Can anything beat Vintage Amps for the $$$?

Yes Rich, I'd say at least 25 years. So far I am a bit suprised by your responses. I have previously searched many forums here, and on audioasylum. I 've read numerous claims, stating that amps such as the Scott 299 or Eico HF81 can not be touched for 3 of 4 times the price. Does no one here think that? Are the people making such claims just vintage fans, not being truly objective?

Joe

I have swapped every component to vintage gears simply because they're better value. Is it coincident that all these vintage gears are from the early 1960's?
No surprised the tube gear technology peaked around that time.

I've put my aged HK930 up against a NAD C320BEE and the HK wins, by a small margin. All I have done to the HK is have it cleaned and replace the preamp-out power-in jumpers with OCC cables. That's not to say the NAD is bad, in fact some people might prefer its more forward presentation. The HK is more laid back and with the new jumpers the timbres are sweeter. Probably I could tweak the NAD too.

The HK does need work. Its PS is aging and gets buzzy when the AC power is dirty. The balance and volume pots should probably be replaced, since at low volume (essential for the bedroom) one channel winks out. The NAD is utterly silent and plays at low volumes just fine.

If I spent the money to have the HK properly fixed up that would bring it pretty close to the cost of the NAD.

You are kidding right?

I have a 1961 Bell integrated tube amp with a phono stage that gives me 22 watts of musical power and no problems.It even had the original RCA 6V6 and Telefunken 12ax7 tubes when I bought it. The tubes have been replaced with EH and nothing else has been done.Sometimes you get lucky.I use it with a tuner and a cheap pair of Paradigms for background listening. Wish I would have kept my old Rogers LS3/5A's from years ago. But who knows,maybe lightening will strike twice.