Continuous Vintage Failure: Please Recommend New "Modern" Amp

[onwardjames]

I laugh considering the thousands of dollars I've poured into this hobby, only to find myself totally and completely satisfied with some 16 dollar GW find HTM-200 Ascend Audio speakers and a 125 dollar Allo Volt D amp. Paired with a Miller and Kreisel sub I bought for I think 100 bucks, I'm in complete heaven.

Finding those techs is a chore in Kentucky. @RobRoy my buddy has one of those Nissans. He LOVES it. Does all it needs to do. It got shot by an actual stray bullet in Bowling Green (literally a block from the square) and this chucklehead covers the hole with an actual STICKER of a bullet hole.

I can't make this stuff up.

But yeah, if one has tech skills, vintage is still a viable avenue. For the rest of us, good luck.

 

[Bodyblue]

I laugh considering the thousands of dollars I've poured into this hobby, only to find myself totally and completely satisfied with some 16 dollar GW find HTM-200 Ascend Audio speakers and a 125 dollar Allo Volt D amp. Paired with a Miller and Kreisel sub I bought for I think 100 bucks, I'm in complete heaven.

Finding those techs is a chore in Kentucky. @RobRoy my buddy has one of those Nissans. He LOVES it. Does all it needs to do. It got shot by an actual stray bullet in Bowling Green (literally a block from the square) and this chucklehead covers the hole with an actual STICKER of a bullet hole.

I can't make this stuff up.

But yeah, if one has tech skills, vintage is still a viable avenue. For the rest of us, good luck.

Cars have become so over complicated in the past 10-15 years. I grew up with oil running down my arm into my armpit....I ate and drank and breathed cars and worked on and dreamed about the next one I would get. Recently we decided we needed something bigger than my wife's 2010 Focus (been a pretty good car). We really wanted a Maverick but here in CA they still have a $4 to 5K upcharge for a new one and used ones are about the same price. Forget about the average Joe like me working on them anymore. We looked and looked and I decided to get one last rear wheel drive V8 before the state of Cal-Unicornia bans them. I found a 2001 Grand Marquis LS, and not the usual old fart special. I lucked into finding one that a guy special ordered from the factory: He ordered the Handling/Performance package that includes front springs and shocks from the Crown Vic Police Interceptor, true duel exhaust along with bigger sway bar in the back with air springs and also includes the Lacy Spoke alum wheels. They usually came with the 3.27 rear end but he ordered the 3.55 gearset......evidently he wanted the fastest old farts car around. He used the factory maint log and for the 84K miles he owned it for, did even the smallest thing at his local dealer. Out of all the SUVs etc we looked at, being able to have a car that one can do at least a few fun things to, like the Thrush Turbo mufflers I put on it (not loud at all) and a cold air intake meant that was the one we bought.

Parts for the Marquis are cheap since the Panther platform was in production from 1979 to 2011 in various generations. The Romeo 4.6 is tough and long lasting and responds nicely to simple upgrades. With the suspension it has, it corners flat with almost no body roll.......and best of all the trunk can carry tons of audio speakers and junk very easily! When I bought the ADS L620s last month, I stood them up and was able to close the lid with zero trouble!

There is a lot to be said to be able to get parts for things easily and to find people that understand them......cars or amps or turntables etc.

 

[Christian B]

I bought a Vincent integrated amp several years ago, and have been quite pleased with its performance. They have some models that fall within the OP's budget. Worth giving them a listen IMHO.

Good luck with your search.

 

[peterp1]

I bought a Vincent integrated amp several years ago, and have been quite pleased with its performance. They have some models that fall within the OP's budget. Worth giving them a listen IMHO.

Good luck with your search.

This small Vincent integrated seems to be in budget:

Amazon.com

Only 25 watts into 8 ohms, but a loudness control (fairly rare these days!) and a hybrid tube preamp/amp.

A hybrid tube preamp/SS amp might be a good option for OP.

 

[sanford12]

- but also please recognize that using only time-value-of-money, and ignoring the massive efficiency gains in labor/production/materials/design that apply today, is a ridiculous oversimplification.

Not an oversimplification. It's is so obvious I didn't think it needed explantion and most here are smart enough that they know it too. What I underestimated is the few here that want/need their gotcha moment.

 

[dr*audio]

Cambridge Audio makes wonderful amps that are well built and sound great. You're going to pay around $1300 for one, though. So you can either spend $1300 on having your amp properly restored and then it will be reliable, or buy the Cambridge.

 

[stereofanboy]

$1300? C'mon man.

 

[Pioneer.user]

If you want to have vintage AMP, you have to have cash for restoration. I only paid 500 USD for restoration of my vintage separates. Only 500 Just because Main capacitors were ok. Only few caps were replaced.

 

[Ngc4565]

I've seen a pioneer 1980 go for 10,000 $ or more , stupid crazy

 

[RobRoy]

I laugh considering the thousands of dollars I've poured into this hobby, only to find myself totally and completely satisfied with some 16 dollar GW find HTM-200 Ascend Audio speakers and a 125 dollar Allo Volt D amp. Paired with a Miller and Kreisel sub I bought for I think 100 bucks, I'm in complete heaven.

