What would you class as standout amplifiers that would go down in history as being the greatest amplifier of its time any budget any vintage
All time greatest amplifiers
- Thread starter Blacksabbath25
- Start date
Typically two kinds get nominated, budget underdogs (aka giant killers) and TOTL kit (giants). No one seems to like the middle child.
you chance to post some lovely vintage muscle Vladimir as I am not that good at posting picturesVladimir said:
but I like vintage ,giant killers , and totally over kill over engineered amplifiers personal that would give a modern amplifiers a run for there money
lets have some hifi porn !
I'm genuinely currious to see what gets suggested first. I'll definitely chime in with my favorites.
Sabbs and there will be candidates aplenty. As Vlad says it's either a giant killer (Technics SU770 or whatever number it was?) or summat OTT in the McIntosh catalogue. A life-changer for me was when my father made a pair of cabs for a local band back in the 70's and they gave him a pair of 500W Selmer valve amps to work on. He built a pair of cabs using something like an 18" bass, 8" mid and 4" tweeter with bespoke crossovers. He nipped out one day so that was my chance to fire some Led Zep through them at high level not more than 30' away. They changed my life - and made my face ache but what an experience. Probably when I started developing tinnitus!
I'll probably know the models but not heard any of them. None of my mates owned half decent hi-fi so I was a bit of a hi-fi oddball geek in them days aye, nobody understood WTF I was on about then nevermind now 
chebby
Well-known member
plastic penguin
Well-known member
Tag McClaren 60i. Only heard it the once in a shop and sounded wonderful. Retailed IIRC about £600.
Further up the ladder: AVI Laboratory Series amp. At about £1500 it was mind-blowing, but this was when I had the Alpha 7R as my main amp.
Otherwise, any of the vintage Marantz, JVC and Pioneer amps hit the spot for me.
Further up the ladder: AVI Laboratory Series amp. At about £1500 it was mind-blowing, but this was when I had the Alpha 7R as my main amp.
Otherwise, any of the vintage Marantz, JVC and Pioneer amps hit the spot for me.
The Sony TA-1120 amplifier. The first all silicon amplifier, from 1965. I'd love to try one of these. Some people say they sound very good.
Kubs
Well-known member
I'd say, for me, the Arcam 8r. It's the first amp I bought with my own money when I was 18 and that was 19 years ago - my first taste of hi fi .... It's still going strong as my father in law enjoys it ... Along with my Marantz 63 KI Sig (another classic).
hybridauth_Facebook_100004211376004
Well-known member
Haven't yet.... Would love to hear one...but Naim Satement must be up there with some of the finest amps ever made.
Oh and here's some hi-fi porn for you Sabbath https://youtu.be/kaWpP95MwKw
Oh and here's some hi-fi porn for you Sabbath https://youtu.be/kaWpP95MwKw
Al ears
Well-known member
I'm thinking of products that were simply on a different level to pretty much anything else available at that time, over the years I have come across a few. I'll start you off with this...
In an era whem big selling budget amps included models by Teleton and Amstrad, boasting 15-30 undistinguised watts per channel, this behemoth could produce 400wpc into 4 ohms.
Hearing it drive 2 pairs of Bose 901s to rock concert levels was an unforgetable experience.
In an era whem big selling budget amps included models by Teleton and Amstrad, boasting 15-30 undistinguised watts per channel, this behemoth could produce 400wpc into 4 ohms.
Hearing it drive 2 pairs of Bose 901s to rock concert levels was an unforgetable experience.
2 And a half million for that hifi that is porn shame he didn’t play some music on it in the videoMark Rose-Smith said:
stereoman
Well-known member
Although from 1989 - the best I have had so far...There are no reviews of Accuphase in What Hi Fi, yet they are ones of the best amps in the world. Listen to it and you will understand. There's a saying from some Accu fans: "Once Accuphase - Always Accuphase...". Interesting.
forget what hifi ratings it’s what you think is a greatest amplifier regardless of agestereoman said:
stereoman
Well-known member
I think the NAD 3020 should definitely be on the all-time list. A true classic, and a gateway into the world of hifi for many including me. I wish I hadn't sold mine. Even if I didn't stll use it somewhere in the house it would be nice to look at such an iconic design. It sounded okay too and was loud enough to bother the neighbours occasionally.
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F302549180088lindsayt said:
found a mint one on eBay starting bid £550
found a mint one on eBay with box and instructions https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F322869581023chebby said:
£160
I would have to say my own amplifier as well and the abrahamsen 2up was a solid great sounding amplifier for the money I would of kept it but had to use it to trade to get the Yamaha A-S2100
i like the Luxman amplifiers and power amplifiers
i like the Luxman amplifiers and power amplifiers
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