[jgreen16]

Sad indeed. At a selling price of $5.00, can you imagine what it cost to make them? Probably under $2.00.

 

[jnorris]

Less than that - they probably sold them to K-Mart for $2.00.  Nakamichi probably paid some OEM 20 cents a piece for them. The cost to manufacture, once tool and die are worked out (which was probably paid for by another company to whom the OEM supplied) is pennies. 

 

[penmarker]

You can get RCA and banana jacks with Nakamichi printed on them too off fleabay and others. All directly imported from China. They cost pennies.
I bought some banana jacks, can't say they sound any inferior or superior than others. Jacks are jacks anyway.

 

[OldRoadToad]

​A thought, if I may on vintage receivers...
 
With regard to selling, asking and paying prices both sides of the coin need to keep in mind that we may not always get what we desire money-wise.  With any thing but especially vintage equipment, price is influenced by the emotional attachment an item has.
 
Example.  My older brother wants a Sansui G5700. I have been looking for one for him but will not pay what I consider too much because the emotional attachment is to him and not the receiver. 
 
It is the same with cars and motorcycles, or at least for me it is.  Price can reach a point that I lose my desire to own some thing.  This is all very personal but just some thing I thought needed saying.
 
And it may have all ready been said.  But then, nothing is new under the some except the wonder of a child's first experiences in life.  That may just be what we are seeking with these beautiful receivers.  To relive some of those moments of wonder.
 
Okay.  I am done rambling. 
 
ORT

 

[Oregonian]

 
​A thought, if I may on vintage receivers...
 
With regard to selling, asking and paying prices both sides of the coin need to keep in mind that we may not always get what we desire money-wise.  With any thing but especially vintage equipment, price is influenced by the emotional attachment an item has.
 
Example.  My older brother wants a Sansui G5700. I have been looking for one for him but will not pay what I consider too much because the emotional attachment is to him and not the receiver. 
 
It is the same with cars and motorcycles, or at least for me it is.  Price can reach a point that I lose my desire to own some thing.  This is all very personal but just some thing I thought needed saying.
 
And it may have all ready been said.  But then, nothing is new under the some except the wonder of a child's first experiences in life.  That may just be what we are seeking with these beautiful receivers.  To relive some of those moments of wonder.
 
Okay.  I am done rambling. 
 
ORT

Great topic.  Sometimes it's just right timing to find and/or sell the piece you have.   I watch craigslist a few times a week waiting for something that I can't live without..............been seeing this SX-1080 for sale for about two months - price is $750 which isn't unreasonable in my opinion.  It's in great shape and has had LED lights installed.  I put my SX-1050 up for sale as it was one of three extra amps I have - and sold it in three days for my asking price of $700.  Simply because the guy had a 1050 in his twenties and absolutely wanted it.  Basically told me he wanted it, no dickering, hadn't seen it yet.  When I met him it was like meeting one of you guys - totally into vintage, owns 6 amps/receivers and is a Pioneer fan like myself.  Great guy too.  Glad it went to a good home..............

 

[Hutnicks]

  Great topic.  Sometimes it's just right timing to find and/or sell the piece you have.   I watch craigslist a few times a week waiting for something that I can't live without..............been seeing this SX-1080 for sale for about two months - price is $750 which isn't unreasonable in my opinion.  It's in great shape and has had LED lights installed.  I put my SX-1050 up for sale as it was one of three extra amps I have - and sold it in three days for my asking price of $700.  Simply because the guy had a 1050 in his twenties and absolutely wanted it.  Basically told me he wanted it, no dickering, hadn't seen it yet.  When I met him it was like meeting one of you guys - totally into vintage, owns 6 amps/receivers and is a Pioneer fan like myself.  Great guy too.  Glad it went to a good home..............

It kind of cuts two ways here. There is the nostalgic factor which will lead some to seek out vintage equipment. Then there is a simple fact that despite all the hoopla and gee whiz that current manu's would have you believe, there has not been much sonic improvement of amps in the last 40 years. Distortion limits were reached long ago and really a cheapo integrated from the 70's recapped and perhaps updated with a new transformer and opamps will shame some items being hawked at "audiophile prices". Topologys have not changed much, components have indeed come up in QC over the years.

 

[Monsterzero]

 
It kind of cuts two ways here. There is the nostalgic factor which will lead some to seek out vintage equipment. Then there is a simple fact that despite all the hoopla and gee whiz that current manu's would have you believe, there has not been much sonic improvement of amps in the last 40 years. Distortion limits were reached long ago and really a cheapo integrated from the 70's recapped and perhaps updated with a new transformer and opamps will shame some items being hawked at "audiophile prices". Topologys have not changed much, components have indeed come up in QC over the years.

I do love my vintage gear for driving my headphones,and nostalgia and a passion for all things vintage drove me to seek out this thread and eventually into getting several receivers.
That being said I was hoping to completely go vintage in all aspects of my audio gear,but thus far I have yet to hear any SS receivers that can come remotely close to my Rogue Audio Cronos Magnum for driving my speakers.I have spoken to my vintage repair guy about getting vintage tube stuff and his comments have scared me off.

For headphones and my computer speaker setup I love my vintage but for my home speaker set-up Im still in the modern era. 

