OT:Vintage Audio - Part 2

[William]

Vintage Audio Part 2

Most new carbon fiber bikes are awesome, but sometimes nostalgia wins out and steel lugs or clean fillet is what you seek.

Hi, my name is William, and I'm getting sucked in...

So this started as an exercise to set our daughter up with a vintage receiver & turntable and I think it’s starting to suck me in. She would have been happy with one of those cheap suitcase record players like her friend has that got her interested but I thought that if you were going to listen to vinyl you should really listen to it in the manner it was meant to be played. You won’t get that dynamic sound out of the suitcase. That said the hunt was an interesting exercise and she ended up with a nice Kenwood receiver and Yamaha turntable. Watching her face light up when we played some of our old records and the sound started coming out of the speakers was priceless.

Anyway, now I’m getting sucked in. Part nostalgia, part - I just remember that dynamic sound. So, that said, pairing up a good reciever/amp, turntable, and speakers is what I’m trying to figure out. I’m not looking to break the bank, and I’m sure there is a lot of nice current CF typer offerings out there, but vintage lugged/fillet steel equivalent is where I’m heading.

So, if you are in this vintage audio boat, what do you have/like? What have you personally found to pair up well?

Just curious. Pictures appreciated but not necessary.






William

[Tickdoc]

Got a friend who installs audio for a living in CT. It's a slippery slope. He's always on the lookout for the rare high quality old stuff....but he knows what he is looking for as he sold them new back in the day. Turntables? adds a whole other dimension to the equation. There is something so intoxicationg about that rich old sound.

[tylercheung]

I have no idea. I just got a relatively set of cheap Audioengine speakers a decade ago and never sought to upgrade.

That being said, I think it is some of the imperfections in wood/analog setups that appeal to a lot of people. I am told a reasonable amp system is from Schiit. I have never needed to get any of them..

[gomango]

I was in the "record" business doing indie promotion, touring with Twin Tone bands, running a retail "record store" chain, started a record label, blah blah blah etc.

Just under fifteen years all told.

I walked out of the business many years ago and sold many of my albums.

Still have way too many to count.

My favorite home system consists of a Technics 1200 with a fresh Stanton 681eee, Klipsch Heresy speakers, an Audio Research D125 hybrid tube amp and a very nice Audio Research SP9 Mark III preamp.

Also have loads of other goodies like a nice Revox A77, another Audio Research LS7 preamp that I recently picked up on CL, a Nakamichi Dragon cassette deck and a Yamaha T70 fm tuner.

I would grab bargains at garage sales and CL when the mood would strike.

Our sons never knew what to make of this gear, as they listened to everything on their iPhones and Beats....

edit: I also have refurbed Klisch KG4s and Polk 5 junior plus speakers. Both have strong merits. imho

[fignon's barber]

A great, great 1980's speaker is the Vandersteen 1B. You can find them on ebay now for a song.

[daker13]

I was in the "record" business doing indie promotion, touring with Twin Tone bands, running a retail "record store" chain, started a record label, blah blah blah etc.

That is so cool! Tons of great bands on Twin Tone, but the ones that jump out are the Replacements and Pere Ubu's Terminal Tower...

William, I guess the big question is, tubes or solid state? I'm a vintage tube guy. I have a Mcintosh 240 amp, a Wright sound preamp, and a Linn LP12, and all of these probably qualify. I'm also a big fan of first gen Snell speakers (Audio Note speakers, which I also use, are basically rip offs of early Snell speakers). I also have a Dynaco ST70 that I'm not using. I have second system of Naim (solid state) stuff on loan from a friend that also probably qualifies as vintage.

People often say that vintage stuff has a 'warm sound' or something, but I don't think that's really necessarily true. Commercial hifi was just WAY better in 1962 than it is today--everything except phono cartridges. I'm not above slightly modding a vintage amp (this is a whole can o' worms).

I notice you used the word 'dynamic' twice in your post. Well, if that's your taste, a really great way to go is to follow gomango and pick up a pair of Klipsch Heresy's. You can find these for a pretty reasonable price, and they are dynamic as hell. They go well with a lot of different amps, especially tubes. If you REALLY want to go nuts, get Klipsch Cornwalls! (Klipsch speakers hold their value and you should be able to sell them for what you paid, eventually.)

** OT, but I'd be curious if there are any Nelson Pass Diy'ers on the PL? I've been meaning to build one of his amps for 10 years. Am awaiting delivery of an Amp Camp kit right now, and planning out a preamp build. Really excited to have a class A solid state amp in the stable.

[sc53]

I've just gotta say, as a woman, that William's wife is never going to approve Klipsch speakers anywhere in the common living areas of the house. If he wants to set up his vintage system in the garage or out in one of his barns, that's another story.

[William]

A little Audio 101:


Receiver = integrated tuner and amp that will run peripherals like the turntable, cassette player, CD player etc…

Amplifier = Will run peripherals like the FM tuner, turntable, cassette player, CD player etc…


Where does a Pre-amp fall into the mix?

Solid state vs tubes…







William

[William]

I've just gotta say, as a woman, that William's wife is never going to approve Klipsch speakers anywhere in the common living areas of the house. If he wants to set up his vintage system in the garage or out in one of his barns, that's another story.

There is truth in that statement....though I'm working on it. :)





William

[bob heinatz]

Check out Vinyl Nirvana website. Restores Thorens turntables. Old restored tube integrated amps are a great way to go.

[sc53]

A little Audio 101:


Receiver = integrated tuner and amp that will run peripherals like the turntable, cassette player, CD player etc…

Amplifier = Will run peripherals like the FM tuner, turntable, cassette player, CD player etc…


Where does a Pre-amp fall into the mix?

Solid state vs tubes…

William

Amplifier is just a power source for the speakers; has no controls, that's why you use a preamp with it.
However, an Integrated amp contains both a power amp and a preamp, so like a receiver but no radio tuner.
Solid state vs tubes--don't go there.

[daker13]

A little Audio 101:


Receiver = integrated tuner and amp that will run peripherals like the turntable, cassette player, CD player etc…

Amplifier = Will run peripherals like the FM tuner, turntable, cassette player, CD player etc…


Where does a Pre-amp fall into the mix?

William

Actually, the amplifier just amplifies the signal and sends it out to the speakers. The preamp accepts all the connections from all of the sources (CD player, turntable, etc) and allows you to switch from one to the other and control the volume, balance, etc. This is kind of the purist audio set-up, anyway.

The receiver just sticks everything into one chassis. This isn't usually an issue with solid state, since the transistors and everything is pretty small, but with tubes, you can run into reliability problems. That being said, there are some really reliable, great sounding vintage tube receivers by Harmon Kardon, Scott, etc. But to generalize, separate pieces sound better (each piece only does one thing).

