Good Question: What do you consider to be high end vintage gear?

BilboBaggins

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I looked at this new forum and realized nobody has posted here yet! :scratch2:

Awesome! I get to be the first! :banana::banana::banana:

I’m changing this around a little. I’ve decided to leave out turntables because there are already a few good threads on them. I am also leaving out integrated amps because I don't want to go down that road. If you want to post integrated amps, please create a new thread. If you disagree with any items I list, I would be interested in knowing why, although that may not change anything, it is good to have opposing views. I am also being very specific. Only brand and model numbers will go on the list. I will post the update here at the beginning and also at the time I post it.

Please supply the model and year of manufacture when you list something. This will make it easier for me to tabulate, which is a lot of work.

To me, high end audio is about quality build and quality sound. I used to work for DEC, and learned to love well designed and well built equipment. And there are degrees. I look at my Bose 1801 and I think it is a well designed, well built unit with a few funnies, like plastic controls. I have been tempted to get duplicate McIntosh controls from a C32 and use them instead. Similar styling, but the Mc controls are mostly metal. I still think the 1801 is a high end unit though.

And in terms of who is right and who is wrong on this thread, I have no idea. And if I have left something out, that is very possible. Not to slight any product or person, but I am only human.

I am currently at post #95. I will update this number as I go.


Preamps

Bose 4401
Kenwood Supreme 700C
Luxman CL-35 III preamp
McIntosh C26
McIntosh C28
McIntosh C32
Threshold T2 preamp
Yamaha C-1
Yamaha CX-10000 control amplifier

Power Amps

Bose 1801
ESS Eclipse power amp
Great American Sound (G.A.S.) Ampzilla
Great American Sound (G.A.S.) Son of Ampzilla
Harman Kardon Citation
JVC JM-S7
Kenwood Supreme 700M
Kenwood L-09M
Kenwood L-07M
Luxman MB-3045 tube amp
Luxman A3000 tube amp
McIntosh MC2105,
McIntosh MC2300,
Onkyo grand integra m-510
Quicksilver M135
Threshold S/500 Stasis
Threshold SA-4e amp
Threshold S-550e amp
Yamaha B-1
Yamaha MX-10000

Speakers

Altec Barcelona
Altec-Lansing Model 19
Celestion Ditton 66
Dahlquist DQ-10
Dahlquist DQ-20
Dahlquist DQ-30
ESS AMT 1aM speakers
ET LFT speakers
Fisher XP-18
Infinity IRS Betas
JBL L300's
Kef Concerto
Kef 107
Kef 105
Kef 104/2
KLH Model Nine Electrostatics
Martin-Logan CLS.
Nestorovic Labs System 12
Nestorovic Labs System 16
Quad ESL 57
Rogers LS3/5a
Speakerlab 50s
Wharfedale W90
Wharfedale SFB/3
Wharfedale Airedale
Yamaha NSX-10000 speakers
Yamaha GF1

Please provide Feedback.
 
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Altec of course. The 19's are probably the best example for something that was intended for home use. The VOTT line was marketed at both markets, but it's roots are in theater sound.

And JBL too, obviously. Their upper-tier speakers have been setting pro-quality standards for like 60 years or more.

University speakers cost as much as Altecs back in the day. Serious stuff, their best models.

And I don't care what anybody says, the upper-tier Wharfedale speakers from their heyday like the W90, the SFB/3, the Airedale, and the huge 3-way Omni-Directional Corner Speaker most-certainly belong on this list (Earlier today, I was messaging back and forth with an AK'er who owns highly-upgraded JBL L300's and AR9's, and yet he has his W90's in his main listening room and can't get enough of them... And this apparently happened when he took the amp/preamp rig from his L300 setup and switched it over to the W90's... That was all she wrote... He hasn't come up for air since).

Sherwood back in the day made high-end-quality amps and receivers. Their tube-era stuff looks like someone picked up all the little bits and pieces from a ruptured piñata and built a receiver with them, but it's high-quality all the way.

Leak tube amps have maybe the straightest point-to-point wiring I've ever seen. Some don't like the preamps as much, but the power amps are the real deal.

And Goodmans was British high-end as well. Most-certainly. And while the Altec Duplex was easily THE studio recording/mastering reference driver here in the states, Tannoy was apparently the studio industry standard on the other side of the Atlantic. Their Dual-Concentric drivers were used in studios all over Western Europe back in their heyday.

And we can't leave out Klangfilm... They were like the German version of Western Electric (And let us not forget about Western Electric, who was like the American version of Klangfilm :D and pioneered early cinema and TV sound).
 
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Add SME Limited to the list, and the 3009 for the vintage crowd.
 
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Any statement piece from a manufacturer in the 70's to 90's. Mostly from manufacturer's that produced mainly separate components.
Regards,
Jim
 
JBL

4345.JPG
 
Well, I'll start with the obvious. Quad ESLs and Luxman MB-3045/A3000 tube amps!

