vintage/retro hi-fi amplifiers

[basshead]

i have decided to get a retro amp to go with my b&w 601 s2's.... this is mainly based on looks alone, they look cool and all retro.

the speakers will be on book cases at random places in the room, no real listening position and wont be played loud. i just need music in my bedroom, have some spare speakers and just need any amp.

any oppinions on any of these?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Harman-Kardon-HK340-Receiver-/110741318016?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Amplifiers&hash=item19c8b26980#ht_4896wt_1138

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rotel-RA-312-Integrated-Amplifier-c-1975-/220852494379?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Amplifiers&hash=item336bd5a02b#ht_499wt_928

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ROTEL-STEREO-AMP-TUNER-AMPLIFIER-DECK-RMT-80-RMT-80L-/350489981803?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Amplifiers&hash=item519ad4b36b#ht_909wt_908

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rotel-RX-300-Stereo-receiver-Tuner-Amplifier-/170695868840?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Amplifiers&hash=item27be4441a8#ht_5293wt_1138

thanks for any replies

 

[eggontoast]

What about this one.....nice

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VINTAGE-RARE-PIONEER-SA-8800-INTEGRATED-AMPLIFIER-/160651572565?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Amplifiers&hash=item2567947555

 

[basshead]

that does look nice, lots of knobs and things

 

[eggontoast]

Doesn't sound to bad either, it also has Fluoroscan power meters.

Google it for some other pics they have a bit of a cult following.

 

[CnoEvil]

What about this one.....nice

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VINTAGE-RARE-PIONEER-SA-8800-INTEGRATED-AMPLIFIER-/160651572565?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Amplifiers&hash=item2567947555

Blimey!.....I can remember lusting after one of those back in the day.

 

[basshead]

Doesn't sound to bad either, it also has Fluoroscan power meters. Google it for some other pics they have a bit of a cult following.

are those blue lights around the volume control that i can see? yes please i will have me some of that, on my wish list

 

[nopiano]

Of your four, I'd only consider the Harman/Kardon. The others are pretty weedy, and I never felt the modest Rotels were great sounding (they are rather better these days).

The series of HKs I knew best were the 330, 630 and 930 from the mid-70s. The 330b was a big seller at a bit above budget price. The 930 was the daddy, and I see someone has an immaculate one on ebay that they are asking a whopping 475GBP for. I recall (memory only) they were about £279 new. I had a 75+, which was the least powerful 4-channel model, but bridged it gave a very tidy 45w/channel. All the better ones had the dual transformer design, which the seller of the 930 has posted great pictures of (it isn't me!).

The gamble with the vintage stuff is the condition of the switches, pots and presumably capacitors too. If you can fix them, then the the old HKs or Marantz would be my pick, but the big Sansuis and Pioneers were good too.

 

[eggontoast]

Blimey!.....I can remember lusting after one of those back in the day.

That would have been back in 1978 then............

 

[Anonymous]

I would steer clear of the Rotel's. I had a Rotel amp of the same vintage that wasn't the quality machine some of my other vintage amps were. I have never owned an HK vintage amp, so can't comment on that. I will say that the suggested Pioneer is probably your best bet. I have owned seven or eight Pioneer amps from the seventies and they have been consistently superb. Good luck with your search!

EDIT: a widely available and cheap winner by Pioneer is the SA-506 (or 606). A lot of amp for the money.

 

[eggontoast]

are those blue lights around the volume control that i can see? yes please i will have me some of that, on my wish list

No the one on the net with an illuminated volume knob is a modified unit these are the Fluoroscan or VFD meters.

£350 is about right for an SA-8800 but the SA-7800, the next model down can be had for approx £150 and is still a nice amp. These prices are for mint condition units though.

 

[Anonymous]

My Dad is running a pair of B&W DM 602's with an old Musical Fidelity A1. Very nice combo, warm sound with good low down performance. Definitely worth checking out, usuaully go for around £100-130 ish. The Musical Fidelity B200 is also a decent model to check out, Mosfet based, doesn't run quite so hot.