Unfortunately, with a turntable (as you might already know), the signal going into the preamp/receiver/whatever is much smaller than that of a tuner or CD player. For that reason, one also needs a "phono stage" or phono preamp... this brings the signal up to the level of the other components. This is often included in older receivers and integrated amplifiers already. But technically one needs a separate circuit/amplifier (whether one knows it or not) in order to connect a turntable. My Wright Sound preamp has a phono stage built into it.

[parris]

Run away now before it's too late!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhh !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :d

[speedevil]

I have a Sony DA777ES receiver that I would give away to someone that actually wanted it. Too heavy to ship, I'll bet it's 50+ pounds. A really nice receiver in my opinion. Now that i think about it, I also have the matching cd player.

[tlarwa]

Ive been in the audio game for a bunch of years now ... even built a dedicated listening room in my basement. I’m a vinyl guy, with about 2000 albums (all stuff I actually listen to, not just hoard). Anyway, I’ve had a TON of components come through my room over the years, both current and vintage. Here’s my advice, FWIW:

1. Be careful with vintage amps and receivers. Many, if not all, need to be reworked, as components go out of spec, capacitors leak, etc. Some of these pieces have parts that have basically become unobtanium. Know what your doing or looking for before you dive in, or spend the $$ and buy a unit that has been rebuilt already. This goes for both tubes and solid state, BTW. With tubes, know what your doing before trying to repair them or you will run the risk of frying yourself.
2. Vintage turntables are a safer bet, especially the basic models without electronics. Anything with a manual tonearm lift, for example. Some of the “fancier” tables had a lot of electronics, and if they die your probably screwed. Look for the workhorses; Technics belt or DD models, AR XA or XB, etc. Most of these are pretty easy to disassemble and clean, and parts are usually available on the bay.
3. R2R decks are best avoided, unless you find one that has already been rebuilt. Cassette decks are a little safer, although you may still have to replace motors or heads, or at least clean and adjust them.
4. Speakers are easier ... crossovers are typically fairly easy to rebuild, and if you go Klipsch you can buy rebuild kits from Bob Crites. Even repairing rotted foam surrounds is pretty easy, although voice coil rub is a little trickier. Again, know what you are looking for and at before you plunk down your money. By the way, I’ve owned Klipsch Heresy, Cornwall, KG4, and LaScalas, and my favorite was the Cornwall’s. You need some room though ... they are huge.

It’s a fun hobby, but can be costly if you buy something that can’t be repaired easily or cheaply. Good luck!

[yinzerniner]

Run away now before it's too late!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhh !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :d

I endorse this statement, coming from someone who at one time had $150k in gear boxed up, never installed!

But for real it REALLY helps if you set aside a budget and stick with it. Like those little double triangle rolling things, there are SO MANY choices that it gets dizzying without setting some sort of control variable.

To acknowledge some of the above points:
-Tubes were often said to be "warmer" or "more musical" than solid state back in the day as the distortion that emanated from them was of a gentler variety. Manufacturing for clean amplifier wattage back in the day was damn near impossible, so the rolloff / clipping of tubes naturally isn't as jarring as solid state. However for the past 20 years or so solid state amps and even preamps have gotten to the point of matching any tube setup for sonic fidelity.
-And the "warm" tube sound is often more "pleasing imperfection." Kind of like how a picture that shows a bit of a sepia tint and grain can be more pleasing than the exact same one which is 100% color correct and sharper than a katana.
-If anything, for a real system I'd start with the speakers. A good set of speakers will reproduce great sound for a lifetime, while other components are much more fickle.
-If you're going to go the vintage route, early 60's to mid 70's is the sweet spot as the old stuff was WAY overbuilt since electrical engineering expertise wasn't as widespread, but you'll pay out the nose for good examples. While the "cool" factor is there, for pure sonic enjoyment you'd be better off going new or slightly used. For cachet and resale value vintage is a viable option.
-As with many other toys, the value curve falls off a cliff once past a certain point. For most larger components it's around the 2K mark. Cartridges, $500.
-DO NOT GET SUCKED IN BY FANCY CABLES! Total waste of money.
-The Sony ES stuff was really great until about the mid-2000's, or when the consumer electronics market went off a cliff due to physical media becoming an afterthought.
-Phono Preamps are often overlooked, but make a HUGE difference. If you get an amazing cartridge but a crap preamp it's all for naught. They are very pricey for what they do, but worth the outlay if that makes sense.
-If you're into hacks / DIY / fiddling around turntables and the associated equipment is HEAVEN! Tube swapping, power supply mods, auxiliary battery additions, etc. etc. The list is endless

That being said, based off your vintage lug/steel aesthetic leanings you'd be better off going with something along these routes:
-Modern Project or Rega turntable
-Vintage Marantz, Pioneer or NAD Integrated Amp. Or McIntosh if you're a poser.
-Modern Paradigm or Dynaudio speakers, great sound and fantastic build quality and aesthetics. Or B&W's if you want to sell a kidney
-Modern phono preamp for as much as you can spend.
-Monoprice cables. 12ga minimum for speaker cable.

[gomango]

I've just gotta say, as a woman, that William's wife is never going to approve Klipsch speakers anywhere in the common living areas of the house. If he wants to set up his vintage system in the garage or out in one of his barns, that's another story.

My wife doesn't even want them at the cabin, not even in the pole barn. :)

Speaker wire and cords drive her batty.

Actually, I have them in our basement near the fly rods, bike stuff, other audio gear and whatever my ocd whims conjure up.

[kingpin75s]

I endorse this statement, coming from someone who at one time had $150k in gear boxed up, never installed!

But for real it REALLY helps if you set aside a budget and stick with it. Like those little double triangle rolling things, there are SO MANY choices that it gets dizzying without setting some sort of control variable.

To acknowledge some of the above points:
-Tubes were often said to be "warmer" or "more musical" than solid state back in the day as the distortion that emanated from them was of a gentler variety. Manufacturing for clean amplifier wattage back in the day was damn near impossible, so the rolloff / clipping of tubes naturally isn't as jarring as solid state. However for the past 20 years or so solid state amps and even preamps have gotten to the point of matching any tube setup for sonic fidelity.
-And the "warm" tube sound is often more "pleasing imperfection." Kind of like how a picture that shows a bit of a sepia tint and grain can be more pleasing than the exact same one which is 100% color correct and sharper than a katana.
-If anything, for a real system I'd start with the speakers. A good set of speakers will reproduce great sound for a lifetime, while other components are much more fickle.
-If you're going to go the vintage route, early 60's to mid 70's is the sweet spot as the old stuff was WAY overbuilt since electrical engineering expertise wasn't as widespread, but you'll pay out the nose for good examples. While the "cool" factor is there, for pure sonic enjoyment you'd be better off going new or slightly used. For cachet and resale value vintage is a viable option.
-As with many other toys, the value curve falls off a cliff once past a certain point. For most larger components it's around the 2K mark. Cartridges, $500.
-DO NOT GET SUCKED IN BY FANCY CABLES! Total waste of money.
-The Sony ES stuff was really great until about the mid-2000's, or when the consumer electronics market went off a cliff due to physical media becoming an afterthought.
-Phono Preamps are often overlooked, but make a HUGE difference. If you get an amazing cartridge but a crap preamp it's all for naught. They are very pricey for what they do, but worth the outlay if that makes sense.
-If you're into hacks / DIY / fiddling around turntables and the associated equipment is HEAVEN! Tube swapping, power supply mods, auxiliary battery additions, etc. etc. The list is endless

