Did the Old Receivers Sound Good?

Finally: specs/reviews (I constantly read Julian Hirsch during the ’specs era’)...

I settled on: "Is it INVOLVING?"

Sucks you into the content, forget the equipment. Listen for a long session with no fatigue?

For me, tubes are more involving than SS, and then we have the issue: Every time you approach anything: auto; receiver; tt, speakers, coffee maker: is it still a thrill to see/be glad of your choice.

Keeping vintage going properly can be very satisfying, and every time you turn it on, the expectations are high.

It is wise to find a pro to check/repair any vintage components, resistors etc. go out of spec. I don’t ’upgrade’, I just get back to original performance.

I have compared new/old/SS/tube, vintage tubes do it for me.

Also, the vintage FEATURES are a big draw for me.

Well listening to my 50 year old Sansui now and it sounds really really good and involving. It’s had service and completely checked out from the previous owner 10 or so years ago with a few things replaced. I have the receipts of 300 or so. I think it’s good for now but that bug in the back of my mind says get is totally recapped etc! I’m afraid it will lose its panache so I’m gonna hold off as I feel it’s doing its thing. 
 

Ohh and I leave it one all the time as I read the current inrush is the worst thing for old caps. Not sure if that’s the right thing to do or not. Conflicting opinions on that. 

Back in the early-mid 70’s I had a Marantz 1050 amp, but, remember a fellow dorm mate down the hall with a Sansui receiver, and I remember being impressed by it. He was very proud of that piece of equipment, and had every right to be.

@bill_k

@elliottbnewcombjr

+1

I remember the spec wars… incredibly low distortion numbers for components that sounded terrible. I remember 70’s and 80’s Pioneer, Marantz, Yamaha, and Sansui… they do not hold a candle to high end equipment of the 80’s And 90’s let alone now. I owned / own some of that stuff. So much advancement has been made in better actual sound, ignoring specs it is incredible. It was a very dark time except for truly high end components… Threshold, Nakamichi, Audio Research… etc.