So what is your favorite vintage stereo amp? McIntosh, Marantz, Fisher or???

MC30s are the best sounding vintage amps I've ever heard.

 

For a fun and practical amp, I am fond of this H.H. Scott 299-B integrated, made around 1960. I have compared it head to head with a pair of MC30s. The Scott is not in that league, but nonetheless it sounds pretty good, with a quality phono stage to boot.

 

MC30's/MX110. I've been on a mission to obtain a MC225 in similiar condition.

Bob

 

Here is my favorite. An MC-240 that I restored a few years ago.
Man this thing looks and sounds great!

Others I like: HH Scott 299-C, Fisher 800C, HH Scott 280.

 

Ooh la la!

 

Thanks!

Actually hauled the HH Scott in a studio as the monitor amp for mixing acoustic jazz. Engineer was grumpy at first, but after a few hours and no ear fatigue, he came around. Oddly enough, even though the unit is not especially "neutral", the mixes came out very balanced. That is to say, the final product sounded great played back on "neutral" hifi gear.

 

I like all of the above well. Have lived with all the above too. Any in fine order makes me happy.

 

I've heard good McIntosh twice in a store owned by and in a system set up by one of my late wife's first bosses in Texas. Memorable, distinctive sound.

My favorite though is the EICO integrated amp I had, it brought me years of pleasure and sometimes wonder in the 'nineties.

 

I love McIntosh amp & preamps. Here are my recent pieces.

 

...PIONEER.

my favorite "Vintage" Amp?

that would have to be the "Legendary" SX-1980;





i've never had a chance to see one in the flesh, let alone own one,
but if i could, i would in a heartbeat, if nothing else, than as a collector's piece, as Remote Control of an amplifier is a personal necessity to me.

now then, my favorite "Semi-Vintage" Amp?

my 1990/1993 VSX-D1S A/V stereo receiver, of course.

as the last true vanguard of PIONEER's old traditional school
of high performance, high value Hi-Fi stereo reproduction,
this stereo-based, early A/V DOLBY P.L. SURROUND equipped receiver
is more, much more than the sum of it's seemingly "Junky BPC" appearance.

it is a truly capable Mid-Fi stereo component, capable of driving loads
of 2~16 ohms. it is specified for dynamic power of 280W into 2 ohms, in fact.

more importantly, it simply sounds GOOD, REAL GOOD.

everything i've ever listened to, on this amp, in the nine years i've owned it,
simply sounds RIGHT to my ears. clear, transparent, rythmic and eminently listenable. it's the most rewarding single element of stereo gear
that i have ever owned. it is a workhorse, too.

i am sure there is better out there, - there ALWAYS is - but, for me,
this is likely the best i'll ever have it, and, to me, that's not a particuarly
bad thing...

 

Eico HF-81

 

Say, was that Altec kitchen hi-fi set available in pastel turquoise? That industrial/movie theater gear green doesn't quite match - looks more like the color of my mom's Plymouth Belvedere.

 

I can only talk about what I have or had. I do like my Eico HF-20's

 

I wish I could afford a Mcintosh amp.

 

Eico HF-60s - classic circuit and some of the best classic output iron ever made.

For SS: various Threshold amplifiers and early Mark Levinson.

 

I can't afford 'real' vintage amps like the Marantz or Mac tube gear...unless I stumble upon them real cheap at a flea market or garage sale, which hasn't happened BTW.
So I figure I would do the next best thing...collect 'future' vintage tube amps.
Conrad Johnson MV60. This amp will definitely become a future classic.

 

The Sansui G-7700

 

The Dynaco Stereo 70 with all its flaws has a special place in my heart.

 

I have heard Leak gear and enjoy it on the weekends, wife still has hers. I have my 1973 Dynakit gear in use at a transmitter site for background music. I still also love my olde Stereo 70, PAS3X, and HH Scott SS kit tuner, Dynaco A 25 speakers, and the old AR XA.

 

my first tube amp ever - bought it in 1989 before heading off to college. I sold it to a friend... and ended up buying it back 15 years later!

 

I've had the Marantz 7C and Marantz 9 reissues since VAC produced them in the mid-90's. They sound fine to me and compare very nicely to the original vintage models that my father owns (he's replaced the filter caps and tubes in his a couple of times since the mid-60's). My music listening is mostly classical (Red Seal/Mercury Living Presence LP's).

 

I prefer modern to vintage but some of the vintage amps really had a way with sounding sweet and warm. Too much of a good thing ruins the sound for me though as the novelty soon wears off. I have owned lots of vintage gear personally and had a lot come through my shop as well, tons of it, perhaps literally. My favorites are the Leak power amps. I had a rare Leak Stereo 60 and restored it. That replaced a set of McIntosh MC30 amps in my system. I also like the McIntosh MC225 better than the 30s. Then there is the Marantz 8b that is hard to fault. I never had one of those myself though. I have had several Eico amps and Fisher amps, which I like both sets of as well. Altec amps also. They all had some redeeming qualities and some faults. None of the preamps of the 50's era sounded as nice as most any of the modern types. Here are a few photos from my old collection:





These were all in my home. I'll upload the Stereo 60 pics in a bit after I get them scanned. This was before digital cameras!

-Bill