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  1. #1
    Join Date: May 2008

    Location: U.S.A. Neo-Socialist Kalifornski

    Posts: 3,262

    Default A better understanding of the true value of vintage gear.

    I was curious how much my old Pioneer Spec 2 cost new from 1976 was $1,000.00 . Spec 1 pre amp was $650.00 new.
    Just the Spec 2 adjusted for inflation U.S. dollars 2019 would be today $4,429.49 !

    In 1976 the Median household income was $12,696.00 ! Average new home was $ 48,000.00.

    The stock Spec 2 output was 250 watts into 8 ohms and had 60,000 uf of caps in the power supply a massive toroidal that looked like a coffee can. weighed 60 pounds.
    Mine was upgraded with new parts output 355 watts RMS into 8 ohms, the power supply caps upgraded to 88,000 uf , all new larger output transistors and US relays , newer upgraded resistors, signal caps Black gate.
    It was a very good sounding power house but living in a condominium this was just un needed. And even though it did sound very good it did not have warmth of my Manley labs amp of very much less power in Triode 20 to 25 watts RMS.
    I will always trade power for sound quality and that was the very best solid state amp I have ever heard as good as Pass Labs in my opinion . The Pass Labs where like portable heaters.
    I traded it for an early Audion Silver Night phono stage using 2 x 6922 double triodes. It was a fantastic phono stage but I still miss the Spec 1 Spec 2 set at times.
    They where just statement pieces from Pioneer made to thumb the nose at the high end market and say "look what we can do" .

    I see these amps still on ebay and I know I wouldn't use it any more but still can't stop my self from wanting one again.

    The pre amp Spec 1 had every possible function available and you could delete tone controls for a more direct path at the flip of a switch.
    In my opinion a good tube preamp like the Audio Valve Eclipse would be better paired to the spec 2 but it was also a fantastic class A pre amp of it's day and with a little effort is still worth it's salt.

    If the older gear is in good condition it is worth rebuilding and upgrading , the investment is pennies on the dollar when compared to todays hi end prices.
    A lot of todays gear is not all that much better for what they are asking for it.

    Todays transistors, capacitors and resistors are much better and can bring out the best in older gear for not much money.
    Last edited by goraman; 05-01-2019 at 22:59.
    Jeff :UBERTHREADKILLER

  2. #2
    Join Date: Feb 2013

    Location: W Lothian

    Posts: 99,005
    I'm Grant.

    Default

    so is the average house price kept up with inflation on the gear inflation.. ie is it about $180,000. Just interested?
    Regards,
    Grant .... ؠ ......Don't be such a big girl's blouse

    I've said it before and I'll say it again: democracy simply-doesn't-work
    .... ..... ...... ...... ................... ..... ..... ..... ..... .....
    FIIO K7 BT, M11 PLUS, BTR7, KA5 - OPPO BDP-103D - PANASONIC UB450 - PANASONIC 4K ULTRA HD TV - PIXEL 6 - AVANTREE LR BLUETOOTH - 2* X600 SOUNDCORE - HEADPHONES INCLUDE, FIIO, NURAPHONES', FOCAL, OPPO, BOSE, CAMBRIDGE, BOWER & WILKINS, DEVIALET, MARSHALL, SONY, MITCHELL & JOHNSTON - 2*ZBOOK'S- MERCURY BD ROM, ROON, QOBUZ, TIDAL, PLEX, CYBERLINK, JRIVER - MULTI HDD'S -

    Oh my god! There's nothing wrong with the bidet is there?

    “Nothing discloses real character like the use of power. It is easy for the weak to be gentle. Most people can bear adversity. But if you wish to know what a man really is, give him power. This is the supreme test. It is the glory of Lincoln that, having almost absolute power, he never abused it, except on the side of mercy".

    “You see these dictators on their pedestals, surrounded by the bayonets of their soldiers and the truncheons of their police ... yet in their hearts there is unspoken fear. They are afraid of words and thoughts: words spoken abroad, thoughts stirring at home -- all the more powerful because forbidden -- terrify them. A little mouse of thought appears in the room, and even the mightiest potentates are thrown into panic.”

    "You don't have free will. You have the appearance of free will.”

    “There's a war out there, old friend. A world war. And it's not about who's got the most bullets. It's about who controls the information. What we see and hear, how we work, what we think... it's all about the information!”


    ***SMILE, BE HAPPY***

  3. #3
    Join Date: May 2008

    Location: U.S.A. Neo-Socialist Kalifornski

    Posts: 3,262

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by struth View Post
    so is the average house price kept up with inflation on the gear inflation.. ie is it about $180,000. Just interested?
    Zillow says the average home price in the U.S. is $200,000. So yes. But the average new home price $280.000 .
    And the 1976 price was for a new home.So it has sky rocketed. Don't even ask about California! The median Home price topped $550,000! in 2017.