 

[Hutnicks]

  I do love my vintage gear for driving my headphones,and nostalgia and a passion for all things vintage drove me to seek out this thread and eventually into getting several receivers.
That being said I was hoping to completely go vintage in all aspects of my audio gear,but thus far I have yet to hear any SS receivers that can come remotely close to my Rogue Audio Cronos Magnum for driving my speakers.I have spoken to my vintage repair guy about getting vintage tube stuff and his comments have scared me off.

For headphones and my computer speaker setup I love my vintage but for my home speaker set-up Im still in the modern era. 

If you were not a Tooober I would urge you to seek out a Krell KSA 50. Humbly suggested here, there has not been a better amp made before or since. Even given the exhorbitant (in my opinion) prices they fetch now, well worth the exploration. Just keep flammable materials well away from that sucker. The speaker has not been made yet that can outresolve that amp.

 

[Monsterzero]

If you were not a Tooober I would urge you to seek out a Krell KSA 50. Humbly suggested here, there has not been a better amp made before or since. Even given the exhorbitant (in my opinion) prices they fetch now, well worth the exploration. Just keep flammable materials well away from that sucker. The speaker has not been made yet that can outresolve that amp.

 


That thing looks like a beast! What does it weigh?

You mentioned the price,care to elaborate?

Im certainly not arguing with you on its performance,but for me it does lack the sexiness of receivers...just my two cents.

 

[vapman]

 

 
If you were not a Tooober I would urge you to seek out a Krell KSA 50. Humbly suggested here, there has not been a better amp made before or since. Even given the exhorbitant (in my opinion) prices they fetch now, well worth the exploration. Just keep flammable materials well away from that sucker. The speaker has not been made yet that can outresolve that amp.

 


That thing looks like a beast! What does it weigh?

You mentioned the price,care to elaborate?

Im certainly not arguing with you on its performance,but for me it does lack the sexiness of receivers...just my two cents.

Its one of the few power amps I would EVER consider using instead of my Hafler DH 500.

 

[Hutnicks]

  Its one of the few power amps I would EVER consider using instead of my Hafler DH 500.

Hoo aaah, the Hafler has to be on the list as well.. As for cost, recapped ( no small thing for that amp) it commands about 2500 bucks. I consider that a little painfull, but were I to be honest, you can spend a hundred grand on some boooteek new amp that will weep in shame when put next to the output of that 50 Watt Krell.
 
As a sales guy once stated some years ago, There is no Bass like Krell Bass and when you get to the mids and highs, angels just weep.

 

[Monsterzero]

 
it commands about 2500 bucks. 
 
As a sales guy once stated some years ago, There is no Bass like Krell Bass and when you get to the mids and highs, angels just weep.

...as well as ones wallet apparently!

Yeah im not in a position to drop 2500.00 on any gear at the moment. My original plan was to sell the Cronos,get a vintage receiver to replace it and have enough left over to afford the ZMF Atticus(awesome headphone btw)

I have a NOS Telefunken 12AU7 rib plate in my Cronos...and yes,esp on female vocals,the mids are to weep over,truly breathtaking.I cannot give that sound up without having something similar in place...and still be able to grab the ZMF HPs im lusting over....

My wallet(and my wife)hate this hobby!  

 

[Hutnicks]

  ...as well as ones wallet apparently!

Yeah im not in a position to drop 2500.00 on any gear at the moment. My original plan was to sell the Cronos,get a vintage receiver to replace it and have enough left over to afford the ZMF Atticus(awesome headphone btw)

I have a NOS Telefunken 12AU7 rib plate in my Cronos...and yes,esp on female vocals,the mids are to weep over,truly breathtaking.I cannot give that sound up without having something similar in place...and still be able to grab the ZMF HPs im lusting over....

My wallet(and my wife)hate this hobby!  

Yes, it's a heavy pull on the finances. There are a couple of DIY boards available to build one yourself. I don't trust myself enough to match the transistors to get it right though. Still............
 
And of course there are always other headphones to consider. Though I have rarely heard anything that make me want to ditch the old Yamaha Hp1's thus far

 

[Monsterzero]

 
Yes, it's a heavy pull on the finances. There are a couple of DIY boards available to build one yourself. I don't trust myself enough to match the transistors to get it right though. Still............
 
And of course there are always other headphones to consider. Though I have rarely heard anything that make me want to ditch the old Yamaha Hp1's thus far

wow bro you like the old Yammys that much? I have a pair of the YH1 and I find it to be pretty ordinary,dark,kinda lifeless,typical 'n' shape for the era...Ill take my sextetts all day any day over my Yammys for HPs...heck i prefer my sextetts to my HE-6 most days.

You almost certainly wouldnt like the new ZMF headphones,especially the Atticus...that thing thunders like a sledgehammer with midbass impact

 

[Hutnicks]

  wow bro you like the old Yammys that much? I have a pair of the YH1 and I find it to be pretty ordinary,dark,kinda lifeless,typical 'n' shape for the era...Ill take my sextetts all day any day over my Yammys for HPs...heck i prefer my sextetts to my HE-6 most days.

You almost certainly wouldnt like the new ZMF headphones,especially the Atticus...that thing thunders like a sledgehammer with midbass impact

I do not find the Yama to lack in bass. I have a second gen T20 as well and love that. I am experimenting with a pair of JVC's bought for almost nothing right now and with a few

hours work, some sorbothane and angelhair they are coming along. They would be what I call my basshead phones, and I am spending way too much time with them of late. Sometimes a wee bit of tuning can really bring a mediocre phone into gem like performance.
 
But no one will argue with a good pair of sextetts.