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Thoughts on 80's equipment

My current three active systems are all from the 80's.

Sansui AU-X711
Sansui AU-G99X
Sansui S-X1200

The 70's gear looks great on the rack shelves though.

Rob
 
Yamaha PF1000 Mid 80's TT
Luxman C-03/C05 Preamp/Amp mid 80's
Technics SB-E100 speakers 1978-81
So, yes sir some good 80's stuff made in my system.
 
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Nearly all of my modest pile of receivers/amps come from the 1970s.

I had a Yamaha R50 from the mid-80. It felt like quality, but I could not get attached to the sound quality.
I had a low-end Sansui A-70 amp from that time in the 80s when manufacturers printed block diagrams on the front/top of their equipment. Blah.......

Though it barely has a toehold in the decade, I did acquire an Onkyo TX-3000 recently (1980-81).
Though compromises in build quality are obvious compared to my earlier stuff, it sounds great, chip amps and all.
I would buy one of the other Onkyo receivers from the TX-x000 series if I had the money and opportunity.
 
There is plenty of great gear from the 80's and 90's. There are a few things to consider.

From the 1970's through the 1990's Japan underwent significant inflation, where the value of the Yen dropped considerably in relation to the US Dollar. The result is that Japanese companies selling gear in the US were getting less money for each piece that they sold. There were many attempts to compensate by bringing down the production cost of equipment, which sometimes included using less metal, swapping metal for plastic, using cheaper components, large passive heatsinks replaced by small heatsinks and a fan, etc. This doesn't mean that the newer gear is bad, as in many cases advancements in technology were able to compensate, even more than compensate. Sometimes companies simply raised their prices.

http://www.macrotrends.net/2550/dollar-yen-exchange-rate-historical-chart

You also had an explosion of cheap gear during this era, the cheap plastic rack systems that still fill most thrift-stores today. The key here is that aside from a few companies that were bought out just for their brand, most companies made cheap equipment in addition to, not instead of, their good gear. Not as many people bought the good gear from this era though, because for many, they felt that the cheap rack systems were good enough.
 
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The '80's was the decade I was able to leave my BIC, Pioneer, EPI gear (which I enjoyed for 6 years or so) and move on to an all-Linn system of LP12/Ittok, LK1/LK2 preamp/poweramp combo, and Sara speakers. Sadly, some components eventually failed (control board in the preamp and a driver in the Saras) that Linn no longer supported with parts and service, but it was great for the 20 years or so the system lasted. Due to their age, I wouldn't want to build a system around 1980's era components today--new gear should last longer (simply because it's new) and, in most cases, sound better.
 
I never really paid attention to the 80's and on gear. It sounds like I am missing out.
 
@Chris Brown

That's really interesting. It makes sense that in that era so much manufacturing moved to China.

I did not anticipate the reception of this thread. I'm so happy that so may people are like minded people.

My gear from that era:
A/D/S/ (Braun) Atelier A2 integrated amp
Tandberg TIA 3012A integrated amp
Tandberg TPA 3008A pre-amp
Sony TC-RX470 tape deck
Mission 730 speakers
Polk RTA12c speakers

As far as buying or collecting for the sake of nostalgia, it may not be a purist audiophile way of doing things, but if it brings you joy and you can afford it, more power to you.

The first set of decent speakers I bought (subjectivity speaking) were Mission 730 bookshelves and I still have them today. They sound very good in my HT setup. They remind my of my youth and do definitely bring me joy.

Thank you all for participating here.
 
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scottyawd said:
What are your opinions on hifi equipment from the 80s and 90s?

It seems that everybody has an opinion or a memory on pieces from the 70s. From the beautiful silver faced Pioneers and Kenwoods to the amazing wood cased Luxman and Marantz plus all the sweet Yamahas and Sansuis between. Not to mention that classic green and blue glow from McIntosh solid state gear.

Then there are the folks who die for the bleeding edge. Pass, Krell, Rotel and Parasound, and all the Class-D, G and H digital insanity. (Insane in a good way) Speaking of insanity, what about all this new (great) tube equipment from China?

I often find my self enamored with the sexy 80s and 90s slim-line brushed gunmetal aluminum from the likes of Carver, Adcom, A/D/S/(Braun), Bryston, Naim and Tandberg (with whom I'm currently in lust). And that era's speakers from KEF, A/D/S/, Polk and Infinity are fascinating. Am I alone? Am I just a product of the 80s?

What do you think?
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When people buy gear from 1980s-1990s, they do it for sound quality, not pure nostalgia. 1970s or earlier gear is mostly poorly sounding by today's measures. But high-end analog components made decade later can compete with many of today's products. Of cause we are talking about here about "bleeding edge", as you call it. Mass market items back then, an they are now - not worth mentioning here.
 
@for_p1

I disagree with your assertion that 70's gear is mostly poor sounding by today's standards. But maybe I've just been lucky. As with all electronic equipment maintenance is inevitable. My Sansui 5000X and Yamaha CA-1010 both required service when I acquired them. Such is life. Now they sound great... and look beautiful as well.

I'm looking forward to seeing and hearing some cool stuff of the era.
 
for_p1 said:
1970s or earlier gear is mostly poorly sounding by today's measures.
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I'd have to agree with the OP. Yes, there's bad gear from every decade, but there's plenty of awesome gear from the 70's decade by Marantz, Sansui, Pioneer, McIntosh, etc...which can still compete soundwise with current gear.
 
restorer-john said:
Mid 80s to very early 90s, about 8 years or so. That's where I focus my attention- it was quite simply the era where the top Japanese gear was unsurpassed.
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The Stax DMA-X2, Onkyo M-510, Accuphase P-600, & JVC M-L10 are all from that timeframe. Builds and designs beyond reproach.
 
superdog said:
Yes you are.Mid 80s Yamaha M series amps among others.Very good amps.
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I bought my first 'real" system from the Air Force Exchange in the Azores....1983....the one in the picture. Came in a nice rack with glass doors...had a TT and even purchased a set of Bose 501's to go with it. So you can imagine what my mind sees when I think 80's gear!

index.php
 
The Eighties were great for me, I had a good job and the money to move up the food chain. There were some great products at the time, Yamaha, Nakamichi, ADS, Luxman, and Parasound jump to mind.
 
Ds2000 said:
The Stax DMA-X2, Onkyo M-510, Accuphase P-600, & JVC M-L10 are all from that timeframe. Builds and designs beyond reproach.
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Agreed totally. The Japanese were a technological powerhouse back in the 80's and were building whatever their imagination could come up with.
My B-2x is a bit more pedestrian than the ones you mention but it is one of the finest sounding amps I've ever heard and the build quality is amazing.
image1 - Copy (2).JPG
 
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