That being said, based off your vintage lug/steel aesthetic leanings you'd be better off going with something along these routes:
-Modern Project or Rega turntable
-Vintage Marantz, Pioneer or NAD Integrated Amp. Or McIntosh if you're a poser.
-Modern Paradigm or Dynaudio speakers, great sound and fantastic build quality and aesthetics. Or B&W's if you want to sell a kidney
-Modern phono preamp for as much as you can spend.
-Monoprice cables. 12ga minimum for speaker cable.

Some really good stuff in here on the value curve comments and balancing the quality of your system across components in particular, but am going to call you out when it comes to cables. You are simply wrong to make such a blanket BOLDED statement. At the quality levels most of the equipment being discussed, sure, I would not invest in expensive cables either. I use Monoprice cables on my subs where the quality does not matter. However, to say expensive cables do not make a difference as a whole, is completely wrong.

There is a reason the man who is the ears for Audio Research, brings in his own cables to voice their equipment. Because it makes a significant and audible difference. But I do not have to draw solely on what I know of him as I am part of the local audiophile scene, in a great audio town (Audio Research, Magnepan, Bel Canto etc.) so I spend a lot of time listening to other peoples systems and I get to hear the differences myself. If you run a Line Stage that you paid $2K plus for and are running generic cables, you likely are not getting the most from your system and it probably sounds more closed in then it should swell as may lack some potential resolution.

My systems fits right in that 2K/component range and every cable change has been audible and significant.

You are also right that tubes are effectively coloring or adding a little distortion, however I have found that they still sound better, cast a more 3D soundstage and reveal as mush detail when done right. I just tested some of Bel Canto's latest class D mono blocks against a pair of Rogue M-180 tube mono blocks in my system and for being similar in value, I greatly preferred the sound of the Rogue tubes.

[kingpin75s]

Run away now before it's too late!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhh !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :d

Yeah. I know. I have almost stopped buying bikes as a result. Almost :cool:

[William]

Amplifier is just a power source for the speakers; has no controls, that's why you use a preamp with it.
However, an Integrated amp contains both a power amp and a preamp, so like a receiver but no radio tuner.
Solid state vs tubes--don't go there.

Actually, the amplifier just amplifies the signal and sends it out to the speakers. The preamp accepts all the connections from all of the sources (CD player, turntable, etc) and allows you to switch from one to the other and control the volume, balance, etc. This is kind of the purist audio set-up, anyway.

The receiver just sticks everything into one chassis. This isn't usually an issue with solid state, since the transistors and everything is pretty small, but with tubes, you can run into reliability problems. That being said, there are some really reliable, great sounding vintage tube receivers by Harmon Kardon, Scott, etc. But to generalize, separate pieces sound better (each piece only does one thing).

Unfortunately, with a turntable (as you might already know), the signal going into the preamp/receiver/whatever is much smaller than that of a tuner or CD player. For that reason, one also needs a "phono stage" or phono preamp... this brings the signal up to the level of the other components. This is often included in older receivers and integrated amplifiers already. But technically one needs a separate circuit/amplifier (whether one knows it or not) in order to connect a turntable. My Wright Sound preamp has a phono stage built into it.


Okay, that cleans it up for me a bit.

Now, back to tubes or solid state and quality wires. :)



Lots of good info to chew on, I knew you folks would come through with the forum collective knowledge and experience!:cool:





William

[zzy]

Can anyone tell me if I should bite the bullet and have my dad's Dual 1229 fully restored, or just get a tech 12 knockoff? I grew up on vinyl and my dad gave me his Dual turntable when I went to college (I was subsequently way ahead of the hipster curve on that). The motor burned out (or seized) and the best person I can find wants over $350 to do a full restore with a new motor. For about that I can just get a more modern Audio Technica? While I will keep the Dual forever, wouldn't a new deck make the most sense for parts and maintenance? I also prefer the smaller form factor of newer decks as the old Dual had a spring loaded frame with a box and a huge dust cover.

[josephr]

I've really enjoyed reading yours and others' voyages in to the foray of vintage audio. In the past I've been fortunate to own speakers from Magnepan, several pairs of early Acoustic Research...I miss the ARs, and the MG1s were freakin' amazing in the 'sweet spot' but my house wasn't of Frank Lloyd Wright design and the experience was limited to just me sitting in one little space. Other equipment is varied over the years, being a child of the '80s, I leaned towards the Japanese stuff -- Onkyo, Denon, Sansui. However, my favorite set-up was an NAD CD player (not really vintage?) I paired with a Rotel integrated amp -- everything just sounded better.

I divested of everything a few years ago and kept only my CD collection --- my go-to system now is Pandora on my phone paired to a portable JBL bluetooth speaker....if I want to get personal with my music, I have a nice set of Sony studio headphones. I spend time/money/space on bicycles now. ;)

[Ken Robb]

I had AR3a speakers until I heard ADS speakers in the early 1970s. I bought 710s and loved them. Since I like organ music I sold them and bought 810s which are the same except for two 8" woofers rather than two 7" woofers. Unfortunately in the interim between my purchases ADS changed tweeters and/or mid-range drivers so my 810s never sounded as crisp/revealing as my 710s. I heard a rumor that the earlier ADS speakers sometimes suffered blown tweeters when overdriven so that MAY have been the reason.

I replaced them with Vandersteen Model 2s for a HUGE improvement and loved those for 20 years. I replaced them with 2CE Signatures when one of my midrange drivers died. Richard Vandersteen gave me a VERY good deal trading in my Model 2s because he no longer had a replacement for my ancient Model 2s.

I agree with the suggestion that Vandersteen 1b or 1c are great values and sometimes various Model 2, 2ci, and 2ce speakers can be found at reasonable prices. This MAY be due to them all being floor-standing speakers that may not fit in all listening areas. OTOH the ADS speakers from 810 down to 400 are all mostly bookshelf size and they all have a really good sound. I have a pair of 420s in my bedroom system and like them a lot. The other good news about ADS speakers is that their woofer surrounds are butyl rubber that don't fall apart as opposed to the foam used by so many manufacturers that need to be replaced in 20 years or so. This is worth considering when buying used speakers. I think classic Klipsch speakers like The Heresy and bigger models use fabric "accordian" surrounds that are also very long-lived.

