Vintage gear that makes you say "Wow"...

This whole system makes me say "wow!" I want it and I haven't even listened to it. :)

https://skyfiaudio.com/blogs/news/s...jF_eLFoH5JFRkSD16-WCToLRK6VQXHg43Xwocr_O5Ec5M

Ha! I just got a pair of these exact same speakers - Tannoy Ardens - around 6 weeks ago. You are right to "want" after them! Haven't heard any of the other gear, but I love my Ardens. They are out there for cheaper, if you look hard enough and are patient. I mean, REALLY patient. Mine were A LOT cheaper, but they did need a little work. LOVE their sound though, they are keepers, forever! (So I says now, anyway).

That is a sweet system.
 
Totally enjoying my Pioneer Series 20 gear right now. I have the C-21 pre and the M-22 amp. Just waiting on my PLC-590 to be refurbed. It just makes beautiful music. The C-21 is awesome. I got it from CC Poon at Monarchy Audio some years back. He modified it somewhat. The M-22 is stock just refurbed with new caps.
 
Here's what makes me say 'wow'.
A 51 year old TD125 Thorens table with a 51 year old S.M.E. 3009 Pre-Improved tonearm and a brand new Benz-Micro Gull-Wing cartridge mounted in an Orsonic head shell. The rendered blissful sound quality provided by such a high-end cartridge does not out-class the table or arm to be too old or out of its lofty league.

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Here's what makes me say 'wow'.
A 51 year old TD125 Thorens table with a 51 year old S.M.E. 3009 Pre-Improved tonearm and a brand new Benz-Micro Gull-Wing cartridge mounted in an Orsonic head shell. The rendered blissful sound quality provided by such a high-end cartridge does not out-class the table or arm to be too old or out of its lofty league.

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Very nice!
 
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Those Luxmans are spectacular but that is also my favorite Rotel integrated.
Congrats on the refurbishment--would dearly love to hear it.
 
Latest vintage acquisitions that made me say WOW....

Tannoy Arden speakers from 1977 - so musical. Just a thoroughly enjoyable listen! Detailed enough but above all they are musical and can boogie.
RCA LC-1A speakers - unsure of date but probably from the 1950's - possibly most realistic midrange I've yet heard. Really close to the Quad 57's I owned a few years ago. Just sounds real/right. Not the most extended highs or lows, these are all about the midrange. May perform much better when I get them in some larger cabinets. These cabinets are about half the size they should be, according to other RCA owners.
 
Last year I made the big jump to separates, and it was really worth it. :thumbsup:
Thanks to Dave Gillespie's meticulous restoration of my 1960 Fisher 400CX preamp and
1955 Fisher 50az mono blocks, I am sitting on cloud nine.
Smooth as silk, powerful and punchy, they match up perfectly with my EV Interface D speakers.

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Here is the man himself, Avery Fisher, second from right, with his 50a mono blocks at the 1954 N.Y. Soundorama audio show. (thanks to AK member Red 1)
 
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Last year I made the big jump to separates, and it was really worth it. :thumbsup:
Thanks to a meticulous restoration by Dave Gillespie on both my 1960 Fisher 400CX preamp and 1955 Fisher 50az monoblocks, I am sitting on cloud nine. Smooth as silk, powerful and punchy, they match up perfectly with my EV Interface D speakers.


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Pictured below second to right is Avery Fisher with his 50a monoblocks at the 1954 N.Y. Soundorama audio show. (thanks to AK member Red 1)

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Very nice, congratulations! Love those tube mono blocks, would really like to hear this system in person. I know it must sound sweet!
 
Thanks for the thumb up!
The all-triode Fisher 50-A mono blocks are really something special. Their massive transformers and unique design make for a huge soundstage, deep bottom end and midrange to die for.

There were 3 versions of the 50-A mono amp, which makes it quite hard to find a matching pair for stereo, so I jumped on this pair when I found them.
Like many units online, mine had been worked on. I was extremely fortunate to have the Master, Dave Gillespie do an incredible job to bring them back to spec for use in a modern hifi system.
If you are interested in their unique class AB2 design, check out DC Gillespie's excellent threads on the Fisher 50-A and later 55-A amplifiers.

Fisher's Original Bad Boy: The 50A Power Amplifier
https://audiokarma.org/forums/index...ginal-bad-boy-the-50a-power-amplifier.804905/

The End of an Era: The Fisher 55a
https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/the-end-of-an-era-the-fisher-55-a.646003/
 
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I know I once put my modified Mark Levinson 332 up here before but this time I want introduce you to the rest of the restored vintage equipment family. Back in the day Mark Levinson owners would have looked down their noses at SAE gear. I decided to invite them all to the party and guess what? They get along just fine.

SoundRack.jpg Soundrack2.jpg

From left to right: Schitt Modi MultiBit DAC, SAE D102 Cd Player, SAE C102 Cassette Player, SAE P102 PreAmp, SAE E102 Graphic EQ, SAE E101 Parametric EQ, SAE A202 Amplifier, MidAtlantic Power Distribution Ctr, Klipsch Reference RF7 Mark III, Mark Levinson 332.
 
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I know I once put my modified Mark Levinson 332 up here before but this time I want introduce you to the rest of the restored vintage equipment family. Back in the day Mark Levinson owners would have looked down their noses at SAE gear. I decided to invite them all to the party and guess what? They get along just fine.

View attachment 1499115 View attachment 1499119

From left to right: Schitt Modi MultiBit DAC, SAE D102 Cd Player, SAE C102 Cassette Player, SAE P102 PreAmp, SAE E102 Graphic EQ, SAE E101 Parametric EQ, SAE A202 Amplifier, MidAtlantic Power Distribution Ctr, Klipsch Reference RF7 Mark III, Mark Levinson 332.
Sweet!
 
I know I once put my modified Mark Levinson 332 up here before but this time I want introduce you to the rest of the restored vintage equipment family. Back in the day Mark Levinson owners would have looked down their noses at SAE gear. I decided to invite them all to the party and guess what? They get along just fine.

View attachment 1499115 View attachment 1499119

From left to right: Schitt Modi MultiBit DAC, SAE D102 Cd Player, SAE C102 Cassette Player, SAE P102 PreAmp, SAE E102 Graphic EQ, SAE E101 Parametric EQ, SAE A202 Amplifier, MidAtlantic Power Distribution Ctr, Klipsch Reference RF7 Mark III, Mark Levinson 332.

Very nice! You don't see SAE gear much these days, especially in great condition. Congratulations. Since you have two amps, how do you have the Mark Levinson connected?
 
Nice stuff everyone.

I bet that Sansui AU-111 sounds incredible with those WE tubes! That’s probably my favorite integrated.

Nice luxmans! I really like the look of that Rotel too!

I bet that Fisher setup is fantastic! Never heard the 50 monos but I’ve spent alot of time with a 400cx and an sa-1000. Always wanted to hear those EV interfaces.

I just caught up to 1983 myself. Kyocera B,C,and T-910.
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