Jump to content

Older 70's 2 channel recievers


Klipsch RF7

Recommended Posts

My dad also had a mid '70s quadraphonic Sansui receiver (I think it was over 100 watts) that kicked butt; alas, he owned four B.I.C. bookshelf loudspeakers then, so I have no idea how Klipsch loudspeakers would've sounded...for what it was, I'd bet pretty damn good!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 57
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

I have a 4270 that did service in the master's boudoir for a while. Nothing comes close to the Marantz look and sound. These SS receivers were the envy of all who could only afford a Pioneer. Maybe it is the button layout, the meters, build-quality, and the distinguished nomenclature that set these apart from the rest. These are great vintage pieces that pair well with any sensitive speaker. Everyone should own one just to remind them of where their money goes on new av receivers - CIRCUITRY! Get one of these if you can. They still look great.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A friend of mine picked up an ancient Akai receiver a few months back for very little $$$. We know almost nothing about it but it sounds fine. We tried it with his B&W CDM1's, my Heresy's and Sansui's and his 989 Quads. It didnt do very well with the Quads but played everything else well enough (considering the money - amazingly).

I also got a hold of an old Sansui 90 wpc model from my local supplier (just for a play). Not bad but I reckon that Akai was better (although comparisons purely from memory are a bit dangerous). My impression of the Sansui was that it was a little flat sounding - like the treble was a little too rolled off - although that is a generic problem with the Sansui 2500 speakers I have.

Strangley those Sansui speakers play better with my POS Aiwa than I remember them playing with the Sansui amp.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a vintage solid-state harmon/kardon 330B receiver ($5 at yard sale) which is surprisingly good compared to the superlative Pass X250 concrete monster and my 48-pound, vintage, solid-state, Class A, 22-watt Pioneer M-22 dual-monoblock amplifiers. The harmon/kardon 330B is almost as light as my Bottlehead 2A3 Paramour monoblocks and yet if I had this unit before the others, I may never have investigated other amplifiers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3dzapper.....Sony never did buy Marantz. It was SonySuperscope. A different company that was a distributer for sony tape recorders. & were owned by the Tushinsky Bros. The best Marantz units had full complimentery circuit designs that eliminated notch distortion.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Absolutely there is something to vintage gear. Vinatge gear has been my focus for years. I've only been into tubes for the last year. I have a Marantz 2270 running some JBL L-26 that is awesome. Then a Yamaha CR-640 and JBL L-40 that is really good. While the Marantz line seems to have more punch and brillance, the Yamaha CR series (late 70's) is very smooth and lush. You should pop over to Audiokarma.org and check it out, as vintage gear is the main focus over there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

----------------

On 12/30/2003 10:16:56 AM Maron Horonzak wrote:

3dzapper.....Sony never did buy Marantz. It was SonySuperscope. A different company that was a distributer for sony tape recorders. & were owned by the Tushinsky Bros. The best Marantz units had full complimentery circuit designs that eliminated notch distortion.

----------------

Thanks for the clarification Maron. All I know is that for a few years Marantz quality grew very pedestrian.

Rick

Link to comment
Share on other sites

----------------

On 12/29/2003 10:41:43 PM greg928s4 wrote:

Be careful, all you have to do is transpose two numbers to 2235 and you've got a dud. Not all the old Marantz receivers are as nice as the 2325. Great unit. I had one for a few months and it really sounded wonderful. The tuner knob mechanism was the best.

I've got an old Pioneer 1010 that was a beast in it's day. I'll be selling it shortly if anyone is interested. It's in great shape and works perfectly, all lights, buttons, knobs, clean glass, good wood, nothing missing, and the tuner pulls in stations without an antennae. Actually a much better tuner than my McIntosh MR77 at bringing in stations. $185 double boxed and carefully packed, plus actual ground shipping cost.

Greg
--------------

What model Pioneer is it? Is it a receiver?

Thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I also have found my audio nirvana in vintage SS gear with my Chorus speakers. Take WardsWeb's advice and check out AudioKarma.

Regarding a SS tech that can be recommended... do a search for EchoWars on the AK site. IMO, he is to vintage SS what Craig (NOS Valves) is to tubes. I have sent my rare pride and joy to him for a full restoration with fantastic results.

Scott

aka Tillerman at AK

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I will second the recommendation for Echowars. I have arranged to have my Father's SX-3900 sent to him to be gone through. This was my Father's last receiver he purchased before his death in 1986, so it is near and dear to my heart. I wouldn't let just anyone open her up.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Im not sure what all the fuss is about with 70s SS amps/receivers. Back then, as I recall, people were saying how tizzy, thin, edgy sounding these units were compared to previous generation tube gear. Same type of thing with guitars & amps. Then a few decades later everyone seems to think that a 72 Fender Strat is the cats meow (going to a 3 bolt neck from 4 just to save the cost of a screw is not an improvement IMO). I still remember when my friend Rick traded in his Fisher tube receiver for a Pioneer SX. The whole system never quite sounded the same (as good). And in fact, it was that one event, a few short years later, that lead me back to tubes.

If you like the sound of these components over some of their modern contemporaries, my best guess is that this is primarily due to the use of discrete internal components back then (as opposed to integrated circuts).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...