[Rudy]

[QUOTE=daker13;2406099]That is so cool! Tons of great bands on Twin Tone, but the ones that jump out are the Replacements and Pere Ubu's Terminal Tower...

William, I guess the big question is, tubes or solid state? I'm a vintage tube guy. I have a Mcintosh 240 amp, a Wright sound preamp, and a Linn LP12, and all of these probably qualify. I'm also a big fan of first gen Snell speakers (Audio Note speakers, which I also use, are basically rip offs of early Snell speakers). I also have a Dynaco ST70 that I'm not using. I have second system of Naim (solid state) stuff on loan from a friend that also probably qualifies as vintage.

People often say that vintage stuff has a 'warm sound' or something, but I don't think that's really necessarily true. Commercial hifi was just WAY better in 1962 than it is today--everything except phono cartridges. I'm not above slightly modding a vintage amp (this is a whole can o' worms).

I notice you used the word 'dynamic' twice in your post. Well, if that's your taste, a really great way to go is to follow gomango and pick up a pair of Klipsch Heresy's. You can find these for a pretty reasonable price, and they are dynamic as hell. They go well with a lot of different amps, especially tubes. If you REALLY want to go nuts, get Klipsch Cornwalls! (Klipsch speakers hold their value and you should be able to sell them for what you paid, eventually.)

** OT, but I'd be curious if there are any Nelson Pass Diy'ers on the PL? I've been meaning to build one of his amps for 10 years. Am awaiting delivery of an Amp Camp kit right now, and planning out a preamp build. Really excited to have a class A solid state amp in the stable.[/QUOTE

Don’t forget the Suburbs.

[pobrien]

I went with modern Yamaha amplifier (A-S2000) in silver and Yamaha CD player (S2000) in silver. They are current technology and high quality and not too expensive (considering).

I have vintage Yamaha turntables that include a YP-D6 (2) and one YP-D8 and two 701s (I forget the proper name for it offhand). They are excellent tables.

I went with updated vintage Forte II speakers and a set of new Heresy III speakers. I like them both, they are both great speakers.

I was skeptical of the speaker wire controversy. From what I have read, well, I went with reasonably priced speaker cable. Some people spend a lot of wire.

Good luck!

[kingpin75s]

[QUOTE=daker13;2406099]

** OT, but I'd be curious if there are any Nelson Pass Diy'ers on the PL? I've been meaning to build one of his amps for 10 years. Am awaiting delivery of an Amp Camp kit right now, and planning out a preamp build. Really excited to have a class A solid state amp in the stable.[/QUOTE



Not a Pass DIY'er but am very familiar with the forum he participates on and with his work in general. Really intrigued with his First Watt line as well for a smaller system. Would be interested to hear your experience with his DIY kits.

Currently running some 100wpc Threshold SA/2 mono blocks for SS amps. The pure class A sound is special for SS amps and really has a great grip on the bass as well as a sweet sounding mid range.

[likebikes]

was always a fan of the yamaha natural sound receivers, silver face.

currently have a NAD 7240PE that i like a lot, well, i spilled a beer into the chassis it while it was on..

hope it still works...

[Peter P.]

So, if you are in this vintage audio boat, what do you have/like? What have you personally found to pair up well?
William

My only concession to vintage was to purchase a pair of Klipsch Heresy II's on craigslist. Not sure if that qualifies as vintage since Klipsch still makes the Heresy. The first time I heard a pair of the legendary Klipschorns (https://www.klipsch.com/products/klipschorn-floorstanding-speaker), I was hooked, although my wallet wasn't. After the Heresy's, I bought kg4.2's and Quartets. They were more full-range than the Heresy's but I guess I'm a vintage snob so I sold them and kept the Heresy's.

I think ANY equipment, current or vintage, is fine. I don't think there's such a thing as components that make good pairings, otherwise manufacturers would limit their potential buying pool, and they'd list required specs for acceptable matches. It's an old wife's tale.


Good deals are to be had on craigslist, especially speakers. I wouldn't go back to an analog FM tuner for convenience reasons. CDs are more convenient than LPs.

Any speakers you get need to physically match the room; too large and they aesthetically dominate the room, looking out of place. In that case, buy smaller speakers and a subwoofer. I have paired my Heresy's with a Klipsch kg sw passive subwoofer because the Heresy's aren't quite a full-range speaker, although they are beasts that play loud and clear with twinky watts from a power source.

To me, the room's acoustics are more important than the equipment. If the wife permits it, decorate the room to improve the acoustics and virtually any brand name speaker will sound good. But don't listen to the speaker, listen to the music. ;)

[Plum Hill]

My favorite home system consists of a Technics 1200 with a fresh Stanton 681eee, Klipsch Heresy speakers, an Audio Research D125 hybrid tube amp and a very nice Audio Research SP9 Mark III preamp.


Taking the sensitivity of the Heresys and the output of the D125...can they hear this in the next town over?

[Scuzzer]

Tubes. Tubes are fun especially if you have even the barest of electrical knowledge since you can build just about anything with them if you're so inclined. You can look at a tube schematic and figure out the electron flow very quickly, can't do that with a transistor amp.

Unfortunately that means your amp doesn't have craploads of output so you end up with really huge, really high sensitivity speakers from long ago.

My preference now is to play with class D amp modules from china. Tons of power, good sound and they like speakers with low impedance.

Once you get far enough into audio you'll realize that absolutely nobody builds the exact specific thing you want. As a nerd, building it myself was half the fun.

[kingpin75s]

My only concession to vintage was to purchase a pair of Klipsch Heresy II's on craigslist. Not sure if that qualifies as vintage since Klipsch still makes the Heresy. The first time I heard a pair of the legendary Klipschorns (https://www.klipsch.com/products/klipschorn-floorstanding-speaker), I was hooked, although my wallet wasn't. After the Heresy's, I bought kg4.2's and Quartets. They were more full-range than the Heresy's but I guess I'm a vintage snob so I sold them and kept the Heresy's.

I think ANY equipment, current or vintage, is fine. I don't think there's such a thing as components that make good pairings, otherwise manufacturers would limit their potential buying pool, and they'd list required specs for acceptable matches. It's an old wife's tale.


Good deals are to be had on craigslist, especially speakers. I wouldn't go back to an analog FM tuner for convenience reasons. CDs are more convenient than LPs.

Any speakers you get need to physically match the room; too large and they aesthetically dominate the room, looking out of place. In that case, buy smaller speakers and a subwoofer. I have paired my Heresy's with a Klipsch kg sw passive subwoofer because the Heresy's aren't quite a full-range speaker, although they are beasts that play loud and clear with twinky watts from a power source.

