what old amp to consider?

[smurfbrain]

Thanks everyone for the input.

[Ali Tait]

The usual suspects tend to get reeled off with these 'old integrated' questions so I'll list 'em now to save the bother:

A&R Cambridge A60, Sugden A21a, Audiolab 800a, a couple of oddball others I can't recall right now. It's finding a good one for sensible cash is the problem there nowadays.

You could also look for a Denon PMA450 UK from the early 90s. Powerful but clean sounding amp.

Alternatively if you can bypass the pre-amp on your existing amp you could get a taste of valves with the Croft Micro pre for near that money.

Think you'd struggle to get an A21a for £300? The A21 is cheaper,and uses the same circuit,just less output power.

[The Grand Wazoo]

I'd lean towards the Luxmans if you can find a good un for that price.
Some of the better Sansui's were fairly warm if that's what you like - well built too

[Dave Hewitt]

Hi
As pointed out before the Sony vfet amps may give you a valve like sound.I have a Sony taf7 vfet,also a Yamaha ca 1000 and a Pioneer sa9500 all probably Jap 70's amps.Of the three I think the Sony is easy listening with a good phono stage built in,the Pioneer is just a good solid state amp with reasonable phono stage built in and the Yamaha used in my system sounds very dynamic and is also switchable from about 70 watts ab to 20 watts class a.If you live NW England you are wellcome to a demo.
Regards Dave.

[DSJR]

I had a CA1000mk2 given to me (I had sold it to the client originally) and by modern standards it sounded very bland indeed. Even the Class A option (allowing a few minutes to settle into this) and using "Tone Jump" didn't help.

The 5650 Sony has bags of musicality, detail and atmosphere, a slightly "floppy" bass quality being the tradeoff. Even this latter isn't severe IMO. I used one at home in the mid seventies for quite a while and loved it. My mastering-friend still has his and all he had wrong with it was noisy controls after 15 years or so.. it sounds great with CD and can easily reproduce source upgrades - love it!!!!! They were fetching well under £100, but as fleabay has gone mad in recent times, things may be rather more expensive...

[hifi_dave]

I had a CA1000mk2 given to me (I had sold it to the client originally) and by modern standards it sounded very bland indeed. Even the Class A option (allowing a few minutes to settle into this) and using "Tone Jump" didn't help.

The 5650 Sony has bags of musicality, detail and atmosphere, a slightly "floppy" bass quality being the tradeoff. Even this latter isn't severe IMO. I used one at home in the mid seventies for quite a while and loved it. My mastering-friend still has his and all he had wrong with it was noisy controls after 15 years or so.. it sounds great with CD and can easily reproduce source upgrades - love it!!!!! They were fetching well under £100, but as fleabay has gone mad in recent times, things may be rather more expensive...

Because of forums such as this, the prices of almost anything 'vintage' have gone through the roof, so you will struggle to get anything decent for £300, unless you strike lucky. I am on E-Bay every night, trawling through the various sections for goodies but am constantly being surprised at the high prices they go for and have been pipped to the post very often when my 'high' bid has been comprehensively beaten....

There are very few bargains anymore.IMO

[Dave Hewitt]

Hi Dave
The ca 1000 of mine was like that but,was found to have no bias current at all,once properly set to service spec it was a different amp.[well it wasnt really ,it was the same amp but sounded far better]
Dave.

[spendorman]

Quad 303 power amp properly serviced can still sound pretty good. Good value too, can be had for around £100. Very reliable as well.

[Jonboy]

Quad 303 power amp properly serviced can still sound pretty good. Good value too, can be had for around £100. Very reliable as well.

Same as that
Very good at the money with a matching 33 pre amp once they have both been serviced, they have din plugs so you need converters or purpose made cables, they don't sound as bad as the press make out

£100 is a bit optomistic though

[spendorman]

Same as that
Very good at the money with a matching 33 pre amp once they have both been serviced, they have din plugs so you need converters or purpose made cables, they don't sound as bad as the press make out

£100 is a bit optomistic though

Not very, there is a 303 on ebay now for £129, "buy it now". I recently got a working one for £85 and another that only needed output caps for £55.