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Thread: Shock news: What Hifi say old amps are as good as new ones

  1. #1
    Join Date: Jun 2015

    Location: London/Durham

    Posts: 6,869
    I'm Lawrence.

    Default Shock news: What Hifi say old amps are as good as new ones

    What I don't understand is, if each year they tell us the new models are a step up from the ones last year and we need to sell up and get the latest model, how can an amp from 30 years ago match a recent amp at around the same level?? The question is rhetorical by the way, I think I can work out why...

    https://www.whathifi.com/features/ol...hich-is-better


    Sent from my BLN-L21 using Tapatalk

  2. #2
    Join Date: Jan 2013

    Location: Birmingham

    Posts: 6,772
    I'm James.

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    Spondoolies!
    Main system : VPI Scout 1.1 / JMW 9T / 2M Black / Croft 25R+ / Croft 7 / Heco Celan GT 702

    Second System : Goldring Lenco GL75 / AT95EX / Pioneer SX590 / Spendor SP2

  3. #3
    Join Date: Jul 2009

    Location: Hampshire, UK

    Posts: 3,662
    I'm Adam.

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    A good amplifier (or any component) is a good amplifier, regardless of age. Something good doesn’t automatically become bad overnight just because it has been superseded by something better.
    Engineers: fixing problems you didn't know you had in ways you don't understand.

  4. #4
    Join Date: Aug 2009

    Location: Staffordshire, England

    Posts: 37,786
    I'm Martin.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Beobloke View Post
    A good amplifier (or any component) is a good amplifier, regardless of age. Something good doesn’t automatically become bad overnight just because it has been superseded by something better.
    They never say bad though. It's 'Off the pace', 'Slightly veiled' or 'Not quite at the same level' if you want to steer someone away from a discontinued model and onto the brand new one.
    Current Lash Up:

    TEAC VRDS 701T > Sony TAE1000ESD > Krell KSA50S > JM Labs Focal Electra 926.

  5. #5
    Join Date: Nov 2011

    Location: Wakefield west yorkshire

    Posts: 1,930
    I'm James.

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    I've been persuaded by the latest thing is best and been disappointed, an old technics receiver and a Sony tafb940r are still my fave amps,budget end but just seemed to get it right
    novafidelity x40 music server/pre/dac, Arcam A39, roksan k3 power amp,Monitor Audio Monitor 50, Dali spektor 1, van damme interconnects and speaker cable, roskan k3 CD player

  6. #6
    Join Date: Jan 2009

    Location: Essex

    Posts: 31,861
    I'm openingabottleofwine.

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    Agreed! Every component review, especially those aimed at the "high end", claim significant improvement to such an extent that one wonders how it is possible to even listen to a system that has been assembled using components that are only five years old or less.

    It's all nonsense of course; hi-fi mags are there to sing the praise of those items of gear that are advertised in the magazine.

    As Adam has said "a good amplifier is a good amplifier". It is only the use of modern components, having higher specification and tighter tolerance that has made a small difference; the actual circuit topology largely remains unchanged.

    The largest improvement, in my view, has been with electromechanical transducers - cartridges and loudspeakers. (Not that has stopped me using cartridges and speakers, the design of which are 50 years old!)
    Barry

  7. #7
    Join Date: May 2017

    Location: West Sussex, UK

    Posts: 775
    I'm Steve.

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    I have always said that vintage electronics are as good as todays.
    Nelson Pass, John Curl, Krell, Leak and Tannoy to name but a few and all are incredibly difficult to beat without spending silly money.

    Quality built equipment is just that regardless of when it was produced!!!!

    Money is the name of the game and how much they can screw out of you.

    Steve...
    Turntable; Rega p8
    Cartridge; Alpheta mc
    Phono Stage; Rega Aria, Bigbottle 3 mm/mc
    Amplifier; Rega Elicit
    Speakers; Rega Rx3

  8. #8
    Join Date: Nov 2010

    Location: Chorley, Lancs

    Posts: 2,734
    I'm Mike.

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    100% agree with everything already said, there is a business behind the whole industry and that business is there to do 1 thing MAKE MONEY, advertising is there to persuade you that you NEED something else, something more, something much better than you already have, I remember reading hifi mags in the past, they loved to prove their point with a graph or readout from some ultra sensitive analyser, the actual difference was inaudible but the graph showed that the new was better than the old and that's all you needed to justify it to yourself.

    I've grown up since then, trust my ears and take all that bullshit with a pinch of salt.


    As the late Colonel Sanders once said
    "I'm too drunk to taste this chicken!!"

  9. #9
    montesquieu Guest

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    I have an old Cyrus One out in the garage. Was always an appealing old thing. Need to put it up against a visiting LFD Zero LE Mk3 integrated in the study system ... though I guess that's also pretty vintage.

  10. #10
    Join Date: Nov 2013

    Location: HAMPSTEAD

    Posts: 1,156
    I'm brian.

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    Could say the same for records as well I suppose. Like many people I own some classical vinyl from 60 s 70 s of superb quality, and yet many say modern records can sound
    a bit inferior by comparison. Why ?

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