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Should I Sell My Vintage System Or Not?

Yes, I am 51 years young!! LOL!!! Just now getting serious about sound quality even though I've been doing the digital music thing for many, many years now. If only I knew back when I had the disposable income (SSDI now). :dunno:
 
imral3 said:
Yes, I am 51 years young!! LOL!!! Just now getting serious about sound quality even though I've been doing the digital music thing for many, many years now. If only I knew back when I had the disposable income (SSDI now). :dunno:
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Yes, you kind of missed the boat then on getting fantastic vintage gear at low prices. Its now insane what the higher-end (especially popular) vintage gear is selling for. If you had started looking starting at least 10 years ago.....bargains galore. Even 5 years back things were a lot cheaper.

Well, at least you live in New Jersey where everything else is so cheap.
 
Quantum 2's are nice speakers, I have three pairs, just because they happen to come up cheap, but classic speakers which after owning them made me seek out a pair of Quantum Line Source's.
 
Ken Boyd said:
Quantum 2's are nice speakers, I have three pairs, just because they happen to come up cheap, but classic speakers which after owning them made me seek out a pair of Quantum Line Source's.
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I always wanted those back in the day and not sure why I never bought? I guess once I heard my buddy's (Joe Falzone RIP) pair of IRS V's back in the early 80's I became nauseous and only those would do. Never happened.
 
I have 4 vintage systems. I go through phases about using them, from disinterest to enthusiastically involved. Right now I’m enthusiastic, winter is coming and I tend to be inside more. Maybe it’s a phase?
 
I like to have a set of back-up system components, in case a piece went out at a time when I rather inconveniently couldn't afford to replace it with a new one. At least I'd have my back up receiver, or deck, or whatever it is.

If we are talking about systems, if you modern one -- Heaven forbid -- got fried in a power surge or flood or got stolen, you might consider what essential pieces of the vintage system could tide you over until you could replace the modern system. You could pack up those vintage pieces and keep them safe, and sell off any superfluous vintage pieces that would not be essential in such an emergency.
 
I think for me, the biggest problem is seeing all the gear I salivated about when a youth.....and now, I have the disposable cash to buy it.

All was well until I stumbled ass-first into some McIntosh XRT20 line arrays in the summer of '17.

You're kind of forced to turn for-sale stuff down when you get those home, restored, and playing, as you find yourself in a completely different bracket.

However, I STILL enjoy my "lesser" gear.
 
OMGCat! said:
I'd say hang onto your favorite pieces if they aren't in the way and sell the rest. Keep the proceeds in an envelope or separate account you can use for audio purchases. If in a while you still aren't using it and feel guilty then sell that on too.
I had a decent collection going for a while but it only took one move for me to pare it down real quick like.
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Some good thoughts/plans here.:thumbsup:

Q
 
Funny, I still feel like "sell" is my recommendation. Based on the OP's original post/thoughts, it's surplus and while it may be very enjoyable when used, the recognition that he's already admitted - that it's only rarely getting used - is enough that I think it's best to pass on the love.

In all the gear that's come through here, there is only one piece that I'd actively try to buy back again, and interestingly enough, it would not go back in my main system but would be part of some other aux./vintage system, and that's probably what's keeping me from tracking it back down more actively. (I think it's on the west coast now.) Just because I'd want it back, I have no immediate use for it and it would end up in an aux./vintage system that I would only occasionally use, and would enjoy very much when I did use it, but would occasionally consider if that money would be better off in my Roth IRA and somebody else enjoying (actually listening to) the piece(s) more than me.

Spread the love ... sell it off and make some steps up in your main system. You'll be happier with the main system, and feel less guilty about this stuff sitting unused elsewhere in the house.
 
MoreBeer said:
... I was there during the mid 70's to mid 80's buying the fantastic gear of the time which is in demand today. I owned all kinds of gear including some of the top monster receivers from the golden era which I bought new. Although young, I was lucky back then to make decent money and managed to piss enough if it away on these things.

So, I guess the thrill has long since past....to a certain extent. And although I hate to admit it, I've been liking the new, modern system. I also like sitting there with a laptop by my side streaming hi-rez digital files via AirPlay to it and clicking around with ease. I enjoy watching a ballgame on the giant TV with no audio while listening to music through the system its all connected to....plus watching YouTube videos through HDMI to the system isn't too shabby either. Can't beat that for watching and hearing some nice classic rock concerts.

But then again.....I still do (at times) play around with the vintage gear. But then again, just not enough.

Still thinking about it..................
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That is interesting. I am around your age and did not have the funds to indulge in high end gear of the time so get some kicks out of getting my hands on gear that was out of my range back then. I think that is true for a number of hobbyists, as well as trying out older gear that was before my time.

I had a decent system, with a 40 watt HK receiver and Luxman direct drive table with my main item a pair of early Chartwell LS3/5a speakers and that is the only item I would like to have retained. All that said, I really like remote control volume!
 
I'm 63 and finally restored my Infinity Quantum 2s and Kenwood L-07 mono amps earlier this years. Fiddled around with various sources including my original vinyl and CDs. For now, I mostly stream Tidal Hifi through an Airport Express > Schiit Bifrost (found locally on Craig's List) to a '70s vintage Concept receiver used as a preamp. Looked at various servers and find I'm content to just kick back in my chair and stream via iPhone. Convenience is king and sound quality is good enough for me. Best of the '70s meets best of now. I'm content.
 
If your never ever going to use it....meaning you don’t enjoy the system any more, that’s one thing. But to sell something you enjoy using doesn’t make sense.
 
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