[jibzilla]

This prompted me to do some research into vintage receivers. I now have a Sansui 5000A on the way (looked to be in great condition). lol

 

[cheuh]

Sorry for the noob question, but how do we determine what brand and model of vintage receivers are good for driving headphones? Is it by trial and error or should we be looking at some sort of specs of the receiver?

 

[MattTCG]

Quote:

This prompted me to do some research into vintage receivers. I now have a Sansui 5000A on the way (looked to be in great condition). lol

 
Congrats!! Most of the Sansui are really nice sounding both for headphones and speakers. Be forewarned though...the new equipment may sound so good that you'll decide it's better than the expensive hp amps that you have. 

 Secondly, you can often gets stupid good deals on vintage gear and it seems to populate like rabbits. I now have three. 

 

[gikigill]

Matt, hush hush.
 
You don't wanna leak the vintage secrets to others now, would you.
 
"Cradles his latest vintage Sharp"

("only" my 6th vintage amp this year)
 

 

[MattTCG]

Sorry, vintage amps are grossly heavy steel beast that take up lots of space and often feature exploding caps where dogs and or small children can be seriously injured. Avoid them at all  cost!!
 
@gikigill...how's that? (private message)

 

[hans030390]

Congrats!! Most of the Sansui are really nice sounding both for headphones and speakers. Be forewarned though...the new equipment may sound so good that you'll decide it's better than the expensive hp amps that you have. 

 Secondly, you can often gets stupid good deals on vintage gear and it seems to populate like rabbits. I now have three. 

The last thing I need right now is another sub-hobby to dump money into! Haha. Its only competition will be my Leckerton UHA-6S Mk.II, which I actually do like quite a bit.

It should be here by Wednesday.

 

[MattTCG]

Pics and impression are expected. 

 

[aamefford]

This part is true - "vintage amps are grossly heavy steel beast that take up lots of space" and is what has kept me away thus far.  I'll end up at a garage sale, and there will be some nice vintage sansui or Fisher or pre-crap pioneer or something, and I'll be all in for $50 or something.  A bit of research and a pile of capacitors later, and I'll have a sweet amp (or a pile of cold jointed solder sitting on the curb next to the dumpster....)
 
I swear though, there is some really nice synergy (hopefully the only buzzword bingo candidate in this post) with the Mad Dogs and my diminutive iBasso PB2 in balanced mode.  Laugh or snicker all you want, you guys with your desktop or stereo stand behemoths (Matt

) - it sounds really good!  I had been using it with the DB2 balanced dac, but lately have been going LOD out from an iPod classic 160GB, and it sounds really good.  Better than my Touch 4G, which surprised me.  Anyway, there appears to be more than one way to maximize the value added from an amplifier and achieve a whole that is greater than the sum of the parts (BINGO - couldn't resist...)
 
Anyway, the greatest beauty of the small kit is the "wife factor."

 

[MattTCG]

Plugging the MD into the Sansui 9090 at the Atlanta meet is what got me started with vintage gear to power hp's. It was an enlightening experience. 

 

[martybm5]

Man you guys are killing me!! Must.stay.away.from.craigslist. ....

 

[Lorspeaker]

Quote:

I posted mine a ways back in the thread. I'll edit and add a LINK when I find it.

EDIT - click on the word LINK

thanks man..."v good silk dome tweeters" this term alone is sweet to my ears 

 

[Greed]

Vintage receivers do wonders with the Mad Dogs for sure. Luckily I own 3, and have the ability to go to audition even more from my fathers collection. The only problem I see with buying one is - space and the high OI for sensitive headphones. I've tried them with the variety of low impedance / high sensitive headphones I have and it was a hiss factory. I'm also afraid to blow the drivers with all the power, so make sure you have an adapter if you are going to use the amp with those types of headphones/earphones. Other than that, vintage is a good way to get powerhouse sound at a cheap price. Marantz will always be my flavor, but Sansui, Fisher, Kenwood, Dynaco and McIntosh all get some love too. 

 

[Kamakahah]

Quote:

 
Anyway, the greatest beauty of the small kit is the "wife factor."

 
+1
 
One of the two key rules when dealing with the "wife factor".

 

[kstuart]

I received a pair of Mad Dog 3.0 Alpha Pad headphones in trade for another pair of headphones.

The pads are thicker on one side than the other.  If one obeys the "L" marking for "Left", then both pads are thicker on the front.

Generally the available pictures don't illustrate any of this, but one picture partially SEEMS to indicate that the pads ARE thicker on the BACK.

What is the actual situation ?  Are the alpha pads thicker on one side (is that what Mr. Speakers mean by "angled"?  Has some previous owner put the pads on backwards ?

Thanks !

 

[M-13]

Quote:

Vintage receivers do wonders with the Mad Dogs for sure. Luckily I own 3, and have the ability to go to audition even more from my fathers collection.

Showoff!