 

[eggontoast]

EDIT: a widely available and cheap winner by Pioneer is the SA-506 (or 606). A lot of amp for the money.

Add the SA-608 to this as well, they can be had for £50ish

 

[Shanka]

Hi, Yamaha made some good recievers as did pioneer and Sansui and a few on ebay today however this looks fabulous; http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Technics-SA-600-Vintage-AM-FM-Stereo-Receiver-Amplifier-/280739006266?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Amplifiers&hash=item415d59473a Have fun.

 

[CnoEvil]

Blimey!.....I can remember lusting after one of those back in the day.

That would have been back in 1978 then............

Yup; I was a poverty stricken student and ended up with a Teleton GA 203, which I then changed a little later on for a Sony TAF 4A (similar sort of look to the Pioneer)

 

[Anonymous]

Yup; I was a poverty stricken student and ended up with a Teleton GA 203, which I then changed a little later on for a Sony TAF 4A (similar sort of look to the Pioneer)

I'd almost forgotten that I once owned a TA-F4A as well! Physically it's a big amp (bigger than the Pioneer), but I think it looks pretty good. Sounds decent as well.

 

[eggontoast]

Which I then changed a little later on for a Sony TAF 4A (similar sort of look to the Pioneer)

With a 'Pulse Power Supply' another appreciating classic, the TA-F4A was a pre VFET model if I remember correctly do you still have it ?

 

[CnoEvil]

Which I then changed a little later on for a Sony TAF 4A (similar sort of look to the Pioneer)

With a 'Pulse Power Supply' another appreciating classic, the TA-F4A was a pre VFET model if I remember correctly do you still have it ?

No, I traded it in for an A&R A60 (which is still going strong). I still have (though not in use) the TCK 4A cassette deck, and until recently, the matching Tuner. They were a present to myself (along with a Trio 1033 TT and Keesonic Kub speakers) when I started earning a wage.

 

[basshead]

Hi, Yamaha made some good recievers as did pioneer and Sansui and a few on ebay today however this looks fabulous; http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Technics-SA-600-Vintage-AM-FM-Stereo-Receiver-Amplifier-/280739006266?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Amplifiers&hash=item415d59473a Have fun.

thanks for the link

i'm unsure of which to go for, may go for a cheaper one incase it doesnt last long...... i quite like the thought of hearing music through something older than myself

thanks for all the input so far guys!

 

[plastic penguin]

Hi, Yamaha made some good recievers as did pioneer and Sansui and a few on ebay today however this looks fabulous; http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Technics-SA-600-Vintage-AM-FM-Stereo-Receiver-Amplifier-/280739006266?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Amplifiers&hash=item415d59473a Have fun.

thanks for the link

i'm unsure of which to go for, may go for a cheaper one incase it doesnt last long...... i quite like the thought of hearing music through something older than myself

thanks for all the input so far guys!

JVC used to produce some fabulous 2-channel stuff http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VINTAGE-JVC-R-S11-STEREO-RECEIVER-TUNER-AMPLIFIER-MINT-/250888964159?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Amplifiers&hash=item3a6a25c83f

I had Pioneer SA-706, which was cracking. (also look out for SA-606)

 

[Anonymous]

Which I then changed a little later on for a Sony TAF 4A (similar sort of look to the Pioneer)

With a 'Pulse Power Supply' another appreciating classic, the TA-F4A was a pre VFET model if I remember correctly do you still have it ?

No, I traded it in for an A&R A60 (which is still going strong). I still have (though not in use) the TCK 4A cassette deck, and until recently, the matching Tuner. They were a present to myself (along with a Trio 1033 TT and Keesonic Kub speakers) when I started earning a wage.

For me, the Sony's major fault was the stepped attenuator. Although these age better than standard volume pots, the Sony's in particular had nothing in between 'inaudible' and 'annoyingly loud'. That's why I sold it anyway.

 

[Anonymous]

I had Pioneer SA-706, which was cracking. (also look out for SA-606)

Beat you to it I honestly think these Pioneers are any hifi-lover-on-a-budget's best bet.