Trade: Audiophile News & Music Review
Location: Southern England
Posts: 2,775
I'm Howard.
I still use a 1980 Trio KT-917 Tuner. Far more credible sound than DDB (Digital Done Badly) broadcasts, even through the ultra rare LFD DAC3.
I still use Meridian M1 actives, from 1978. And a Luxman FQ 990 Receiver. And a stacked pair of JBL L100 Century speakers.
Yes, retro really has a place. But not all of it though. Yamaha C1 preamp was sonically a disaster here. And there's more wher that came from. Soggy Sansui, Shrill Sony, Turgid Teac - and so on.
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Well, hello.
Don McCorleone
Location: Galashiels
Posts: 14,031
I'm inthescottishmafia.
Regarding vintage stuff,I used to have a pair of ESL 57's,and if you are following the 100 pound rule,I'd look for a wooden-sleeve Sugden A21a.This IMHO is the best vintage amp you will find to drive these at the price without resorting to a good vintage valve design which go for silly money these days.It's really a synergistic combo IMHO.I enjoyed such a combo for quite a while,and to my ears is excellent.I still have an original one (apart from converting it from DIN to phono's) to use as a base reference against my valve amps.Dunno what the requirements are for driving your B&W leccystatics,but if they are a reasonably efficient load,I'd procure a Sugden.It really is a lovely amp and IMHO will show any budget modern amp a clean pair of heels.The modern version,while having twice the power in class A due to a revised power supply,still uses the same circuit as devised all those years ago.Some things just cannot be made better.This circuit is even older than me and still produced today.Not too shabby for a SS design.Just my penner'th worth.
Senior Member
Location: London
Posts: 228
I'm Rob.
A beautiful thing along with many top end Japanese tuners of the period.Originally Posted by Howard Popeck (Stereonow)
My favourite tuners are the Accuphase analogue models.
I once had a T101 and wish I'd kept it.
Senior Member
Location: Edinburgh
Posts: 311
What about the band Christ?Boards Of Canada on a Nagra R-R sounds fantastic. How it should sound in my opinion! Some electronic music works well with old gear I think
Site Owner/Administrator
Location: Wrexham, North Wales, UK
Posts: 110,479
I'm AudioAl'sArbiterForPISHANTO.
Great thread, chaps!
Why buy vintage?
Because as Rob (Holt) has correctly said in terms of audio performance we've gone backwards more than forwards with hi-fi in the last, what, 25 years? Some might say even longer...
Good vintage gear, perhaps with some judicious (sympathetic) modifications, quite literally outperforms its modern counterparts from sources to speakers in often an embarrassing way for a fraction of the price.
I've got plenty to say on this matter and will do later - some excellent contributions though so far
Marco.
Main System
Turntable: Heavily-modified Technics SL-1210MK5G [Mike New bearing/ETP platter/Paul Hynes SR7 PSU & regulator mods]. Funk Firm APM Achromat with Nagaoka GL-601 Crystal Record Weight. Isonoe feet & boots. Ortofon RS-212D tonearm with Denon DL-103GL, in a Denon PCL-300 headshell, fitted with Funk Firm Houdini and Kondo SL-115 pure-silver cartridge leads.
Paul Hynes MC head amp/SR5 PSU. Also modded Lentek head amp and Denon AU-310 SUT.
Other Cartridges: Nippon Columbia (NOS 1987) Denon DL-103. USA-made Shure SC35C with NOS stylus. Goldring G820 with NOS stylus. Shure M55E with NOS stylus.
CD Player: Audiocom-modified Sony X-777ES/DAS-R1 DAC.
Tape Deck: Tandberg TCD 310, fully restored and recalibrated as new by RDE, plus upgraded with heads from the TCD-420a. Also with matching TM4 Norway microphones.
Preamps: Heavily-modified Croft Charisma-X. Power Amps: Tube Distinctions Copper Amp, fitted with Tungsol KT-150s. Quad 306.
