I agree with maladat that good DAC's make a big difference, follow that up with a good class A FET preamp and amplifier and tube type nirvana is very near possible without the problems of finding vacuum tubes that are sometimes required to be in matched sets to work properly. The issues of tube aging and harmonics from the very sound waves they help create are also then a thing of the past. Yes the equipment I am describing is not cheap but far more attainable than the exotic tube amps. Be careful buying tubes, many come from Russia and you might end up being under investigation for collusion!

The best sounding vinyl I have are several "Direct to Disc" records from the late '80's. Denon and Telarc records. Quite pricey at the time. Denon records from Japan at that time were $17 a pop.

Begging to be heard thru a quality Stereo system.

The single best sounding record I have is a 30th anniversary copy of Dark Side of the Moon that was pressed on 180 gram vinyl in Holland.

I paid $30 for it in 2003.

With kids and work and so on I mostly listen on the go now with a Headamp Pico DAC/Amp (connected via USB to my phone or computer) and JH Audio Roxanne in ear headphones (they look kind of like the custom-molded earplugs you can get done at gun shows or hearing aid places). I think those headphones are the single most expensive piece of audio equipment I've ever owned. They're totally worth it. They sound incredible. If I lost them I would buy them again in a heartbeat.

In fact, I kind of did. I had marginally less expensive JH Audio JH-16 IEMS for years. Then I moved and couldn't find them for months and ordered the Roxannes.

I found the JH-16s shortly after the Roxannes arrived, of course.

As one example, you can get a vintage Marantz tube receiver for $999:



I bet it sounds pretty awesome. Vintage Marantz and McIntosh gear - generally speaking - tube or solid state - sound fantastic. I use vintage (solid state) Adcom amps, myself, for similar reasons. I find them to be an excellent balance of sound, price, and performance.

There is 20+ years worth of similar vintage gear you can buy used. My 30+ year old amps are used every day, and sometimes run hard, for hours. They're rock solid, day after day.

I've only ever owned professional DJ turntables (Technics SL-1200s, since 1987) with both Stanton and Ortofon cartridges, far from "audiophile" in a strict sense, but used by countless professionals worldwide for decades). They sound great and work great and last.

The pictured item is actually a solid state (non-tube) FM radio tuner.

It does seem to be very, very highly regarded in audiophile circles, though.

In college (in the 2000's) I used a 70s Philips turntable, an 80s Carver preamplifier, a 70s Hafler mosfet amplifier, and some giant late 80s or early 90s HH Scott speakers. It sounded pretty good for not a lot of money. A friend's dad gave me the Hafler. I bought the rest on eBay.

I think for me, when music started to go digital, It just seemed to not flow as well. I think it is because of how digital is done with sampling and sampling rates. It may be minimal but there are bits of the music not there in digital.

I think digital today, sounds light years better than it used to. I think many posters have explained why. I do not listen to my music on my Thorens turntable much anymore. I put most of my albums on Open Reel tape years ago, so that once I recorded it with a new needle it sounded great. Wow and flutter is very low on my Tape deck. I really do not ever listen to that much anymore as I have CDs.
I too quit searching for the perfect sounding equipment, but I still have a pretty good setup.

The classified ads over at Audiogon.com can be trusted. I've bought from there a handful of times over the years, and it's full of gear nerds selling items from all eras, though - obviously - the selection varies from month to month and such.

quote:

Originally posted by Opus Dei:

quote:

Originally posted by 6guns:
There's a member here who collects old stereo consoles. Hopefully he'll chime in....he has some beautiful pics!

Probably r0gue. He had some mid-century German consoles..Saba? Grundig? Telefunken?, and a fair collection of lounge/easy listening vinyl.

Guilty. We moved. This is the only one I have left. My prize HiFi! I believe it's about a 1960, Zenith Danish Modern is gorgeous Walnut. With the 2G Tone Arm (2 grams of downforce on your prized record albums).

"It really ties the room together"

If you're a hobbiest and can solder for $50 it's worth looking at. Check out console stereos and the old tube organs everyone owned. Some of the old transformers are worth the price.

