Amps from the 1980's -- What gear holds up sonically? Reliably?

Well, for me the 80's was a time when CERTAIN designers made some really memorable items. My system today still has major components from the 80's. Beginning with Conrad Johnsons premier 1 amp all the way thru to the MV55 were all great sounding pieces. Audio Research made the excellent SP-10 & SP-11 preamps. Love all the Thresholds especially the SA versions. Cary Audio made some very special 300b pieces and Jeff Rowland was very good too. I was not a fan of Krell, too analytical sounding and not musical for my taste. Every era made good stuff, I'm listing to my vinyl now on an Unmodified 1957 Marantz 7 thru a CJ Premier Four thru Martin Logan Request Electrostats and the music is so pure, detailed, and musical with a dreamy super large soundstage. I paid $4500 for the Marantz 7 about 2 years ago and it is one of the best preamps I have every had the pleasure of owning and listening to. Don't discount older stuff, they still sound AMAZING!!!  Forget about specs, let your ears be the judge. 

having my old Adcom 555, redone at VanL speaker works to use in my office.   always will have a softsopt in my heart for that amp. 

Recently, my Precision Fidelity M7-A returned from the dead and immediately reconvinced me why I bought it in the first place-it just sings. Got it paired up with a pair of Silverline Audio SR11s', being pushed by an AR SP14 and a California Audio Labs Icon MK II. Detail beyond the boundaries of the speakers abound. It replaces a VERY high end amp that is most reputable, that doesn't sound near as good to my ears. It does all of the things I value very well.McIntosh? One of the best sounding systems I have ever owned was a C 28 pre, and a 2300 amp running into a set of homebuilt speakers. Had it all set up with a real time analyzer, and it was incredible sounding and dead solid reliable. Had it all installed in the wall of my mobile home set in the middle of 22 acres. I had no noise complaints....and a whole lot of fun, 1973 to 1983.

Shop I worked at in college sold a lot of Adcom triple nickels.  Of course, I couldn't afford that and beer money, even at cost!  The big Adcom (and later the 565) reliably drove the Thiel 3.5's in one of the shop's large, treated listening rooms, and I spent many days hoping one day to have a system as fine as that. Good people and sweet memories.  

Might be well known, but when asked what 'GFA' signified, reportedly the Adcom guys said it was short for 'Great F____ Amp'.  Certainly has earned its place in audio lore.

Cheers

There is just too much stuff to mention, some equipment will do wonders in some systems and sound average in others. But if you hear the same model component being repeated, then you know something special about that item. I used to believe McIntosh was not high-end because for many years, they were not in the hifi game but after they got back in, and I got to hear their new stuff along with returned back and listening to their older gear like the MC 275, it definitely settled the issue that some Mcintosh is superb equipment also.