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Your feelings on vintage audio.

Harkening back to the days of my youth.....my neighbor owned a console with a Scott fm tuner, Fisher amp and a TT. I loved playing with and listening to music through it.

And with the resurgence of interest in older equipment in the market, its' impression of quality sound reproduction and build, perhaps nostalgic feelings and wanting to dabble in tubes on my part, I've gone ahead and purchased a Scott 350B tuner.

I'm also looking at another 350 and Scott intergrated.
I know they'll need some work. But for the price it seems like a fun way to step into tubes, satisfy this urge and you gotta admit some of that gear is absolutely stunning looking!

So...What do you guys and gals think? Worth the admission price plus repairs? Waste of time and cash? Could do better DIY or newer used equipment?

Sound Quality? From reading sounds like I might be getting mids but poor highs and poor bass!
Build Quality?

How does CD sound through the gear? Are there difficulties using CD with this older gear?

Maybe some speaker recommendations. Sat/Sub (problems with subs?), monitor, full range or single driver? The integrateds I'm looking at run anywhere from 15 to 30 watts RMS.

Thought this might be a fun pastime; I look forward to your input.

Best
corazon
corazon OP
209 posts
 
" Beware of "vintage" bpc. Onemalt "

BPC? Enlighten me please.

6550c - Agreed pre 1980. Definitely understand your misgivings about much of the old gear. I hope being selective, informed and heeding much of the good advice gleaned from you all I will avoid 8 track, barrier strips (few on the Scott integrateds) and crappy speakers. Speaking of which...

Stick to a pair that's easy to drive? 8 ohms? High sensitivity? Speakers don't necessarily have to be vintage.

I want to thank all of you for your responses so far...please keep them coming.

Almarg- not going for another 350B. Will keep your idea in mind. Just picked up a good condition original metal case with leatherette look for tuner. Logo in good condition. Now in search of a 222c, 299b or 299c.

All items will be brought to a reputable shop for the once over and repairs. Any recommendations for such in Central Texas? I asked in another post buy thought I'd ask again.

Best
onemalt
35 posts
 
BPC = Black Plastic Crap, a condidtion that became all to common during the eighties affecting many a respected mid-fi brand names from the seventies.
yogiboy's avatar
yogiboy
2,678 posts
 
The best sounding speakers I have owned were two way!
kennythekey
558 posts
 
To me, Vintage gear means the late fifties and sixties, so the age of Stereo and Tubes. The Seventies saw the decline of tube for solid state, that went hand-in-hand with the explosion of the music scene and mass production. This mass production really hurt the industry, but at the same time it created many music lovers.

There may have been exceptions...Remember, GAS (Great American Sound)?...Ampzilla and the Son of Ampzilla, etc.!!!

I personally owned some mid-fi Sansui 717 series equipment, and still have my TU-717 Tuner. I recently inserted this tuner into my system, and it really sounds mid-fi, so completely non-involving, fat, and low-res. On the other hand, my 1964 McIntosh MR71 Tuner sounds wonderful.

I agree with Onemalt that the Eighties did make BPC, but this was already starting in the Seventies with BMC.

Going back to the Sixties and the Scott Sound question originally posted, I feel this equipment possessed the finest tone of any period which we still seek out today.
isochronism
1,447 posts
 
I have a Heathkit SA-3 stereo integrated single-ended 6bq5 @ 3 watts/channel, c 1961. I got a pair of EV Baronet 8" two-way empty cabinets, (same era) closed off the tweeter horn front mount port. Loaded in JBL D-216 (16 0hm) full range 8". The Heath is limited having just two inputs, tuner/phono, but does have speaker out in 4,8,16 ohm. It is a cute little amp which cost me $160 and functions properly, lucky me! Dont expect a good phono stage here, tho. I have run a Magnum Dynalab 106T (triode output) tuner and a Naim cd555 (through tuner inputs) with very satisfactory results. Also powered Beauhorn Virtuoso's (Lowther DX4) With either speaker match-up, volume was never past 4/10 with very satisfactory results! Would love to hear an update. Enjoy
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