What Part of the Audio Chain Has Improved the Most Since Mid 70s?

Vinylcafe

Linvin' the Dream
Reason I ask ...
Most of my gear is from around then (give or take).
So what am I missing out on, as a function of all vintage.
My guess is that it might be the speakers.
With new materials and new software to help in the design, this might be the biggest leap forward.
Or maybe it's cartridges?
Transducers improved more than electronics?
Would love people's take, as I am thinking of breaking out of the vintage mold with new modern speakers.
 
My speakers! It all started in 1976 when I bought a pair of Magnepan MG-1's. I also use "boutique" cables and IC's from DH Labs.
 
Amps and receivers...almost all of them sound good to me, and that is not due to my lack of listening skills. Peace and goodwill.
 
A better class of listener/enthusiast.

Later Edit: Looks like a throwaway line, but meant to underscore not only did we not have this virtual access to fellow enthusiasts via pc (and AK specifically), but that we are also ourselves the most critical link in the chain, in one way or another.
 
Last edited:
I have to go with speakers. As for everything else there is only so many ways to skin a cat. So next would be better components, caps, resistors , transistors, ect.
 
The biggest improvement I've heard is in turntables. I only go back with Linn to the mid-1980's, but the LP12 I bought in 1993 was much better than the one I bought in 1985, and today's LP12 is a step beyond that, particularly with some of the upgrade options. Among lower-cost 'tables, the Rega RP3 I'm enjoying today was much better than even its immediate predecessor, the P3-24, let alone versions running back into the 1970's which used tone arms made by Acos (it wasn't until 1983 that Rega developed the built-in-house RB300).
 
Since the early 70s, everything. Just look at what the manufacturers were throwing at the hobby until the late 70s.

From the late 70s, I believe speakers have advanced the most. Power handling, sound power and such are much better as is sound technology. Back in 1980 you needed multiple speakers, big horn speakers or pro speakers to fill a very large room. Now you can do that with some nice upper end speakers from a few different manufacturers and their top models, admittedly not AK cheap and vintage fare, will fill large rooms with great sound with ease, giving the amps for the job.
 
For entry-level systems, where value is a big factor in the definition of "Improved", it might be a tossup between speakers and amplifiers. That the NAD 3020 was such a celebrated piece when it came out at the end of the seventies says a lot about the average quality of amplification then. Today better SQ is available in a $20 chip amp. A reference amplifier, for the price of a good tape measure. That is saying a lot regarding improvement, imo.

In general terms, it's got to be digital, of course. Not sure if that is intended to count as an answer, but...

From my own, snooty, elitist, audiophile purist perspective, I nominate the pre-"amplifier":



:music:
 
Being that 'DIGITAL' as it were didn't exist in the home audio realm in the 70's, it would be more of an 'innovation' than an 'improvement.'
 
Being that 'DIGITAL' as it were didn't exist in the home audio realm in the 70's, it would be more of an 'innovation' than an 'improvement.'
OK. But if you're gonna talk about improvements in existing technologies like vinyl and cassettes then the elephant in the room is gonna be digital.
 
OK. But if you're gonna talk about improvements in existing technologies like vinyl and cassettes then the elephant in the room is gonna be digital.

No, not slamming "digital" at all here. It just does not fit the parameters of this particular discussion. We can address 'digital' in a different discussion where we can consider the improvements made since it's inception in the 1980's. Discussion of 'elephants' would be better left to a separate thread. ;)
 
Back
Top Bottom