Older higher end or newer mid-fi...better bargain?


Say you have $1500 to spend on a 2 channel pre amp/power amp combo or integrated amp: Would you opt for an older, for example, NAIM system (e.g. 62/hi-cap/140 c. mid 90s) or a newer, say CREEK 5350se integrated...or what? Where is the most performance for $1500 to be had? I listen to CDs, SACDs, DVD-As, and LPs.
soulbrass
There are bargains in the old bin that do not exist for new products because nothing has changed much to make good amplification cheaper. The big "but" is that reliability is typically riskier with older pres/amps, and sometimes replacement parts are tough to obtain.

I was your in your shoes, pardner, and I'll tell you what just as an example...my Counterpoint even with its selector switch noise pukes on modern day midfi preamps and preamp sections. Some owners, however, have had worse problems with Counterpoints.
In my opinion a good amp is a good amp regardless of when it was made, same with preamps etc, they may need a service, such as recapping Naim etc, but it is all on how it sounds.