2. analog
  3. 1232579628

history of Vector Research 7000

I have an old Vector research 7000 that I use as a tuner. I have it hooked up to a Musical Fidelity A5, an Opinion cd, and Sonus faber home edition speakers. I found it in the garbage and it pulls in stations better than my Denon DRA 335R. Has anyone ever heard of VR, as it is not listed on many websites and I am wondering if I would get better sound with a used Accuphase or McIntosh or something? I live just above NYC. By the way, I don't know much about this hobby now, but I knew even less when an old neighbor passed away and his daughter gave me his Kenwood KT(forgot the model). I thought it was waaaay too big so I tossed it after a few months. Laugh and the world laughs with you, cry and you cry alone. Alan
128x128pharmacylaw
johnnyb53
3,510 posts
 
I had a couple of Vector Research pieces (receiver and a VCR) that I bought during their heyday in the mid-'80s. Vector Research was a design group in the Camarillo/Westlake area of CA. The gear was outsourced to various far East mfrs, including NEC for VCRs and the mfrs that made the gear for NAD and Rotel. Read the description under Damark Industries here.

In amplification VR made a point of having higher current designs that could earn an FTC rating into 4 ohms (also similar to NAD and Rotel). I have one of their receivers (9100?) that was rated 60wpc into 8 ohms and 90 into 4. Compared to the receivers coming from Yamaha, Kenwood, and Pioneer at the time, that was significantly better current delivery. My receiver also had a switch on the back that enabled you to decouple the preamp from the power amp, and flip the amp into 200w mono mode. They also made a companion 60wpc power amp that you could switch to 200wpc mono mode. It provided an inexpensive upgrade path to take a receiver and turn it into either a biamping or 200wpc system.

As stated before, the built-in frequency synthesizer tuner was excellent.

I still have mine, but I accidentally blew the output stage by shorting the speaker leads when I thought the unit was turned off.
jccampbellii
18 posts
 
I bought a Vector Research VR-5000 when I was in college in the 80s.  It is still working great, and have never had a problem with it.  A great sounding, well made, workhorse (I play albums almost every single day) piece of audio equipment that has stood the hands of time.  
I often marvel that it has lasted this long and what a great investment I made back in the day!  
jccampbellii
18 posts
 

I also do not know how well these were made. You do not see many around in nice condition these days for sure.
Sorry but I meant to put this quote in my post.  
I just wanted anyone who is looking at a vintage VR-5000 to consider how happy I have been with mine and how reliable it has been.  I still find it amazing that it has endured as much use as it has and still plays great,  no problems, and no maintenance on it either. I also forgot to add that I bought it new.

More to discover