Something Vintage

I have nearly all vintage gear.

Power amp: Dynaco ST 70 with Sound Valves input board (with solen coupling caps) modified by Tom Tutay of Transition Audio Design. I have owned it over 12 years and I can't part ways with it. I have tried several new amps both solid state and tube and stay with my ST70.

VanAlstine Super PAS 3si preamp also modified by Tom Tutay.
I can only tell you in stock form it was good but now it's great. No special caps but no where near stock any more. It's quiet, refined and just plain musical.

Systemdek IV turntable w 12 pound platter, circa (1988 to 1992) with Rega RB600 and Audio Technica OC9 MLII LO cart. I have a newly installed cork platter mat and it's very interesting. This is not the IIx or 2X900 or glass platter versions. They are rare and I purchased mine NOS about 4 years ago.

Arcam DV78 with Scott Nixon Tube Dac and a North Hills Transformer between DAC and DVD Player. Wow! Thanks JB for the tip and advice.

Spica TC 60's (Tri-Wired) with a pair of Dali Suite 1.2 subs. I haven't listened to my TC50's in a couple years.
Thanks JB for the tri-wire advice too.

I have tried many pieces of new gear and it has yet to replace my trusty vintage gear. And oh yes, I have been looking for replacements.

Yes, my lp's

I'm pretty much all vintage:

Micro Seiki MR-711 DD table with MA-202L arm

Gray ST-33 table with Papst motor and ESL S-2000 arm

Russco Cue Master idler drive table with Micro Seiki B-77 MKll arm in rolling studio base

Denon DP3000 table in white ash base with Grace 707 arm.

Nivico idler drive table

Logic Tempo "E" table with Logic Datum arm

Shure V15Vmr, Shure V15lllhe, Denon DL103D, Denon DL103, Supex 900 Super E+, ADC XLM MK2 improved, various Grados, and Audio Technicas

Stromberg Carlson ASR-433 EL84 12wpc integrated.

Dynaco PAS3 preamp

Two Dyna 70s, one being rebuilt

Heath mono tuner, two Heath tube multiplexes

Klipsh Forte speakers

Pioneer CSX-99 (I think that's the number) speakers. Who puts a 15" woofer in a bookshelf speaker? Please don't answer that.

Best,
Marty

i just wish i still had some of my old Lafayette catalogs so i could look at all of the pictures and descriptions of vintage gear. when you're 15 yo even $500 for a Reel-to-Reel (or maybe a Crown international deck for $1500!) seemed so out of reach... and the quality level of the receivers and turntables were SO much better than the TV-Stereo consoles that were selling at department stores.
but STILL i could stare at the pictures for hours on end.
FINALLY with all of my nagging and whining (and by the time i was in high-school) my Father bought a Fisher Stereo Compact Receiver-Turntable with a pair of 10" two-way speakers. even with just 28W/CH i thought it sounded wonderful. and because he had pretty good taste he started bringing home some terrific jazz and classical alblums- Beethoven, Sarah Vaughn, Dave Brubeck. (i still wasn't satisfied until i added some Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix, etc.) BUT i will NEVER FORGET how much i enjoyed EVERY MINUTE of listening to FM Radio and Vinyl- maybe even more than i do now...

Marantz 10B