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Calling All "Vintage" Integrated/Receiver Owners

Oct 18, 2011 at 6:02 AM Post #2,956 of 19,234
You guys! I've been using my semi-vintage Denon PMA260 for ages as a headphone amp, but now you got me hooked on those gorgeous 1970-198X receivers. I already have a Fisher CA-120 lying around that unfortunately needs repairing and now I have both a harman kardon 330b and a Kenwood KR4050 incoming, hoping that they'll do just as good a job driving my Fostex T50RP, AKG K340 and other, less demanding headphones.
 
Will be posting pictures and impressions as soon as I have them!
 
Oct 18, 2011 at 6:54 AM Post #2,957 of 19,234


Quote:
sepinho said:
You guys! I've been using my semi-vintage Denon PMA260 for ages as a headphone amp, but now you got me hooked on those gorgeous 1970-198X receivers. I already have a Fisher CA-120 lying around that unfortunately needs repairing and now I have both a harman kardon 330b and a Kenwood KR4050 incoming, hoping that they'll do just as good a job driving my Fostex T50RP, AKG K340 and other, less demanding headphones.
 
Will be posting pictures and impressions as soon as I have them!
Click to expand...

 
I've heard good things about the Harmon Kardon 330 A/B/C's, Considering how much I love the 730 I've been tempted to pick one up just to see. Ahh, who I'm kidding, I want to hear one of each plus the 430, 630 and 930 as well. :)
 
Oct 18, 2011 at 8:39 AM Post #2,958 of 19,234
My wife thinks I'm nuts, because I've bought three amps in the last week. That is in addition to aforementioned Denon and a plethora of dedicated headphone amps.
 
AFAIK, the H/K 330C is actually a step down from the A and B. At least that's what the vintage gurus over at hifi-forum.de are claiming. Anyway, seeing how prices on ebay.com are way lower than on ebay.de, I guess you could just try all of them.
 
Oct 18, 2011 at 9:31 AM Post #2,959 of 19,234
The 730 has put a big smile on my face so I'm not in any particular rush for new HK gear. I've been keeping my eyes open for any particularly good deals but I'm most interested in trying a Sansui right now. Keeping an eye out for a 505 or 555A.
 
Oct 18, 2011 at 9:49 AM Post #2,960 of 19,234
Quote:
wharfrat said:
My SX-1250 purchase at $480 is telling me there is hope yet for a few more bargains....(wouldn't mind a role in the "Hoarders: Audiophile Edition" TV show now that I also have a H.H. Scott 1960 tube unit I have not yet positively identified, but it has all the tubes intact (Telefunkens, Mullards).  Haven't plugged it in yet, but I think it is one of their 22 watt integrateds based on a H.H. Scott catalog viewing).
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The name will likely be on the lower left of the faceplate in small print, and again near one corner of the backplate (edit: Just doublechecked: Nope, it's only on the faceplate). I've found the printing on my Scott's backplate to not be tenacious (it's easily scratched off), although I don't know if it's because I was unlucky enough to get a unit that was indifferently silkscreened or if that's just how H.H. Scott produced 'em at the time.
 
I'm guessing by your description that it's either a 222 B or 222 C. Post a photo - if it looks like mine, you've got a 222 C.
 
Scott, like Fisher and others, shipped their products stuffed full of own-branded tubes, although of course those are just rebadged tubes produced by major tube manufacturers.
 
Oct 18, 2011 at 10:53 AM Post #2,961 of 19,234


Quote:
wharfrat said:
While at a local audio consignment/2nd hand store hereabouts, I came across a number of vintage recievers and amps quite sanely priced.  One of them is a 1980 Kenwood KA-8100 and another is a Sansui 8080, both for less than $250 each...further sneaking revealed a few other possible gems: a Harman Kardon 1680, Marantz 4400 and a god-almighty pristine (no fingerprints on the glossy faceplate, even) Fisher CA-880 integrated.
 
This thread is nearing 3000 posts..probably one or more of them have opined out on those I just mentioned, but I am too ADHD addled to sleuth through all of them so would someone begrudge me an opinon or a few on whether I gots a looker or a sleeper right under my nose?  I thought the Sansui 8080 might be one of those...but the others?
 
My SX-1250 purchase at $480 is telling me there is hope yet for a few more bargains....(wouldn't mind a role in the "Hoarders: Audiophile Edition" TV show now that I also have a H.H. Scott 1960 tube unit I have not yet positively identified, but it has all the tubes intact (Telefunkens, Mullards).  Haven't plugged it in yet, but I think it is one of their 22 watt integrateds based on a H.H. Scott catalog viewing).
 
 
 
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There's a place on Vashon Island that sells audio gear? Or did you go to Hawthorne Stereo? They have reasonable prices (not thrift store prices though) and nice stuff.
 
Oct 18, 2011 at 7:07 PM Post #2,963 of 19,234
Scott, that HP looks VERY nice!  How's it sounding?
 
Oct 18, 2011 at 7:20 PM Post #2,964 of 19,234
Rob,
 
It sounds great to me.  Especially after I learned what the Hum Balance pot on the rear panel does.....it gets rid of hum.  
wink_face.gif

 
I've got one more capacitor to replace (seems like I always miss at least one in the order).  Should have it finished this weekend and will start listening to it much more.
 

 
Oct 19, 2011 at 2:09 AM Post #2,965 of 19,234
@palmfish: yeah it was Hawthorne Stereo...nice folks and nice stuff, a couple of happy purchases from them over the past 2 years.
If you beat me to the purchase of a choice piece of vintage gear from them, I will ask ya to bring it to a local meet (and vice versa, LOL)

@ardgedee: I think u got it pretty close....a 222 of some sort. The faceplate is a replacement one that looks a lot like the original, but there is no model number. The guy who gave it to me did a pretty good job of machining it and thinks the original is somewhere in his basement.
How does the 222 sound, assuming it still works for you?

Will post pics since I cannot find any internals of a 222 on the net (BTW, about time I learned how to do that anyhow...got a bit of gear to offload before buying some vintage babies and a LCD and HE 5/600...so pic posting is a must).

Anybody got an inkling on the SQ of the units I mentioned? Still awaiting replies to an earlier post related to McIntosh gear for can listening possibilities..

 
Oct 19, 2011 at 6:34 PM Post #2,968 of 19,234
Got the Yamaha C-1 Preamplifer back from the shop.
Needed two .50 cent resistors on the tape circuit buffer board to get one channel back up.
Cleaned all controls and switches.

What does 5aces do?
Crank the volume ALL the way to the right using the matching Yamaha B-1 Power Amplifier.
The JBL L-112 Speakers will take 300 W 24/7,which is the peak of the B-1 160W RMS Amp.
Nothing blows up up,just sublime sound...WoW (thanks Claudio)

Listened to Rod Stewart / 1975-Atlantic Crossing/ 1976-A Night On The Town/1981-Tonight I'm Yours/Trilogy (Remastered 2000) 3-CD set to warm it up, then it was game on.
Turned on the Sansui AU 20000 as a Preamplifier for the Pioneer M22 and jacked it to 1.5 W on the Klipsch Heresy.
Same for the Sansui CA 2000 Preamplifier pushing the Sansui BA 2000 Power Amplifier running the Vandersteen floorstands.

3-preamps/3-power amps/3 sets of rock speakers all jamming at once.
The Yamaha set dominates them all.


Yes,it is Girrrl approved
 
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