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Classic High-End Gear

I have a Magnum Dynalab FT-101 tuner, circa 1987 which is currenly being tuned by the factory. I like its sound more than my current MD-90. I think the FT-101 was the first tuner for the firm and although not the equal of the Day Sequerra FM Studio Tuner, it put this small Canadian company on the map...
 
sKiZo said:
Granted quad is an acquired taste, but ... hail to the king! The Sansui QRX-9001 was top of the line and state of the art in quadraphonic development, and certainly more that capable of satisfying most any power hungry afficianados as well ... 2X mode can tickle 200wpc.

Also a purty lil thang ...

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I figure I put a good hundred hours into the restoration over the span of several months ... and don't regret a minute of it!
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Oh dear, where is my tissue? I can't stop drooling.
 
So we have this thread not forum to discuss Classic High-End Gear as the title states. We also have that hi end separates from years past forum to discuss those particular items.

Seems it would be good to move that Forum out of the doldrums of the system building sub forum and put it in the proper place with the rest of the gear threads SS, TT, Tuners, Tape and such and stop dividing the limited discussion of the higher end gear. Maybe even retitle the SS forum to Receivers to help folks out but of course a post on what a receiver is would be needed for the noobs.

But with this thread and that other forum, not even in the mainstream of Audiokarma Audio Forums but hidden in the system building, no wonder there is limited discussion of these units.

It is your ball and you can decide how to use it, but I'm just here with hot air to help fill it up to proper regulation inflation pressure so it works better. No deflategate here.
 
I have not seen too many phono cartridges nominated here as Classic High-End gear, so I would like to nominate the Shure V15-I and all the subsequent V15 derivatives as classic top performing moving magnet cartridges which graced many a high end system over decades. These are kept alive today with some excellent replacement styli and retipping services.
As a unique special mention top performing and well reviewed cartridge, I would nominate the Micro Acoustics QDC-1e and its subsequent derivatives which competed with other top MM cartridges but contained a pizeo ceramic element instead of coils and magnets.
 
I have been interested in Hi-Fi since '77 and I have never even heard of the ESS Transar. When were they released mojo?
 
The came out around 1977-$3500 list price back then.
ESS looks to reintroduce them soon-Ricky has more then a few parts apparently.
 
automojo said:
The came out around 1977-$3500 list price back then.
ESS looks to reintroduce them soon-Ricky has more then a few parts apparently.
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I'm impressed. They look so far ahead of their time for '77. $3500 was stratospheric pricing for those days. Thanks for the info and the photo.
 
jcidave said:
I have not seen too many phono cartridges nominated here as Classic High-End gear
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So true. Let's correct that.

Here is a classic cartridge (actually current production), unchanged but for tighter tolerances and better QC:



These have been around so long, that even though they outperform all but perhaps some $5K+ units, nobody is paying any attention, because they think they've "been there, done that", even though they haven't really. The most natural-sounding cartridge, with none better equipped to get all of the information out of the grooves, it beats every MC I've heard.
 
sqlsavior said:
So true. Let's correct that.

Here is a classic cartridge (actually current production), unchanged but for tighter tolerances and better QC:



These have been around so long, that even though they outperform all but perhaps some $5K+ units, nobody is paying any attention, because they think they've "been there, done that", even though they haven't really. The most natural-sounding cartridge, with none better equipped to get all of the information out of the grooves, it beats every MC I've heard.
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I see this opinion posted frequently by Decca fanboys. What's the best MC setup you've owned?
 
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I have some listening experience with the Decca London Export from back in the 70's when we stocked it at a small audio store where I worked. Definitely one of the cartridges I wish I had the foresight to buy from dealer stock. A superb cartridge.
 
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