2. amps-preamps
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When is an amp ‘just too old? ’ To buy?

Hello sports fans!!

I’m seriously tossing around the idea to get into another amp (s) as I’m simply not playing mine as I should. 20 hours in the last year or so is about all. I’ve been using both my office and now BR systems far, far more as they’re handier and simpler to manage now.

Switching speaker wires, and re-checking bias from extended lengthy periods of non use causes me to not use my monos enough to keep them or so Im thinking.

Add to that my vision is apparently going away now at a faster clip than I’d prefer too …. It all adds up… so there they sit. 20 hrs. over a whole year. It’s embarrassing.

So I’m thinking SS. Or self biasing amps now as replacements, IF I decide to go that way and it’s looking more & more as I will.

I’ve always thought amps under 5 yr and preferably under 3 or less, as the ones I’d prefer to take a shot with, but am seeing more and more amps now with 5, 6, 8, 9, even 10 years from date of production and am wondering, just when is an amp (s) old enough to forget about or when one should really consider some other amps.

Do you all feel SS amps have a different criteria than do HS amps in terms of longevity?

Or is it vice versa, with tube amps lasting longer, generally speaking?

How old is just too damn old! As it relates to amps for sale… in your opinion, of course????

Thanks much.
blindjim
kbarkamian
647 posts
 
I'm hesitant about buying pretty much anything over a few years old. I bought a Bryston B60 that was about 8 years old at the time. If it didn't have 12 years of warranty left, I'd have passed. It's easily the most solid audio investment I've made. I just had it upgraded to current SST status for $120. How many companies want anything to do with gear that's 11 years old?

McIntosh is another company that'll support pretty much anything they've ever made. It's not free, but they'll bring just about anything to original spec, and sometimes surpassing it. McIntosh will sound closer to your BAT gear than Bryston will IMO. I don't have a ton of experience with BAT, so I'm sure others here can help more.

Conrad Johnson, McCormack, Pass, and Jeff Rowland all reportedly have very good long term support. I'd look into one of those, then place a call to see if they can do anything for the specific model and ballpark figures of how much. If they can't service it, ask them what they can service.
Post removed 
blindjim OP
3,092 posts
 

Gbart

bOB cARVER MADE A GOOD AMP WHEN HE MADE THE pHASE lINEARS. bEST SHOW i EVER ATTENDED THE BAND HAD 21 OF THEM DRIVING EIGHT STACKS OF SQUEAKERS... THEY PLAYED THEIR LATEST RECORD AT THE TIME FRONT TO BACK AND THEN JAMMED FOR ALMOST AN HOUR AFTERWARDS... THE ALBUM WAS dARK sIDE oF tHE mOON... 1973 sPECTRUN, jAX fL..

Johnk

tHANKS. hADN'T THOUGHT OF mf ACTUALLY. THINK THERE'S A DEALER HERE TOO, OR THEY USED TO BE A mF DEALER, BUT i'D NOT DEAL WITH THEM AT ALL. ONE CAN ONLY TAKE BEING TREATED LIKE CRAP SO MANY TIMES, YOU KNOW? THEY SELL AYRE TOO.

cAN'T STOP ME FROM GETTING ONE PREOWNED THOUGH.

Dav65mus

Thanks... I tend to agree with you on the subject of sonics between the BAT and Macs. I've a Mc dealer here and previewed all from the 252 to 602 on several Paradigm units and several Mc units including the XR series. I thought the 602 + 360s was a pretty good match for an all Mc setup.

then I bought the VK500. nO REGRETS.

nOW i'M rca... NOT xlr ANYMORE DUE TO MY PREAMP.

Elizabeth

hmmm.... I thought their warranty from the orig owner was transferable.

JC1s, huh? Dealer returns only? Really?! Wow. I'll not doubt your word, but that's mind boddling. I think they're more than I need anyhow.
tHANKS.
blindjim OP
3,092 posts
 
Johnk

BTW... Musical Fidelity's one year warranty doesn't inspire much confidence. I'm glad you're happy with your's however.

I do also get warranties aren't the end all be all, but 1Yr? that has to be the lowest in the industry in mid fi gear... Well, it ties Silverline.
t_bone
1,182 posts
 
One of my favorite owner's manuals reads in one place:
The amplifier does not require any maintenance. While the design is conservative, this is a hard running amplifier, as single ended Class A operation is the least efficient operating mode. In fifteen years the electrolytic power supply capacitors will get old. Depending on usage, you will begin to have semiconductor and other failures between 10 and 50 years after date of manufacture. Later, the sun will cool to a white dwarf, and after that the universe will experience heat death.
This is for the Pass Aleph 1.2 (200W at 8 ohms).
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