The Vintage High End Separates Thread
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BMWCCA
Addicted Member
Not only remember them, I listen to them every day in my home. I've been a Soundcraftsmen owner for well-over 40-years. My main system consists of a Pro-Control Four pre-amp, Pro-EQ 44 equalizer, Pro-Tuner-Four, running Crown PS200 and PS400 bi-amped into a pair of JBL 4345s. I also own a couple of Pro-Power-Four amps, a couple of DX4200 pre-EQs, two Pro-PT 5R pre-receivers, a PT2, several EQs, and my original PE2217 pre-EQ I purchased new.
I have many other pre-amp brands like McIntosh, Crown, and Adcom but I've nearly always had Soundcraftsmen in my main system because I like the sound, the versatility, and the flexibiltiy. I intend to continue that loyalty which is why I have the backup units, though none of these has ever failed to perform as designed. A great American company and a great loss to the audio community when it got folded into MTX, and later discontinued.
I already posted much of this early on in this thread.
The Vintage High End Separates Thread
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Just added a pair of 1961 Model 9's to go along with my 8B and 7C previously posted
Vintage999
Active Member
Soundcraftsmen? Kevin Halverson of Muse started with Soundcraftsmen. Their MOSFET amps were unusually well built and nearly indestructible. Visiting a dealer one time, and he intentionally shorted out the outputs - no damage. It just powered down and then shut off!! I was sure he had ruined the amp. No. He removed the short and the amp powered right back up and sounded really nice. I miss that company a lot.
Good listening.
Good listening.
That's opposed to a little Carver M-400a cube I had. The output shorted once, and pretty much wiped out half the transistors in the amp. They did fix it under warranty, but suggested I not ever bring it in for a warranty repair ever again.
Some of the small transistors were nothing but wire leads sticking out of the circuit board. Oops.
Here's what I've amassed thus far:
McIntosh MC 2505:
McIntosh C 26:
McIntosh MR 73:
McIntosh MI 3:
Technically, the MC 2505 and C 26 were all top-of-the-line for a brief period of time, before McIntosh brought out the MC 2100/2105 and C28. The MI 3 isn't truly an audio component, though it does pass a signal through as part of its audio monitor duties.
Does the Pioneer SPEC series count? I have a SPEC-1 and SPEC-4 which were pretty well-regarded in their day:
And did anything Dynaco make count as 'high end'? The Stereo 400 produced 200WPC, which was a fair amount for its time:
McIntosh MC 2505:
McIntosh C 26:
McIntosh MR 73:
McIntosh MI 3:
Technically, the MC 2505 and C 26 were all top-of-the-line for a brief period of time, before McIntosh brought out the MC 2100/2105 and C28. The MI 3 isn't truly an audio component, though it does pass a signal through as part of its audio monitor duties.
Does the Pioneer SPEC series count? I have a SPEC-1 and SPEC-4 which were pretty well-regarded in their day:
And did anything Dynaco make count as 'high end'? The Stereo 400 produced 200WPC, which was a fair amount for its time:
Tony C.
New Member
My current system is anchored by a recapped and modified Accuphase E-303x, and it sounds terrific! I also love the (aesthetic) design, and have a matching T-103 tuner, as well as an almost 20 year-old Electrocompaniet EMC-1UP. The speakers are contemporary (Harbeth P3ESR).
Cheers,
Tony C.
Cheers,
Tony C.
MCD275
Active Member
I hope my McIntosh C22CE and my MC275CE qualify according to your requirements.
Maybe you can find today "better and clearer" sounding systems but I am happy with the way it sounds now at my place. I reached, IMHO, a very high level of reproduction and I love the sound of my vintage system, showing the younger audiophiles and digitalos, that not only "NEW or Streaming/Digital
" means better sound. 
Maybe you can find today "better and clearer" sounding systems but I am happy with the way it sounds now at my place. I reached, IMHO, a very high level of reproduction and I love the sound of my vintage system, showing the younger audiophiles and digitalos, that not only "NEW or Streaming/Digital
" means better sound. Vintage999
Active Member
Accuphase just looks cool....
Good Listening.
Good Listening.
Looking back, I realize I never updated with my most recent purchase--a Conrad-Johnson Premier 11. Retubed it with KT120s, Brimar 6CG7 and Tung Sol 5751. Pretty nice so far, and it didn't make my south-facing room too stuffy over the summer. The only upgrade I can consider past this is a pair of Premier 12 monoblocks, if a clean and inexpensive pair turns up like it did with this Premier 11 (one of those "medical bills force the sale" deals). Same basic circuit, but twice the power. Sure I'd like Premier 8 monoblocks (again, same basic circuit), but they have eight power tubes each, and I can imagine that both would draw over a kilowatt at idle. And a good pair would set me back $8,000 or more. So on those, I would pass.
It's simply the competitive nature that folks have, and it will never go away.
MRG
New Member
Thorens TD160 mk1, Audio Research d52, ARC 100b (being modded), Macintosh Mx113, Marantz 2250, Luxman LV105U, LINN Sondek LP12, AR7 towers, CJ PV10A, Klipche Chorus, (Altec Lansing 911 integrated amp, and Garrard 92 TT inside, with Altec Lansing Santana's (pure rock n roll sound). Both bought new by my father in 1973?(wouldn't call it high end) Lastly just picked up a Fisher 400 tube amp with a 440T receiver. In storage, HPM100's. Theta DAC, Theta CD player. Oh and some Klipche KG4, HPM60's my son has with him in college powered by Marantz monoblocks and ARC LS2, Let's just say he rocks the Frat house... One system for the listening room, living room, and office. 
s
s
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I don’t think anybody has mentioned Pilot stuff. I have (in addition to a whole bunch of more modern stuff):
SP-216a preamp
SP-210 preamp (with separate power supply)
SA-260 power amp
FA 680 tuner and FM 100 multiplexer
Going way, way back, I also have a Radio Craftsmen RC-2 (circa 1950) and matching Model 10 tuner preamp. I think that was high end at the time
SP-216a preamp
SP-210 preamp (with separate power supply)
SA-260 power amp
FA 680 tuner and FM 100 multiplexer
Going way, way back, I also have a Radio Craftsmen RC-2 (circa 1950) and matching Model 10 tuner preamp. I think that was high end at the time
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Pioneer.user
Active Member
I prefer these separates Pioneer urushi. Set cost 390000 yen /2750 usd in the 1980s.
Pioneer.user
Active Member
Yeah pioneer spec counts for sure.
I love the look of those. All I have from that series, alas, is a DVL-90 Laserdisc/DVD combo player:
(sitting on top of a Toshiba HD-XA1 HD-DVD player, for good measure...)