The Radiotron Designers Handbook is available online and covers everything you need to know about how to design tube gear.

I listen to a 12AX7 \ EL84 tube amp with really efficient Altecs all the time.

You can do amazing things with a low power 5 watt single ended triode amp and 4 1/2" folded horn speakers. It won't be led zeppelin but acoustic clapton would be amazing.

Ironically, on some, I've done the opposite. Taking a gorgeous case, and stuffing in an Apple Airport Express, a decent receiver and some Bose speakers. The result, I can stream from my iPhone via Bluetooth to a sweet sounding rig (good enough for me) that looks great too!

-- My old West German EMUD




Watch for a while on CL. There's scads of these old West German sweethearts from EMUD, Grundig, Telefunken and the like. All of the AF guys coming back from their overseas stations brought them back during the cold war. Clean em up, lay the PPK on em and go fix yourself a vodka martini!

Once this guy comes down from his crack high, this will sell for ~$100. (maybe)

https://harrisburg.craigslist....sole/6223835576.html


Pretty clean Grundig for $150. In fair price range. Needs fixed. Probably needs some new caps too.

https://pittsburgh.craigslist....tage/6223242826.html

I love everything about this space:

quote:

Originally posted by 46and2:
I love everything about this space:

Thank you! The other side of the house is the real gem. Quarter sawn wood paneling, post and beam vaulted ceilings and a sandstone wall of fireplace. Mid Century gems are out there fellas! I'd looked for 15 years to find this one.

Came with whole house intercoms!

quote:

Originally posted by ryan81986:
So should I just get a good turntable and tie it into my regular surround receiver?

The only reason I thought of getting a stereo w/ tube amp is because the last time I mentioned just getting a turntable people recommended something w/ a tube amp.

Basically, yes.

quote:

Originally posted by mikeyspizza:

quote:

Originally posted by ryan81986:
So should I just get a good turntable and tie it into my regular surround receiver?

The only reason I thought of getting a stereo w/ tube amp is because the last time I mentioned just getting a turntable people recommended something w/ a tube amp.

Basically, yes.

As much as I love weird old shit like console hifis, quirky old houses, mechanical watches and the like... I have to agree. Old electronics is a PITA. and new tube amps are for audiophiles only. read: $$$

I think albums or CDs sound pretty good on solid state receivers and amps. It's a personal thing though.

quote:

Originally posted by 46and2:
I love everything about this space:

Snapshot from a time long ago. Even before my youth, more like what I would watch on re-run TV.

Not a dig. I actually like it.



That is just cool.

quote:

Originally posted by Hamden106:
I still play a lot on my McIntosh 1900 and 1700 units. The 1700 has tubes in the FM section as I recall. I just had it cleaned and new caps installed. The 1900 goes in next. The 1900 powers Mac 1 speakers. The 1700 Klipsch RB3's.

Still in the family is a 1960s Packard bell floor unit stereo about 6" long. Sounds great still today. Very basey in it's wood cabinet. We use a simple disc changer through the aux in.

Ya made me start up the 1700/Klipsch with Cream's Albert Hall reunion. Far out, man.

Here is Digger the Fishing Kitty in front of the console still in the family and still working just fine. Picture from late 60s

old consoles were furniture as well as stereo gear

I remember my parents went out and bought a Claritone system and it was pretty good for the mid to late 60's

I wish I could turn the clock back to June 1994 for just a 20 minute stretch when I took almost 400 albums to the dumpster

I'm going to gut one and put it all new(er) electronics and speakers, just for the furniture aspect. As a credenza for my office, I think.

My only mid-century pieces are two reproduction Eames LCWs, an Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman, a Nelson Bench, and a Nelson Bubble Lamp. All legit but none vintage.

/drift

I have a RCA Victor New Orthophonic Hi Fidelity 7-HF-3 console from 1957 that I electronically and mechanically restored with help from some friends with more experience than I. Next step is to refinish the cabinet.

I use a low power AM transmitter to transmit either Pandora or Sirius to the radio. The turntable, well Ebay and yard sales for 1950's and 1960's vinyl.