Enjoying your "Vintage" gear

Big Dog RJ

Well-Known Member
Feb 2, 2012
1,251
482
1,155
Melbourne
Hey mate, nice to hear about the beveridge speakers. I remember listening to these way long ago, can't remember the amplification must have been the classic luxman. Anyway, whatever it was it sounded fine. Very warm, musical with that organic presentation in soundstage. This was the same old chap who also had Quads. If I'm correct, I think he later on used only his cj premier11 with the speakers at the time.

Just last weekend, I was listening to the old classic luxman and marantz tube amps. Real vintage and absolute true classics! They were in fair condition, considering the decades of service. Overall, this combination of pre-power was a match made in heaven driving a pair of proacs.
Very special musicality to it. I don't know if it was colored or anything but whatever it did was very relaxing and easy to listen to for endless hours, just my cup of coffee!
Will be getting my quads back after nearly a month, about time I get back to the music. Being spending far too much time at the "vintage show room."
Enjoy those Beveridge speakers,
Cheers, RJ
 

Big Dog RJ

Well-Known Member
Feb 2, 2012
1,251
482
1,155
Melbourne
Hey Harlequin, nice stuff mate.
Now that's certainly more like it! What are those monoblocks? What are they rated at and made in? Seems to be in great shape. I always come across mono's with either one of them not working properly or damaged one way or the other, specially going back to the 80's. Although the new gear out there is very good, the classic vintage sound is very nostalgic and quite remarkable when you get it going properly. What speakers are you using at the moment?
Interesting to learn more from your experience. Cheers, RJ
 

Argonaut

Well-Known Member
Jul 30, 2013
2,415
1,646
530
N/A
RJ.... The first image is of a pair of PYE PF91 mono amplifiers circa 1956, I prefered to run them with 7581a output valves rather than KT66's

http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/pye_pf91.html

The second image showing a pair of Audiomaster 11A mono amplifiers circa 1958, two variations were manufactured, one sporting Haddon mains and output transformers the other sported Partridge iron, these are the latter.

http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/w_n_audiomaster_11a_amplifier_25_watts.html

http://m.review33.com/forum_msg.php?db=1&topic=23040110092333&start=17450&sort=1

I tended to run either with Quad esl 57's or Tannoy Canterbury transducers, I shall have a ferret around my image files and see whether I have shots of some of the other vintage iron pile.
 

jn229

Well-Known Member
Jul 23, 2012
112
3
925
Southwestern Ontario
Couple of years back I purchased and restored a pair of Dynaco A-50 loudspeakers. Every time I hooked them into the system I had the same remorseful thought, if I had found these speakers back in the 70's I would have saved a lot of money. The A-50's were fun but never stayed in the system long, sold them.

Edit: My daughter owns A-25's and has no desire to trade.
 

Argonaut

Well-Known Member
Jul 30, 2013
2,415
1,646
530
N/A
RJ.... The first images are of a pairs of PYE PF91 mono amplifiers circa 1956-58, an interesting circuit ( see link below) outpuI 12 W triode strapped , I prefered to run them with 7581a output valves rather than KT66's

http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/pye_pf91.html

I tended to run either with Quad esl 57's or Tannoy Canterbury’s, I shall have a ferret around my image files and see whether I have shots of some of the other vintage iron pile.

I thought that I would resurrect this particular thread in part as many of the original images have been wiped by the image host...

420E68B4-BCA6-40D2-8E62-E3793B8C69A7.png
F8131BEC-16E1-4B42-A567-37346B6D99DE.png
 
Last edited:

Big Dog RJ

Well-Known Member
Feb 2, 2012
1,251
482
1,155
Melbourne
Ah! Nice one Moon. Those are absolute classics!
Brings back memories of the hey day, just when I was getting into tubes. Always offered SS, even at demos, this used to be the norm... However, whenever I had the chance to audition either Classic vintage or new gear, and tubes were involved, I'd drop everything else and make one dash to the event. I remember returning home on many Int'l flights, everyone's tucked in seatbelts on ready to go... but there was always one person missing, so the aircraft would sit on the tarmac for a while waiting... it was that crazy fool heading back from a hi-fi audition (me!). If I tried that now, the plane would just leave!

Man, those were the days... outstanding vintage gear, from Marantz, Luxman, Quad, Leek, Golden Tube, and so on. Then the big guns, VTL, ARC, CJ, Carver... whenever those tubes light up, there was something quite different through tube gear, especially when driving panel type speakers. I remember the Carver Amazing ribbons, trapezoidal design, looked rather odd, a mix between an Apogee & a stat. Either hybrids or full range stats was another special feature, and although we bought and sold numerous pairs of dynamic driver types, for some darn reason I kept coming back to stats or large ribbons.

Obvious high maintenance and reliability issues played the usual part. At least now with the latest generation of stats things are far more reliable and very well built, thanks to the advancement of high tech and good design.

Still treasured every moment of that classic Tube gear, and to this day still enjoying every moment of that Tube magic! Call it flawed, inferior, waste of energy... the usual thing. Whatever it is, there's something very wholesome and natural to it. I guess it's the nature of vintage tube gear.

A definite mighty WOOF to that!!!
Cheers mate, enjoy those fine tunes!
RJ
 
  • Like
Reactions: Argonaut

About us

  • What’s Best Forum is THE forum for high end audio, product reviews, advice and sharing experiences on the best of everything else. This is THE place where audiophiles and audio companies discuss vintage, contemporary and new audio products, music servers, music streamers, computer audio, digital-to-analog converters, turntables, phono stages, cartridges, reel-to-reel tape machines, speakers, headphones and tube and solid-state amplification. Founded in 2010 What’s Best Forum invites intelligent and courteous people of all interests and backgrounds to describe and discuss the best of everything. From beginners to life-long hobbyists to industry professionals, we enjoy learning about new things and meeting new people, and participating in spirited debates.

Quick Navigation

User Menu

Steve Williams
Site Founder | Site Owner | Administrator
Ron Resnick
Site Co-Owner | Administrator
Julian (The Fixer)
Website Build | Marketing Managersing