[PhoenixG]

Ahhhhh, I'm really thinking we're on the same sonic wavelength. I'm the proud owner of a number of similar vintage Sony receivers (mostly str-6120's), as well as a sansui G-33000. I love the sansui and it is truly amazing, but the sony's are 99% as good for 10% as much money, so I keep them as hot spares for my main system and as the amp in my secondary systems. I also love to give them to friends I convince to get into vintage hifi as the 6120 is definitely an end game unit for most people. It's just that good of a receiver family, and an excellent value.

Night time view.

I can't see Pioneer SX-1280 anymore. It's extinct.

All I see is this VU meters for it.


But there's this Sansui G-33000 receiver for a staggering US$9950. There is no way I'll buy that. Out of my league.
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/SANSUI-...m1a791302c9:g:cskAAOSwjnpbecV6&frcectupt=true

 

[UntilThen]

Glad I'm not the lone voice regarding the Sony. At the price I paid, the lovely tone is almost too good to be true. Your 6 series is better regarded than the 7 series I think. Sony of that era are truly under-rated.

That Sansui G-33000 of yours has a asking price of almost 10 grand now.

 

[UntilThen]

Modded hd650 u say? What does it do better than the regular one?

It opens up the heavens and let the light shine in.

The top end is brighter and has more details and the mid and bass are tighten up. However I feel I have butchered the headphone with that mod. See the sound proofing material used inside? Never will I mod another headphone again.

 

[richard51]

Oops! I had modded all my headphones...To my liking and for the best!... Then Like Piaf said: " I dont regret anything, no, i do not regret anything"

 

[Rossliew]

It opens up the heavens and let the light shine in.

The top end is brighter and has more details and the mid and bass are tighten up. However I feel I have butchered the headphone with that mod. See the sound proofing material used inside? Never will I mod another headphone again.

Sure looks naked and ugly.. Does dust get inside there?

 

[UntilThen]

Dust getting in will make it more vintage.

 

[Rossliew]

Then u can sell it for a million bucks on ebay

 

[UntilThen]

@Oregonian where is your 717 and impressions !

 

[Jabba]

Anyone tested Sony 7025 reciever headphone out? Preferable on LCD series?

 

[SpeakerBox]

Speaking of @Skylab, I wonder how he and @moodyrn (thread starter) are doing? They have not posted for a while and I would be interested in any changes they may have made to their gear.

 

[SpeakerBox]

Looks like a sweet setup!

I was more thinking of the soundstage and 3-dimensionality that tubes bring, not the warmth.

If you want something vintage that has that 3D tubiness, A restored Fisher 400 will give you that. It has been described as holographic over on AK and other sites. Mine sounds that way via LS3/5As.

 

[SpeakerBox]

Just awaiting one more change to the Fisher 400 receiver. That will be the addition of Sovtek 12ax7lps tubes throughout (9 of them) which should improve the SQ even more.

 

[Skylab]

Speaking of @Skylab, I wonder how he and @moodyrn (thread starter) are doing? They have not posted for a while and I would be interested in any changes they may have made to their gear.

I read this thread a lot but mostly just like posts. One of the nice things about buying a TOTL vintage amp/receiver and then having it completely restored/recapped is that one gets to enjoy it for a very long period of time without swapping it out for something else. I enjoy my pioneer SX 1980 on a daily basis and still absolutely love it.

 

[SpeakerBox]

I read this thread a lot but mostly just like posts. One of the nice things about buying a TOTL vintage amp/receiver and then having it completely restored/recapped is that one gets to enjoy it for a very long period of time without swapping it out for something else. I enjoy my pioneer SX 1980 on a daily basis and still absolutely love it.

Agree 100%. My rebuilt SX-1250 is also in use on a daily basis. Audio nirvana!

 

[Monsterzero]

I just read on audiokarma that if you wanted some "tube magic" in your system you could pair a tube-preamp with a ss power amplifier and get the best of both worlds.

It depends on the rest of your system,the tubes you have,the sound youre looking for,the sound of your receiver,etc.....

I have two main systems,both of which can run either a vintage receiver,or a tube amp. My headphone and nearfield system gets the bulk of the work. I use it 16+ hours per day,7 days per week,usually for low volume level listening thru speakers while I work. Most of my serious listening happens in the late evening into the early AM,either thru my Focal Aria 905s or headphones. Of my headphone collection the only one where I prefer the SS over tubes are my AKG K240 Sextetts. For whatever reason they simply sound better to my ears thru my vintage gear vs my OTL. The rest of my headphones get the tube treatment.

Not all vintage receivers have the same sound signature. My Sansui 881 is already warm and to not over do that warmth a neutral/bright tube roll would be needed. However on my Akai,Kenwood and Onkyo,they all have a brighter sound,so a warmer tube roll would be preferred.
To be honest I havent done enough tube pre-amping to make a definitive conclusion,but personally I like to keep the SS and tube amps separate,so I can enjoy either/or depending upon headphones in use and my mood. YMMV.