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Some people just dont understand vintage gear...

Bassblaster

Bassblaster

Super Member
i think its funny how some people do not see the "want" for vintage gear and people that cant do even basic maintenance to gear.

i saw a while back some guy got rid of his marantz 2275 because he thought it was broken. only problem was a dirty volume pot and some burnt out lamps.

Someone else i know who doesnt see the want or value of vintage gear...my mom! oh boy does she have some things to say about it. heres some of our convos

my Pioneer SX-636
Me: its from 1975. Things arnt made like this anymore
Mom: Whats the point of that old piece of junk. Who would want that.

Random Pioneer convo.
Me: the SX-1980 can sell for several thousand.
Mom: Who the hell would pay that for an old piece junk.
Me: Because its a monster receiver, nothing like it today
*some more arguing*
Mom: No one wants a 40 year old piece of ****.

Fisher CA-880 (this one was yesterday)
Me: Theres always a couple on eBay i might grab one.
Mom: and how old is that?
Me: 80-81
Mom: Must be something wrong with it then.
Me: just because its old doesnt mean it wont work
Mom: Everything you get has something wrong with it.
Me: Thats because i buy broken gear for cheap and repair it.
Mom: Sure whatever. your not a collage educated pro so you dont know how to fix anything. Theres no one who wants to work on old junk.

Records
Me: If everything to you is old, worthless and no body wants them then why did you keep your 200 odd 45's and 20 albums?
Mom:......
Mom: Why do you keep your pile of 15 cassette tapes

Some people just dont get it.
 
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You dont get it as well my young friend, but please please dont get me wrong. You do not realize that your mother, for what reason ever, is looking for confrontation, and this is a sad thing. My siblings notice my gear the way they notice bricks. That is okay because they accept that the gear means a lot to me. My mother, almost 90 years old, at least realizes the beauty of - for example - my 1961 Bang&Olufsen "Amplifier 608" with it's greyish-blue front and it's woodcase with Brazilian rosewood veneer. Glad to say that my friends tolerate my gear...

Most of us experience displeasure, a lack of understanding regarding to our hobby from time to time, we have to live with that. But there is one thing we do not have to accept: the attitude of sheer intolerance. Sheer intolerance (your mom?) would mean that - strictly speaking - not the gear is the topic, but your personality. (By the way - I am not a psychologist, I'm just a simple human being...)

Actually it is just important what our gear means to us - and let us share our appreciation in it in the community of our marvellous forum.

Chris
 
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I am not interested in vintage gear at all. I never understood why anyone would want a "monster" receiver, because a separate preamp/amp has more power. I never got into radio; they either play music that I don´t like, or they play the music that I do like so often that I hate it, and the commercials are worse than the ones on TV. So I have no need for a tuner.

If you like old gear, good for you. I hope you enjoy it (not meant sarcastically!)

I prefer older speakers, that can be found cheap and new, DIY (chip)amps, preamps and a Laptop and DAC.
 
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Do you live with your mother, Bassblaster?

How much gear do you have and what percentage of it is currently working and in use?
 
While I like vintage gear, I get why people don't get it. TO MY EARS (that's an opinion, not a fact) it doesn't sound better than new gear. Most vintage gear needs work to get it working properly and it lacks conveniences like remote control or things like digital inputs, Spotify and the likes, Bluetooth etc. For people who just want to enjoy music a modern amp/receiver is a way better choice then an older receiver, monster or not.
 
It sounds to me like there is more going on with you and your mom then just vintage gear. Sometimes people need to think that their opinion is the only one that is valid. My wife's uncle tried to argue with me about the same basic thing at Christmas last year. He couldn't see the value in records or tube electronics and I found myself needing to defend my like for that stuff. I thought about it later and realized that you don't need to defend what you like. We are all allowed to pursue our passion and nobody has the right to stop us provided it doesn't interfere with living life and getting things done. My advice to you is to not argue with your mom, she will never get it. Simply tell her that you are enjoying yourself and she shouldn't try to deny you that.
 
Audio is a state of mind.. Opinions are like a$$ holes ..everyone has one and they all stink.. What sounds good to your ears is what matters.. I have both old and new and expect just that.
 
Nobody has to "get" it . Just enjoy it and just think how much smarter you are than everyone else ! It is just a hobby , not life and death .
 
Bassblaster said:
i think its funny how some people do not see the "want" for vintage gear and people that cant do even basic maintenance to gear.

i saw a while back some guy got rid of his marantz 2275 because he thought it was broken. only problem was a dirty volume pot and some burnt out lamps.

