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20 Year Old Amplifiers compared to 2017

Just a random thought, but I’m curious just how well the state of the art solid-state amplifiers from 20 years ago compare to some of today’s better offerings. For example, what does a pair of Mark Levinson 33Hs or a Krell FPB 600 sound like if compared to the latest offerings from Pass Labs or Ayre Acoustics?
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seanheis1
627 posts
 
Dan D'Agostino, in his Stereophile interview, said, point blank, that some of his Krell offerings measured better than his current stuff. He specifically chose sound quality over measurements in his highly acclaimed breed of new Momentum components.
Chasing measurements will give you that clinical, dry, and lean sound. My guess is that its the sound signature of too much NFB. 
craigl59
307 posts
 

seanheis1:

Your comments by Bruno Putzey are incisive.

Have noted as well that large weight, quality, and expense are regularly pitted against small weight, almost as good quality, and cheapness and the latter always wins. This has been the case with plasma versus led tvs, acoustic versus electric pianos, and now class a (and or a/b) versus class d amps.

My experience has been that the less you mess around with the waveform the better the result.

mirolab
208 posts
 
I've tried several times to replace my 20 year old amps with something comparable in price... only to be disappointed.  I own 2 Brystons... I just had my 4B-ST restored (by Bryston... an amazing deal!) and am very happy to have it working again... sounding possibly better than new with modern caps.  I also have a newer 4B-SST2... which at twice the price, does not sound better in my opinion.  It's more refined, but less exciting.  My all time favorite amp (don't laugh) is my Nakamichi PA-7AmkII.  I had it restored/recapped and it sounded better than ever for a few years, but it's now nickel & diming me with weird power up issues.  I so LOVE this amp, but wonder how much i can afford to keep it running reliably.  This is the problem with big vintage amps.  No matter how great, they can start to develop weird little problems.   I also share with the poster above... that my trusty backup amp for 20 years is a Hafler P3000.... not GREAT.. but surprisingly good!!  
zomble
10 posts
 
Like Lancelock I have an old Mirror Image Amp a very obscure company that only lasted a flash. I recently bought a first watt F3 amp and there was no comparison between the two on my Sunfire Ribbons. Of course the older amp would be close to $10 000 in todays dollars. having tried some Class D there is something to be said to good old Class A amps. especially because it is 1 degree F today.
schubert
7,386 posts
 
I have one of the first Belles 150 's made, I reckon  it to be 28 years old .
Bought few years ago for $ 400 bucks from AudioArt, one of the best guys in audio, who had it totally recapped etc and hardwired with one of his excellent $500 bucks power cords as a project ,
It's in my bedroom doing the usual Belles clarity and tone thing, I truly believe it can keep doing it for another 20 years.

-12 F in St Paul as I type this .
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