Reliable amps

[Sokel]

A good answer to this thread is taking a look at the used market.
We can see stuff (scams aside) built 30-40-50 years ago that work and look perfect.
Even if someone doesn't buy used (like me for example,I would never know if the previous owner is a cannibal like me) can always make a rough estimation of company's track record.
After all cost can only be measured through time.

 

[restorer-john]

Based on Restorer-John's earlier comment I'm half tempted to put a tiny schematic and biasing instructions in my amps, along with spare transistors with the hope that maybe someday someone would give them more decades of life.

I had a lovely vintage (1950s) Semak Vitamizer (blender) I had restored in the early 2000s and used for a number of years. Just a classic mid century kitchen appliance with lovely lines and perfect function.

This model (internet pic)

After about 10 years of my use, the brushes clearly had worn down and I figured that was the end of it after 60 years. Imagine my surprise when I removed the base to find a small manila paper envelope, tied with brown jute string to the incoming power lead and stamped (factory) with "spare brushes". Inside were two brand new 60 year old replacement brushes.

Look at the vintage Holman preamplifier @amirm reviewed very favourably- it has the schematic attached to the base of the unit and potentially one of the best service manuals ever written.

 

[antcollinet]

If you want an amplifier built to last long enough to give to you grandchildren, you'll have to build it yourself. Make it over engineered, through hole, no micros, no code, no firmware, no remote control, physical switches not soft control, analogue protection systems, cool running (no fans) using the best ubiquitous and widely available components you can buy. And then keep whatever spares you want in a box just in case.

The first big (300wpc) power amp I built is still running (left on) 24/7 in a church for their PA, 37 years later. The only thing that has died is the neon in the power switch. I built it when I was 20 years old! Had the heatsinks cut at a boat manufacturing factory as that was the biggest precision radial arm saw I could locate. I remember ringing them and asking what maximum depth they could precisely cut finned aluminium. The guy said "son, we build boats, what are you making?". I told him it was a power amplifier and he laughed. He didn't laugh when I took the extrusions in. He had to make two passes and make a small jig to hold the heatsink upside down to give the flawless cuts I wanted. I made him test cut on the first set that were buggered up by an 'engineering' company...

That's what I like about you - you are seriously old school.

 

[JSmith]

Let's face commercial reality here... the majority of manufacturers do not want your product to last 30+ years, they want you to replace it at least every 10 years. There are exceptions to this rule of course, but otherwise that's the way it is and it 'aint going to change anytime soon. Even worse is devices that are designed to fail.

I have amps from over 45 years ago that still work fine... mostly I find devices that have moving parts fail much sooner than those that don't. Even the majority of class A/B amps built today are not of this ilk.

Unsure what is better for the world and the finite resources we keep digging up... an amp that uses many times the materials and lasts 30+ years, or an amp that uses many times less materials but fails in 10 years or less.


JSmith

 

[OldHvyMec]

I became a Mcintosh owner in the early 70s. I've never had a failure I didn't cause and that was a whopper. Cable drop. The cable from
a MC275 CE fell with smart bomb precession, right on top of a Nord NC500 cables. I wasn't in the room. I lost a channel. Blown valve?
I see a blown valve on the right channel. I was going to swap out a pair of VTL 300 MB for the mids/highs on the Elixirs. I do the swap
and fire them up. BANG. WTF!!! THAT is when I see the fallen cables that were laying there in this perfect position to FRY TWO expensive
amps.

I still own 25 valve units and a few SS all in the 30-60 year range. 2 units I had Samra build C20, C11. All PIO russian/??
I purchased newer Mac Gear for convenance 15 years ago. C2500, MX121. I prefer Nord class ds in the hot months
In the winter Cary V12rs. ONE failure and the V12s are used at least 50% of the time to heat the house, 1500 hours per year
for over 20 years. Caps and valves.

All my Cary gear has been very dependable. SLP-05, 2 V12Rs. I lost a filter cap on a V12. LOL It leaked on the floor like an old Harley, Oops!

Acuphase is as solid as a rock.
Yamaha
Hypex. I have 10-15 year old modules that look and perform like the day they were bought. At least 12 NC500. NEVER a failure.
Adcom. I have a stack or two of those old things. They are bullet proof with the exception of the GFA 565. Brain (?) has upgraded boards

I have 4 NU12000 Behringer power amps. I can't break one. I use them for strict bass duty. 10+ years old and they will drive 6-8 18" Ultimax subs
per amp.

ICE, I've seen too many failures. I think there was a low AC power issues in the 5 I saw. SX1000 Wyred 4 Sound. Filter caps bulging 5 different times.

 

[Galliardist]

Yamaha? The only amp I've had that died was a Yamaha AX592. Not worth repairing, I was told: the board for the power stage cracked.
Hopefully, the exception that proves the rule.

 

[Sokel]

Yamaha? The only amp I've had that died was a Yamaha AX592. Not worth repairing, I was told: the board for the power stage cracked.
Hopefully, the exception that proves the rule.

My old Yamaha,40+ years old has been passed to 5-6 members of my family over the years and some time that include traveling,etc.
If it wasn't about the looks (I like minimal stuff,big,but minimal) I would stick to them for life.