To me, the room's acoustics are more important than the equipment. If the wife permits it, decorate the room to improve the acoustics and virtually any brand name speaker will sound good. But don't listen to the speaker, listen to the music. ;)

Mostly good stuff and on point.

Only will say that from a mathematics perspective (Input mV, gain db etc.) alone, component pairing is very important. That does not even get into the nuances of coloration vs. transparency that different components (tubes vs. SS, different brands etc.) will provide and how that defines your overall sound.

Good stuff on speakers matching room size. All comes down to the sound pressure levels (SPLs) you are looking for in a space. I have a large listening space and run a 2.4 setup. 2 Full range supported by quad subs that are paired and stacked next to mains to integrate more seamlessly. My dining room setup will likely have 2 small speakers and probably still have stereo subs as full range stereo is important to me.

The main thing you hit on that is not talked enough though is room acoustics. A great wool rug with a thick pad between you and speakers as well as Owens Corning 703 can be really key. The whole point here is addressing audible first reflections. There can be more, but managing first reflections gets you most of the way. Small rooms need more treatment as more opportunity for audible first reflection than big rooms. In my space, I need a good thick rug between me and the speakers and I need 703 panels on my front wall to manage the first reflections coming from my back ported speakers and subs even with my speakers and subs pulled out 2-3 feet from my front wall. My space is wide and tall so even though I have a mirror in my first reflection space at the side walls, the distance is great enough that it is not an audible impact. Anyone really wanting to ensure they get the most from their system can improve their lot significantly by understanding the impact of these reflections.

[martl]

My favorite home system consists of a Technics 1200 with a fresh Stanton 681eee, Klipsch Heresy speakers, an Audio Research D125 hybrid tube amp and a very nice Audio Research SP9 Mark III preamp.

I may be wrong, but i always was under the impression that the Technics 1200 had its legendary status because it was a club DJs weapon of choice, Which was for two reasons: its powerful direct drive which made it ideal for scratching, and its bulletproof rigidity meant it didn't mind if someone spillt a beer over it.
For home/audiophile purposes, the requirements were and are different. I was in the market in these days and i'd always have picked a higher level Thorens over it; there were other systems out there in the same price range which do a better job. Am i mistaken?

[Ozz]

William....you are a handy guy....search the interweb to find some plans for the Speakerlab K's (essentially a clone of the "Klipshorns") and build 'em yourself!

you might remember Speakerlab....Seattle area company that sold speaker kits.

A buddy of mine had a set....yeah, they went to "11"

:hello:

[yinzerniner]

The main thing you hit on that is not talked enough though is room acoustics.

Wanted to post this as a retort to someone's earlier diatribe on how important super-expensive exotic cables are, but it can't be stated enough.

Kind of similar how a bike is crap if it's paired with terrible tires, a system is only as good as the room. Unfortunately, getting an acoustically perfect room will be HELL on aesthetics unless you're an MC Escher fan. But the software systems in the better consumer products like YPAO, MCACC, AccuEQ, Audyssey and Denon Room EQ do an admirable job of smoothing out the response curve if not creating a perfect listening environment.

I may be wrong, but i always was under the impression that the Technics 1200 had its legendary status because it was a club DJs weapon of choice, Which was for two reasons: its powerful direct drive which made it ideal for scratching, and its bulletproof rigidity. Am i mistaken?
No, your assumptions are correct about the 1200s following, with a couple of other unintentional quirks that made it ideal for dubbing, scratching, queuing, and a lot of other techniques necessary for the DJs of yore. But the build quality strengths of the 1200s are also relevant to pure audio quality, although they aren't quite the best out there. A good motor and heavy plinth is always helpful, but direct drive is noticeably worse for vibration transmission and sound quality vs belt drive. Also the tonarm design and cable are good and solid, but can't compare to a user-replaceable cable and the tonarm designs that track the grooves much more accurately.

[gomango]

I may be wrong, but i always was under the impression that the Technics 1200 had its legendary status because it was a club DJs weapon of choice, Which was for two reasons: its powerful direct drive which made it ideal for scratching, and its bulletproof rigidity meant it didn't mind if someone spillt a beer over it.
For home/audiophile purposes, the requirements were and are different. I was in the market in these days and i'd always have picked a higher level Thorens over it; there were other systems out there in the same price range which do a better job. Am i mistaken?

Sentimental reasons for me. I bought the 1200 from a friend that was a top dj at First Avenue. Home of Prince (and many others like the Replacements, Soul Asylum, Husker Du etc.), the tt was used by Kevin for many a weekend spinning jams bitd. I'm a rock n' roll, blues and r'n'b kind of a guy and this one suits perfectly.

FWIW I also have a nice Thorens 160 that fits a little tidier in the audiophile wheelhouse.

[Bob Ross]

I may be wrong, but i always was under the impression that the Technics 1200 had its legendary status because it was a club DJs weapon of choice, Which was for two reasons: its powerful direct drive which made it ideal for scratching, and its bulletproof rigidity meant it didn't mind if someone spillt a beer over it.
For home/audiophile purposes, the requirements were and are different. I was in the market in these days and i'd always have picked a higher level Thorens over it; there were other systems out there in the same price range which do a better job. Am i mistaken?

Nope, you are 100% correct.

[djg]

Can anyone tell me if I should bite the bullet and have my dad's Dual 1229 fully restored, or just get a tech 12 knockoff? I grew up on vinyl and my dad gave me his Dual turntable when I went to college (I was subsequently way ahead of the hipster curve on that). The motor burned out (or seized) and the best person I can find wants over $350 to do a full restore with a new motor. For about that I can just get a more modern Audio Technica? While I will keep the Dual forever, wouldn't a new deck make the most sense for parts and maintenance? I also prefer the smaller form factor of newer decks as the old Dual had a spring loaded frame with a box and a huge dust cover.

Other folks might easily be better informed on the Dual restorations than I am. I've seen some cool ones, and I have some old affection for Dual (and still have one old one going unused downstairs), but I dunno. I wouldn't spend that myself, but I can see why somebody else might.

The restoration, if done right, would not be a short term fix. OTOH, it seems as if you'd spend a bunch . . . "over" 350 . . . plus shipping? . . . to get a cool retro table that's not exactly what you want. Do you have a good cartridge or an old one with a worn stylus? If we add a cartridge, are we edging up towards 500 bucks for something that doesn't have the form or appearance you want? And a not special arm? I can think of much worse ways to spend money, but that's not the table I'd get now if it were me. I don't know anything about AT tables but I wouldn't look to that or a knockoff -- not sure why those are the other choices.

[kingpin75s]

Wanted to post this as a retort to someone's earlier diatribe on how important super-expensive exotic cables are, but it can't be stated enough.

