Old Amps that can still Kick Butt

I still use Luxman M-4000 on a daily basis (together with its C-1010 pre amp companion). Although it’s now 45+ years old, I’m still amazed at how musical and ’modern’ (as in transparent) it sounds. Then upcoming engineer Tim de Paravacini (RIP) did it right and it stands as an early testament to his genius. One of the more powerful amps in its day (although the M-6000 was the real monster) it doesn’t run out of stream and keeps its composure when pushed really hard. I use it with speakers of the same vintage with fairly high efficiency (Pioneer CS-3000a and CS-T8), but it can just as easily drive my low sensitivity Maggie 20.7’s without any trouble. A true classic!

@ebm I don’t think the Rowland 8T is really an ’old amp’. The OP seems to be looking for amps from a much older generation. The Rowland can indeed compete well today, and yes it is a classic and exceptional.
Probably more in line with the OP’s question, would be something like the ARC D70Mk2 or the ARC M100’s, both of which were incredible for their time and still also highly competitive today. ( In fact, i believe there are still a lot of new amp designs that these three will put to shame!)

Kick butt. What a joke. 

Set that old tube amp out by the curb, and you'll be ahead of the rush.
Class D is already starting to make such amps worthless sonically and in time, in terms of valuation. In a couple years such amps will be fairly worthless, and rightly so, as they will have slid from occupying a status of HiFi to MidFi. Class D is now so good that I would not dream of using any amp, SS or Tube, over five years old. It would be a waste of my time to even assess such amps. 

I predict that in a couple years those who are serious about an assault on SOTA will be looking to Class D to achieve it. Those who want a bargain will be looking to the other genres - an inversion of the historic norm regarding amps. It's going to be come bloody among amp manufacturers going forward. Not that I wish ill on other SS and tube amp makers, but such profound technological and sonic progress will not be impeded by nostalgia. The only justification that one might have to use an old tube amp will be that it is cheap. Looking at the other two threads started by the OP with the same dismissive statement, that is perhaps the motivation of this thread - pretend old, cheap gear performs as good.   :) 

SOTA sound is changing for the better right NOW, and Class D is a primary driver of it. Class A, A/B and tube amps? No, they are doing nothing of the sort. The glorious future of Class D amplification HAS arrived, and it will only get better! Cynical? Skeptical? You lose out. 

If anyone would like insight on this, read my review of the Legacy Audio i.V4 Ultra Amplifier review at Dagogo.com

Perhaps it boils down to what matches your speakers?

My restored McIntosh MC30’s (especially), and even my rusty old mc240 find. Absolute sonic bliss