 

[Blumlein 88]

You can never tell. Had a JC Penney Quadrophonic receiver that worked for 40 years. Lost in a fire not its fault. After the first few was in a garage for background music. Still have a Sherwood recever that works which is 40 years old this year. One of the houses I grew up in had one of those intercom systems. Included built in AM-FM radio to each room in the house. It still works and is 51 years old. I ran the antenna wire into the attic when it was new. I know the people who still live there and they use it. Had to change a dirty pot once in the 1990s, and a dirty switch. It has played no telling how many hours. Not everything has to be over-engineered or super duty to last a lifetime. Just well enough designed for purpose.

I do love Dreadnought level gear, but sometimes it isn't needed. Who knows how long some gear will last. I'm still using everyday a Wyred4Sound class D amp which is 15 years old. It has either been powering ESL's or used in home theater the entire time. True if it goes and is the ICE module it won't really be repairable, but the service, price and performance is nothing to be ashamed of by any means. I have a Dell laptop which is older than my ICE amp which just won't die. It doesn't get used much anymore, but it still works. Switched it to Linux a few years ago. Unlike a basic power amp it has outlasted its usefulness. So some new items like a streamer or some such doesn't really need to last a generation. Standards and things will change to the point it will be of no good even if in perfect working order.

 

[MaxwellsEq]

Much of my analogue gear is still working (if a bit curmudgeonly) after 20 to 30 years.

What I passionately support is "right to repair". As we better understand cyclical resource consumption, it's morally wrong for manufacturers to not make repair information (under NDA) available.

 

[mhardy6647]

Much of my analogue gear is still working (if a bit curmudgeonly) after 20 to 30 years.

What I passionately support is "right to repair". As we better understand cyclical resource consumption, it's morally wrong for manufacturers to not make repair information (under NDA) available.

Me, too -- but there are a couple of ways that 'right to repair' breaks down (so to speak).
First and foremost, a module has to be reparable in a practical sense. If it is too densely populated with SMDs and too complex, it could be irreparable by default.
The aforementioned EICO HF-81 is eminiently reparable, even in 2023. As an example -- the company that made the power transformer for EICO for the HF-81 (Heyboer, in Michigan) is 1) still around, 2) happy to make one upon request, and 3) happy to make an "uprated" PT better suited to modern AC mains voltages than the original, somewhat under-spec'd PT. Impressively, at least the last I knew, they would do it at a very reasonable price.

I bought a spare for mine, just in case, about 20 years back. It was about $100. Very cheap insurance.
@restorer-john -- we have three 1950s EDIT 1960s era Waring "blendors" at our house. Great appliances. Mrs. H grumbes about the number of them we have -- but, again, it's my way of 'future-proofing'.

 

[GXAlan]

Based on Restorer-John's earlier comment I'm half tempted to put a tiny schematic and biasing instructions in my amps, along with spare transistors with the hope that maybe someday someone would give them more decades of life.

What would be cool is if you integrated this into the enclosure/chassis like a dress shirt with extra buttons sewn in, or your car’s fuse box. Something to be discovered by the tech

 

[oldsysop]

Class D garbage is irreparable.

 

[Blumlein 88]

@restorer-john -- we have three 1950s EDIT 1960s era Waring "blendors" at our house. Great appliances. Mrs. H grumbes about the number of them we have -- but, again, it's my way of 'future-proofing'.

I have a couple of those Galaxie Osterizer blenders from the early 1960's. One is on my kitchen counter still in use and is another one of those items that has been used who knows how much.

There are so many nice working ones on ebay they only go for about $15 or $20.

 

[dfuller]

Class D garbage is irreparable.

Not true.

 

[mike70]

I used Naim Nait 5i and Exposure 2010S integrated amps for 13 years without any issues. If I hadn't sold them most likely they would still be in a perfect working order.

I have the 2010s2
Classic design, high quality internal components, no problems with temperature (never hot surfaces), ... only powered on and off since many years.

 

[Klonatans]

I have the 2010s2
Classic design, high quality internal components, no problems with temperature (never hot surfaces), ... only powered on and off since many years.

I still have the matching 2010S CD player in a perfect working condition (for occasion of a sudden and very rare whim to have a CD night). The only thing I didn't like about the 2010S was the cheap and cluttered remote. Otherwise it was an excellent amp, especially with Elac FS 247 speakers.

 

[Sonny1]

I had an Aragon 4004 for a long time but it finally burned up. Had it repaired and it still works. Cap blew up but it was easy to repair.

 

[Timcognito]

My first reciever, a Nikko 501-B that I purchased in 1970 now resides in large maintenance shed open to one side with large cargo door on a golf course 1.5 miles from the Pacific Ocean in one of the foggiest places in No. America. My bother who manages the greens there says it is on 9 hrs a day 5 days a week.

photo from ralph cramdon not my amp

 

[computer-audiophile]

Yamaha was my first thought.

Same here. Yamaha belongs to my favorite brand since their introduction of the Natural Sound Series. I owned countless devices of them, also speakers, turntables, musical instruments, guitars, pianos and pro audio gear. All very well done.

 

[Deleted member 48726]

Yamaha integrated and power amps come to mind. Also Onkyo made some bullet proof amps back in the time much akin to the design of Yamaha. Old Sonys as well.