Your Favorite Vintage Receivers

That's just the current state of the technology. It will be done on a mass scale and much faster as the 3D printers improve. Already, VPI makes a tonearm (not a prototype) that is available for their turntables, and yes it is quite costly as is the material it is made of. It is limited production, to be sure, but so are their turntables. I imagine we're about 5-6 years out on the development of mass-scale production via 3D printing.

 

Lynn Swann

 

It's not a super expensive piece of equipment, but my NAD 7020e gets the job done nicely.

 

I had one of those, and it was great in its time ( I'd call it vintage.. got mine in '88). Nice tuner and phono section. Reminds you of your Threshold amp because it featured 'STATIS' (I think that's the spelling) amp tech designed by Nelson Pass and licensed from Threshold. I'm sure I'll be gently corrected if wrong, but that's what I remember. Held on to mine for a long time, but more modern equipment started to sound clearer to me. Do you have the remote?

 

Give me the old Marantz any day. Those displays on them were a thing of beauty. Didn't sound too bad either.

 

No remote - I think that was only available in the SR-4A... ?? Again, not an expert on Nak gear. It, of course, doesn't hold a candle to my main system, but it works just fine for family use.

 

I have a very similar 4300 quad in the bedroom system at the moment and it is a very sweet beast. If you listen to FM a lot (which I do) the excellent tuner is a joy and the sound is surprisingly detailed while being incredibly gutsy. Comes the moment to move the thing, though.... ouch!

 

I still think those old Marantz receivers are some of the best looking receivers ever made. Back in the day, I had a Luxman R - 1040 that was pleasing to the eye and a buddy of mine had a Tanberg TR 2075. Also a looker, and had a sweet sound.

Luxman R-1040


Tanberg 2075

 

I have the Tandberg TR 2075MKII ...

 

I had a black plastic pioneer something that was a gift from my parents when I was in high school. It was pretty high wattage but I was less and less satisfied with the sound. About a year ago my father-in-law gave me a mitsubishi 35 wpc reciever from the late 70's i think. He also gave me a Dual 1209 tt. He found both at a garage sale for not much money. I mainly wanted the Dual, but when I started listening to the mitsubishi I realized how much better vintage things could sound compared to my pioneer bpc. So i started looking for a nice vintage receiver and this is what I wound up with.

 

Optonica SA-5606. While I love the silver faced look, this thing is just awesome! Beautiful and powerful. And sounds exquisite, clear and very present. And the phono stage is great also. I'm a satisfied, happy camper. (Photo is not mine, just grabbed off the intertubes).

-db

 

I've never heard of Optonica but that's a very nice looking receiver! Glad it sounds great too!

 

I think it was mentioned earlier in this thread, but Optonica was a division of Sharp that made their hi-fi products. They put out some unique, cool things but I dont think they lasted real long.

-db

 

My favourite was run by my grandad, a Scott 637s. Unfortunately when he passed my dad was too into his micro component system so I've no idea where that beauty went.

 

SX 1010

 

Haven't we crossed paths?
Welcome.

 

Thanks.

Yes, I'm getting around more. Ha!

I like that MAC 1700 as well. Such a beautiful unit. The C Var loudness is a nice plus on that model.

 

This was my first real stereo too. Served me from '77 until '86 when I bought (I believe) the first surround sound receiver, a Pioneer VSX-5000 (which still works perfectly). This unit sounded very good and could easily annoy the neighbors in your apartment building.
I think I actually trashed the 450 when I got married. So dumb.

 

Not to start a huge debate but I just took my vintage restored Marantz out of preamp duties along with a Sony ES amplifier.
Replaced them with a new NAD C-356BEE. I still love the vintage components and will never part ways with them but for listening to music I experienced a near epiphany when I spent an afternoon with the new NAD.

 

Sansui Classique 250


I just bought one with matching turntable (Classique 250T) for $25. Sounds great.

 

Solid State: the original AR receiver, certain early NAD models

Tube: Fisher 500, Fisher 800

 

I sold audio in the 80s and the receivers I liked then were made by JVC. The were running with the trend of flat-face receivers. No knobs. Very industrial. The JVCs far outclassed the Technics and Sony stuff. I have one old reciever which attests to the fact that they were made to last. The all metal front panels are gorgeous and well made. Except for the intrusion of "video" Eeech, I find these great receivers. Had a useful built-in EQ. 10 band? Theres a really solid metal panel that flips up to cover all those buttons. This looks like the TOTL in that "RX" series. Don't even know what they cost but I think their dirt cheap these days. The only weird thing was the volume control. The LED readout was set up strange with Zero being the loudest!

 

Old H/K's, Luxman, SAE.

 

My first receiver (back in my early twenties) that I took a bank loan to procure. My, oh my, what an impressive beast is was!

 

These pictures of all the vintage receivers are wonderful; wish I had some to contribute, my vintage units are long gone sadly.... The one I remember most fondly was a Tandberg - too long ago and too many beers under the bridge to remember the model number! It was wonderful; silver fascia and tuning scale that lit up that lovely blue, long and low, wood case, and sounded gorgeous. I'd love to get another one but they're getting pretty scarce and very expensive!!
Seeing the insides of some of these old Marantz and Sansui beasts show just what monsters they were! Those HUGE PSU's and capacitors!! All the lights in the street must have dimmed when these were powered-up!!