Old*"Hi End" Vs. New "Low End"

[Dartas]

Hi guys,

Being a bit more into hifi stuff latelly, and now seeking to update all my system, would like to know your opinion on this..

Would an old "high end" av amp like the arcam avr350 or a primare spa21 (bouth suposed to be very good in stereo also) be better in sonic performances than a recently low end stereo like marantz pm6004?

Asking that because i would like to change my pm6004 to an av receiver, not losing in stereo performance, and not having to sell my car for it either

I will actually use it for 65% stereo, and 35% for sky box + films...

Any opinion will be higly appreciated.
Thanks

[Audio Al]

My opinion would be to buy the older kit , have it serviced caps replaced etc

Older hi fi equipment was built to a standard not a price
recent equipment ( excluding some brands ) is made to a price not a standard

[The Outcast]

I would have to agree.

My opinion would be to buy the older kit , have it serviced caps replaced etc

Older hi fi equipment was built to a standard not a price
recent equipment ( excluding some brands ) is made to a price not a standard

[Dartas]

My opinion would be to buy the older kit , have it serviced caps replaced etc

Can you please extend?? Caps replaced are parts of the amp, is that it?

[Audio Al]

Can you please extend?? Caps replaced are parts of the amp, is that it?

If you have electronics repair and service shops in your country its best to ring them up give them the make and model number , Ask for a full service and test

Older equipment will need thing like capacitors changing , sometimes resistors and other items , also they would look for any dry solder joints , clean any volume bass treble balance rotary switches

Thorough clean inside , Bit like taking you car in for a full service

[Dartas]

If you have electronics repair and service shops in your country its best to ring them up give them the make and model number , Ask for a full service and test

Older equipment will need thing like capacitors changing , sometimes resistors and other items , also they would look for any dry solder joints , clean any volume bass treble balance rotary switches

Thorough clean inside , Bit like taking you car in for a full service

Lol.. this is very interesting. Didn't even knew we could do check ups to an old amp
will investigate more about this, though i doubth i can find any place who can do it here..

[AlexM]

Lol.. this is very interesting. Didn't even knew we could do check ups to an old amp
will investigate more about this, though i doubth i can find any place who can do it here..

I will be in a minotity here, but I don't think that any old amplifier will necessarily be in need of service work or overhaul. If it works, it works and leave it alone!. I think that perfectionism drives people to preemptively start changing things 'just in case', but in most cases it isn't required unless a faut is apparent.

If you're buying from ebay and a second hand item is described being in perfecrt working order you always can return it if there is a fault. If it is in need of repair, then it makes sense to go over the amplifier to make sure that everything is working ok while an engineer is working on it, but again, I wouldn't start swapping out components randomly for the sake of it (unless you are into DIY).

With regard for old vs. new, it is simple. Depreciation is working in your favour, and inflation is working against new products as well. An older amplifier will have lost a big chunk of it's original price through depreciation. Nothing revolutionary has happened to amplifier design for 25 years or so, so there isn't really an obsolescence issue to consider (at least for stereo amps). In addition, a top quality second hand amplifier will have been designed and constructed to a higher standard and have better components than a new one at the same price point, or to put it another way, it would cost an awful lot more to build the same amp now because of inflation.


Cheers,
Alex

[DSJR]

The best of past years' AV models from Denon, Yamaha and Rotel (especially this latter) should still be really good I think, even if they lack the ultimate bells and whistles.

[Spectral Morn]

The best of past years' AV models from Denon, Yamaha and Rotel (especially this latter) should still be really good I think, even if they lack the ultimate bells and whistles.

Agreed get hold of a Denon A1se should be peanuts but stunning sound. Best sounding AV amp I have ever heard weight, scale and effortless dynamics. If you have something like an Oppo you can use the audio ins to gain the modern HD sound formats and if you use a good pre into it you can get pretty good two channel sound too. The power amps are good its the pre bit that lets the side down re music.


Regards Neil

[Dartas]

Agreed get hold of a Denon A1se should be peanuts but stunning sound. Best sounding AV amp I have ever heard weight, scale and effortless dynamics. If you have something like an Oppo you can use the audio ins to gain the modern HD sound formats and if you use a good pre into it you can get pretty good two channel sound too. The power amps are good its the pre bit that lets the side down re music.


Regards Neil

never heard about this one either, but really looks like a good alternative. Where do i get one of this now a days?