Favorite classic audio gear?

[lemahar3]

The list is long and distinguished, but here are the must include:

- Hadley 621 Preamp
- Marantz 7C Preamp
- Audio Research SP3A-1 Preamp
- Marantz 8B Amp
- Audio Research D-75 Amp
- Audio Research D-125 Amp
- Quicksilver MS-190 Amp
- Proceed HPA-3 Amp (Still have)
- Infinity Servo Statik 1
- Quad USA Monitors
- Talisman S Low Output MC (Still have)
- SOTA Sapphire with Gehl's Mat (Still have)
- SME V Tonearm (Still have)
- Acoustech PH-1 Phono Preamp (Still have)
- Nakamichi CR7A Cassette Deck (Still have)

Nothing else needs to be said.

[goldear]

Originally Posted by lemahar3

The list is long and distinguished, but here are the must include:

- Hadley 621 Preamp
- Marantz 7C Preamp
- Audio Research SP3A-1 Preamp
- Marantz 8B Amp
- Audio Research D-75 Amp
- Audio Research D-125 Amp
- Quicksilver MS-190 Amp
- Proceed HPA-3 Amp (Still have)
- Infinity Servo Statik 1
- Quad USA Monitors
- Talisman S Low Output MC (Still have)
- SOTA Sapphire with Gehl's Mat (Still have)
- SME V Tonearm (Still have)
- Acoustech PH-1 Phono Preamp (Still have)
- Nakamichi CR7A Cassette Deck (Still have)

Nothing else needs to be said.

While searching for some information about several vintage components for sale locally, I came upon this thread (specifically this post) and wondered if I could get some advice on the value and quality of these components. While I'm more a modern-day enthusiast, I have no idea what these older items are now worth...nor which are best out of the bunch. Some help would be appreciated:

ARC D-75
ARC D-76
ARC D-76a
ARC D-70MKII
ARC SP3a-1
SAE MK XXX
SAE MK XXXI
Audio Pulse Model-1
Crown D30
Akai GX-365

Thanks for any advice and help

-Chris

[lemahar3]

You wrote:

While I'm more a modern-day enthusiast, I have no idea what these older items are now worth...nor which are best out of the bunch. Some help would be appreciated:

ARC D-75
ARC D-76
ARC D-76a
ARC D-70MKII
ARC SP3a-1
SAE MK XXX
SAE MK XXXI
Audio Pulse Model-1
Crown D30
Akai GX-365

Response:

Since I embraced home theater, I divested of all of my classic gear except a few analog pieces. Hence, I haven't followed the market on those items. In my opinion, the ARC D-76a and SP3a-1 are the most sonically compelling, though the state of the art in tube gear experienced several advances since these two pieces were current. The D-125, the Quick Silver MS- and Mx-190 amps, the ARC SP6B and later preamps are exceptional examples. I've never been a fan of SAE and have no experience with Akai. Regarding Crown, early serial numbers (< 200 which had very robust power supplies) of the DC-300a power amps were arguably the first musical high power solid state amplifiers, and they were rock stable.

[Rorer714]

My Sansui 5000 receiver from around 1971. One of the best pieces of audio gear ever!

[finley]

Yes, Carver was so ahead of his time that he also developed a receiver that was so complicated (I counted 38 circuit boards on mine) that it could not be repaired by the techs. who came at a later date, to the Carver Co. after the change in ownership..I even spoke to Bob Carver himself, who said, "I should never have started that project, sorry...it was great when it worked, right?"...so there it sits, on a shelf, without so much as a murmur...life is cruel sometimes...but then it gets better!

[hwkn]

My favorite piece of classic audio gear are my Advent Baby II speakers[which i'm still using 24 years after I originally got them btw] which serve as the mains in my 5.1 system.