What would be your top 3 favourite bits of classic kit?

[The Black Adder]

Hi all.

So, if you had to choose 3 bits of classic gear, what would you choose?

It could be something you own or owned, or something you hope to own one day.



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[guy]

Rega ELA mk1
Linn LP12
I still have the above

Possibly and ADC XLM cartridge or Quad II’s (which i no longer have in working order), or perhaps Mission 710 speakers - apologies for indecision on third choice

[Barry]

For me that's easy:

Quad 57 ESL speakers
I have been using them for the last 50 years, and despite their limitations, I'm unlikely to change them now.

Thorens 124/II turntable
Again I have used this turntable for over 50 years, and think so well of the design I bought two more (to use with different arms and cartridges).

The Decca Mk. VI cartridge
Also known as the Decca Gold, in general I prefer this model over the Decca V (also known as the Decca Blue). However I have to add this caveat: you have to find a good sample: Decca's quality control was atrocious, but with a good sample a Decca will present a sound that has a greater sense of life, attack and vivacity than virtually any other cartridge available today. Decca cartridges fitted with a fine line stylus profile are preferred, such as the rare Weintz parabolic or the Van Den Hul.



There are of course many other classic pieces of gear that
I use, but you asked to name three.

[bardley]

Good thread this.. I love a bit of classic kit.
Making great reading and Googling If I don't know.

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[Beobloke]

Garrard 301 turntable

Leak 3090 loudspeakers

B&O Beocenter 7007 music centre

[AJSki2fly]

Krell KSP-7B pre-amplifier
A lovely neutral and natural sounding pre, also very, very good onboard phono stage.

Krell KSA-80 power amp

One that is serviced and recapped is as good as new and built like a tank to last, loads of power, gives a wonderful spacious soundstage and lots of control, it just does it all very well.

Rockport Lyra loudspeaker
Having heard a pair if money was not a problem and I had a suitable room then it would have to be a pair of these, just breathtakingly good. Alternatively a high-end pair of Wilson Benesch speakers.

[Macca]

I think I'd have a Sony CDP101



Radford STA15



with a passive pre

And some Sansui SP5000

[Barry]

OK, three more classic pieces of kit I have used and still possess:

Radford STA15 Mk.III amplifier
A 15 watt/channel amplifier using EL34 output pentode valves. Like many British amplifiers of the time it is based on the Mullard 5-20, however thanks to the advice of audio theorist Dr Bailey the ECC83 phase splitter is replaced with an ECF82 for lower distortion.
The 25 watt/channel also shares the same valve line up, but the STA15 replaces the solid state rectifier for a GZ34 double diode. It is claimed this change creates a sweeter mid-range.
A perfect valve amplifier with which to drive Quad 57 speakers.

EMT XSD15 moving coil pickup
Not my first mc cartridge (that was an Ortofon SL15E), but the first which offered a truly believable portrayal of a musical performance. Used in either an SME 3009 or 3012 arm I used the cartridge for a few years, prompting me to buy a couple more fitted with Van den Hul stylii.

Mark Levinson ML-2 25W solid-state monoblock amplifiers
Again bought to drive my Quad 57 speakers, these American amplifiers are absolute behemoths. They are pure Class A designs, so draw constant current from the mains and are only about 25% efficient, which means what is not used by the speaker is dissipated as heat. They are thus big, heavy and run hot, very hot with concomitant reliability problems. I only used them for about a year because in the summer months the excess heat was overbearing. Many regard them to be the perfect amplifier for Quads and I can understand why.

[Macca]

Most of my system is getting on for classic status anyway

speakers are 23 years old

Pre-amp is 34 years old

Power amp is 30 years old.

Only the CD transport is new.

[Stranraer]

More of a Modern Classic I guess, but I'll weigh in with the Mark Levinson 390S CD player.
In the hope that it's life will be extended I use mine mainly as a DAC right now with Audiolab 6000 as transport, but every now and then I'll spin a disc on it and either way it sounds glorious.