Stereophile review- Fisher 500 C


Sounds like it's a great RCV if you read the review. Curious to hear other's thoughts on how it and what modern amps its comparable to????
clamps200045c1
I have to disagree with Rhyno for the simple suspicion I bet he has not actually heard a 500C with new caps, and yes I would buy a Porsche 356, a Gibson Les Paul 59, a 1960 Navitimer, and piles of RCA Living Stereos and other 40 year old "junk."

Laugh,

Peter Breuninger
Stereophile
Larry, I also own a Cary SLI-80. I spent big bucks rolling NOS tubes in it. Final compliment: Amperex USA 'pinched waist' 6922s; Syl. USN issue 6SN7WGTAs (selected for tight triode matching); GEC KT-88s and Mullard 5AS4s. The Eico HF-89 that I recently restored and 'tweaked' runs rings around the Cary. More bass, more space, better flow, and better detail. Back-up singers and choruses sound like individual voices seperated in space blending without any 'gritty' distortion. Granted the only thing vintage about the amp now are the tubes and iron (and the basic circuit topology). But on the other hand, the Cary is basically a modern execution of a 1950s design. BTW my linestage is a modern take on what is basically a 1930s WE design (differential class A parallel feed). I guess the point I am trying to makew is: most modern tube stuff are based on designs that have been around for awhile. Where you see a lot of improvement is in the quality of the small parts (caps, resistors, wire, etc.) used.
incorrect. i owned one--past tense.

also, why is everyone such an apologist over a 40yr old piece that cannot drive even the most modest impedance swing and relies on tone controls to correct design errors? instead of going on about this old stuff, why not talk about modern low cost marvels, whether they be from china (minimax preamp) or US (audiomirror w/ a 40wpc SET for 2k)?!?

instead of giving visibility to in-production units, you're turning over bones in a graveyard.
There are multiple reasons for going into this discussion. But the first is music and beautiful acoustic music is what the 500C makes. Secondly, my Talons, for example, are very easily driven to loud levels with ease by the 500C. My former B&W 801s were power hogs that truly required massive abouts of current and as such it was sort of like buying a car that required jet fuel (Krell or big Classe) to run it (extremely wasteful of energy and my retirement savings). Third: no one is apologizing for the 500C but rather emphasizing its virtues. Fourth: China is the home of sweatshop almost everything and, unless one does not care about sustainability in all its dimensions we should be mindful of where we buy and, of course, do you really expect in the foreseeable future long term warranty support from a Chinese company. Like Walmart (who by the way according to the WSJ purchases 80% of everything in their stores from manufacturing plants in China), the typical Chinese approach is about price and then good-bye and not long term parts and service support. Fifth: Many modern tube designs use tubes that are truly in short supply and not likely to be carried on into the future. The power tubes for the 500C are about $75 per matched quad and the other tubes are also very cheap and except for one, and that one has a common substitue, in great supply. Sixth: 500C service is relatively easy and done by Americans in your home town even though I suppose you could ship it over to China for support (sort of an oximoran) Seventh: The world does not need more of its resources dug up to produce brand new transformers, sheet metal and thick faceplates it is already there to be recycled in the 500C. Eighth: The 500C can educate an entire generation brought up on MP3 music that music is about the shortest distance to the soul and connecting to it in a large, vivid way makes that experience meaningful. You can eat at McDonalds to get eating out of the way or you can eat well and dramatically healthier by buying locally grown non-corporate farm produce and free range, non-antiotic laden, meat you cook yourself (sort of like the comparison of having the convenience of 1000s of compressed music files on a computer to the "major effort" of placing an LP on a turntable). It could also educate them about how marketing produces Markets to those that are unaware of how they are being dupped into inferior life experiences. Life is short. I recall a famous line: "You have an awful long time to be dead" Buying into the something because you see it advertized everywhere no more makes it a good decision to purchase than a politican repeating a lie enough times hoping to make it a truth. Ninth: It is simply a joy to connnect full circle with history and realize greatness that needs no apologies.
Ahh. But I sure the "iron" and build quality of items like this Fisher 500C far surpass what you could get in equivalent gear today for the same bucks. I'd rather have a vintage tube amp than any used SS amp from today - for the same price. Hands down, no contest. In that case the dollar per performance ratio is clearly in the corner for the vintage tube gear. IMO. Sure the more costly stuff is better, but not similar priced components. Vintage wins.