Vintage amplifiers that could challenge or approach current state of the art amplifiers

[Chr1]

I was a young engineer there then and couldn't afford the parts to have one. HP was a hot bed of hifi enthusiasts at the time. Our lab stock had hifi parts in it just for them. Two guys I worked with were Sigfried Linkwitz and Russ Riley (Linkwitz-Riley filter anyone?).

Wow...

Respect!!

 

[MattHooper]

I'd think some vintage-enjoying ASR members might get a kick out of this place:

A new store with vintage amps etc as far as the eye can see:

I BUILT A 1970'S HIFI STORE.... filled with the best vintage audio and stereo receivers​

 

[jsrtheta]

I'd think some vintage-enjoying ASR members might get a kick out of this place:

A new store with vintage amps etc as far as the eye can see:

I BUILT A 1970'S HIFI STORE.... filled with the best vintage audio and stereo receivers​

Looks like the original Saturday Audio Exchange in Chicago.

 

[Sal1950]

I'd think some vintage-enjoying ASR members might get a kick out of this place:

Yep, I think that's been posted here a few times.
For sure he knows where the big money is, look at the shelf's full of Marantz gear.

 

[Sal1950]

Looks like the original Saturday Audio Exchange in Chicago.

I spent a lot of time there back in the day.
A great place to pick up new closed-out gear on the cheap, etc.
You just need to know the values or you could get taken to the cleaners LOL

 

[jsrtheta]

I spent a lot of time there back in the day.
A great place to pick up new closed-out gear on the cheap, etc.
You just need to know the values or you could get taken to the cleaners LOL

The old place was on Clark Street. Last I knew they were on Belmont.

They're authorized NAD, Monitor Audio, and Musical Fidelity dealers. Other brands, too. But, again, it's been 10 years since I stopped by. They got a lot of my money over the years.

 

[Robin L]

Yep, I think that's been posted here a few times.
For sure he knows where the big money is, look at the shelf's full of Marantz gear.

I remember liking Marantz gear during their solid-state heyday. Used to have a Marantz 8b, must confess I didn't like it all that much, too much of that "tube sound" for my taste.

 

[DanielT]

I'd think some vintage-enjoying ASR members might get a kick out of this place:

A new store with vintage amps etc as far as the eye can see:

I BUILT A 1970'S HIFI STORE.... filled with the best vintage audio and stereo receivers​

A nice enthusiast who makes money from his hobby. Absolutely OK BUT when he did a listening test with receivers and then turned the tone controls differently on the receives in that test, I lost my interest in what he has to say. It is then quite impossible to say that receiver X with speaker Y (which was included in the test) is the receiver that sounds best.

However, his videos themselves are eye candy.

 

[Sal1950]

The old place was on Clark Street. Last I knew they were on Belmont.

They're authorized NAD, Monitor Audio, and Musical Fidelity dealers. Other brands, too. But, again, it's been 10 years since I stopped by. They got a lot of my money over the years.

LOL, its was around 1990 (34 years ) that I bought my first pair of HSU passive subwoofers. I then went down to Clark St and purchased a pair of NAD 2400 power amps really cheap (refurbs?) to run in bridged mono configuration to drive them. They could put out some serious scary power on peaks like that. YEA!
It also brings back a bad day there, I just went to kick some audiophile tires and parked somewhere I shouldn't. When I came out the car was gone and after a few phone calls (at a pay phone booth LOL) I learned I had been nabbed by the notorious "Lincoln Park Pirates" towing. I had to first pay a cab to get to the impound yard, and then pay the parking fine and towing bill to bail it out. Cost me a small fortune. It forever immortalize that Steve Goodman song in my mind.
Way Hay, tow they away, the Lincoln Park Pirates are we. ------------------------------- LOL

 

[SirPaulGerman]

I just got a Soundcraftsmen MTX S860 amp, I did some research and someone tested the amp


Here are some numbers

at 1204
180 watts



what do you guys think ?

 

[Zucc]

Hello, I have used ASR a few times in the past but never made an account. Well, here is my first comment on this site. Anywho, I do agree with the previous commenters about the old, big Perreaux amps. I found a 5000B from a studio & my buddy who has been doing this for a very, very long time begged me to trade it to him. I did begrudgingly (mainly because I had not had the chance to hear it much, but also because I have seller's remorse on rare gear), and when he hooked it up he told me its the best amplifier he has ever heard. I went over to his place to hear it (I heard his previous system's revision a couple nights before, so the sound was still burned into my memory) and on the first song I could tell it was the best I had ever heard as well. His Electrovoice Sentry 4's (he has 2 pair, and 1 pair of sentry 3) just got the sweetest, smoothest midrange I had ever heard. Flash forward about 6 months, I am now the owner of a PMF 5550, one of the most overkill amplifiers ever. Retail was $4,250 back in 88'. They now drive a pair of mirror-imaged DQ-10s, which I am updating the capacitors on within the next month or so. Before the DQ-10s, they briefly powered a pair of Apogee Centaurs. I believe those were about $2000 back in the mid 90's. I got mine for 200 bones, with fully functional ribbons, but let them go when I saw something else I wanted. I see a few have mentioned the Ampzilla. That was a terrific amp as well, but if we are going to mention them, I believe the Son of Ampzilla is a better candidate. Said to be the best sounding of the trio. Once I restore both of mine, then I will be able to determine. Also, of the old Crowns, my amplifier engineer friend said the D-150a series 2 were a top 10 amplifier design ever produced, for bass that is. Ken Rockwell's findings seem to have only further made me a believer of that.