:tresbon:

But also:

Great American Sound (G.A.S.)
Luxman separates
Denon TTs, carts
Dahlquist DQ-10
DCM Time Window
Early Magneplanar, Harbeth, Vandersteen
Klipsch legacy models
Altec-Lansing Model 19, 14, ?
Audire, Apt-Holman, Precision Fidelity
Kef 105
Big JBLs
most early 'stats
most any manufacturer's TOTL stuff, really...

:music:
 
There is a lot of gear from the 90s which I consider to be very good. I believe this new "vintage" forum was intended to include this gear too.

This would include amps and preamps from Audio Research, Conrad-Johnson, Krell, Pass, higher end Parasound, Cary, Mark Levinson, VTL, and many more.

Digital gear from most of the above plus: Ayre, Meridian, Wadia, CAL

Speakers from Wilson, EgglestonWorks, Von Schweikert, Sonus Faber, Dunlavy, B&W, Revel, Thiel, JM Labs, Vandersteen, Dynaudio, and many more.

Many of these products are still rather expensive in the used marketplace, and for good reason.
 
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If you go back to the period from 1945 to about 1965, just about any piece of audio gear that wasn't part of a console represented the "high end" audio products of the time.

Of course, some of them were better than others.
 
If you go back to the period from 1945 to about 1965, just about any piece of audio gear that wasn't part of a console represented the "high end" audio products of the time.

Of course, some of them were better than others.

Yup. Western Electric (and later Altec) was probably at the top of that list. True pioneers of the industry.

Goodmans in England made some of the biggest and most-well-constructed speakers in the world throughout that period. And Tannoy had the recording industry share with their Dual-Concentric. Wharfedale's legendary 'live vs recorded' events were powered by Quad amplifiers (The SFB/3 was a very-well-reviewed cone-driver take on the Quad ESL... The SFB/3 and that monster corner cab were the darlings of those live events at Carnegie Hall and elsewhere). Mr. Briggs was a close friend of Quad founder Peter Walker, and he was also known to pal around with Harold Leake (founder of Leak... retired in 1969). He had originally wanted Leak for the 'live vs recorded' events, but Harold Leake turned him down.

As far as the '70's and "high-end", Audio Research always comes to mind. They OWNED high-end amplification in the 1970's. Some refer to them as the first TRUE high-end hi-fi brand, but I think WE/Altec fans might disagree.
 
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I guess Lowthers could be considered vintage since they started making speakers in the 1930's. The PM twin cones were introduced in the 40's. Paul Voigt left the company in the 50's.

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Another vote for JBL, in my case the consumer models they produced starting in the mid-to-late '70s like L150A, L112, L250, 250ti, L96, L300, etc.

Also going to nominate two more of my own favorites, but I think they qualify as long as we stipulate higher end, reasonably accessible consumer gear as opposed to more exotic, narrowly distributed or hard to find low production stuff. Those two are ADS and Tandberg.

And, clearly Nakamichi would fit that same category.


John
 
Anyone mention Fairchild or Western Electric yet?
RCA LC-1A?
Thorens TD-124?
Garrard 301?
KLH Model Nine Electrostatics?
 
Anyone mention Fairchild or Western Electric yet?
RCA LC-1A?
Thorens TD-124?
Garrard 301?
KLH Model Nine Electrostatics?

Good call on the Fairchild. I would also put Neumann and Telefunken out there as well, though they were more of a studio brand sort of thing.

And how about Empire and Scott?

Garrard was DEFINITELY high-end. The 301 and 401 are legendary. I have a Dual 1019, which, along with the 1219 and 1229, might fall in the upper-mid-fi class due to it's changer status, but paired with Fisher tube gear and Wharfedale speakers, it's like the synergy trifecta. The Dual idlers are a particularly-good match for both. Synergy trumps all in the end. Garrard, back in the early to mid '60's, was distributed in the US by the same company as Wharfedale (British Industries Corp./BIC).

Marantz, in the early '60's, had the 8 and 8b, which were DEFINITELY hi-end (I will be getting one for my W90's as soon as I can free up enough cash in the budget). And Harman Kardan had the original tube Citation. I enjoy flipping through the old hi-fi magazines, and it's clear who the big dogs are. Bozak was very-high-end. Their speakers were WAY out of my budget (my parents' budget :rolleyes: ) back in the '70's. Build-quality was top-notch. Wharfedale, which was sold in the states and Canada as well as Western Europe and the Far East, was surprisingly-affordable for the quality of it's drivers, which featured heavy cast frames and very-large magnets. A pair of W90's in '62-'63 was under $600 a pair. That's over $4000 today. Not a whole lot when you consider the sound. Wharfedale put high-end sound in the hands of the semi-heeled (and these days, the flat-footers like myself :D ).

How about Dynaco back in the tube era? Would their ST-70 have been considered high-end back in the '60's?

And regarding Fisher, I've always been fascinated by their TOTL speaker back in their heyday, the XP-18 (which has an 18" woofer, I think). According to the owner of the one in this picture (and it's mate) from a 6moons feature, it's best quality is it's "electrostatic-like coherence".
hero_18sub.jpg
 
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Lots of great feedback! Thanks!

