Yamaha B-2 said:
I did, you didn't understand what I wrote. I said "OK, but nothing special". Is that an attack? Certainly not! I owned this 'vintage' gear when it wasn't 'vintage'.
VFET in da house!
- Thread starter ByrdWyngs
- Start date
I did, you didn't understand what I wrote. I said "OK, but nothing special". Is that an attack? Certainly not! I owned this 'vintage' gear when it wasn't 'vintage'.
These units have a unique sound (for SS gear anyway) that a lot of people love. They sold for top dollar in their day, and were quite well constructed.
Everyone has their opinion, and yours is as valid as anyone elses. I'd just caution you about jumping in (as a new member) and pissing in someone else's cornflakes. We're all about making friends here, not passing judgement. Perhaps if you had elaborated a bit, rarher than a sentence or two, it wouldn't have been construed in the wrong vein.
Everyone has their opinion, and yours is as valid as anyone elses. I'd just caution you about jumping in (as a new member) and pissing in someone else's cornflakes. We're all about making friends here, not passing judgement. Perhaps if you had elaborated a bit, rarher than a sentence or two, it wouldn't have been construed in the wrong vein.
EchoWars said:
I didn't "piss in someone else's cornflakes". I used to own both the integrated amp 4650 and the power amp 8550, but I found better stuff (much better stuff, actually) and moved on. At the time (1976?), the 4650 was a very good amp, but it had a noisy pre-amp section. Considering the price, it was a good (but not great) amp. I eventually bought a Mitsubishi pre-amp and continued to use the power-amp section of the 4650, until I could afford the Mitsubishi power amp (DA-15DC). I then bought a Hafler pre-amp and the Sony 8550 V-FET, but one day I came across a used Sony TA-N88B, and brought it home. It creamed the 8550, but the TA-N88B had stability problems. I then got the Denon POA-1500-II, which I still own.
I have had quite a bit of experience with the 70's-era Sony V-FET products, so my opinion is an informed one.
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This isn't anything new, but if you've seen it in the past, apparently it wouldn't hurt for you to take a 'refresher'.
We have an AK member here who is actually pretty damned excited to get this...spends time to clean it up, take pictures, upload 'em to here and is excitedly telling us alllllll about it...
....and what greats him but:
So if you really fail to see exactly what the fau paux is, then I can say that your time here will be short and frustrating for you.
EW out.................
We have an AK member here who is actually pretty damned excited to get this...spends time to clean it up, take pictures, upload 'em to here and is excitedly telling us alllllll about it...
....and what greats him but:
We here understand that beauty, in form and function, is in the eye of the beholder (as an aside, I've got a bit of experiance with these units myself and I couldn't disagree with you more). It is a rare occasion when one here belittles a piece of gear that someone else has, and rarer yet when that person has just busted it out of the box and is proudly displaying his new prize for the rest to see. Matter of fact, I'd venture to say it's so ****ing rare, it just isn't done.
So if you really fail to see exactly what the fau paux is, then I can say that your time here will be short and frustrating for you.
EW out.................
Wow! In my admittedly short time here, I think I have seen EW get his back up only once or twice over a thread. IIRC, it was in defence of other members, just like this time. Mr. Scarpitti, you have a special talent. You have managed to rile up our two-time AK Member of the Year. That is not really going to have the rest of the membership of our little family rushing to your aid. EW gave you good advice. I hope you heed his words.
EchoWars said:
I'm really sorry that my enthusiasm for the Sony V-FETs (which at the time I bought them was considerable) has mellowed, but the truth is, it has. Been there, done that.
I repeat, they're 'not bad'. If I recall, the mid-range was excellent, the high end was sweet, but the bass lacked authority and punch. The dynamics also seemed a bit on the 'shy' side. As I said, I owned two different Sony V-FET models, and at the time I liked them very much, but that was almost 30 years ago. The problem with them is low power.
This is hardly a condemnation! and you are way out of line in your tone and language!
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Didn't we experience something like this thread last week, during a 24 hour period?
Doc
Doc
ilimzn
Well-Known Member
Michael Scarpit said:
Michael, I believe we corresponded some years ago on the subject of the N88B.
I still own one - and in fact it does not have stability problems (not in the usual sense of the word as these do not apply to it's particular topology), what it does have is the tendency of it's power supply rectifiers to cook the nearby power supply filter caps. There are two that can short, resulting in almost certain VFET destruction. Fortunately, i caught mine in time and it has been working perfectly day in, day out for the last 2 years.