Kind of similar how a bike is crap if it's paired with terrible tires, a system is only as good as the room. Unfortunately, getting an acoustically perfect room will be HELL on aesthetics unless you're an MC Escher fan. But the software systems in the better consumer products like YPAO, MCACC, AccuEQ, Audyssey and Denon Room EQ do an admirable job of smoothing out the response curve if not creating a perfect listening environment.

Funny thing is I am the same guy who disagreed with you strongly on cables :) Diatribe might be a touch strong however. I do not think I ever mentioned super expensive or exotic though. But I understand why you might infer that. Design is always more important than cost. That said, great cables are not cheap.

In my opinion and experience, literally everything matters once you reach a certain value point in audio.

We agree on acoustics. It is one of the least expensive and most important pieces in tuning. That is a start. Really good analogy with the tires as well. I learned that with cars long before bikes, but always applies.

I have not had the need to try room software yet, but then again my ceiling does look a bit like an MC Escher and my dimensions are not far from the "golden ratio". Close proximity first reflections have solved most my needs, but there may be more to squeeze out. I have a friend who analyzes rooms for a living so have just been waiting to stabilize my system before having him over.

Just to add something new thoughts to the thread, as I feel a little bad for contributing to tangents, I will also add 2 other relatively inexpensive things that can really matter:

1. Sorbothane is your friend. The material used for wrist support at the office is often made of this and is great for de-coupling your components as a shock and vibration solution. Many of my friends have all of their high end separates literally on squishy office wrist pads.

2. A good high mass stand can really help with sound, and especially if you have to deal with a floor that is a suspended ceiling. If you a DIYer, you can make some really nice stands with 1"steel rod and hard maple for very reasonable.

[Scuzzer]

2. A good high mass stand can really help with sound, and especially if you have to deal with a floor that is a suspended ceiling. If you a DIYer, you can make some really nice stands with 1"steel rod and hard maple for very reasonable.

Yeah. Best bet is to bolt sensitive things (like turntables) to exterior walls that are connected to concrete footings. Second best is to make a massive stand that resists movement.

As far as wall treatments, my major wall in the listening room is covered by a pre WWII European cloth map. For some reason my mother bought this from the local library for $5 when I was in college thinking I would like it. She was a genius, I love it. She was also big into making wall hanging quilts, very effective at reducing unwanted reflections.

[Scuzzer]

I was going to recommend a somewhat expensive but reasonably priced cartridge for your turntable but it no longer appears that the Benz Micro Silver fits that category. I love mine paired with my less than truly expensive system but damn, they want around $500 for them now. I stopped paying attention to audio about 5 years ago, there are certainly Shure cartridges that would be a better buy.

[William]

William....you are a handy guy....search the interweb to find some plans for the Speakerlab K's (essentially a clone of the "Klipshorns") and build 'em yourself!

you might remember Speakerlab....Seattle area company that sold speaker kits.

A buddy of mine had a set....yeah, they went to "11"

:hello:


SpeakerLab?

Wow, that takes me way back. When I was a kid living in Steilacoom we had a neighbor who was into Hi-fi audio. He used to let my sister and I play his records (under supervision of course) and listen with ample volume. I remember him getting one of the kits from SpeakerLab and building them up. Probably the reason I’ve done that with some kits from Dayton Audio. I didn’t think to look up SpeakerLab…but I will now.

Edit: Looks like SpeakerLab closed and reemerged as SL Speakers. Same thing thing as the legendary SpeakerLab?





Speaking of old school hi-fi, anyone running Garrard, KLH, or BSR TT’s?







William

[yinzerniner]

Funny thing is I am the same guy who disagreed with you strongly on cables :) Diatribe might be a touch strong however. I do not think I ever mentioned super expensive or exotic though. But I understand why you might infer that. Design is always more important than cost. That said, great cables are not cheap.

Hah, just to clear the air I was being somewhat (completely) facetious in calling out the disagreement. I'm actually WHOLLY in agreement in that well designed cables are a must, and I just wanted to state that good design doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg. Maybe a pinky tho.....

And great points about vibration decoupling and/or mitigation through mass for sources. I went the futher DIY route and made some stands based off the 8020 extruded aluminum, milled MDF and some parts for the Salamnder Synergy series. Added some cheap but good quality locking casters for the hardwood floor and when it was in my larger apartment it was easy to move yet kept all the components secure.

I was going to recommend a somewhat expensive but reasonably priced cartridge for your turntable but it no longer appears that the Benz Micro Silver fits that category. I love mine paired with my less than truly expensive system but damn, they want around $500 for them now. I stopped paying attention to audio about 5 years ago, there are certainly Shure cartridges that would be a better buy.

My two Shure v15vxmr cartridges spit the bit and getting them retipped or head replacements are absurdly expensive. That being said as long as you have a pre that can handle MC the Denon cartridges are great value for the money. Tough to beat below $400.

A few more items that are pretty cheap but could help sound quality immensely:

-Carpet Spikes for speakers, or DIY cheap stands for like $50. Amazing how much dynamic range is lost when the speakers aren't fully coupled with the floor
-Ground loop isolator! Especially for turntables and cartridges with their low voltages dirty cable lines can cause a ground loop hum and noise which doesn't effect overall sound quality too much but is annoying as eff! A lot of cable companies forget to install these, so pick one up for like $30 if you hear that annoying buzz
-Sound meter. Even the apps that you can download on your phone are decent enough in case you want to fiddle with speaker and furniture placement
-Lint roller! For cleaning up all that vinyl. It's no VPI HW 16.5 but a few passes will take of a lot of grime and dust that's accumulated over the years. I first tried this on an old copy of George Michael's "Faith" I got for like $.75 from a local thrift store and the difference from dirty to clean was astounding.

[William]

Run away now before it's too late!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhh !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :d

Too late...:)

Re-Capped, All new Indicator Lamps, all switches, controls and connectors de-oxed, cleaned and lubricated. Sounds great!




William

[Ozz]

Too late...:)

Re-Capped, All new Indicator Lamps, all switches, controls and connectors de-oxed, cleaned and lubricated. Sounds great!


William
That is awesome! Did you do it yourself?

I feel like I just time-travelled back to 1977

:beer:

[William]

That is awesome! Did you do it yourself?

I feel like I just time-travelled back to 1977

:beer:


Me too! It really takes me back.:)

No I did not. I was lucky enough to recently meet a local gentleman who is an experienced Electronic Tech with over 45 years experience in the consumer electronic industry who was doing warranty work on most of this equipment when new and in warranty. The amount of high end vintage gear he has at his house/shop is mind boggling. He refurbishes and sells it as well as working on customer gear.

That said I am trying my hand at cleaning and de-oxing a Harman Kardon integrated amp.