Cables & Sundries: Mark Grant HDX1 interconnects and digital coaxial cable, plus Mark Grant 6mm UP-LCOFC Van Damme speaker cable. MCRU 'Ultimate' mains leads. Lehmann clone headphone amp with vintage Koss PRO-4AAA headphones.
Tube Distinctions digital noise filter. VPI HW16.5 record cleaning machine.
Speakers: Tannoy 15MGs in Lockwood cabinets with modified crossovers. 1967 Celestion Ditton 15.
Site Owner/Administrator
Location: Wrexham, North Wales, UK
Posts: 110,479
I'm AudioAl'sArbiterForPISHANTO.
Yamaha CT-7000 is the one for me. Hi-end Jap tuners of the 70's, like you say, were a class act.
Marco.
Main System
Turntable: Heavily-modified Technics SL-1210MK5G [Mike New bearing/ETP platter/Paul Hynes SR7 PSU & regulator mods]. Funk Firm APM Achromat with Nagaoka GL-601 Crystal Record Weight. Isonoe feet & boots. Ortofon RS-212D tonearm with Denon DL-103GL, in a Denon PCL-300 headshell, fitted with Funk Firm Houdini and Kondo SL-115 pure-silver cartridge leads.
Paul Hynes MC head amp/SR5 PSU. Also modded Lentek head amp and Denon AU-310 SUT.
Other Cartridges: Nippon Columbia (NOS 1987) Denon DL-103. USA-made Shure SC35C with NOS stylus. Goldring G820 with NOS stylus. Shure M55E with NOS stylus.
CD Player: Audiocom-modified Sony X-777ES/DAS-R1 DAC.
Tape Deck: Tandberg TCD 310, fully restored and recalibrated as new by RDE, plus upgraded with heads from the TCD-420a. Also with matching TM4 Norway microphones.
Preamps: Heavily-modified Croft Charisma-X. Power Amps: Tube Distinctions Copper Amp, fitted with Tungsol KT-150s. Quad 306.
Cables & Sundries: Mark Grant HDX1 interconnects and digital coaxial cable, plus Mark Grant 6mm UP-LCOFC Van Damme speaker cable. MCRU 'Ultimate' mains leads. Lehmann clone headphone amp with vintage Koss PRO-4AAA headphones.
Tube Distinctions digital noise filter. VPI HW16.5 record cleaning machine.
Speakers: Tannoy 15MGs in Lockwood cabinets with modified crossovers. 1967 Celestion Ditton 15.
Administrator / Magnetic Tape Person
Location: Bristol, UK
Posts: 9,966
I'm Nick.
To be honest I've never tried putting his stuff onto reel but seeing as he was in BOC at one time and comes from the same 'school' I'd say he's exactly the kind of chap who'd sound great on old gear! I've got his first two - Pylonesque and Metamorphic Reproduction Miracle. Great albums for long drives in the country.
I went through a big 'analogue electronica' thing a while back, before I had kids when I could spend £50 a week on music. I'm still falling back in love with things I bought and only listened to once back in the day. Loads of City Centre Offices, Morr Music and Leaf Label stuff. At one time I was catalogue completist for those labels. Are you into the same sort of thing?
Banned
Location: Lancaster(-ish), UK
Posts: 16,936
I'm ChrisB.
I once had a T101 and DID keep it!
It's fantastic - built like a brick nettie, weighs a tonne, sticks on tune like a very sticky thing and sounds sublime. It has 2 sets of outputs, one with it's own volume control so it'll drive a power amp direct!
For the price they go for they're a steal. Makes you wonder what all the fuss is about Troughlines. I've had one of those for yonks & it sounds quite nice(ish) if you can give it a decent signal, but it's not a patch on the T101.
Senior Member
Location: London
Posts: 228
I'm Rob.
I hate you.
Banned
Location: Lancaster(-ish), UK
Posts: 16,936
I'm ChrisB.
I wonder what you'd have said if it turned out I'd bought it from YOU!!!!
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