20 Vintage Amps That Prove They Really Don’t Make Them Like They Used To

lol,

 I had an Ampzilla and the Son of Ampzilla.  I think I built everything Hafler ever put out. I still have a Dynaco  Phase 400 (For some reason).  All  were good in their time, but I’m not sure they’d stand up against today’s technology.

There are several very good Sansui’s.  AU’s 717,919, 7900, 9900, 777, 888, …

I am partial to the 5900 & 7900.  The 717 / 919 are very solid and the 777 / 888 are known to be warm and tubey.

Makes me wanna bring some old gear out of retirement.

@atmasphere said it all. I have owned Ralph Karsten’s Atma-Sphere M60, which I consider a far better amp than all those in the article. I have owned a Dynaco Stereo 70 and pair of Quad II’s, and my Music Reference RM-10 and RM-200 are quite a bit better than either of those amps. MR’s Roger Modjeski designed and started building the RM-10 and RM-200 in the 1990’s, and his equally good RM-9 (which I also own) in the 1980’s. No, they don’t build them like they used to; some are now built better than they used to be. By the way, Modjeski considered Julius Futterman a genius.

+1 on @bigtwin 

well said

Great  article, thanks for sharing.  Some great vintage tube gear, surprising how much NFB used to keep distortion low on the Citation II and Marantz.  Then comes the SS beasts of the 70’s where WPC ruled!  I own a Crown DC300A driving vintage Infinity RS speakers that still punches hard, add it to the list.