As you know, while the xx50 VFET parts are scarce, the N88B's are unfindable... I've been trying to get a parts unit (no VFETs) for a decent price in prder to investigate the possibility of a MOSFET mod, which should be possible on the N88B (unlike the xx50 amps) but so far I have not been fortunate enough to get one.
As an aside, Axel has kindly sent me the schematic of the TA-N7B. This amp has a hybrid cascode output (VFET + BJT) and should be one of those that could be converted from VFET to MOSFET if the dire need arises...
Jeez, I leave you guys alone for a couple of hours and look what happens.
While Mr. Scarpitti's original remark wasn't in the same tone as I'm used to seeing around here, I'm not sure it deserved the kind of slap down that some of you felt it did. On the other hand I'm relatively new here myself and I can understand that a zero tolerance policy of sorts may be the only way to keep the good karma flowing, and prevent this board from turning into the flame fest that the Asylum and other places can sometimes become.
And while his opinion runs contrary to most of what I've read about the VFET's I'm not harboring any illusions that the Sony VFET amps were the greatest amps ever built. If they were, then Sony would almost certainly still be making VFET's regardless of how expensive they were to manufacture. So I'm sure there are better amps out there (probably lots of them), and I don't find his comments particularly bothersome in that regard.
I honestly was drawn to the VFET's almost as much by their rarity as their purported sonic qualities. It would have been relatively easy to put together a system of matching Silver Pioneer, or Marantz, or any of several other popular vintage lines but I wanted to do something different. It took me a few months to find all the pieces and it cost a bit more than I originally planned but all the pieces did finally come together at almost the same time and now I have a near complete (there's still a turntable and maybe a reel to reel deck to find) and very unusual system to enjoy. For me it's been as much about trying to bring the whole system together as it has been about what kind of output transistors are in the amp, and Scarpitti's comments (or anybody else's) can't change that.
In any case while you guys were smacking each other around last night I was engaged elsewhere enjoying the great sound coming from my first system of separates, and easily the best audio gear I've ever owned (even if that aint zactly sayin' a lot). While the sound from the 4950. 5450, 5550 combo isn't a quantum leap above the STR-6800SD they replaced (which just attests to what a good receiver the 6800 was/is), it is definitely tighter, cleaner, more open, more detailed, and just more musical. I've still got a bit of tweaking to do, and I think I'm going to have to find some better speakers to really get the best out of this system. In the mean time it's very listenable, and I think it looks pretty good in its new home, so I'm still happy about the way it's all gone so far.
While Mr. Scarpitti's original remark wasn't in the same tone as I'm used to seeing around here, I'm not sure it deserved the kind of slap down that some of you felt it did. On the other hand I'm relatively new here myself and I can understand that a zero tolerance policy of sorts may be the only way to keep the good karma flowing, and prevent this board from turning into the flame fest that the Asylum and other places can sometimes become.
And while his opinion runs contrary to most of what I've read about the VFET's I'm not harboring any illusions that the Sony VFET amps were the greatest amps ever built. If they were, then Sony would almost certainly still be making VFET's regardless of how expensive they were to manufacture. So I'm sure there are better amps out there (probably lots of them), and I don't find his comments particularly bothersome in that regard.
I honestly was drawn to the VFET's almost as much by their rarity as their purported sonic qualities. It would have been relatively easy to put together a system of matching Silver Pioneer, or Marantz, or any of several other popular vintage lines but I wanted to do something different. It took me a few months to find all the pieces and it cost a bit more than I originally planned but all the pieces did finally come together at almost the same time and now I have a near complete (there's still a turntable and maybe a reel to reel deck to find) and very unusual system to enjoy. For me it's been as much about trying to bring the whole system together as it has been about what kind of output transistors are in the amp, and Scarpitti's comments (or anybody else's) can't change that.
In any case while you guys were smacking each other around last night I was engaged elsewhere enjoying the great sound coming from my first system of separates, and easily the best audio gear I've ever owned (even if that aint zactly sayin' a lot). While the sound from the 4950. 5450, 5550 combo isn't a quantum leap above the STR-6800SD they replaced (which just attests to what a good receiver the 6800 was/is), it is definitely tighter, cleaner, more open, more detailed, and just more musical. I've still got a bit of tweaking to do, and I think I'm going to have to find some better speakers to really get the best out of this system. In the mean time it's very listenable, and I think it looks pretty good in its new home, so I'm still happy about the way it's all gone so far.
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Good post, ByrdWyngs.
