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How do we remember 1970s amplifiers?

I would be curious to hear some of the memories and impressions associated with the following short list of 1970s amplifiers:

- McIntosh "first generation" SS amps, MC2105, MC2505, MC2300, MC250, MC2100
- Dynaco Stereo 400 and Stereo 120
- Phase Linear 400 and 700
- Bang & Olufsen "slide rule" receivers (i.e. especially blackface Beomaster 4000)
- Original Ampzilla (not Son of Ampzilla)

I've chosen this list mainly because they cover a wide range of approaches to solving the issues of early semiconductor technology, and they were all pretty mainstream products in the U.S. I'm excluding the Japanese receivers/amps not out of predjudice; it's simply that the circuit designs varied quite a bit with each model, and thus harder to broadly classify their characteristics.

I'm interested in impressions of both sonic and non-sonic attributes, and a preferred ranking of the above, if you like.
kirkus
mitch4t's avatar
mitch4t
1,611 posts
 
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In the 70's, I was still a receiver dude. Separates were a little too esoteric for me back then. The thought of a separate amp was light years away.
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audiofeil
4,011 posts
 
I had a Phase Linear 400 driving a pair of Bose 901 original series in 1972.

At that time it was the best amp/speaker combination I had owned.

Preamp was a Dayton Wright; don't remember the model but it was my first preamp without tone controls.
stereo5's avatar
stereo5
6,468 posts
 
I had a Kenwood 8000 and something integrated amp. I think it put out 75 wpc. I used it with Rectilinear 3a speakers and the sound was excellent. I have fond memories of that system. My turntable was a Thorens TD160 with a Shure V15 cartridge.

Should have kept the system.
bifwynne
2,206 posts
 
Back in the 70s, I used to own a Crown IC 150 pre and DC 300 amp. Speakers were Infinity 2000a electrostats (tweeters). TT was a Thorens TD 160 w/ Ortofon cartridge. I loved that system and had it for more years than I can remember.

The Crown gear never stopped working. I sold the IC 150 about 5 years ago. Just sold the DC 300. About 2 years ago, I bought a DC 300A for mt son. The factory rehabbed it and the amp sounds great on his system and works perfectly. His pre is an ARC SP 9 -- also immortal.

I have a D 150A II in the house as a back-up amp. One day I'll hook it up into my system to check out how it sounds compared to my ARC VS 115. I'm prepared to be surprised. :)
orpheus10
8,668 posts
 
I'm still using the the Dynaco. It was a "Quad" when I used it in the 70's. I had it mated with my "Quad" Phase Linear 4000. Since that time I converted it to stereo.

Without a doubt I thought everything I had was "hot stuff" at that time. Now, I use the still powerful Dynaco in the entertainment room where nobody listens anyway, but it bangs out that bass.

I guess your question is how we remember, as opposed to how we compare with today's amps; and I remember it as "all good".
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