Got a hankering for a 70/80/90s amp to replace my mid 90s Rotel. Have started looking around but as ever it gets more confusing the more I look. Any recommendations for sites which might be able to tell what’s old cr*p and what’s good?

Well, my amp is at least 25 years old – Duel. Actually the tuner still works, the vinyl player did but can’t figure out how to wire it. Rest of the system has been replaced, some twice over.

Don’t know about sites, but Quad would be a good jumping off point.

got some Audiolab 8000S & 8000P set of amps off Ebay a few years ago for £400. early 90’s pre tag ones.

Set up as pre & power, they are great. Replaced my Rega Brio which replaced my rotel amp.

bargain “vintage” hi fi

I’ve got my dad’s old sony valve amp.. lovely hum, really loud and good quality. Needs a new volume pot though.

+1 for Audiolab.
I have an old 90’s one, looks the part and sounds superb. No remote though!

Chrome bumper Naim

Pink fish media forum, they likes old kit on there 🙂

I’ve had a Pioneer A400 for 20 years, got good reviews in its day.

Bear in mind that all the electrolytic caps may need replacing.

Any tips for improving my shonky hearing? It’s getting worse!

Get your ears syringed? Available at plenty of doctors I think. Been meaning to get mine done for years 🙂

Never makes any difference. Reckon it’s due to my former rock chick lifestyle. 😉

Chrome bumper NAIM + 1

c_g, just turn it up to 11.

Sugden – lovely sound…

Still love my Nad 302. Cheap back in the day but marvellous sound quality. I still remember Audiophile magazine voting it best in a blind listening test up against some proper expensive kit. Last one on eBay went for £64

+1 audiolab 8000a.

If you’re not a brand snob (what am I saying, this being STW?!) then it’s worth looking out for late 80s/early 90s Sony ES stuff. Built like te proverbial and sounds lovely.

NAIM Chrome bumper +3.

Chrome bumper Naim +4

NAIM nice!!

Ive still got a cyrus one amp lovely little block of alloy

Thanks for all the thoughts. I’ve seen a very nice 90s as new Sony QS amp, but seems to have all sorts of clever tech which I think might filter the music too much!

The QS stuff isn’t quite in the same league as the ES build-wise, and yes, tends to have a lot more bells and whistles. I’d keep an eye out for a TAF222 or similar if you’re after something from that era – although I don’t know what they’re going for these days.

bol – thanks for the tip, I was tempted to jump for the QS…

Any thoughts on the Marantz KI amps?

-1 for audiolab – always been very dissappointed in their stuff, although I haven’t heard the 8000S.

-1 for exposure (not that anyone has mentioned it…)

Sugden might be a sweet choice.

Quad 606mkII and 707s are great power amps and worthy of a top-flight pre-amp.

oldgrump08 – Member
Any thoughts on the Marantz KI amps?

I remember What HiFi magazine used to love them.

I used to have an Audiolab 8000S and it was a decent amp – it also had a remote control 🙂

I’ve got the Rotel RA-931 Mk2 and still want a Quad 303, easily upgradable if you handy with a soldering iron.

Bear in mind that all the electrolytic caps may need replacing.

Naim.
they will re-cap any naim amp back at the factory.

There a QED A240 on the SOS classifieds for £80…supposed to be sweet amps.

Milkie, I’ve got a 303 plus a 33 pre lying around if you’re interested. It’s a spare one, I have two.

Probably could do with a service, works fine though – last time I tried.

Can let it go for the going rate.

Quad.

Had a 34/biamped 306 setup that was pretty damn good. Wanted more grunt though, so traded up to a 99CDP and 909 power amp.

Quad will still service/fix anything they’ve made in the past too.

quad +1

pair of quad 303 monoblocs with a 44 pre-amp.. castle severn speakers..

sumptuous

Cyrus 1? Although Sugden is a good call.

Bought a Sony with ES components. Kin ell it’s got some oomph 🙂

I’ve got an Optonica 1616 which was a birthday present in 1978. Still rocks through the Kef speakers I bought at the same time 🙂

Marantz KI amps – any time please!

Chrome bumper Naim’s are nice. Sold mine after about 15 years for about £50 less than I paid for them. Got some newer style Naim pre / power amps (72/140)to replace them. And they seem to have appreciated while I have been listening to them after a quick look around a few months ago.

(Ron Sexsmith sounding very nice as I type)

The more modern looking Cyrus stuff (the 3 amp and Dad7 CD player) date from the early 90s. My setup is over 10 years old (Dad3Q24 and C7 amp) and still sounds fabulous to my ears.

Marantz KI stuff is vastly overrated in my opinion.