William

[93KgBike]

Funnily, stereos had a great high-point in the 1980's much like steel bikes did.

Just as an SLX bike rides splendidly in comparison to a 'super steel' bike, a bridged 1980s stereo can bring a joy that a modern set-up can't displace.

But, I can remember when my parents television had tubes in it, so I may be calibrated differently.:cool:

[kingpin75s]

But, I can remember when my parents television had tubes in it, so I may be calibrated differently.:cool:

Modern or vintage audio, tubes are still where its at. 22 of them in my signal path from needle to speakers. Tried as I could, never have found a SS amp that creates the same kind of 3D realistic soundstage with emotion and separation from the speakers that tubes can do.

[Spdntrxi]

Yep... tubes rule

[William]

I've just gotta say, as a woman, that William's wife is never going to approve Klipsch speakers anywhere in the common living areas of the house.

Luckily Mrs William is down with it...though she has commented that it's starting to look like a Radio Shack in the house. :)

The guy I mentioned has a bunch of tube units as well. Maybe I'll get there, but for now that Marantz as well as the HK and a Luxman is really bringing back the warm dynamic sound I remember during the audio Zenith. Sounds so much better than anything I've heard in years.







William

[glepore]

Modern or vintage audio, tubes are still where its at. 22 of them in my signal path from needle to speakers. Tried as I could, never have found a SS amp that creates the same kind of 3D realistic soundstage with emotion and separation from the speakers that tubes can do.

Yeah. I've just discovered this, after years of audio (I mean, I had acoustats in my man cave...not my main system). I've done 2 things-first, bought a Carver tfm, which actually does have enough 3rd order stuff to sound like a tube amp.

The second purists will scoff at, but for those with an open mind, hear me out. Amazon is filthy with "tube conditioners" or "mini preamps". They're just unity gain devices with a pot to control volume. They also have some really nice mil surplus tubes for these. Total investment is maybe 70 bucks. It completely warms and opens the sound of a traditional system. I know, heresy.

[Spdntrxi]

I only have vintage Scott’s currently 222 and 233.. used to have lascalas belle and cornerhorns but downsized. Sold my mc240 (regret that) ... only have some Hersey’s now but that good enough for my listening area. Probably gained 40sq ft of floor space compared to running 2 cornershorns 2 lascalas and a belle as a center .. those were the days

[daker13]

I only have vintage Scott’s currently 222 and 233.. used to have lascalas belle and cornerhorns but downsized. Sold my mc240 (regret that) ... only have some Hersey’s now but that good enough for my listening area. Probably gained 40sq ft of floor space compared to running 2 cornershorns 2 lascalas and a belle as a center .. those were the days

Sacrilege! Seriously, that's a lot of real estate.

I was in Round again records yesterday and he had an absolutely gorgeous Mcintosh amp/preamp* combo. Beautiful condition. Wasn't cheap, and he sold them to a well known local musician.

*solid state

[Bob Ross]

a Carver tfm, which actually does have enough 3rd order stuff to sound like a tube amp.

Boy, talk about Damning With Faint Praise! :banana:

Way back in my undergrad days my stereo system consisted of a pair of 30-watt McIntosh tube monoblock amps (same series as the revered MC240 or MC275 so they were probably model MC30?) with a Dynaco preamp and a pair of Acoustic Research speakers. It really did sound lusciously wonderful to all who listened.

At some point my roommate brought home the hyper-sophisticated Audio Precision test & measurement gizmo that the Association for Recording Sciences at MIT (of which he was President or Secretary) had requisitioned, and he ran a bunch of tests on those Mac amps just to see how they did numbers-wise.

No joke: Between 8-10% harmonic distortion. That is not a misplaced decimal point. >8.0%

But everyone agreed they sounded great.

[Spdntrxi]

Sacrilege! Seriously, that's a lot of real estate.

I was in Round again records yesterday and he had an absolutely gorgeous Mcintosh amp/preamp* combo. Beautiful condition. Wasn't cheap, and he sold them to a well known local musician.

*solid state

I know.. my house is small..my wife was pregnant and I needed to scale really down. I got a pretty nice 7.2 HT system with all the proceeds and a 400x7 amp.

[Ken Robb]

Boy, talk about Damning With Faint Praise! :banana:

Way back in my undergrad days my stereo system consisted of a pair of 30-watt McIntosh tube monoblock amps (same series as the revered MC240 or MC275 so they were probably model MC30?) with a Dynaco preamp and a pair of Acoustic Research speakers. It really did sound lusciously wonderful to all who listened.

At some point my roommate brought home the hyper-sophisticated Audio Precision test & measurement gizmo that the Association for Recording Sciences at MIT (of which he was President or Secretary) had requisitioned, and he ran a bunch of tests on those Mac amps just to see how they did numbers-wise.

No joke: Between 8-10% harmonic distortion. That is not a misplaced decimal point. >8.0%

But everyone agreed they sounded great.

If we listen to some rock which has deliberate "fuzz" or distortion added at the performance I suppose some distortion from the playback system might be unnoticeable or maybe even an improvement. :)

[Peter P.]

I only have vintage Scott’s currently 222 and 233.. used to have lascalas belle and cornerhorns but downsized. ...

Makes me feel not so bad about my Klipsch addiction!

It started a few years ago; first it was a pair of Heresy's. Then when I realized what they said was true-they don't play that low-I yearned for something else.

Nine months later I bought a Klipsch kg sw passive subwoofer to augment the Heresy's. Worked great, but I sure could use that in my basement system with my twinkie bookshelf speakers so there it went.

Three more months go by and I pick up a pair of Quartets for the stupid low price of $250. They did everything a Klipsch is prized for, but aesthetically they were too large for the room. I put them on craigslist and they sold within 24 hours.

The same month I bought the Quartets, I replaced those twinkie basement speakers with a pair of Klipsch kg2.2's, even though I didn't really need to because that kg subwoofer was shoring up the bottom end.

At the end of that same month, I picked up a pair of kg4.2's. They did everything I wanted; but either they or the Heresy's had to go. I put both pairs up for sale on craigslist planning to keep the pair that didn't sell first. The kg4.2's sold within a week.

Now I'm left with the Heresy's. I brought the kg subwoofer back upstairs to pair with the Heresy's. Love the sound. But I keep getting an itch to buy another pair of Quartets, or a pair of kg4.2's! To top that off, I still want a kg subwoofer for the basement speakers.

And I keep checking craigslist and ebay daily. I see Forte's (too big but the price is decent), and even LaScala's (waaay too big but I'm dying to try a fully horn loaded Klipsch).

Help me stop!