Someone else i know who doesnt see the want or value of vintage gear...my mom! oh boy does she have some things to say about it. heres some of our convos

my Pioneer SX-636
Me: its from 1975. Things arnt made like this anymore
Mom: Whats the point of that old piece of junk. Who would want that.

Random Pioneer convo.
Me: the SX-1980 can sell for several thousand.
Mom: Who the hell would pay that for an old piece junk.
Me: Because its a monster receiver, nothing like it today
*some more arguing*
Mom: No one wants a 40 year old piece of ****.

Fisher CA-880 (this one was yesterday)
Me: Theres always a couple on eBay i might grab one.
Mom: and how old is that?
Me: 80-81
Mom: Must be something wrong with it then.
Me: just because its old doesnt mean it wont work
Mom: Everything you get has something wrong with it.
Me: Thats because i buy broken gear for cheap and repair it.
Mom: Sure whatever. your not a collage educated pro so you dont know how to fix anything. Theres no one who wants to work on old junk.

Records
Me: If everything to you is old, worthless and no body wants them then why did you keep your 200 odd 45's and 20 albums?
Mom:......
Mom: Why do you keep your pile of 15 cassette tapes

Some people just dont get it.
Click to expand...
Well I hate to break it to you but a lot of people understand vintage gear (I like to just call it used/old gear) what's vintage to a 20 year old is not to a 60 year old.

But if one was honest people would look at the pros and the cons of owning old used gear. A lot of what you just posted is not true at all, mostly the false premise around build quality. While it might not be available for your budget some gear is built a whole lot better today.

Now if you have limited funds and enjoy tinkering have fun, but respect others around you on their choice and opinions. And don't burn down the house tinkering.
 
I was perhaps four-years-old when my Dad bought his first JBL (mono back then). I was maybe ten or eleven when he literally kicked it to the curb for Goodwill pickup and bought a Fisher 400 with some un-labeled stereo speakers. I dragged the big 15-inch 2-way cabinet and its Pilot amp and Miracord TT into my room before the truck arrived and hid it in my closet. That was my first encounter with "vintage" gear and it came about because my father just thought it was old and not as appealing as "modern" technology. My Mom likely pitched the Fisher decades later in much the same way. I, however, have continued in my fascination with vintage gear, still own that original JBL nearly 60-years later, as well as its audio twin I purchased over fifty-years ago which was itself a cast-off from someone going stereo back in the 60s. My main system now uses new-to-me JBL Studio Monitor clones of a system not produced by JBL for over 30-years, and amps and pre-amps I always wanted 30-years ago when they were new but could never afford. The monetary value of these components versus "new" equipment is secondary to the quality of the sound and the enjoyment I derive from listening to them.

I don't care what people think about what I use to enjoy my hobby. If they aren't blown away by the sound, they probably wouldn't know good audio (or perhaps even good music) in any presentation. I don't preach or argue, I just let the proof win out—or not. It's pretty obvious to me that musicians appreciate the sound the way I do. But then they understand a Stradivarius sounds superior to an instrument made in China last year, too!
 
The saying "different strokes for different folks" applies.
Almost everyone has some odd quirk and enjoys some form of hobby.
I don't "get" most of them. Some really boggle my mind.

There are many that "get" vintage audio, but it is rare despite the comments.
I doubt 1% of the population "get" it.

Seattle area, say 2,000,000 humans.
1%=20,000.
Doubt that.
0.1%=2000?
Maybe.

That is not to say there are not many more that like good music systems.
There may be 1-2% audiophiles running nice gear or systems.
Maybe 10-20% with good setups.

The rest have some form of noise making devices.
The kids raised on digital probably have never heard good music at all.

We hang out here with like minded friends and only through here do I know others with the addiction.
There are others out there but far and few between.
 
Quite frankly, I'm happy that a lot of people don't get it - I call that 'opportunity'.

For most folks, newer is better, and represents progress. But you'd still think that they'd have that "they don't build them like they used to" mentality, or at least appreciate that there were a lot of quality things built over the years that are quite valuable, collectible, and useful.

My first wife used to bust my nuggets all the time over audio and cars. So I sold a few of each, showed her the results of the transactions, and that kind of shut her up. Your "I buy broken stuff and fix it" comment would suggest to me that perhaps you might get your mom to appreciate what you're doing more if you show her some of that stuff going in the other direction. But if all she sees is the broken stuff coming in, and the piles of stuff getting bigger, then I could see her point of view.

bs
 
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