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Amps from the 1980's -- What gear holds up sonically? Reliably?

Hi Everyone,

For me, the 1980s were a real "golden age" of amplifiers. Dr. Leach’s paper on building a low TIM amplifier had been widely distributed and relied on by budding designers, and lots of boutique brands came. It was also the era of the biggest of the Conrad Johsnon tube amps as well and the invention of the MOSFET.

For me, brands I cared about:

  • Threshold
  • Sumo
  • Perreaux (New Zealand, very pretty)
  • Tandberg
  • Hitachi
  • Kyocera
  • Nikko
  • Krell (of course)
  • CJ
  • ARC
  • Yamaha (professional)
  • Carver
  • Mark Levinson
  • Amber 
  • Tandberg
This was also the speaker era of Snell and Apogee and Martin Logan. I am not sure there would be a Krell today if it wasn't for Apogee's 1 ohm speakers.

I’m curious who is still listening to these vintage pieces, and which brands you think have stood up both in terms of reliability and / or sonics ?
erik_squires
kdude66
1,198 posts
 
Threshold,Accuphase are the ones I owned and remember the most.

I kept a Accuphase p300 for many years and only recently sold it in the last 5 to 6 yrs.

I still can't believe a Amp that was that complex sounded as good as they do,system dependent Offcourse.

Kenny.
asvjerry's avatar
asvjerry
609 posts
 
Cocaine is/was God's way of telling you that you made too much money, or thought you did...;)

Anyway, one shouldn't partake in anything your spirit can't kill.  Speed still kills, and opioids, alcohol, herbage and anything else should still be approached with a clear recognition of the baggage you're lifting.

That being said and ignored *L*, I still bought and enjoyed my various audio toys.  At least, the ones I remember...*smirk*

Anyway, y'all...please carry on.  Memory Lane is the only path one can traverse without all the chuckholes and speedbumps of Reality...;)
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
4,908 posts
 
Jerry, by the time I got to L.A. in '79, the town was awash in coke. It was passed around at parties like joints were in the 60's. I didn't see what the big deal was until one night when I finally got enough of it all at once. I liked it a little too much, and never touched the stuff again. I can see how and why people get hooked on the stuff.
kalali's avatar
kalali
1,645 posts
 
From a reliability perspective, I've only lost a single 4 amp fuse (out or four) in my Adcom GFA amp and I've owned it since 1987 and it has been brutally abused. On the preamp, the pots/switches are getting a little noisy but the system still sounds great.
schubert
4,867 posts
 
Ever noticed how many coke users die in their 40 and 50's ?
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