The resurgence of Vintage kit?
Glad you like the older stuff Dave. While there are plenty of devotees of newer stuff out there, ignoring the benefits of well designed and constructed older equipment is a mistake IMO. Each to their own, etc., but when I read posts by some folk on here saying "I don't like the way you continually post about old or used stuff" cracks me up (as a well known forum contributor did earlier this year). My take? As I said, each to their own...
I've read things on this forum whereby people have 'had a go' at the 'reviewers' for their reviews. But sometimes people fail to realise that 'reviewers' can only 'review' what is available. Very rarely do they compare kit from generation to generation. However, I believe the principles in building a good system are still the same even if the equipment isn't, and although I always valued the reviews, that is not the whole story. Written below is my journey through hi-fi, and I hope the enclosed experience helps people find what they are looking for sooner.
Well, for what its worth here's my advice. I started my system in 1986, and got through three CD players in three years. 2X, 4X, 8X over sampling machines. And at odds with the reviewers of the time, I found that CD actually got worse the more they tried to advance it! Although the early players weren't as smooth as the newer models, in my opinion they certainly had more clarity. By the end of 1988 I had actually become so disillusioned I stopped buying equipment altogether, and didn't buy anything for another 8 years!
But far from 'leaving the scene', I did what I now consider to be my 'smartest move'. Rather than rely on the 'reviewers' opinions, I started to read the 'technical articles' that some magazines provided at that time. Not being an electrical engineer I wanted to learn what was considered to be 'good practice' in hi-fi design. And I slowly started learning about the 'ingredients' that needed to be present throughout the entire system in order to produce a 'stunning sound'.
Now this meant understanding a little about 'hi-fi basics', short signal paths, the importance of power-supplies, simplicity of circuits and cable construction, etc.
Also, if you took a trip to any hi-fi shop back then, you could get the manufacturers brochures for free, which were really instructive (as long as you avoided the 'hype'). While all this was going on I was also reading the 'reviews' and working out where the 'theory' was actually turning into 'reality'. It was really just a question of waiting until well-engineered components came long.
In 1996 I started spending again, and within two years had completed my hi-fi! And I didn't need to spend a fortune. But I would not have bought those components if they had gone against proven techniques I knew were widely regarded as being 'state of the art'. 12 years on and my kit still surprises me on a regular basis, and have no wish to upgrade it. In fact, I often read on this forum about people who sold components I still have in my system, only to be totally disappointed by the modern equivalent. Which goes to prove that you can't beat a well-engineered product.
I have always liked the phrase 'A fool chatters, while a wise man listens'. In hi-fi I believe the phase 'A fool buys, without knowing what he is buying' applies. You wouldn't buy a 'Ferrari' if you knew it had a 'Morris Minor' engine inside it, would you?
And whatever you do, avoid the 'hype'. Having the simplest knowledge about 'physics' and 'electrical engineering' helps you avoid the lies!
For me its the combo of solid design and value for money. Ive got a great sounding 90s CD and amp combo that cost me £115 total. Was well rated bottom-mid range gear back in the day and still sounds great
I was a kid in the 70s and a young man with no money in the 80s so never bought a hi-fi at that time but never forgot the appeal of some of the stuff that i saw in the shops, now today with ebay at my mercy i have two beautiful mint condition vintage japanese systems at affordable prices, for me its all about looks as it was back then, lovely turned knobs and crafted toggle switches, left and right pumping meter's, open cassette decks and amps with plenty of bo----ks, a saying someone said to me in a shop ! and silver facia's that looked great when stacked.
Really interesting post's these.....the way I look at it: good is good regardless of age, and that applies to lots of products. For me it was reading post's by the likes of the RS who is quite into vintage kit. Anyway it got me talking to Steve from Steve's hifi in Hastings who specialises in good older kit. He explained a lot about older makes of amps and some of the Smoke and Mirrors in the hifi circles. We discussed how for some reasons( mainly money) Technics amps were never given good reviews in the 80's even though they made superbly constructed and great sounding products. In the end Technics showed two fingers to the HIFI industry in this country and off they went. Well I am glad I went with it and purchased said Technics suv40 Class AA, steve was right it's a absolute belter, with odles of drive. I paid £100 for an 80's amp! which sounds a lot for a product of this age. and having used it non stop since purchase I now realise I would have paid a lot more for it. So I have to thank him really. It's been cool mixing the Technics with the newer type of speakers....