Sony TA-2650

[Pigmy Pony]

Got given this last week by a mate.



Not this one, I found this image on tinternet, but mine is every bit as mint looking as this. He'd got it cheap somewhere a couple of years ago, and thought it might be a good replacement for his old NAD 3020.

Thing is, the Sony is rated at 43wpc, with many users thinking it actually makes a lot more, while the NAD is good for 20wpc or so, reportedly. And he's running it into a pair of B&W DM603s I gave him years ago, which I don't reckon are much cop if driven by anything weedy. Which makes me think he'd have been better off sticking with the Sony. But hey, we like what we like

He tells me everything works except the headphone out. As the speaker outs are those crappy spring clip terminals, and my cables are all too thick, I thought I'd try the headphone out anyway. Turns out it does work, so I don't know what he was doing with it.

Now, I thought I'd like a vintage amp at the centre of my second system, but now it's in situ it looks completely wrong. So I want to flog it, but I've no idea if these have any value. Thoughts please?

I know I should put this in 'Private Exhibitions', and if I can get some pics up I will.

[Barry]

Looking on the Web and in particular eBay, depending on whether it comes housed in a wooden case or not, prices vary from around £50 to over £370. Without actually translating quoted prices into £, the rough average price asked is around £250.

Were I selling one, I would suggest £150.

Sony gear is well made, and in general has a good reputation for sound quality. You can buy kits to replace the spring speaker terminals.

Hope this helps.

[Macca]

Lovely unit it's a shame it's so hard to find use for these classic pieces, no remote and low power doesn't help.

Still who would rather use some cheap Chinese tat instead of this?

Looking at sold ones on ebay seems like market value is anywhere from £50 to £200 but higher prices only for 'serviced' examples.

Your mate's 3020 probably is a better match for the 603s, lower watts but more current which is why the 3020 was so popular in the day.

[Pigmy Pony]

Thanks for that Barry, it does have the 'wood' cheeks (actually veneered chipboard), and is pretty tidy. I had considered swapping out the terminals (cost about £20 or so), but it just doesn't look right in the room, and it's height blocks access to some of my CDs.

Shame really, it is certainly a solid item, the knobs and switches have a quality feel about them.

I had thought it might be worth about £100, so good to know I'm not being optimistic I see a lot of vintage kit with silly price tags imo, exploiting the nostalgia market.

[Pigmy Pony]

Lovely unit it's a shame it's so hard to find use for these classic pieces, no remote and low power doesn't help.

Still who would rather use some cheap Chinese tat instead of this?

Looking at sold ones on ebay seems like market value is anywhere from £50 to £200 but higher prices only for 'serviced' examples.

Your mate's 3020 probably is a better match for the 603s, lower watts but more current which is why the 3020 was so popular in the day.

Cheers Mart. Just had a look on the Ebay, and even recapped/serviced items don't look worth the work that went into them. I see capacitor kits on there sell for 50 quid or so, and it's not something I'd want to tackle. And the cost of having it professionally serviced would likely go beyond the value of the amp.

I might just chuck it on Ebay as a working example, and it sells or it doesn't. But tbh I'd rather give it away than bin it. First though I'll have a look inside, if the gods are smiling someone may have already done the work

[Macca]

I wouldn't assume it needs any attention, if it sounds fine it probably is.

Dates from before the trend for leaving amps powered up all the time came along and looking at the condition I'd guess there's not that many service hours on it.

[Alex_UK]

I wouldn't assume it needs any attention, if it sounds fine it probably is.

I'd agree, I have a Sony TA-F4 A from the late 70's which I don't believe has had any fettling done to it and it's as reliable as you'd expect a 70's Sony amp to be (was until relatively recently in use in my daughter's room.) It's a gorgeous looking thing with build quality you'd expect from a 70's Sony amp... It's probably my favourite amp I own (aesthetically at least) but as mentioned above, lack of a remote in particular can be an issue for some.

[Pigmy Pony]

I wouldn't assume it needs any attention, if it sounds fine it probably is.

Dates from before the trend for leaving amps powered up all the time came along and looking at the condition I'd guess there's not that many service hours on it.

Well that's another reason then for not keeping it - my second system is powered on 24hrs a day (we like to ask Alexa to do stuff without having the faff of going in there and switching stuff on). Yes we really are that lazy. Since my Arcam A75 started acting up I've gone back to using my Amptastic Mini-1 (which does a reasonable job tbf).