I strongly recommend staying away from 70's and 80's era Pioneer and Sansui products unless you find something you're truly enchanted with and money for repairs and refurbishment isn't a problem. Those two companies liked to glue components to their boards with a glue that becomes corrosive and conductive. It eats the legs off components, dissolves traces and pads, and forms new circuits where circuits definitely don't belong. I've heard differing accounts on Pioneer, but all the Sansui stuff is loaded with that crap and absolutely must be removed with chemicals. Kenwood is probably your best bet. Marantz stuff is fairly trouble free too. ALL of it will require a complete cap job though. I don't buy any of that stuff without looking at the schematics and figuring out what needs replaced before I even plug it in. And plugging it in is a horrible way to find out you need filter or blocking caps... because if you do, you'll need a bunch of new transistors too.
I want to pick up a vintage SS integrated
Hi, as a stop gap solution, as well as for enjoyment, I wanna pick up a 70's vintage integrated amp. I have been looking at the Kenwood KA 5700 as well as the KA 405. Aside from the specs, which one was the higher end model, do you guys know?
My budget is around $500, and I like VU meters. Around this range, what else could I be looking at?
My budget is around $500, and I like VU meters. Around this range, what else could I be looking at?
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- 28 posts total
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- 28 posts total