Finding those techs is a chore in Kentucky. @RobRoy my buddy has one of those Nissans. He LOVES it. Does all it needs to do. It got shot by an actual stray bullet in Bowling Green (literally a block from the square) and this chucklehead covers the hole with an actual STICKER of a bullet hole.

I can't make this stuff up.

But yeah, if one has tech skills, vintage is still a viable avenue. For the rest of us, good luck.

You insulted me in that post!
It's not a Nissan. It's a Scion!

But I'm completely with you on being satisfied with "less than perfect". Heck, my best system I ever owned was a pair of bi-amplified ESS AMT 1B monitors, with a pair of ADS L810's coming in a close second. I now have three "micro bookshelf" speakers on each side (wired accordingly) with a subwoofer and It's quite satisfying. And two of those pairs have matching woofers and tweeters I got from Newark electronics. And one is an Advent box and the other a Polk box. Paid five bucks for each pair at garage sales.

 

[Vintagear]

And I've never understood the usefulness of comparing anything that's 50-years-old to new. We all carry different measuring sticks for different things.

Sometimes it's fun to see how they might compare today when using the same "measuring stick". Not bad for old "crap".

Kenwood L-05M Vintage Amplifier Review

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Kenwood L-05M circa 1978-1981 monoblock amplifier. It is on kind loan from a member. The L-05M has a timeless design and looks like a modern amplifier you could buy today. It weighs just enough to make you feel like it is substantial but not...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Schiit Vidar Amplifier Review

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Schiit Vidar stereo amplifier. It is on kind loan from a member. The Vidar costs US $699 and nicely comes with a five (5) year warranty. With amplifiers being one of the most susceptible audio products to failure, long warranty is a real...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[AudioAvarice]

I think there will be more audio equipment from the 70's, and 80's still around in another 40-50 years than most of the stuff manufactured today. Nearly all the 'improvements' in manufacturing processes have benefited them, rather than the consumer imo.

 

[jayvis]

I think there will be more audio equipment from the 70's, and 80's still around in another 40-50 years than most of the stuff manufactured today. Nearly all the 'improvements' in manufacturing processes have benefited them, rather than the consumer imo.

If that actually happens, it will mean that the 2-channel audio industry had already died. People better start hoarding more parts so your grandkids can bring those audio dinosaurs back to life. It'll be like someone who restores a Model T for use as a daily driver today.

 

[JoeESP9]

Sometimes it's fun to see how they might compare today when using the same "measuring stick". Not bad for old "crap".

Kenwood L-05M Vintage Amplifier Review

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Kenwood L-05M circa 1978-1981 monoblock amplifier. It is on kind loan from a member. The L-05M has a timeless design and looks like a modern amplifier you could buy today. It weighs just enough to make you feel like it is substantial but not...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Schiit Vidar Amplifier Review

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Schiit Vidar stereo amplifier. It is on kind loan from a member. The Vidar costs US $699 and nicely comes with a five (5) year warranty. With amplifiers being one of the most susceptible audio products to failure, long warranty is a real...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Those Kenwood LO Series amplifiers have always been considered to be exceptionally good amplifiers. IMO they shouldn't be mentioned in the same breath as most any receiver. Were I to come across an LO-7 for a really good price I'd be tempted to buy it.

 

[AudioAvarice]

If that actually happens, it will mean that the 2-channel audio industry had already died. People better start hoarding more parts so your grandkids can bring those audio dinosaurs back to life. It'll be like someone who restores a Model T for use as a daily driver today.

Not really, I would imagine technology, and manufacturing processes would have moved on to a point where there is no need for stock, as most items will be made on damand, I'm sure very old through hole components will be easy to make, given the availability of their data sheets. The 2-channel audio industry is pretty much dead already in the west, their just reviving ghosts of past designs, and much of the high end gear is brought by people who are 40+

Maybe AI assisted design will create something new, and actually better, who knows.

 

[dr*audio]

i also hear a lot of good reports on the current Yamaha integrateds.

I just worked on a Yamaha network amplifier. This is an integrated amp with a network card. One or both microprocessors was bad. Part not available. Said it right on the schematic! So much for Yamaha. Their guitars are still good.

 

[fredgarvin]

I just worked on a Yamaha network amplifier. This is an integrated amp with a network card. One or both microprocessors was bad. Part not available. Said it right on the schematic! So much for Yamaha. Their guitars are still good.

Do you dip the fish fingers in the custard?

 

[dr*audio]

Do you dip the fish fingers in the custard?

Always!

 

[Dony]

So I have both newer and vintage equipment. I can’t say which will last longer. What I do know is that new equipment has many more computer chips and integrated circuits etc. So if the new unit fails out of warranty and there is a chip or similar item failure then it is pretty likely the part might be unobtainable from the manufacturer. On the other hand, vintage equipment from the 1970s have many more generic pots, capacitors, resistors, transistors etc. Yes there are definitely parts in vintage equipment that are no longer available, but I would rather restore/fix a vintage piece then try to fix a modern piece just off of warranty as the parts and labor would likely make it too expensive. Just my opinion….YMMV

 

[GChief]

Why is this still a "vs" sidetrack?

OP asked for new gears recommendations .