So here is the list now.

Anything McIntosh
Earlier Fisher
ESS Speakers
Ohm Speakers
Top of the line name brands
Celestion Ditton 66
Wharfedale
Fairchild
Western Electric
RCA LC-1A
Thorens TD-124
Garrard 301 and 401
KLH Model Nine Electrostatics
Neumann
Telefunken
Empire
Scott
Fisher XP-18
Bozak
Harman Kardon Citation
Dynaco ? (I'm not sure about this one)
Great American Sound (G.A.S.)
Luxman separates
Denon TTs, carts
Dahlquist DQ-10
DCM Time Window
Early Magneplanar
Harbeth
Vandersteen
Klipsch legacy models
Altec-Lansing Model 19, 14, ?
Audire
Apt-Holman
Precision Fidelity
Kef 105, 104/2, 107, Concerto
Big JBLs
most early 'stats
Sherwood
Leak
Goodman
Tannoy
Klangfilm
Dual
SME
Audio Research,
Conrad-Johnson,
Krell, Pass,
higher end Parasound,
Cary,
Mark Levinson,
VTL
Ayre,
Meridian,
Wadia,
CAL
Wilson,
EgglestonWorks,
Von Schweikert,
Sonus Faber,
Dunlavy,
B&W,
Revel,
Thiel,
JM Labs,
Vandersteen,
Dynaudio
Quad ESLs
Luxman MB-3045/A3000 tube amps

I'm starting to think that any manufacturers TOTL or Statement Model is naturally included in this list.

I like seeing a list like this. I missed out on a pair of Meridians for an extra $200 on a lot purchase because I didn't know what they were.
 
Fairchild 412-1B

Anyone mention Fairchild or Western Electric yet?
RCA LC-1A?
Thorens TD-124?
Garrard 301?
KLH Model Nine Electrostatics?

Speaking of Fairchild - a photo from a 2012 thread of my 412-1B (S/N 11065) with Shure/SME 3009 taken in 1965 which I had purchased new in 1963.

attachment.php


. . . . and still in service in it's current location

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The Fisher receiver was pretty high end at the time as well and the speakers connected to this rig were Altec 846A's.

attachment.php


Sadly the Fairchild is the only component pictured still in my possession but I do still have Nipper as well.

The modest living space pictured was a converted garage that was my home for several years as a twenty-something year old recent east coast migrant to L.A. with very little money but a taste for music and great audio gear.
 
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Lots of great feedback! Thanks!

So here is the list now.

Anything McIntosh
Earlier Fisher
ESS Speakers
Ohm Speakers
Top of the line name brands
Celestion Ditton 66
Wharfedale
Fairchild
Western Electric
RCA LC-1A
Thorens TD-124
Garrard 301 and 401
KLH Model Nine Electrostatics
Neumann
Telefunken
Empire
Scott
Fisher XP-18
Bozak
Harman Kardon Citation
Dynaco ? (I'm not sure about this one)
Great American Sound (G.A.S.)
Luxman separates
Denon TTs, carts
Dahlquist DQ-10
DCM Time Window
Early Magneplanar
Harbeth
Vandersteen
Klipsch legacy models
Altec-Lansing Model 19, 14, ?
Audire
Apt-Holman
Precision Fidelity
Kef 105, 104/2, 107, Concerto
Big JBLs
most early 'stats
Sherwood
Leak
Goodman
Tannoy
Klangfilm
Dual
SME
Audio Research,
Conrad-Johnson,
Krell, Pass,
higher end Parasound,
Cary,
Mark Levinson,
VTL
Ayre,
Meridian,
Wadia,
CAL
Wilson,
EgglestonWorks,
Von Schweikert,
Sonus Faber,
Dunlavy,
B&W,
Revel,
Thiel,
JM Labs,
Vandersteen,
Dynaudio
Quad ESLs
Luxman MB-3045/A3000 tube amps

I'm starting to think that any manufacturers TOTL or Statement Model is naturally included in this list.

I like seeing a list like this. I missed out on a pair of Meridians for an extra $200 on a lot purchase because I didn't know what they were.

I think Marantz belongs on that list. Oversight I'm sure. :)
 
M&K Sound's early sub-woofer systems; not the later home theater products.
Michaelson and Austin (sp?) preamps and power amps.
Rectalinear III speakers; awesome beasts.
Theram power amps; local "cottage industry" maker.
Anything hand made by Julius Futterman.

OPG.
 
Some great comments!

I've just listed what has been put on here. With comments where I had them, like for the Dynaco gear. I always thought that it was more targeted at budding audio buffs. And then the list got out of control. True, I am looking for high end vintage. Some of the gear mentioned I've never heard of.

Not sure how best to tabulate the results, or even if we have results yet..and perhaps generalizing about all brands having high end gear (true, some brands TOTL models could never be considered high end) was a little rushed. Again, I was just logging what had been mentioned. So I will put the updated list at the beginning of this thread, but I'll need some help via feedback. There are so many products that it can become overwhelming.
 
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