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Amplifier and receiver prices


henry4841

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I was looking for some transistor substitution manuals I had many years ago in my closet and found a Lafayette catalog from 1965. Very interesting what prices were back then. For example a Fisher 500B 65 watt receiver was selling for $249.50 in 1965 dollars. Not sure how that transfers to 2020 dollars but as you can see we have outstanding deals in 2020. All electronic products were expensive at that time. Not so much for conventional speakers. Pretty much the same prices if converted to 2020 dollars. 

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On 10/7/2020 at 7:11 AM, henry4841 said:

.....   For example a Fisher 500B 65 watt receiver was selling for $249.50 in 1965 dollars. Not sure how that transfers to 2020 dollars but as you can see we have outstanding deals in 2020. All electronic products were expensive at that time. Not so much for conventional speakers. Pretty much the same prices if converted to 2020 dollars. 

 

Contradiction of sorts, I'm confused.  as used above, what the difference between transfers and converted?   not much as far as I can tell.

 

 

 

2 hours ago, JJkizak said:

 

It costs 2  grand to re-tube it today.

JJK

 

Depending on your listening pleasures or preferences, a single high fidelity,  or dare a say, "Stereophile Grade", 12AX7 or even a 6DJ8 can run solidly over $1,000.00 each. Yes, I've been to the well and drank the water and as stupid as that sounds (pun intended) I found something that worked. I've spent years and way too much money trying to find something special or that worked for me. I'd like to think it was worth the price of the listening adventure, but considering the condition of my ears (left ear particularly) I have my doubts, but I'm done. I found a sound that I enjoy very much. During my tube adventures I once chased down and purchased a NOS quad of KT88 Genalex Gold-Lions thinking they would be the catsass.... WRONG!!

 

Goldlions were the single biggest waste of money. The power tube adventure took me backwards at times.... I was convinced there was something wrong with the tubes, I drove 200 miles one way to get them tested by a good friend with a Hickock 539C only to learn the tubes were functioning perfectly. Long power-tube story short, nothing beats the Tong Sol black plates (single, double or triple getter) for my system. TungSol mopped the floor with the Goldlions at less than 1/2 the price..... which has changed significantly since that time.

 

Buying tubed gear is an adventure, you wont' know that until you start experimenting and swapping tubes.

 

 

EDIT:

After I had the Goldlions tested, went and purchased my own NOS'y 539C. Which I never learned to fully use, but sold it at triple the price I paid to a nut in Germany. So, buying tube gear can lead you down a path you never thought you would ever take. At least it was that way for me.

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21 hours ago, Gilbert said:

 

Contradiction of sorts, I'm confused.  as used above, what the difference between transfers and converted?   not much as far as I can tell.

 

Grammar police? I think most understand what I meant. If it were not for spell check more of my ignorance of the english language would be revealed.   

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On 10/7/2020 at 8:11 AM, henry4841 said:

I was looking for some transistor substitution manuals I had many years ago in my closet and found a Lafayette catalog from 1965. Very interesting what prices were back then. For example a Fisher 500B 65 watt receiver was selling for $249.50 in 1965 dollars. Not sure how that transfers to 2020 dollars but as you can see we have outstanding deals in 2020. All electronic products were expensive at that time. Not so much for conventional speakers. Pretty much the same prices if converted to 2020 dollars. 

The answer is $2,078.51 in August 2020 Dollars. Showing how little the dollar is worth today (since I was 11 years old and earned my first dollar then). I would say you have underestimated what a bargain electronics are today vs. then. I used to be a printed circuit board designer and a pioneer of Surface Mount Technology, which allows components to be placed at 14-30 PER SECOND! This as opposed to hand insertion at the time or only ONE PER SECOND with expensive machines. Also, better/cheaper/smaller Integrated Circuits vs. big transistors of the day make a huge difference. Lower prices, better performance.

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22 hours ago, Gilbert said:

 

Contradiction of sorts, I'm confused.  as used above, what the difference between transfers and converted?   not much as far as I can tell.

 

 

 

 

Depending on your listening pleasures or preferences, a single high fidelity,  or dare a say, "Stereophile Grade", 12AX7 or even a 6DJ8 can run solidly over $1,000.00 each. Yes, I've been to the well and drank the water and as stupid as that sounds (pun intended) I found something that worked. I've spent years and way too much money trying to find something special or that worked for me. I'd like to think it was worth the price of the listening adventure, but considering the condition of my ears (left ear particularly) I have my doubts, but I'm done. I found a sound that I enjoy very much. During my tube adventures I once chased down and purchased a NOS quad of KT88 Genalex Gold-Lions thinking they would be the catsass.... WRONG!!

 

Goldlions were the single biggest waste of money. The power tube adventure took me backwards at times.... I was convinced there was something wrong with the tubes, I drove 200 miles one way to get them tested by a good friend with a Hickock 539C only to learn the tubes were functioning perfectly. Long power-tube story short, nothing beats the Tong Sol black plates (single, double or triple getter) for my system. TungSol mopped the floor with the Goldlions at less than 1/2 the price..... which has changed significantly since that time.

 

Buying tubed gear is an adventure, you wont' know that until you start experimenting and swapping tubes.

