Hey, an old thread I enjoyed browsing through!
Old Classic Receivers: A Mistake to Buy?
I was contemplating purchasing a 70's receiver, as I used to love the construction and appearance of the Sansui, Kenwood, Pioneer, Marantz. However, when I ran this by an audio friend, he said, "Forget it."
He says: They sound terrible. The caps & resistors used before the early 90s' were dreadful. The electrolytics are drying up and will start crackling and substantially degrade the sonics. The switches and controls used were almost never sealed, so they deteriorate and make noise and can't be fixed even by taking them apart and cleaning them.
Tuners: He says that nearly all non-digital tuners used varactors, which go out of alignment and cause problems, so no old tuners, with the exception of the Mac MR-78 and possibly a few others, are worth dealing with.
I am tempted to believe all that he is saying is true, but I see a market for these items, and also know that people claim they are still using these pieces for 25 years.
What's the truth here? Can some of the techies enlighten me?
He says: They sound terrible. The caps & resistors used before the early 90s' were dreadful. The electrolytics are drying up and will start crackling and substantially degrade the sonics. The switches and controls used were almost never sealed, so they deteriorate and make noise and can't be fixed even by taking them apart and cleaning them.
Tuners: He says that nearly all non-digital tuners used varactors, which go out of alignment and cause problems, so no old tuners, with the exception of the Mac MR-78 and possibly a few others, are worth dealing with.
I am tempted to believe all that he is saying is true, but I see a market for these items, and also know that people claim they are still using these pieces for 25 years.
What's the truth here? Can some of the techies enlighten me?
- ...
- 101 posts total
Okay ... if you want to build a bedroom or dorm system on the cheap, ched out the Sherwood 7100 or the 7100A. The 7100 is more tube-like and the 7100A is more of a solid state sound. I've had a Sherwood 7100 in my bedroom for a few years now ... twenty bucks at a thrift store. Really fine examples can be found on Ebay for a hundred bucks. Here's one that looks to be in near mint condition: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sherwood-S-7100-A-Vintage-Receiver-Beautiful-Condition-Works-Good-/172171537... Happy listening ... |
Well, I swing both ways and with that disclosure I am admitting to the opinion that it is certainly not a mistake to invest in some solid state vintage if you wish to be sonically satisfied. I wont B.S. you about having an $8000. tube setup (and then display a lack of basic grammar). I have a very reasonable Fisher 400 as my office (home office) receiver, a rather vintage Denon 1650 AR (well 2 of these, but one in this system), a Luxman PD 441/Micro Seiki MA-505 w/Orsonics headshell & tonight will be putting on a NOS Koetsu Black cartridge.A pair of Silver Tannoy 15's which I purchased at goodwill inside of a Radio of America stereo cabinet, along with the Fisher receiver/400 and a Telefunken TT ..all for 65 dollars. In my bedroom I have two Luxman receivers as the alternate hearts to that system. One, the oft repeated in these threads R-1120 and the other, its brawny little brother, the R1050. I MUCH prefer the soundstage of the 1050...especially in combo with a Luxman G-11 equalizer. It has no decay in the bass drop off and has crystalline clarity along the treble line ...w/no appreciable (that I can hear) distortion ...any livable volume. It is also connected to the twin Denon CD player/1650 AR and a pair of Boston Acoustic A-70's. Despite having Some incredibly nice equipment (for my pocketbook and knowledge) in my main system, my bedroom system does, despite being an 'old' solid state receiver /s sounds nearly as good. Much has to do with the age of my ears perhaps, but a great deal has to do with what Luxman brought to the table in the 70's and 80's. That G-11 equalizer alone is a deal maker...I have set it up with a few friends systems and never left their home without a ,"sorry its not for sale" . Yes the Fisher system with the 15" Dual Concentric Monitors is breathlessly transparent and needs to stay between 2 and 3 on the volume...no higher before the ears go, but for the donuts to dollars, the basically Luxman system is no slouch at all. |
- 101 posts total