 

[Jaxjax]

Yamaha M-85 is a classic of the day and has the grunt to back it up too.

I have owned that & the wonderful MX10000,

 

[Jaxjax]

I'll bite. I would go with a Nikko Alpha III. I bought it in 1978

I still have 2- off the Nikko Beta preamps. I bought a second one just in case. Stored & not to be sold.
Joe

 

[Jaxjax]

Interference to the power line does not come out as this same interference to the signal, agreed. However, it does influence the equation that is to be music. I have learned that great setups can make gear invisible. If we get to this point using a DSP, all is OK. But we get to this point without one, also OK, right? We had these discussions in the 80s about EQs. Better with or without? Today, I don't know many people who proudly post pictures of themselves standing beside theirs.

I use em albeit not 80's but the modern pro studio type built in germany. Most on here use DSP it seems but I prefer the analog route for EQ & have the usual DSP suspects on hand. I like to color up my sound to what pleases me...so I don't fit in well at ASR. Entertaining place though. I have none of problems you mention & these speakers run Pascal class D with I'm sure the same supplies you mention. If your near Wa state your welcome to come listen. No noise & I have a wonderful allusion factory going on with this simple set up.
Joe

 

[Rottmannash]

Hello, I have used ASR a few times in the past but never made an account. Well, here is my first comment on this site. Anywho, I do agree with the previous commenters about the old, big Perreaux amps. I found a 5000B from a studio & my buddy who has been doing this for a very, very long time begged me to trade it to him. I did begrudgingly (mainly because I had not had the chance to hear it much, but also because I have seller's remorse on rare gear), and when he hooked it up he told me its the best amplifier he has ever heard. I went over to his place to hear it (I heard his previous system's revision a couple nights before, so the sound was still burned into my memory) and on the first song I could tell it was the best I had ever heard as well. His Electrovoice Sentry 4's (he has 2 pair, and 1 pair of sentry 3) just got the sweetest, smoothest midrange I had ever heard. Flash forward about 6 months, I am now the owner of a PMF 5550, one of the most overkill amplifiers ever. Retail was $4,250 back in 88'. They now drive a pair of mirror-imaged DQ-10s, which I am updating the capacitors on within the next month or so. Before the DQ-10s, they briefly powered a pair of Apogee Centaurs. I believe those were about $2000 back in the mid 90's. I got mine for 200 bones, with fully functional ribbons, but let them go when I saw something else I wanted. I see a few have mentioned the Ampzilla. That was a terrific amp as well, but if we are going to mention them, I believe the Son of Ampzilla is a better candidate. Said to be the best sounding of the trio. Once I restore both of mine, then I will be able to determine. Also, of the old Crowns, my amplifier engineer friend said the D-150a series 2 were a top 10 amplifier design ever produced, for bass that is. Ken Rockwell's findings seem to have only further made me a believer of that.

That's a lotta transistors!

 

[Deleted member 48726]

That's a lotta transistors!

The most I've seen in person is in my Yamaha P7000S. 16 Sankens per channel.

 

[Jaxjax]

The most I've seen in person is in my Yamaha P7000S. 16 Sankens per channel.

How do you like that P7000S.? I have the little brother to it but look for your version from time to time.
Joe

 

[Cbdb2]

The most I've seen in person is in my Yamaha P7000S. 16 Sankens per channel.

View attachment 346388

Those caps don't look big enough for that monster.

 

[DonH56]

Those caps don't look big enough for that monster.

It's a switching power supply...

 

[Deleted member 48726]

How do you like that P7000S.? I have the little brother to it but look for your version from time to time.
Joe

Perfect amp. Clean power. Silent operation. Fans don't start until it reaches 50 deg. which it does, but only when playing louder than conversation for 45 minutes and I can't actually hear them spin at low speed anyway even of I turn the music off.
EDIT: Oh, and it idles at a cool 32 W, have stepped calibrated attenuators that I use to know the whereabouts of safe listening. Yours have them too of course. Do you have the P2500S / P3500S or the P5000S? -The P2500 and P3500 have toroidal transformers, the P5000 and P7000 have SMPS.

Those caps don't look big enough for that monster.

It's an A/B class but with SMPS.