I want an oldie.

[lindsayt]

Andrewjvt, check out this website: http://www.audio-heritage.jp/ for inspiration on the sort of speakers to look out for. The same applies to anyone looking for amps and turntables.

Look at the cost when new and the weight of the equipment. If both are sky high and you can find an example today for the right price (for the current condition) buy it.

So for me, if I saw 75kg 900,000 yen speakers with tatty cabinets and blown surrounds on the bass cones for £300 I'd buy them.

 

[lindsayt]

To take one small example, out of many:

http://www.audio-heritage.jp/BRAUN/speaker/lv1020.html 28kgs when new in 1974, 28kgs (12" bass cones). Completely unknown and unhyped. Worth a punt if you see a pair for about £100. More likely to see them on German ebay than UK.

Another example. For amps, there are some nice ones on this page: http://www.audio-heritage.jp/SONY-ESPRIT/amp/index2.html

 

[Andrewjvt]

Andrewjvt, check out this website: http://www.audio-heritage.jp/ for inspiration on the sort of speakers to look out for. The same applies to anyone looking for amps and turntables.

Look at the cost when new and the weight of the equipment. If both are sky high and you can find an example today for the right price (for the current condition) buy it.

So for me, if I saw 75kg 900,000 yen speakers with tatty cabinets and blown surrounds on the bass cones for £300 I'd buy them.

 

Cheers lindsyt

Ill have a look
Sorry for hijack pp

 

[SteveR750]

My favourite gear from the 70s and 80s are cassette decks and tuners. I love some of the pioneer and jvc stuff with big solid cases, brushed aluminium fascias, vu meters and beautifully damped switches and tuning knobs. By the time I could afford it, the Japanese had gone black fronts and replaced a very thing with flimsy plastic. I have a sony cassette deck from late 90s, technically amazing, sounds great but soulless, so understand your excitement PP.

 

[plastic penguin]

My favourite gear from the 70s and 80s are cassette decks and tuners. I love some of the pioneer and jvc stuff with big solid cases, brushed aluminium fascias, vu meters and beautifully damped switches and tuning knobs. By the time I could afford it, the Japanese had gone black fronts and replaced a very thing with flimsy plastic. I have a sony cassette deck from late 90s, technically amazing, sounds great but soulless, so understand your excitement PP.

Indeed. They look gorgeous but the trade-off is reliability and (possibly) sound quality. It's purely (IMHO) real hi-fi eye candy. But sacrifice my Leema for one? Unlikely.

 

[MeanandGreen]

I'm a big fan of Pioneer equipment. I grew up with it in my household, my very own first Hi-Fi seperates were Pioneer.

I currenty have 4 Pioneer items in my house... A Bluray Player, 2 x CD-R machines both now used as very good DAC's and a vintage wooden sided SX-440 Reciever.

Old electronics aren't really a big issue as everything can be replaced, you just need to be handy with schematics, soldering irons and multimeteres. If you aren't handy with these things then it could be a headache...

There is no doubting the beauty of the vintage kit and it will still sound very good today.

 

[plastic penguin]

I'm a big fan of Pioneer equipment. I grew up with it in my household, my very own first Hi-Fi seperates were Pioneer.

I currenty have 4 Pioneer items in my house... A Bluray Player, 2 x CD-R machines both now used as very good DAC's and a vintage wooden sided SX-440 Reciever.

Old electronics aren't really a big issue as everything can be replaced, you just need to be handy with schematics, soldering irons and multimeteres. If you aren't handy with these things then it could be a headache...

There is no doubting the beauty of the vintage kit and it will still sound very good today.

Which Pioneer amps did you have or still have? Mine was a SA-706 which I kept for 17 years. Loved it.

 

[MeanandGreen]

I'm a big fan of Pioneer equipment. I grew up with it in my household, my very own first Hi-Fi seperates were Pioneer.

I currenty have 4 Pioneer items in my house... A Bluray Player, 2 x CD-R machines both now used as very good DAC's and a vintage wooden sided SX-440 Reciever.

Old electronics aren't really a big issue as everything can be replaced, you just need to be handy with schematics, soldering irons and multimeteres. If you aren't handy with these things then it could be a headache...

There is no doubting the beauty of the vintage kit and it will still sound very good today.

Which Pioneer amps did you have or still have? Mine was a SA-706 which I kept for 17 years. Loved it.

I had a Pioneer A-110 from the 80's it was quite modest on paper, but I used to really enjoy it's sound. It sounded much bigger than the on paper specs suggested.

I currently have a SX-440 reciever from circa 1970. It's a thing of beauty when lit up, just needs some cosmetic restoration. I haven't had any of the higer end Pioneer amps, but everything I've had by Pioneer from A/V equipment to car stereos have been a pleasure to use and listen to.

 

[plastic penguin]

Ahhh...

Just seen a good quality SA-706 on fleebay, but it's so bloody expensive. Those dancing VU wattage meters look good, though.

 

[Freddy58]

Gotta love some of that old kit. I remember with fondness my old Yamaha CR420 receiver. Those damped controls, and signal strength meters. Don't make 'em like that any more.

 

[plastic penguin]

Gotta love some of that old kit. I remember with fondness my old Yamaha CR420 receiver. Those damped controls, and signal strength meters. Don't make 'em like that any more.

I am tempted to make an offer.

 

[Freddy58]

Gotta love some of that old kit. I remember with fondness my old Yamaha CR420 receiver. Those damped controls, and signal strength meters. Don't make 'em like that any more.

I am tempted to make an offer.

Go for it. It's an itch you've had for some time as I recall. I'd be tempted myself, but I'm already signed up to a new system, at no little expense. Apart from functionality, I'm not convinced that modern day hifi has made the great leaps forward that some seem to believe. But then, I'm a self confessed nitwit *smile*

 

[DocG]

I'd be tempted myself, but I'm already signed up to a new system, at no little expense.

Why change? What's wrong with stereo units, connected with wire? What aspect do you wanna improve upon (quadrophony, wireless, ...)? Or will it be a sideways move?*mosking*

 

[Freddy58]

I'd be tempted myself, but I'm already signed up to a new system, at no little expense.

Why change? What's wrong with stereo units, connected with wire? What aspect do you wanna improve upon (quadrophony, wireless, ...)? Or will it be a sideways move?*mosking*

I'm perfectly happy with my new system, sounds great to me. What I meant was that if I was in the market for another amp (for instance), I wouldn't be adverse to looking at older models, especially if it was secondary.