    LOOK HERE>
    https://managecasa.com/articles/cali...market-report/


    Look at the median home price history to 2015. It's a moving graph so give it a minute.
    They just passed a new law here in Ca. all new homes built here must be built with solar panels adding an average $30,000 to $40,000 to the average new home.
    Last edited by goraman; 05-01-2019 at 20:35.
    Jeff :UBERTHREADKILLER

  4. #4
    Join Date: Feb 2013

    Location: W Lothian

    Posts: 99,005
    I'm Grant.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by goraman View Post
    Zillow says the average home price in the U.S. is $200,000. So yes. But the average new home price $280.000 .
    And the 1976 price was for a new home.
    interesting. thanks. Here in uk around 76, house price averages were about £16,000(fair bit less in Scotland) and now are about £200,000 too, so ours have jumped more.
    Regards,
    Grant .... ؠ ......Don't be such a big girl's blouse

    I've said it before and I'll say it again: democracy simply-doesn't-work
    .... ..... ...... ...... ................... ..... ..... ..... ..... .....
    FIIO K7 BT, M11 PLUS, BTR7, KA5 - OPPO BDP-103D - PANASONIC UB450 - PANASONIC 4K ULTRA HD TV - PIXEL 6 - AVANTREE LR BLUETOOTH - 2* X600 SOUNDCORE - HEADPHONES INCLUDE, FIIO, NURAPHONES', FOCAL, OPPO, BOSE, CAMBRIDGE, BOWER & WILKINS, DEVIALET, MARSHALL, SONY, MITCHELL & JOHNSTON - 2*ZBOOK'S- MERCURY BD ROM, ROON, QOBUZ, TIDAL, PLEX, CYBERLINK, JRIVER - MULTI HDD'S -

    Oh my god! There's nothing wrong with the bidet is there?

    “Nothing discloses real character like the use of power. It is easy for the weak to be gentle. Most people can bear adversity. But if you wish to know what a man really is, give him power. This is the supreme test. It is the glory of Lincoln that, having almost absolute power, he never abused it, except on the side of mercy".

    “You see these dictators on their pedestals, surrounded by the bayonets of their soldiers and the truncheons of their police ... yet in their hearts there is unspoken fear. They are afraid of words and thoughts: words spoken abroad, thoughts stirring at home -- all the more powerful because forbidden -- terrify them. A little mouse of thought appears in the room, and even the mightiest potentates are thrown into panic.”

    "You don't have free will. You have the appearance of free will.”

    “There's a war out there, old friend. A world war. And it's not about who's got the most bullets. It's about who controls the information. What we see and hear, how we work, what we think... it's all about the information!”


    ***SMILE, BE HAPPY***

  5. #5
    Join Date: Apr 2012

    Location: N E Kent

    Posts: 51,624
    I'm Geoff.

    Default

    You'd be lucky to get a shed around here for £200k!
    It is impossible for anything digital to sound analogue, because it isn't analogue!

  6. #6
    Join Date: May 2008

    Location: U.S.A. Neo-Socialist Kalifornski

    Posts: 3,262

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by walpurgis View Post
    You'd be lucky to get a shed around here for £200k!
    https://www.plumplot.co.uk/South-Wes...se-prices.html GASP!
    Jeff :UBERTHREADKILLER

  7. #7
    Join Date: Dec 2017

    Location: Manchester

    Posts: 359
    I'm John.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by walpurgis View Post
    You'd be lucky to get a shed around here for £200k!
    Crazy isn't it. There are parts of the country where you could buy a terraced house for £50k. You wouldn't want to live in one of them mind.

    Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

  8. #8
    Join Date: Feb 2013

    Location: W Lothian

    Posts: 99,005
    I'm Grant.

    Default

    Greater London was 385k in 2010.
    Too many folk chasing too little decent houses
    Regards,
    Grant .... ؠ ......Don't be such a big girl's blouse

    I've said it before and I'll say it again: democracy simply-doesn't-work
    .... ..... ...... ...... ................... ..... ..... ..... ..... .....
    FIIO K7 BT, M11 PLUS, BTR7, KA5 - OPPO BDP-103D - PANASONIC UB450 - PANASONIC 4K ULTRA HD TV - PIXEL 6 - AVANTREE LR BLUETOOTH - 2* X600 SOUNDCORE - HEADPHONES INCLUDE, FIIO, NURAPHONES', FOCAL, OPPO, BOSE, CAMBRIDGE, BOWER & WILKINS, DEVIALET, MARSHALL, SONY, MITCHELL & JOHNSTON - 2*ZBOOK'S- MERCURY BD ROM, ROON, QOBUZ, TIDAL, PLEX, CYBERLINK, JRIVER - MULTI HDD'S -

    Oh my god! There's nothing wrong with the bidet is there?

    “Nothing discloses real character like the use of power. It is easy for the weak to be gentle. Most people can bear adversity. But if you wish to know what a man really is, give him power. This is the supreme test. It is the glory of Lincoln that, having almost absolute power, he never abused it, except on the side of mercy".

    “You see these dictators on their pedestals, surrounded by the bayonets of their soldiers and the truncheons of their police ... yet in their hearts there is unspoken fear. They are afraid of words and thoughts: words spoken abroad, thoughts stirring at home -- all the more powerful because forbidden -- terrify them. A little mouse of thought appears in the room, and even the mightiest potentates are thrown into panic.”

    "You don't have free will. You have the appearance of free will.”

    “There's a war out there, old friend. A world war. And it's not about who's got the most bullets. It's about who controls the information. What we see and hear, how we work, what we think... it's all about the information!”


    ***SMILE, BE HAPPY***

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