Can a Amp be "timeless" and compete with todays amps?


I’ve been into hi resolution audio for 20+ years, well longer than that but acquired high quality gear about that time. I veered off into other interests for 15 years but still had my system sitting idle in it’s dedicated room. I became interested in it again 6 months ago and began to update it. I still have my Rega Planar 25 table and a Dragon phono stage.  I retained my CEC TL1 transport, but replaced my DAC with a Dinafrips Venus II, I also have the Hermes DDC which I feed my CEC into as well as my Cambridge Streamer. I sold my Genesis V speakers because they were having an issue with the left channel bass and since they were out of business I had no way to fix them, it was over my head. I found someone that wanted them and was willing to repair them himself. (he is very happy with them) I replaced them with some Goldenear Triton 1.r’s which I love. So here is the nostalgia part. I still have my VAC Cla 1 Mk II pre amp and my VAC Renaissance 70/70 Mk II amp. I feel they still hold up well sonically, so my thoughts are to send them both to VAC for the Mk III updates this fall of 2022, which includes replacing any necessary parts and "voicing" them back to new as intended when they were first made. I really believe these pieces are worthy of the restoration, are newer pieces today really going to make much headway? I cannot afford to replace these items with "like" items as I am retired and the discretionary income isn’t there anymore. I just feel like they are still really good and offer a very high quality sound. I mean 8- 300 B tubes can’t be all that bad can they? I’ve voiced the pre amp with with Telefunken 12AX7’s and I have a small stash of them. Tube sound is still great right?

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The 1912 DeForest single ended triode is an example of a classic that has been resurrected. One manufacturer described the change to class B as making compromises to improve efficiency and other tricks to enhance measurement of distortion already below what can be heard. This was done for marketing purposes. A TAS review of a McIntosh amplifier described it as sounding like a single ended triode amplifier. Don't automatically newer will always be more desirable than classic vintage gear. "The best" will not be the same for everybody's preferred sound.

The key of the audio system is to release the emotion while you are listenning If you feel it and you love it,you definitely do not need change as you are not in audio business.

You need change if you feel boring, you feel fatigue ,you can not listen for long time,then it is demonstrate that you need do some change.

 

that's a good question. when you say "Can an amp be 'timeless' and compete with today's amps". you have to then ask what is it for? What is its purpose or function? If its to amplify a signal to drive a transducer then yes Any amp that functions as intended can compete with any other amplifying device.  Now you need to be specific and set up parameters to compare the two amps and decide upon listening decide which meets your expectations and which doesn't This is not including instances where a load may be 2 ohms impedance and for whatever design considerations are employed the amp is not stable to drive the load and thus your not able to judge the amp simply because its not functioning. Hi-Fi is an art and subject to any and all considerations of ugliness or beauty.

VTL  250 mono blocks ,  I own for 20years , heavy yes , upkeep can be a pain , but can always be fixed , by a descent tech. I purchased them used for 3000  Used ,New today out of reach , I guess when I bias them , I appreciate them even more.