 

 

EDIT:

After I had the Goldlions tested, went and purchased my own NOS'y 539C. Which I never learned to fully use, but sold it at triple the price I paid to a nut in Germany. So, buying tube gear can lead you down a path you never thought you would ever take. At least it was that way for me.

I went through my "tube phase" in my 20's and sold them all in my 30's. Scott, McIntosh 240, Marantz 8B, Harman Kardon Citation II. Tube stuff was always sweet in comparison to nasty solid state back then. But Dr. Matti Otala changed all that with his discovery of Transient Intermodulation Distortion in Class AB amplifiers. Hood 1969 Class A sounded great, very tube like at the time, but modern class D from Hypex blows them ALL away and is maintenance free as do many of the Chip Amplifiers from Texas Instruments. Heck, they are so cool and EFFICIENT, I never turn them off. Class A SS and tubes make great winter amplifiers because they are PRIMARILY space heaters!!

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( I used to be a printed circuit board designer and a pioneer of Surface Mount Technology)

 

Wow, I did not know you did that kind work Claude. Impressed. Discrete components are fading fast. 

I have found that all the offerings of better audio equipment can sound excellent whether A, A/B or D. Have to be careful about the lower priced A/B offerings skimping on the biggest cost of building an A/B amplifier the power supply section. No experience with Hypex but the TPA 3255 board is an excellent sounding Class D offering. For a tube like sound drive it with a tube linestage. Still like a SET tube amplifier. As stated all sound excellent but all do sound slightly different.  

 

 

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23 minutes ago, henry4841 said:

No experience with Hypex but the TPA 3255 board is an excellent sounding Class D offering. For a tube like sound drive it with a tube linestage. Still like a SET tube amplifier. As stated all sound excellent but all do sound slightly different.  

I have 2 of those 3255 based amps in the works as a winter project, since I got the "eval" boards from TI and DizRotus a few years back. I heard them at his house his Super Heresys with subs and they sounded excellent. I'm using the cheaper chines chip amps with the "16" chips from TI for all my Klipsch surrounds that use the Super Heresy woofer section and whatever horns are in there. I'm also almost done putting together an ICE amplifiers from Bang and Olefsen. Class D Power with a Tube PreAmp is pretty hard to beat in the "sweetness" department, but I really like the ESS Sabre DACs in my Yamaha Pre Pro as the ultimate in Atmos and 2 channel with Big Tapped Horn Subwoofers from the same system in my living room.

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55 minutes ago, ClaudeJ1 said:

I have 2 of those 3255 based amps in the works as a winter project, since I got the "eval" boards from TI and DizRotus a few years back. I heard them at his house his Super Heresys with subs and they sounded excellent. I'm using the cheaper chines chip amps with the "16" chips from TI for all my Klipsch surrounds that use the Super Heresy woofer section and whatever horns are in there. I'm also almost done putting together an ICE amplifiers from Bang and Olefsen. Class D Power with a Tube PreAmp is pretty hard to beat in the "sweetness" department, but I really like the ESS Sabre DACs in my Yamaha Pre Pro as the ultimate in Atmos and 2 channel with Big Tapped Horn Subwoofers from the same system in my living room.

I've tried most of the D boards in the past and the TPA3255 is the best IMHO. For a change I like to listen to with just a buffer for volume control. Quick with outstanding bass. Vocals are great with a huge soundstage. The best thing about them is the price. I have the Texas board along with one of the Chinese ones and both sound the same to me. I built linear supplies mostly because I am old school. Nothing wrong with a switcher from what I have read. I believe you will like it. 

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2 hours ago, ClaudeJ1 said:

But Dr. Matti Otala changed all that with his discovery of Transient Intermodulation Distortion

 

You're just trying to get me to spend more money..... won't work.

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by the way, what amp are you using.

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17 minutes ago, Gilbert said:

 

You're just trying to get me to spend more money..... won't work.

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by the way, what amp are you using.

Douk Audio for surrounds, Hypex NC-400 monoblocs for R and L channel, just like my profile states. I don't care about how much money you spend or don't spend.

 

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3 hours ago, ClaudeJ1 said:

Douk Audio for surrounds, Hypex NC-400 monoblocs for R and L channel, just like my profile states. I don't care about how much money you spend or don't spend.

 

 

Looks like you got yourself dialed-in with what you like. I was only kidd'in with yea, and am quite content with my simple two channel systems. My ears are too shot for an elaborate system like yours. 

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1 hour ago, Gilbert said:

 

Looks like you got yourself dialed-in with what you like. I was only kidd'in with yea, and am quite content with my simple two channel systems. My ears are too shot for an elaborate system like yours. 

I mostly listen to 2 channel for music, more for movies only. I've not warmed up to 5 channel music much, since very few I've heard were done correctly.

 

As far as "spend more money" kidding or not, I would say that to everyone, not just you.

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13 hours ago, ClaudeJ1 said:

As far as "spend more money" kidding or not, I would say that to everyone, not just you.

I stick with 2 channel as well. Sounds plenty good to me without the hassle of running wires and having more speakers to mount. Another thing if you have a significant other like the one I had ever so often wanting to change the room around and having to do it all over again. I had one of the "never happy and never satisfied ones." Big reason I have been single for 25 years now. Can get lonesome sometimes but sure is quiet.  

 

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