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Sony mid 70's top of the line vintage gear

Thanks. it looks like the only difference with the 4950 is Dolby FM and the wooden side panels.
 
A bit more background...

The Sony VFET power amp designs was Sony's first attempt using high-current FETs as output devices. At the time, Sony and most of the other Japanese companies had begun to take on the higher end manufacturers like Mac, Phase Linear and Crown.

They did this by introducing new designs like the VFET stuff in a unique and high-priced separates package like the TAN series. Later some of the design features first seen in the high-end Sony line would begin to show up in the receiver line when they rolled the product line for the next generation. You can see much of this in the Sony units throughout the 70s, too.

The problem was that the VFETs were not that good and stable. To add to the confusion, most bench techs didn't have the knowledge or the equipment to fix them. This tarnished the top end Sony line a bit and, as you can see, they didn't continue this practice in the 80s.

The store I worked in sold 2 set of these preamp/amp sets but they were quite expensive - almost on the order of Mac equipment. Even today, given the choice, I would take the Mac over a Sony any day.

Hope that helps.

Cheers,

David
 
Hi Samuel,

This is Dave from Traverse City MI USA! I joined this forum recently and it is a great site.

I would love to bid on the TAE 8450 you found, however I don't want to get a unit that's worthless. Do you really think this one fixable?

Thanks, Dave.
 
Other than the V-FET amps, I noticed that Sony's audio gear do not really sell for much on e-bay. I saw a STR-7800SD, a 120wpc receiver go for $100, the STR-6800SD went for only $21.50. I bought my STR-V7 (a 150wpc 50lb anchor) for only $140.

I guess it's because the Sony design was a little "out there" as compared to the Pioneers and Sansuis and even Marantz, which more or less had a "classic" look (I thought the Yamaha CR-1040/2040 models were the best looking units with the classic look). The Sony receivers after the STR-7065a (which seems to fetch a decent price) were the last of the "classic" look receivers, after that, they went... for the lack of a better word... butt-ugly.

It's a real pity because the Sonys had very well designed internals, with MOS-FET front end 5-gang FM tuning caps, large toroidal transformers with decent caps, a very good phono stage.
 
Hi Dave, great to see you here on the forum! :) Didn't notice your post here until now though.

The TAE-8450 that's now up at German Ebay could be a good deal if the sellers words hold true. Some marks on the upper front plate, but the preamp has been serviced in 2003. Something also mentioned about the volume control with a scratch (my German is not so good..). One of the wood ends has some larger scuffs, one original foot is missing and replaced with another, a meter function knob also is not working.

http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3803659793&category=23325

Well, difficult to say, the previous one at Ebay.de apparently stayed in Germany for 290 EUR.

If it's got a multi-region voltage selector as mine it should work also over there.

Let's see how much it'll go for


Samuel

Btw...I just got hold of some old magazine reviews for both the TAE-8450 and TAN-8550. Will try to scan them and put up on my website by the end of the week if anyone's interested.
 
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I've got a 3200F Amp and 2000F Preamp headed up to the chopping block soon, if anyone is interested.

I was suprised at the amount of money some of these things can bring.

Cheers,
Russ
 
Reviews

Originally posted by Samppo
Hi Dave, great to see you here on the forum! :) Didn't notice your post here until now though.

The TAE-8450 that's now up at German Ebay could be a good deal if the sellers words hold true. Some marks on the upper front plate, but the preamp has been serviced in 2003. Something also mentioned about the volume control with a scratch (my German is not so good..). One of the wood ends has some larger scuffs, one original foot is missing and replaced with another, a meter function knob also is not working.

http://cgi.ebay.de/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3803659793&category=23325

Well, difficult to say, the previous one at Ebay.de apparently stayed in Germany for 290 EUR.

If it's got a multi-region voltage selector as mine it should work also over there.

Let's see how much it'll go for


Samuel

Btw...I just got hold of some old magazine reviews for both the TAE-8450 and TAN-8550. Will try to scan them and put up on my website by the end of the week if anyone's interested.
Click to expand...

Samuel,

I would very interested the reviews for both the TAE-8450 and TAN-8550.

Dave.
 
Hi Dave and others

I will post a link here once I get the articles scanned, hopefully tomorrow. In brief, especially the power amp got praise for low distortion and decent power output (almost 130w into 8 and 4 ohms).

Samuel
 
Hey Samppo, Nice Sony's! That top one(TAE-8450) has the same strange switches that my STR-7800SD has. Cool switches!
 
New found respect

I love this forum. . . This is what I like about it. I had almost forgotten Sony as even a player in Vintage gear but every time I read one of these threads my memorie starts comming back. . . I am going to start seeking out some of these nice Sony pieces. I just sold my ST-4950 tuner . . . Loved that big old brute, great sound for a tuner. I really didnt get into Sony untill ES for Audio. I always liked their high end video gear. . . .
 
Interesting thread. I picked a Sony TA1144 integrated amp and ST 5600 tuner at a garage sale a couple of years ago. Never could find out much about it. I think the amp is about 30 watts. Not very pretty, but sounded OK, first used it in my daughters set up, but I have swapped that out for a Pioneer SX 680. Can anyone shed some light on this combo?

Thanks............ Kim
 
Kim G

Orion says,

SONY TUNER, ST-5600
Description:
Manufacture Years: 1970 - 1975
Additional Information:
Retail
MSRP: $120.00

SONY INT, TA-1144
Description:
Manufacture Years: 1970 - 1975
Additional Information:
Power: 30wpc
Retail
MSRP: $220.00
 
Thanks bolly
I didn't think it was too valuable, picked it up when I first got the bug, not knowing any better. Oh well.

Kim
 
Originally posted by Jon S
I had one of those. It was marketed as the TA-1150 in the U.S.. Rated at 30wpc@8 ohms. In fact it was my first stereo gear along with a Garrard Z100 turntable with a V15 Type II cartridge and a pair of AR6 speakers. The TA-1150 was quad ready, you could use it as a 4 channel controller for those early SQ quad matrix recordings.
Click to expand...

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Scuse me I misread. I have a preamp/decoder and that poster has one with built-in quad. My bad. Perhaps I should put the bad boy up in classified nonetheless.

(sleep is GOOD)
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OMGoodness. Have one of those beasts sitting in my living room (SQD-2020). If you have interest, it's not going to see use here. I scored it by helping a friend clear out some communications gear that belonged to an in-law and that was in it. Told it runs but she died some time ago. Have to take the word and it lights up. PM if you like.

PS I don't mess around on packing.:o
 
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