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Is Vintage Audio about Poverty or Appreciation?

Brett a said:
Don't worry. Anyone into two channel audio-no matter how expensive- has no concern for what the Jones' are doing. Two channel turned into old technology at least three decades ago.

:yes:
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Isn't that weird (and WRONG!), though, considering the vast majority of music is still recorded in... stereo?

I had a friend who recently bought a 3 year old 7.2 Onkyo receiver from me. I had it set, as I always do, to play 2-channel sources in straight stereo. When I came back over a few days later, he asked me to change it to all channel stereo or some simulated surround format. It made me a little nauseous, but I did it for him. I don't condone nor understand that type of behavior, though. :)
 
Pandovski said:
I've probably spent more money on contact spray, caps, solder, foam surrounds, wood fill, polish, lacquer etc. than I would on a new amp and a pair of speakers up to 2000$. :para:

I could have bought Kimber 8TC just from the money I've spent on electricians tape over the years...
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Lol. Yeah, things aren't such a bargain when you have to pay for all the deoxit, tools etc. Not to mention time spent.

But when you've got gear that sounds amazing, looks great and your friends have never even seen stuff like it before let alone heard it, it becomes worth it.
 
Brett a said:
I don't see high quality vintage gear generally used as a direct alternative to high quality new gear. I think they are two rather separate camps with different priorities informing what they desire.

If the population of AudioKarma is any sort of representation of vintage audio enthusiasts, it looks from here that vintage has a lot to do with esthetics; people like the look and feel of old 70's hifi equipment. The fact that it sounds good is important, but I have to wonder if they heard the same music coming out of a shiny black plastic A/V unit if they'd enjoy it as much.

I think the percentage of people who are using vintage temporally until they can afford modern is very small.
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I think your right on that as well

Just about everything I own is old as I like antiques, I love lighting from the early 1900's, some long before that gas lamps converted to electric, heck even love the old gas and kerosene lamps. I can tell you I pay 10 times the amount for an antique lamp over a new one. Clocks the same thing sure I can buy a new clock that keeps perfect time, but give me an old clock that you wind up from the 1800's any day. And all my furniture, its all from the 1800's as well. The way I look at it anyone that purchased new goods is just losing money because the minute after they purchase it they are upside down. Just the opposite in my case everything I own for the most part just gets more valuable both in resale value and in my appreciation of it.
 
Ths364 said:
Vintage audio helps me appreciate poverty. Plus I prefer to walk on a different treadmill than "the latest and greatest" gear (be it audio, cellphones, cars, kitchen appliances, etc...). I am NOT into keeping up with the Joneses. I DO respect others right to prefer new audio gear, and I understand why- I appreciate many of the features it has to offer and understand the desire to pull something out of the box and have it work properly with none of the futzing around that accompanies the acquisition and use of old gear.
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I am much the same.

I still use only a roof antenna for OTA TV, no cable/sat/fios.
I still use DSL
I still use my 6 y/o Motorola Razor with only phone capabilities, no text - no internet
I was one of the last people I know to first own a DVD player and then a BR player
I still use a VCR to record and watch shows
I don't own an iPod or any other device
I have never stuck earbuds in my ears (only use my Grado cans now and then)

And minus the Rotel CDP in my sig which I did buy as new, the rest of the gear and cables were picked up for less than $300 with another $300 for repair and tubes

So no Jonses for me either.

By the way, Keeping up with the Jonses is a great movie if you ahve not seen it.
 
SchweinHaus said:
It varies for each person. For me, it's totally about poverty. I'm broke as hell, but I can still scrounge up some old gear that sounds amazing.
Which is what leads to the appreciation. I'm 27, but have a nostalgia for the old green light FM dials and silver faces not because I lived in that era, but because it allows me access to hifi quality.
Then again, I've always had an appreciation for taking old things and making them new again. My first car was a 69 Cutlass and I have a small collection of old typewriters.
In any case, I'd like to think if I had oodles of money just lying around, I'd still have a vintage system. It has credibility for having lasted so long.
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Same here. I got into vintage via estate sale finds, and I stick with it because I genuinely love the look and sound of 60's/70's gear. I like to buy newer stuff when it's cheap too, like the Dahlquist DQ-18's I picked up for $10 two days ago. Come to think of it, I generally prefer 60's/70's for receivers/amps, 70's/80's for tt's, and modern for speakers. That being said, I love my old KLH 6's and 23's and wouldn't give them up even if I were rich. I'm all confused.
 
