Is it worth replacing an old amp?

My experience has been primarily with Pass and a few other brands over fifty years. An amplifier made by the same manufacturer will show significant improvements in ten years and a huge difference in twenty. It is a competitive market and to stay relevant a company must keep improving the sound. So, in general they all have. 

Companies typically have house sound, so, unless they took a turn (which could happen with a company like Yamaha) then you will get a similar but much improved sound with a much newer model.


I cannot comment specifically on recent Yamaha, the last one I owned was about 1980… it was supposed to be a high power amp (it weighed 75 pounds)… but the Acoustat 2 + 2’s electrostatic I owned drained it at low volume. The new Pass amp that I bought (Threshold s500), blew it away on power and overall tonal balance.

Although you don't know until you try, you'll find that most mass market receivers are pretty bloody awful. Artemus has it right. 

It all depends on the match between the amp and the speakers it could be better or worse, it is always a question until you try it and listen to the change whether good or bad.

No upgrade your source.

I've been using an old Aragon 8008BB for the past 25 years in my secondary system with some KEF LS50s. I got the bug to upgrade, so I bought a PS Audio Stellar S300 Class D amp a few weeks ago at a great used price.  Bottom line ..the S300 does some things better than the Aragon, but overall, the Aragon is richer sounding & more musical.