[William]

I picked up a pair of Klipsch KSB 3.1's mainly because I thought they would fit the space well sound wise and I was not disappointed. The gentleman I mentioned earlier demoed these upgraded Klipsch Forte' II's for me...

https://providence.craigslist.org/ele/d/klipsch-forte-iis-upgraded/6731771831.html

They sounded amazing but would probably overpower the space I'm set up in...but maybe not (or who cares) Hmmm....:D







William

[William]

Question on modern audio...

Seems sparse for hookups for an integrated amp, but I may just be looking at this from a vintage gear perspective. But maybe it's just because they wanted it to be minimal?







William

[kingpin75s]

Question on modern audio...

Seems sparse for hookups for an integrated amp, but I may just be looking at this from a vintage gear perspective. But maybe it's just because they wanted it to be minimal?

William

Seems like just what is needed and maybe even a little extra. To be honest if you can hook in a phono, a DAC and Bluetooth, you have covered most input needs. I only like to see more output options. Nice little piece.

[Bob Ross]

Seems like just what is needed and maybe even a little extra. To be honest if you can hook in a phono, a DAC and Bluetooth, you have covered most input needs. I only like to see more output options. Nice little piece.

+1 That looks like exactly what's needed and nothing more. My only concern is, who the hell is "Sprout"?

[William]

+1 That looks like exactly what's needed and nothing more. My only concern is, who the hell is "Sprout"?

PS Audio
https://www.psaudio.com

I've been checking out the "Ask Paul" section lately...
https://www.psaudio.com/ask-paul/







William

[parris]

The ps audio vids on YouTube are really great. And the "ask Paul" section of their website is very informative.

[William]

The ps audio vids on YouTube are really great. And the "ask Paul" section of their website is very informative.

I agree, I just happened across the YT channel and it led me to their web page. Lots of good info there imo.







William

[Road Fan]

I've just gotta say, as a woman, that William's wife is never going to approve Klipsch speakers anywhere in the common living areas of the house. If he wants to set up his vintage system in the garage or out in one of his barns, that's another story.

Not to make assumptions about Mrs. William or about you, but I'm sure you're right about Klipschorns, the corner horns. They stand nearly 5 feet tall, each fill a corner of a room "bigly," and need free wall space either side of the big box. Then there's this massive panel of gorgeous finished wood in the front, which grabs all the visual attention. Heresy is a much smaller speaker, but still at least 10 times the size of say, an LS3/5a on stands with a small subwoofer.

I use Thiel CS2.2, one pair in the media room and one pair in my office, which are about 36" tall and about 13" square. But they need loads of power. Klipschorns and Heresy only need very small amounts of power. Back in the day, Paul Klipsch was quoted something like "what this country needs is a good 5 watt amplifier!" That wouldn't get more than a distorted whisper out of my Thiels or an LS3/5a. So there's a trade-off.

[dookie]

McCormack ALD-1...tweaked, signed, and topless? Downstream is predictable...DNA-1 and Vandersteens. Phono board tucked away but in hand. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20181030/a3002435d2a2bd38cdf5c956a175317e.jpg

[Ken Robb]

A few years ago I auditioned a pair of Heresy III speakers for my bedroom system. I decided to stick with my ADS. These were in good shape but the serial numbers were inked over. I have seen a couple of other Klipsch speakers where this was done. At first I thought they might be stolen but then I guessed it might be due to some Klipsch retailers selling for less than Klipsch minimum prices. Any thoughts?

[TimD]

Wow, some really nice stuff listed, including a bunch I either owned or coveted.

Recently sold a pair of ADS L-810 for 50% more than I paid for them used.
Kept a pair of ADS L-700II which I've had since 1979...

Enjoy.
Tim

[sc53]

Question on modern audio...

Seems sparse for hookups for an integrated amp, but I may just be looking at this from a vintage gear perspective. But maybe it's just because they wanted it to be minimal?







William

I've got a tiny system using this PS Audio amp--the Sprout100--with very small Silverline Audio Minuet monitors and a teensy 10" REL sub. It can play vinyl or CDs or stream from the web or your laptop or phone. It sounds amazing given how tiny it all is! Would be perfect for one of those tiny houses.

[Web1111a]

Luckily Mrs William is down with it...though she has commented that it's starting to look like a Radio Shack in the house. :)

The guy I mentioned has a bunch of tube units as well. Maybe I'll get there, but for now that Marantz as well as the HK and a Luxman is really bringing back the warm dynamic sound I remember during the audio Zenith. Sounds so much better than anything I've heard in years.







William

Which Luxman pieces

[Peter P.]

A few years ago I auditioned a pair of Heresy III speakers for my bedroom system. I decided to stick with my ADS. These were in good shape but the serial numbers were inked over. I have seen a couple of other Klipsch speakers where this was done. At first I thought they might be stolen but then I guessed it might be due to some Klipsch retailers selling for less than Klipsch minimum prices. Any thoughts?

I'm a Klipsch fanboy, and posted your question over on the Klipsch Forum (https://community.klipsch.com/index.php?/topic/180074-blacked-out-serial-numbers/&tab=comments#comment-2322386).

[William]

Which Luxman pieces

Only the T-400 so far, and I do like . I've been keeping my eye open for a Luxman amp but so far No-Go.






William

[William]

I've got a tiny system using this PS Audio amp--the Sprout100--with very small Silverline Audio Minuet monitors and a teensy 10" REL sub. It can play vinyl or CDs or stream from the web or your laptop or phone. It sounds amazing given how tiny it all is! Would be perfect for one of those tiny houses.

Yes, but Mr's William would allow the big Klipsch...before she would allow the tiny house. :)






William

[Plum Hill]

I stumbled across a hipster bike shop yesterday in Zurich called Velonauta.
By the counter was the stereo system: a Marantz 4400 quad receiver, a Revox reel-to-reel (haven’t seen one of those for 30 years), and what appeared to be vintage Pioneer speakers.
Odd find in 2018.

[Peter P.]

I stumbled across a hipster bike shop ...Odd find in 2018.

Many years ago there was a successful local bike shop owned by a guy who also had a history in the DJ biz.

The shop system had at least one pair of Bose 901's. While I'm not a fan of them, I always liked the concept and the sound.

In this shop the sound was beautiful. Wide, spacious, yet not so loud that they distracted from your shopping experience; you almost couldn't tell where it was coming from even though you could see the speakers hanging from the 8' ceiling. I think the owner knew how to properly set them up.

[hairylegs]

I'll chime in briefly! I don't have a ton of vintage gear, but I'm always (for obvious reasons) after the most true sound.

I love my custom Statement Monitor Builds with a Parasound Amp.

I also have a 70s vintage Technics (my first amp!) pair with huge JBL 2 ways L40s I believe? Awesome for spinning vinyl.

I also love my Yamaha NS10s with a clean Dayton Amp.

Finally, I have an Avia Trix 5.1 setup in our living room. Killer floor standing LR...

Checkout: Speaker Design Works for plans...