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.