At first, it was a mix of both for me, and now it mostly poverty :D. Now that Ive earned a few merit badges in this hobby, I buy stuff that should provide the sound Im looking for. I know what sorts of speakers and amps I enjoy, so I direct my dollars that way. All of that being said, Im pretty happy with my system. Its largely been the same for 3 years now, aside from replacing the SB Duet with a Raspberry Pi.
 
I'm into my bank account being not empty. So I usually won't go for the newest, latest, greatest in anything. But, if I really like something I damn well will just buy it.
 
cubdog said:
1. I can afford new.
2. I don't prefer vintage.
3. I own vintage. I own new.
So, where do I and others like me fit in?
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The PAWs among us can easily afford any gear we desire, but we didn't get where we are by spending stupid money.

New, reasonably-priced gear that offers great sound along with modern convenience is fine. So is vintage gear that offers great looks with great sound, usually at lower cost. Some of us have and enjoy both as part of the hobby.
 
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Chicks always post most wise and profane post, he should be given an honorary postion of ambassador of AK!
 
matteos said:
Lol. Yeah, things aren't such a bargain when you have to pay for all the deoxit, tools etc. Not to mention time spent.

But when you've got gear that sounds amazing, looks great and your friends have never even seen stuff like it before let alone heard it, it becomes worth it.
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Your comment made me think of another point regarding the vintage stuff. There is also the "exclusivity factor". Modern gear (nothing wrong with it and I have some) is in virtually every home and can easily be found and bought at a plethora of outlets, usually 24/7.

Vintage on the other hand is not being produced anymore, is being shipped by the conex box load to all points around the globe, and is being collected and hoarded by a relative few.
 
Actually the poor people are the ones embracing the newest technologies only few years after their official releases.
...Like Blu-ray players (now only $29), cell phones (only $9), laptops (only $149), etc.

The rich people buy "prestige" audio items: $500,000 for a pair of monobloc amps, $395,000 for a pair of loudspeakers, $150,000 for a turntable, $35,000 for a tonearm, $22,000 for a cartridge, $88,000 for a CD player, $36,000,000 for power cords, speaker cables, interconnects and A/C purifiers.

Vintage audio gear is for the middle people who are smart, and not so technologically advanced after all. ...And certainly not rich like the people just above.
...Some have some money, others have much much less.

Makes sense? :)
 
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LordOfTRings said:
Vintage audio gear is for the middle people who are smart, and not so technologically advanced after all. ...And certainly not rich like the people just above.
...Some have some money, others have much much less.

Makes sense? :)
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Yes, it does.

And if I have the money to travel more, I'd go to places (Asia) to buy quite a few vintage Sansuis and Kenwoods, because here in Europe they are bloody hard to find and really expensive.
 
It hasn't been about poverty for me, it's been about finding good deals on equipment that fits my need that's often used and vintage. Good luck has played into it a lot for me too.

- My receiver was bought at a thrift store years ago by my dad for $10, I found it in the garage collecting dust so cost for me was $0.

- I bought my JBL L80t speakers off craigslist for $60. They needed new woofer surrounds and at a local hi-fi store they did it for $50. $110 investment there, sounds great to me.

- I got my first turntable (a cheap p-mount Sanyo) from the guy who sold me the JBL speakers, and them I got a much better one for free from an audiophile friend I made (A Pioneer PL-516).

On top of all this, I usually buy records used and can sometimes get great music for cheaper than it would be on CD. It's a great way to get into different music too, since I play between $1 to $4 for a used LP in pretty good shape. :music:
 
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