Curious.. I too have 70's stuff stored, mostly.
Was is it better than (decent
current examples? Not so sure.
Example: Fender guitar amps are Highly Prized.
For their look/status but overwhelmingly for their sound: fuzzy and distorted on a player's demand.
Recently rebuilt My Fender Bassman. Discovered that many if not all the old Carbon Composite resistors had drifted in value. Some to more than double ! their values, a few drifted less But all were wayyy off spec..
Result of my reintroducing the oem part values changed the sound... Dramatically. Tight, clean sounds now dominate, the warm fuzzy brownouts are largely Gone.
Presumably rendering My fender resale as worthless
Initially /briefly I gave thought to reinserting the old parts.
No I didn't, electing to go with the Factory new sound.. which once acclimatized to, I prefer.
Clearly over time the produced sounds had drifted far from what the things produced when they left Leo Fender's factory. Quite a difference actually.
BUT it's that distorted aged/sound that most identify with the brand genre.
So are these old Audio components doing similar? Likely so.
Ps: I don't admire Adcoms, they were designed and built as cheap gizmos, often sans such effete niceties as power regulation
Was is it better than (decent
current examples? Not so sure.Example: Fender guitar amps are Highly Prized.
For their look/status but overwhelmingly for their sound: fuzzy and distorted on a player's demand.
Recently rebuilt My Fender Bassman. Discovered that many if not all the old Carbon Composite resistors had drifted in value. Some to more than double ! their values, a few drifted less But all were wayyy off spec..
Result of my reintroducing the oem part values changed the sound... Dramatically. Tight, clean sounds now dominate, the warm fuzzy brownouts are largely Gone.
Presumably rendering My fender resale as worthless
Initially /briefly I gave thought to reinserting the old parts.
No I didn't, electing to go with the Factory new sound.. which once acclimatized to, I prefer.
Clearly over time the produced sounds had drifted far from what the things produced when they left Leo Fender's factory. Quite a difference actually.
BUT it's that distorted aged/sound that most identify with the brand genre.
So are these old Audio components doing similar? Likely so.
Ps: I don't admire Adcoms, they were designed and built as cheap gizmos, often sans such effete niceties as power regulation
Last edited:
@ magui1 The Sansui AU-111 That you have pictured was first issued in 1965 and discontinued in 1971 . It was reissued in 1999 and it's last issue was the AU-111G.
From the "Best of Sansui".
http://audio-database.com/SANSUI/amp/au-111vintage1999-e.html
From the "Best of Sansui".
http://audio-database.com/SANSUI/amp/au-111vintage1999-e.html
Last edited:
Party pooper .......
Sorry.
They were winding transformers for other companies, then decided to build and sell own amps, to sell more transformers. In pretty looking packages.
It is obvious: transformers packed in cardboard boxes cost much less than packed in metal boxes stuffed with other cheap stuff, like turkey.
Last edited:
Seriously?
Absolutely. For designer of electronics equipment power and output transformer close to each other oriented such a way their magnetic fields are maximally coupled do not look good. Hot tubes between transformers with no convection path also do not look good. Unreliable switches don't look good. Electrolytic coupling caps don't look good. However, for the person with no experience in design it may indeed look nice. Rhythmic rows and symmetry, 2 major factors of good looking.
Last edited:
The solid state amps in those pictures have neither output coupling caps nor output transformers.
I meant only that tube amp, of course. Quality of the main function is compromised for better look. It is the main difference between consumer and military designs.
When people prefer some amps (old, new, does not matter) their look matters sometimes more than sound. What matters else, reputation.
de gustibus non est disputandum.....
For me, old Sansui sounds definitely better than modern construction.
radiosmuck, sorry, but I think you never hear working Sansui.
What noise, what, charms.....
For me, old Sansui sounds definitely better than modern construction.
What noise, what, charms.....
The change over happened in the early 70s, carbon composition was very rare from the mid 70s. Carbon film was the norm back then, with metal oxide in military equipment.Not quite accurate
de gustibus non est disputandum.....
For me, old Sansui sounds definitely better than modern construction.
radiosmuck, sorry, but I think you never hear working Sansui.
What noise, what, charms.....
My replcement amp is on the left and my old amp is on the right.
The amp on the right cost $699 in 1978, that is $2,277 in today's money.
The amp on the left cost under $25 incl. shipping.
The little TA2020 chip amp easily drives all the speakers I possess, from huge vintage 15 Ohm jobs to 4 -8 Ohm sealed bookshelf speakers.
I'm starting to think we have all been sucked into the power game?
Attachments
- Status
- This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.