Anybody using gear 30+ year old that hasn't been restored?

The oldest piece of "gear" I'm using is not my 1974 Fender Rhodes suitcase piano or my ARP 2600, but my 1932 General Electric Monitor-top refrigerator ... Well, it was serviced in the late 40's when the provincial power company upgraded the grid from 25 Hz to 60 Hz, when it got its new "square top"... I just defrosted it on the weekend and it's still going strong...

My parents bought it used in the 50's and it was passed down to me and serves as the studio beverage fridge.

This isn't mine, but a reasonable facsimile for illustrative purposes:



It came with a 3 year warranty!!!

 

My original Empire 698 turntable, I've maintained it since new from 1976. Other than occasional new belts it's still 100% original.

My STA-90 Realistic receiver from 1976. It's low value makes it cost prohibitive to recap as well as does my STA-2080 from 1981. I'll just enjoy both until they die.

None of my vintage speakers have needed work either as they have surrounds that don't rot.

 

Technics SL-1600 TT and a pair of Pioneer HPM 150's purchased together in 1977.

 

My wife bought me a Luxman L-450 amplifier for Christmas in 1982. I'm going to have it recapped at last after the first of the year, but I'm already having anxiety issues about going without it for a couple of weeks or more.

It needs it. I always wondered what people meant when they talked about "mushy" sound. Now, I know.

 

I just picked up a pristine Sony STR6065 receiver (circa 1971) the other day. It came with the original wood case and sounds very nice in my bedroom. I thought it was untouched until I opened it up and found that somebody had done an "upgrade" to the main caps, but their soldering skills were even worse than mine. So far, it works but it may need help in the future. I bought a 6055 back when I was in high school and having this "big brother" version has been a wonderful blast from my past.

 

Luxman PD-284 turntable, circa 1982. Works like new, use it everyday:


And a wonderful sounding 1976 Sansui 551 receiver I scored for $6:

 

Sansui 8080db bought in 1977. Serviced by University Stereo in 1979. Still rocking when taken our for a run.

 

Pretty much my whole main system & Bedroom system. All Late 70's to Early 90's Hi End Yamaha, Denon & DBX Equipment
only thing done is basic cleaning so far.

 

Dual 506 ttable, Stanton 681 EE & Shure M95 ED, from 1979

 

My Yamaha A-700 integrated amp I purchased new in approx. 1980 or so along with a pair of Klipsch Heresy speakers. I later sold the Heresys-missed them and then bought a pair Heresy II. Knock on wood-the Yamaha has soldiered on with some deoxit and an occasional tightening of the internal collar for volume control knob-no remote control on this vintage unit. Still sounds fine to me. Good internal parts quality. I also have an old Onkyo single disc CD player from about 1988 or so.

 

Thorens TD 160B mark II Turntable.
Purchased new in 1980.
Apart from new belts and recent service including new ortofon 2M Bronze cartridge, it is untouched.

Daily use, utterly reliable.

I will never part with her.



Also have an Aiwa F330 Cassette Deck, basic, but reliable. dates from 1982

The amp, a Mission Cyrus II is "new", only from 1991 - completely reliable, apart from my broken CD player causing it to blow a fuse.

 

My Heresey II's will be thirty in a month or two,and sound incredible.Never been worked on either.

They are the newest piece of gear I own.Everything else I have was made between 1959 and 1963,for me the golden age of audio.I own three other things that have never been worked on,and show no signs of needing to be.Two HH Scott's a LK-48,and a LT-110.Both from 1962-63.Looking to sell the tuner sometime.This is the amp that will go with my Dual 1219,after it is done being worked on.

While waiting for a new belt for my Thorens,I have been listening some to my 1963 Nivico tube consolette I got free on Craigslist.It's the only other currently working turntable or record player I own.It sounds quite good,especially on mono records,and has never been worked on.

 

Very cool.

Is it Energy Star compliant?

 

I have a 1978 Pioneer SX-780 in a small living room system, which I bought last summer for $50 on Craig's List. Other than shooting the pots with some DeOxIt, I haven't done a thing to it, and all functions and lights work just fine. Frankly, if it were to start acting up I'd just pass it along.

I also have a late '70s Yamaha CR-1020 that is all original, except for some replaced bulbs. It sounds terrific in the basement system.

 

I upgraded my Bozaks by adding a mid-range, but that just made them the same as a different model, no restoration done. In fact the cabinets already had the hole cut for it.

 

I got a Marantz 2230b for Christmas 1978. Still works great, I've only had to replace the display lights. And I have to do that again soon!
Also I have a Technics SLQ2 turntable from 1979. Only the dust cover has been damaged at the hinges. I always take it off anyway!

 

I have some audio electronics from the early 80s that are in daily use and have never been serviced. One thing which may be beneficial at least as far as caps go is that I never turn them off (except for occasional power failures).

 

and now the average life of a refrig is about 10 yrs

 

Marantz 2225 and 2270. Both saw very regular use until very recently. The 2270 was my daily workhorse for around eleven years. The 2225 needs some service. Left channel is a little scratchy and weak. Hoping it is just a speaker relay.

 

McIntosh MC2100 solid-state amplifier - as far as I know it has never been serviced - original power supply caps, diodes, etc etc.

 

Add me to the Marantz posters herein....I have a 2230 bought at a barn sale last year. I haven't even had to Deox-it. My first foray into that vintage Marantz sound...and I love it. If it eventually needs work, I'll gladly sink some restoration $ into it.

 

I had a Kenwood 2400 receiver that I purchased new in 1974. It was working fine with the exception of the FM stereo indicator light being out. I finally gave it away a couple of years ago since I never used it. As long as I had it, it never meeded a single repair.

I still have a pair of Linear Dynamic speakers that I bought new in 1987. The surrounds are still good and they sound fine.

 

I don't have 30+ year old components, but, there are certainly parts well past that age in my amp and linestage which are based on old Western Electric gear (transformers are original Western Electric parts, as are the resistors, wire, and some capacitors. My speakers are a modern design, except, I have swapped out the compression driver/horn on the speaker and replaced it with a Western Electric 713B driver and a vintage horn. The driver, which has not been refurbished in any way, is probably close to 75 years old.