Vintage Hi-Fi

[Vortex]

Was thinking tonight about maybe building my dream sound system next year. I almost ordered it from the Navy Exchange catalog back in 1975 and didnt of course. Now Ive been thinking about trying again. Basically, Id like to have a nice Marantz 4400 Quad amp (with the correct SQ module attached), a pair of nice Bose 901s and a pair of Altec 19 Monitors. I remember back in the day this was going to set me back about $900/$1000 or so (3 months pay!) Anybody here ever own any of this stuff?

[Motorhead350]

I have a record player that burns onto CDs (for the car) that I got from Target for like $148. It has outlets to plug in more speakers and stuff. By Hi-Fi I figured you might want a record player, if not sorry. I cannot help you on digital quality... or lack of quality.

Good luck.

Also if you get into vinyls be sure you buy old ones. Modern music on vinyl is a joke because the recording equipment from the late 80s+ is meant to go onto a CD, which means it's only on vinyl for marketing when the sound quality actually is better on CD. Now if you are going to the old school (the only one that matters to me) get as many preserved vinyls as you can find. Anything from Hank Williams Senior to The Cars will sound great! When hair bands were taking over, that's the crossover period from vinyls to CDs so I'm guessing anything after 1988??? WILL not sound as good, but still pretty decent... unless it's from a small label that probably didn't buy new equipment until a few years later. I have a few Green Day vinyls from the early 90s and being that they were on a small label when they were good, you know they still had the old school equipment for a little while longer.

If you're into Rock n'' Roll go get Wild Weekend by The Rockin' Rebels... VERY GOOD sound quality and nothing like hearing a sax like that one.

If you are into The Eagles or stuff like that let me know, I have a few LPs left over from someone that I do not like, but would like a good home for, just pay for the shipping and they are yours!

I don't mean to be longwinded it just happens... sorry.

[jimlam56]

Was thinking tonight about maybe building my dream sound system next year. I almost ordered it from the Navy Exchange catalog back in 1975 and didnt of course. Now Ive been thinking about trying again. Basically, Id like to have a nice Marantz 4400 Quad amp (with the correct SQ module attached), a pair of nice Bose 901s and a pair of Altec 19 Monitors. I remember back in the day this was going to set me back about $900/$1000 or so (3 months pay!) Anybody here ever own any of this stuff?

I have 4 901s hung in each corner of a 24 by 24 room. I have a 70's era Pioneer amp rated at about 70 watts rms per channel. I use the standard Bose equalizer and run it through my TV and a DVD/CD player. It sounds awesome with plenty of power. Lots of this kind of stuff available on ebay, the vintage stereo stuff just sounds better to me, so I collect it.

[John Nero]

bose's still makes and sells the 901's-i have a set

[SID210SA]

I had a complete Techniques system that I ran two Pioneer tower speakers with.....I had the tuner, dual tape deck, and record player.....I still have the record player and still use it, but all the other components have since died....I have now pieced together my own mix of items and it sounds great...I have a Sherwood tuner with tons of power, Techniques record player, 4 panasonic satalite speakers, and one center channel speaker, one powered sub and 2 fisher (sux) tower speakers and it sounds awesome....dont have the fishers pluged in, they are more for looks. I think I spent a total of $150.00 for my whole system...

Now I have listened to a lot of systems and so far I like the bose system...its about $1,800.00 but sounds great....

[rayjay]

Klipsch loudspeakers are the only way to go...

[Pops]

I have owned way more of this stuff than I care to remember. I have sold a lot of high end vintage audio on E bay in the past coiple of years. You guys might be suprised at what some of this stuff is bringing now!

[musclemerc]

The only way to go vintage hi~fi is with TUBE AMPS and McIntosh components

[Leadfoot281]

In 1991 while I was serving in Germany, I bought some Bose 301's and just replaced them with some Polks a couple years ago.

I always wanted the 901's but were WAAAY out of the price range of an E-2. Besides that, I had beer to buy!

[Pops]

The only way to go vintage hi~fi is with TUBE AMPS and McIntosh components

Great sound that way. I have had them!

[rayjay]

The only way to go vintage hi~fi is with TUBE AMPS and McIntosh components

Yep, the ones made in Binghamton, NY NOT Asia.

[Vortex]

I have owned way more of this stuff than I care to remember. I have sold a lot of high end vintage audio on E bay in the past coiple of years. You guys might be suprised at what some of this stuff is bringing now!

Yeah John, I know:

http://cgi.ebay.com/MARANTZ-4400-STE...1%7C240%3A1318

Note the price is without the adaptor!



I thought maybe I would start haunting the flea markets and see what I could find. I still think the early 70's stuff sounded the best and it sure as heck looked cooler! Anyway, this is a long term project!

[glassman99]

But notice there are no bids. Way overpriced.
Be careful when purchasing 70's era solid state equipment. There are some circuit board components that may begin to fail. Tube equipment is nice, each has their own attributes, kinda like the roots Vs centrifigul debate, but decent quality in tubes will not be cheap. I would check www.audiogon.com for used equipment. This is where you will find a plethora of equipment, everything from Realistic receivers to $250,000 speakers.

[Dave Compson]

Thank you all for the good info. I have been wanting to get into collecting vintage audio equipment for a while. There is alot to learn though being i am a child of the 80's and such.