Early 80's - late 70's best audio products

B&W DM7 Mark 2 speakers (1979). I have a pair in my second system.

Nakamichi Cassette decks; many tuners of that era are still highly desired today.

Is this a geezer test ? Hmmmm.

Large Advents - I had two pair - rocked the house !

Dynaco amp and preamp kits. Great stuff.

This is easy, I sold most of this stuff way back when:

1) KEF 105s - imaged like nothing else, tiny sweet spot.
2) KEF 103s - man, these were GREAT little speakers.
3) Tandberg 2075 - one of the best receivers ever made.
4) B&O 9000 Cassette deck - still one of the best cassette decks ever made - these guys invented Dolby HX-Pro.
5) Tandberg TCD-440 - another great cassette deck
6) Denon DP-72 turntable - what a gorgeous piece
7) MacIntosh MR78 tuner - need I say more?
8) Klipsch K-Horns - these could ROCK yer world!
9) ADS 810 and 910 speakers - excellent sounding small floorstanders.
10) Mission 770s - wow, these were GREAT speakers, too!
11) Revox and Tandberg Open Reel decks - simply superb.
12) Hafler amps and pres, the best bargain bang for your buck

I could go on, but you get the picture - this stuff can still hold it's own against today's equipment.

-RW-

The Studer/Revox B7-- series, all of them, but especially the tuner and the tape machines (cassette and open)
For speakers the Tannoy SuperRed range (especially the beautiful FSM), the Klipsch K-Horns or Quad ESL's(of course all of these have their roots in the '40's and '50's and still have only barely, if at all, been bettered today. So much for 'progress'!)
Phase Linear amps.
EMT turntables or Thorens TD126 and the directdrive models (TD535or 52?, I think) for the cost-conscious.
And and honorary mention for the Yamaha A960/2 a truly great piece of budget hifi that put many pre/power combos to shame, unfortunately Yamaha replaced it with rubbish.
I do agree that from that period onwards its been a downward spiral for serious, accurate high end audio.
This year I replaced my Arcam system with some lucky finds which were made in the early 80's and the old stuff is lightyears ahead. Now searching for a Revox tuner and saving up for an EMT, Thorens or maybe a Technics SP10 or SL1000....oops forgot to mention that one earlier...