As the grand poobah here in the VSS, I always get bummed out by disagreements that get out of hand. Thankfully these have been very few and far between.
Opinions, well, everybody has them. When they're based on prior ownership, well that's something to consider. As long as they don't become personal, I don't have a problem with them.
I think, due to the friendly encouragement we give each other, that a discordant note is startling.
Where am I at? Check my signature line!
As the grand poobah here in the VSS, I always get bummed out by disagreements that get out of hand. Thankfully these have been very few and far between.
Opinions, well, everybody has them. When they're based on prior ownership, well that's something to consider. As long as they don't become personal, I don't have a problem with them.
I think, due to the friendly encouragement we give each other, that a discordant note is startling.
Where am I at? Check my signature line!
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axel
Super Member
Byrdwings,
Here's a little stack contemporary of yours:
PS-6750,
TC-755,
SS-5050,
TA-5650,
ST-4950,
TC-209SD.
... you're close to a "time machine" system! With a 6800SD on the side it's a time-machine with Superdrive
The original image is on thevintageknob, in the "Sony Sights" section.
cheers
axel
Here's a little stack contemporary of yours:
PS-6750,
TC-755,
SS-5050,
TA-5650,
ST-4950,
TC-209SD.
... you're close to a "time machine" system! With a 6800SD on the side it's a time-machine with Superdrive
The original image is on thevintageknob, in the "Sony Sights" section.
cheers
axel
I lifted this from another thread. Aren't these out your way? They really don't need more than 50wpc unless you are in a large room. I am very pleased with what I am hearing out of mine. Also, I've had very good luck in sound improvement with the Wasatch interconnects. You can get them on Audiogon occasionally for under half of new.ByrdWyngs said:
http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/4494-yamaha_ns1000m_speakers
BTW, my TA5650 arrived today. Just letting the temp equilibrate before firing her up.
Axel - Are those SS-5020 speakers any good? What's in them?
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TA-5650 & ST-J75 Arrive Together
As if they were looking for one another, the TA-5650 and ST-J75 both arrived on the same truck today. One from Saskatoon and the other from TX. Like long-lost lovers reunited. I hope they sound that way, as they will be paired with the EPI-120s that Merrylander has restored and will go up with the TV in place of the STR-V7 (Sorry, -V7. A man's gotta have his VFETs). But, the listening will tell. Won't get started until tomorrow to allow time for things to thermally stabilize. Are really a couple of very clean units. Nerry a mar on them, to speak of.
As if they were looking for one another, the TA-5650 and ST-J75 both arrived on the same truck today. One from Saskatoon and the other from TX. Like long-lost lovers reunited. I hope they sound that way, as they will be paired with the EPI-120s that Merrylander has restored and will go up with the TV in place of the STR-V7 (Sorry, -V7. A man's gotta have his VFETs). But, the listening will tell. Won't get started until tomorrow to allow time for things to thermally stabilize. Are really a couple of very clean units. Nerry a mar on them, to speak of.
vintage_silver
Active Member
Great looking gear! I hope it sound's as good as it Look's. What am I saying! Sure it doe's. Have fun........
Axel - Thanks, I've seen that pic and the '76 ESII pic on your site. They are kind of what gave me the idea to put this system together. Hopefully I'll end up somewhere between the two systems pictured (probably less the R2R, but if one falls into my lap I suppose I could make room for it somewhere).
Yamaha-B2 - Thanks for the link. I'm in Vancouver, WA USA - they're in Vancouver BC which is about a 3-4 hour drive north of here. Still If their asking price is in CAD that equates to a little less that 700 USD. Might just be worth the drive if I could find the room for them. I'm currently using the budget (aka tightwad) audiophiles first choice in cabling - Petra interconnects and HD 14 speaker wire. I might think about better IC's down the road but not until after I get the speaker and TT/Cartridge choices finalized.
With that 5650 coming from Saskatoon it might take a couple of days to thaw out.
Yamaha-B2 - Thanks for the link. I'm in Vancouver, WA USA - they're in Vancouver BC which is about a 3-4 hour drive north of here. Still If their asking price is in CAD that equates to a little less that 700 USD. Might just be worth the drive if I could find the room for them. I'm currently using the budget (aka tightwad) audiophiles first choice in cabling - Petra interconnects and HD 14 speaker wire. I might think about better IC's down the road but not until after I get the speaker and TT/Cartridge choices finalized.
With that 5650 coming from Saskatoon it might take a couple of days to thaw out.
