This is the sort of retro amp I would look for....

[plastic penguin]

It has dancing lights rather than wattage meters. Like early Marantz receivers it has a sense of drama, in addition to all the knobs and shiney silvery bits.
This is one amp I would certainly take a slight drop in SQ.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pioneer-sa-8800-vintage-Integrated-amplifier-/271410687474?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Amplifiers&hash=item3f31566df2

 

[chebby]

It has dancing lights rather than wattage meters. Like early Marantz receivers it has a sense of drama, in addition to all the knobs and shiney silvery bits. This is one amp I would certainly take a slight drop in SQ. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pioneer-sa-8800-vintage-Integrated-amplifier-/271410687474?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Amplifiers&hash=item3f31566df2

You'll need the rest of it...

 

[bigfish786]

oh, i wish graphic equilizers would make a comeback.

 

[plastic penguin]

It has dancing lights rather than wattage meters. Like early Marantz receivers it has a sense of drama, in addition to all the knobs and shiney silvery bits. This is one amp I would certainly take a slight drop in SQ. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pioneer-sa-8800-vintage-Integrated-amplifier-/271410687474?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Amplifiers&hash=item3f31566df2

You'll need the rest of it...

Oooo... so nice. Do think if all that clobber turned up on the front step Mrs. P would chase after me wielding a nasty implement.

 

[chebby]

I prefer the look of this (from the same era) ...

Or these ...

... with a nice Thorens TD150 and a pair of Jim Rogers JR149s ...

 

[plastic penguin]

I prefer the look of this (from the same era) ...

Or these ...

... with a nice Thorens TD150 and a pair of Jim Rogers JR149s ...

Those are quite nice and retro but not for me. The Thorens, on the other hand....

Just mailed the seller to ask some questions about dimensions etc. Think it may be a little too deep for the rack.

 

[chebby]

Just mailed the seller to ask some questions about dimensions etc. Think it may be a little too deep for the rack.

Dimensions: 453 x 155 x 425mm

http://www.hifiengine.com/library/pioneer/sa-8800.shtml

 

[plastic penguin]

Just mailed the seller to ask some questions about dimensions etc. Think it may be a little too deep for the rack.

Dimensions: 453 x 155 x 425mm

http://www.hifiengine.com/library/pioneer/sa-8800.shtml

I shall get out my measuring stick a little later. Thanks.

 

[Frank Harvey]

....and a pair of Jim Rogers JR149s ...

Got two pairs of these - one pair in their original boxes! I bought them straight away, as I have never seen any in their original boxes before...

 

[Frank Harvey]

Now that I would have! And it'd work well with the JR149s as my dad used to use a Pioneer SA620 with a pair in the 80's....

 

[plastic penguin]

Sheesh! the rack is only about 35cm deep. Another one bites the dust.

 

[plastic penguin]

Now that I would have! And it'd work well with the JR149s as my dad used to use a Pioneer SA620 with a pair in the 80's....

The Pioneers would work very well with these too.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Wharfedale-E-Seventy-E70-Speakers-/281272236438?pt=UK_AudioVideoElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_HiFiSpeakers&hash=item417d21b996

 

[Frank Harvey]

Not too sure about his EQ settings....

 

[lindsayt]

SA-8800. Nice. Look out for the SA-9900 too, which cost three times as much as the SA-8800 in 1975. Or the SA-9800 which was twice as much.

 

[Freddy58]

'Stuff' looked so good, back then

 

[plastic penguin]

'Stuff' looked so good, back then

Don't they just...

Gutted it's too big for the rack, otherwise I would've put in a bid or two.

 

[MikeToll]

I have still got a Pioneer SA 9800 and matching tuner, still sound superb. They are definately not for sale!

 

[Freddy58]

'Stuff' looked so good, back then

Don't they just...

Gutted it's too big for the rack, otherwise I would've put in a bid or two.

New rack? Or maybe modify yours?

 

[plastic penguin]

I have still got a Pioneer SA 9800 and matching tuner, still sound superb. They are definately not for sale!

What modern amp would you compare it to?

 

[plastic penguin]

'Stuff' looked so good, back then

Don't they just...

Gutted it's too big for the rack, otherwise I would've put in a bid or two.

New rack? Or maybe modify yours?

Suppose I could put it on the top of the rack which is bigger than the middle shelves, but that'll mean finding a new home for the TT.

 

[Freddy58]

'Stuff' looked so good, back then

Don't they just...

Gutted it's too big for the rack, otherwise I would've put in a bid or two.

New rack? Or maybe modify yours?

Suppose I could put it on the top of the rack which is bigger than the middle shelves, but that'll mean finding a new home for the TT.

That's you sorted then

 

[MikeToll]

The trouble is PP that I do not have a wide knowledge of amps so it is hard to say. That plus the fact that it was used with different speakers to what my more modern amp is connected to. The original set up was the Pioneer feeding into Roger Studio 1 speakers which sounded warmer than my present set up of a second hand Leema Pulse into Spendor A 6's. The Leema/Spendor is tauter with more control of the base than the Pioneer/Rogers but the Pioneer/Rogers kept me happy for many years. The Pioneer has bags of effortless power.

 

[MikeToll]

Duplicate Post.

 

[plastic penguin]

The trouble is PP that I do not have a wide knowledge of amps so it is hard to say. That plus the fact that it was used with different speakers to what my more modern amp is connected to. The original set up was the Pioneer feeding into Roger Studio 1 speakers which sounded warmer than my present set up of a second hand Leema Pulse into Spendor A 6's. The Leema/Spendor is tauter with more control of the base than the Pioneer/Rogers but the Pioneer/Rogers kept me happy for many years. The Pioneer has bags of effortless power.

Didn't realise you had a Pulse. So in a nutshell the Pioneer doesen't have the all-round game of the Leema/Spendor combo but is more rewarding in terms of music pleasure. Is that right?

 

[MikeToll]

The trouble is PP that I do not have a wide knowledge of amps so it is hard to say. That plus the fact that it was used with different speakers to what my more modern amp is connected to. The original set up was the Pioneer feeding into Roger Studio 1 speakers which sounded warmer than my present set up of a second hand Leema Pulse into Spendor A 6's. The Leema/Spendor is tauter with more control of the base than the Pioneer/Rogers but the Pioneer/Rogers kept me happy for many years. The Pioneer has bags of effortless power.

Didn't realise you had a Pulse. So in a nutshell the Pioneer doesen't have the all-round game of the Leema/Spendor combo but is more rewarding in terms of music pleasure. Is that right?

They are different rather than one better than the other. Sorry I can't be more specific but it does rather depend on what you like. It is not easy for me to swap them over for a comparison the way things are set up it is more a case of remembering my thoughts when I originally changed thinks over.

The Pioneer was originally swapped out when it "died" so I had an attack of upgradeitis so bought the Leema which I also rate very highly then after some time I found a guy who would fix the Pioneer along with some other "dead" stuff I have for very little. It was the capacitors that had gone in the Pioneer and they were replaced. I checked it all worked but left the Leema in situ with a Stream CD player I bought at the same time as the Pulse. I rather liked having the remote control to be honest so I could swap between sources etc without getting up, for instance swapping the input to the telly or to the tuner.