Oldest amp you still use?

Oldest amp you still use?​

My venerable Marantz 2015, 2250B and 2270 receivers from 1975 :

mVKhJb-marantzBG2250B2015.jpg

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A Sony STR-6055 receiver (here below my Marantz 2250B) from the mid 70s too :

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If tubes amps can be nonetheless mentioned, then it's my BELL 2420 from 1964 :

YXr5Ob-BELL-2420-with-modified-cover.jpg


T
 
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Two Phase Linear 400s, using the original transformers, cases and VU meters; in 2022 did a restomod and replaced every circuit as well as the output stages. Mods performed by MC Mobile in LA. I use them to drive my biamped Bitches Brew live edge speakers. The amps were made around 1975. I bought the bottom unit at a garage sale in 1985 when I was 16.

2xphaselinear400.jpeg
 
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I can't remember if I've posted this, but I still use an Onkyo A5. The pic is borrowed, but mine is mint just like the pic. as it was always kept in the same enclosed rack in the same house from new, never moved. I picked it up from an estate sale. I also have the matching T9 tuner.

Onkyo A5.jpg
 
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I never liked the sound of my mind 70ies Marantz. It had bass, midd and treble know, which was cool though. I eventually tossed it. Not near Luxman sound quality.
Cheers!

It depends. I had a 2240B that I gave away as it really was not that good sounding.

OTOH, the 2325 and 4415 -that I own- sound very good. Both have been fully rebuilt. The big 2325 is a bit dark, but it has lots of oomph. The quad receiver sounds pretty good. My first one, back in '75, was a 2220B which I traded into a '77 Kenwood KA-3500.... which I still have... recently fully rebuilt with new, NOS, output transistors.

The 2270 series was actually quite good sounding too.

Sound quality being relative: Marantz "mid 70s vintage sound" that is. It's all relative. Today's High End sound better. An ACA 1.8 will bounce that 2220B out of the ball park and given efficient enough speakers it will bounce the 2270's. The 2325 just has a big power supply so it has lots of power.

Oddly, not so good into 4 ohms though.

The "ratings" of some of those 70s components were quite underrated... except the 2240B....

Luxman were obviously more expensive...
 
Oh. I didn't know that, since Marantz looked so expensive with that gorgeous blue and plenty light. I can't be sure if mine had been mistreated or was broken to sound not good. Could be bad match with speakers although I tried a few.

Never heard any of the ACAs . I loooved my ~20 year old XTZ A100. Now I listen to Cambridge/Shiit Combo. I'd love some Luxman, I only heard modest L-430. Friend borowede two sets of speakers from me. Both sounded amazing compared to hearing them on the amps I had at that time.
Cheers!
 
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Like some of the oldies here, my first contact with HiFi was with a Marantz receiver. Back in the country, at the local electronics store, a 2215B was purchased for 1,000 DM around 1975. The Marantz served faithfully for many years until the first usual signs of failure began to appear after about ten years. So he first disappeared into the basement only to end up on the operating table several times 20 years later. Little by little, all the pots, most of the capacitors and even the transformer were replaced - and of course there were a lot of dial bulbs that should go unmentioned. Unfortunately, expensive volume pots from dubious sources were removed after a short test run due to poor quality. Today, thanks to a few transplants, it is back in top form and, without bright blue LED lighting, exudes its charm of days gone by. Of course also acoustically, and honestly, for old recordings you just need tone controls. By the way, the organ donor was a technically identical 2216 with transport damage, but the assemblies and components were in much better condition.

2215B.jpg


Although several generations of hi-fi technology have now come along and a really pleasant-sounding Hegel Röst is in charge, I was always thrilled when I came across a Marantz receiver from the 22XX series over the years. So I couldn't stop myself a while ago when a pretty battered 2215 that was previously used in the music room of a school came up for sale in the area. There are probably still remnants of the fearful sweat of some troubled students deposited in the device. The Marantz was also heavily played with, perhaps a student lost his nerve? I was amazed when I took off the housing cover.

2215_4.jpg


Apparently the school caretaker or a technically interested teacher has already carried out various repairs. There are numerous generations of capacitors to be found. The last attempt at repair was then aborted and the receiver was released from school service. During an initial inventory I noticed some missing parts. Luckily, I first looked under the hood before the functional test.

2215.jpg


As things stand now in the Marantz's engine room, its revival will be a more extensive operation. This 2215 has a not-often-seen front panel color that tends towards champagne depending on the light. I am unsure whether the knobs were also given a different color. Does anyone know if this version has the normal silver-colored rotating heads? Unfortunately, two of the knobs were missing - probably trophies from one or another music student. If anyone has a good source for such knobs, I would be happy to hear from you.
 
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