Singletrack Mountain Bike Magazine

• Overview
• Bike Forum
• Chat Forum
• For Sale
• Wanted
• Forum Help
• Classified Rules

Chat Forum

1. oldgrump08 - Member

   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?

   Posted 1 year ago #
2. cinnamon_girl - Member

   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.

   Posted 1 year ago #
3. CountZero - Member

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

   Posted 1 year ago #
4. coolhandluke - Member

   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

   Posted 1 year ago #
5. meehaja - Member

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

   Posted 1 year ago #
6. winston_dog - Member

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

   Posted 1 year ago #
7. mudshark - Member

   Chrome bumper Naim

   Posted 1 year ago #
8. RichPenny - Member

   Pink fish media forum, they likes old kit on there

   Posted 1 year ago #
9. oldagedpredator - Member

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

   Posted 1 year ago #
10. chiefgrooveguru - Member

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

    Posted 1 year ago #
11. cinnamon_girl - Member

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

    Posted 1 year ago #
12. RichPenny - Member

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

    Posted 1 year ago #
13. cinnamon_girl - Member

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

    Posted 1 year ago #
14. GJP - Member

    Chrome bumper NAIM + 1

    Posted 1 year ago #
15. CountZero - Member

    c_g, just turn it up to 11.

    Posted 1 year ago #
16. zokes - Member

    Sugden - lovely sound...

    Posted 1 year ago #
17. Dudie - Member

    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

    Posted 1 year ago #
18. Jujuuk68 - Member

    +1 audiolab 8000a.

    Posted 1 year ago #
19. bol - Member

    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.

    Posted 1 year ago #
20. Mr Woppit - Member

    NAIM Chrome bumper +3.

    Posted 1 year ago #
21. epicsteve - Member

    Chrome bumper Naim +4

    Posted 1 year ago #
22. parkesie - Member

    NAIM nice!!

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

    Posted 1 year ago #
23. oldgrump08 - Member

    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!

    Posted 1 year ago #
24. bol - Member

    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.

    Posted 1 year ago #
25. oldgrump08 - Member

    bol - thanks for the tip, I was tempted to jump for the QS...

    Posted 1 year ago #
26. oldgrump08 - Member

    Any thoughts on the Marantz KI amps?

    Posted 1 year ago #
27. TurnerGuy - Member

    -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.

    Posted 1 year ago #
28. Ho hum - Member

    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

    Posted 1 year ago #
29. Milkie - Member

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

    Posted 1 year ago #
30. MrSmith - Member

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

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

    Posted 1 year ago #
31. lodious - Member

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

    Posted 1 year ago #
32. twentyniners - Member

    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.

    Posted 1 year ago #
33. JonEdwards - Member

    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.

    Posted 1 year ago #
34. yunki - Member

    quad +1

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

    sumptuous

    Posted 1 year ago #
35. geoffj - Member

    Cyrus 1? Although Sugden is a good call.

    Posted 1 year ago #

RSS feed for this topic

Topic Closed

This topic has been closed to new replies.