Classic/bargain must have hi-fi / AV kit

[scherzkeks]

Digger said:

Pioneer A400 amplifier.

I think the 6/7/8 reference series amps are an even better value. Top-end internals for the time and still quite reasonably priced.

[legzr1]

Jon1967x said:

Kef reference are great. Owned a pair of 105/3 which filled the room with sound.

The guy that bought them off me still sends me a christmas email!

I love them.

All started by hearing a pair of 107.2 with Kube many years ago - had to wait a couple decades and jumped in with ref 3.2's now got 4.2's.

I prefer them to the more recent 20X range but still got a hankering for some 109's - rare, huge and not cheap but a 'final purchase' me thinks

[StuH]

964RS. said:

I've 3 pairs (or 4?) Wharfedale 708 loudspeakers (I used to work at Wharfedale).
1 x Monitor Audio R232(?) loudspeakers.
2 x Meridian MCD Pro CD players.
1 x Nakamichi Dragon cassette player (possibly the last one made).
1 x Aiwa ADF-990 3-head casstte deck.
2 x Aiwa ADF-770 3-head cassette decks.
1 x Musical Fidelity A200(?) class A amplifier.
1 x QED T200(?) tuner

I'm always on the lookout for a pair of Wharfedale Option One active loudspeakers if anyone know who has a pair for sale!

So you can see I love classic Hi-Fi!

I coveted a Dragon for many years

708's were my first 'proper' hifi and were paired with a Cyrus2/PSX and the classic Akai CD88 CD player http://audio-database.com/AKAI/player/cd-m88ii-e.h... - happy days

and the matching GXR99 deck http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/akai_stereo_cassette_...

[Limpet]

I still have my Pioneer A-400 that I bought new in 1996, and it still has pride of place in my lounge system. Apart from a truly woeful phono stage, they are an absolute bargain at the £125 or so you can pick up a nice one for on the Bay. Despite fast approaching its 20th birthday, mine has been 100% reliable although by any logic, the caps must be past their best now. Still sounds punchy and musical though. I will get around to stripping, cleaning and recapping it at some point. Still a great sounding amp today in my opinion.

[telecat]

It's the circuit and the components that create the sound. Many Valve Amps still use the diagrams from the 50's and 60's as the basis for their "boards". If it sounded good back in "the day" it will sound good now. A few other amps that have come to my attention over the Years to add to any list. Inca Tech Claymore, Alchemist Kraken, Musical Fidelity A1 and A100. All have "quirks" like the A1 and A100 which had their corrugated heat sinks on the top of the amp but all had their followers.

[varsas]

Another vote for Mission 75 series speakers.

I have a 5.1 setup, 752 main, 75c centre, 751 rear and 75as sub.

I really like them. The 752's have a really nice, detailed top, but aren't harsh and have a lovely warm, smooth bass. Maybe the bass is a bit subtle for some but I really like it, it just fills the room. The 75c brings out the most subtle nuances of speech (I only missed one word during interstellar), and the 751's create a nice ambiance behind (I've never seen a set of the 75dp dipole speakers for sale). The sub might be the weak link, it's 250w and twin 8inch woofers, it's good and will shake the room but I don't really have anything to compare it to except a cheap Yamaha FSW-150 which didn't sound that different.

I picked up the whole set for about £500 and I think you'd need something like the B&W CM8 package at about £4,000 to significantly improve it if buying new.

Crackie said:

I'm a big advocate of classic hi-fi ( as thread title ) and don't think there has been any significant progress in performance for decades, for me the standout classic/bargain amps and CDs are.

Very true, although the finish on speakers is a lot better now. My yamaha DSPA 595a I bought new circa 1998 still sounds fantastic, and with it's 6 channel pre-amp in could still be used with 24bit BluRay audio. The only reason it's not still in use in my main cinema system is because it can't talk to the projector and set up the audio delay it needs.

Edited by varsas on Sunday 24th May 13:46