Over Rated Vintage Equipment! What do you think?

[Rare Bird]

Everyone knows there's quite a bit of this expensive Vintage gear that is vastly overrated/over priced imho.There's pretty much always a cheaper vintage alternative that usually sounds better or at least just as good.

Who's gonna go first then? i wouldnt want to be alone in upsetting a few on here, not that i would want to do that

[Barry]

I would have a go, however any mention of vintage 'bargains' on this august forum will only cause the prices on eBay to escalate!

Sad to say, there aren't really any vintage components that interest me that have not already been 'spotted' elsewhere and as a result now go for excessive amounts on eBay. I won't say what they are, so as to try to prevent further escalation.

I suspect the 'two Daves' might have some suggestions.

Regards

[Rare Bird]

I know a lot of stuff that never gets mentioning, i don't, & have no intensions in attracting attention to on here.

The Danger is people intrested, that are looking in from outside, generally don't have a brain of their own & rely on word of mouth more than anything, this will no doubt always end in dissapointment. I have a friend that was adamant that he was having a couple of items (that i wont mention) that carry heavy price tags, i warned him they were medicore tripe in reality, but o no he wasnt having any of it, lets say they lasted two days & were sold on.

Well obviously i laughed my socks off.

[StanleyB]

I have seen the price of one of my amps increase 400% in the last 5 years .

[Thing Fish]

I have an opinion but won't mention it due to no one else mentioning theirs...

[Jonboy]

Leak 12.1 as being a tad on the expensive side



perhaps the cheap as chips challenge will let the cat out of the bag at The next Scalford show

[John]

Its a interesting question Andre, I guess in some was it is a bit like classic cars
Some of it will go down to branding, the name and make of the model think E-type jag or Mustang, they congure up powerful images. Whilst Hifi does not have the same seduction similar principles are hapeening on a smaller scale. Also the net and magazines like HIFI World and HIfI News in fact when either of these magazines look in depth at a particular classic hifi kit or Manufacturer from the past I find I am more likely to read it.
I been luckly enough to be able to play with some classic 70s bit of kit in the last year. I love big Japanese amps from the 70s they have a certain style and function that is completly lost today
At the moment I have the AU9500 in front of me I also have ka 8004. One quite cheap the other can go for crazy money in Amercia and the far east. I been using the Trio as phonopre and its performance is very good, as an amp its speedy detailed and clean sounding. It does not have the power and options of the Sansui and certainly not the looks. The Sansui has so much flexiabilty you can even control the input level on the AUX, everything feels well built in terms of functionality and art to me it hits the spot, whilst the switches on the Trio can eaisly break or come off. Both have quite valve like qualities and as I said go for different price ranges. Both are good amps.
For me like everything it comes down to what the person wants. I long given up caring what others think about my approach to HIFI I actually like the fact about having a bespoke system
A while back I had the chance of compairing the 907/919 Sansui against an AKAI AM93 Reference. The Sansui sells at 3 times the price as it has the name, it terms of functionality the Akai beats it as it has a built in DAC that works pretty well, in terms of sound they have very similar charteristics and very similar build. But you pay extra for the name and reputation.

[DSJR]

I'm stunned how much vintage Spendor BC1's are now going for. I mean, practically all the earliest white-surround bass units are shagged due to the material reforming into its flat shape and disallowing full travel. Getting these bass units fixed is now all but impossible unless the non-Spendor restorers can get the correct formulation of "black" surround to use. The foam cushioning around the grilles has often crumbled away and the cabinets aren't always pristine, yet they go for hundreds nowadays. As for the often screaming BC3's (which the BBC never used as far as I'm aware) which sell for around a grand now........


...and don't even begin to get me started on the price of grease-bearing 301's and older LS3/5A's, especially Chartwells........

[John]

Some vintage gear does seem to go for silly money Dave

[Thing Fish]

I once had a notion to try a Garrard 401 but upon seeing the silly money they went for on fleabay. I soon put an end to that idea.

Out of principal I refuse to pay the overinflated prices people think they are worth.