube gear/speakers.

 

Restoring a vintage tube amp requires more than some new tubes and a couple of coupling caps. And not all vintage gear is worth restoring. The gear that is, will demand higher prices. 
 

There is no free lunch. You want to play, you have to pay.

I really don’t know what to say. 

A modified-rebuilt Dynaco Stereo 70 can be had for $900 to $1,800. It’s an excellent entry level amp, maybe better than entry level. I believe 300,000 were made. 

it is not a preamp. So. It will not have a phono stage. For that, get a modified-rebuilt Dynaco Stereo PAS. 

Still imvho by far the best bang for the buck in the market. 
 

I bought a Dynaco Stereo 70 kit in 1972 for $150. That was considered a bargain in those days. In today’s dollars that is $1,100. Hafler wanted to design audio that working stiffs could afford. As I was a 14 year old soon to be working stiff at the time, he succeeded.