Favorite classic audio gear?

[deacongreg]

The 70`s, how they are missed. Where is my Technics SL1200 MKII turntable with Stanton cartrifge??!! LOL!!

[emmaco]

I've spent some time on this one for some years now...

Favorite classic audio gear:

Gale GT-2101 turntable
Lecson AC1 Preamplifier
Lecson AP3 power amplifier
Lecson FM1 tuner
Gale GS401A speakers or Hill Plasmatronics 1A

Quad 57s in reserve.

[zOid]

Threshold 400A class A amplifier
Paragon E tube preamp
Thorens TD-125 turntable
Rabco SL-8E straight line tracking tonearm
Grace 9F cartridge
Nakamichi Dragon cassette player/recorder
Dahlquist DQ-10A speakers
Janis W-1 subwoofer

[jhidinger]

Read the posts about the DQ-10s and had to offer my comments. In the late 70's and early 80's I had two sets, stacked. Saw it done by Jon Dahlquist at a CES show. Mine were mirrored, with upgraded caps and wiring. Powered by a Yamaha B-1 power amp, Marantz 7 pre, Linn LP-12, Grace arm, ADC cartridge. Custom built subs using JBL 15" drivers, built with the telephone assistance of a JBL engineer. Powered the woofers with a HK Citation 16. That system could produce goosebumps.

The DQs without question had one of best soundstages. I loved them. They would play plenty loud and image like crazy, but didn't really come to life at low levels. I found though, that they weren't the last word in resolution, which is why I moved on. My system now is substantially better, but it can't match the memories generated in front of the DQs!

Classic gear I've owned and remember fondly:
Dahlquist DQ-10s
Marantz 7
Yamaha B-1
HK Citation 16
Linn LP-12
VTL mono 160's
Quicksilver Mini Mono's
Proac Response 3.5
Mirage 1S
ML Ascent-i
Anthem LS-1
Audio Research LS3
Audio Research LS16
Conrad Johnson PV2a
Decca Mark V
Keith Monks tone arm (with liquid mercury contacts!)
McCormack DNA-1

[lifamily]

Believe it or not, my love for hi fidelity started with a Pioneer 4 channel/quad tape deck in a 1968 Pontiac Catalina convertible. Ok, I know what you're all thinking, is this guy insane, has he lost marbles? Hi fidelity from a format that had more hiss that a leaking tire valve, and in a convertible that was noisier than a wind tunnel. Well, it was actually the four channel separation that got me hooked. It was a pretty decent unit and as a teen it gave me lots of enjoyment and to this day I still possess it with all my quad tapes. But this simple system started me on the road to great sound and my first major system (classic) was the:

Carver CT-17 Pre/Pro
Carver TFM-45 Power Amp
Carver Cb-15
Technics SL-P2 CD Player
JVC QLY-66F Turntable w/Grado gold MM Cartridge
Polk 2.3 SDA

Although the Carvers have been packed away for the last 7 years, they will re-emerge when my new house is completed, with a dedicated listening room. Still in use are my SDA's and the QLY-66F. RIP is the Technics.

[Raven312]

I had a few things over the years that looking back, I wish I had kept. Among them were:
Spica TC-50's
Aragon 2004 MK II (actually I had a prototype that sounded MUCH better than the production unit. When they found out I had it, they offered me a brand new MK II in trade; my unit was never supposed to have left their hands.)
NAD 3020
Naim NAIT
SOTA Star Sapphire (with a Magnepan Unitrac tonearm)
Apogee Centaur Minors

They were mostly budget components but some of them were revolutionary designs at the time.

I now own a pair of Meadowlark Kestral II's, which I love. I think I'll always hold onto these...