Cheap vintage amp with peaker power level meters or vu meters

gasolin75

gasolin75

Well-Known Member
I want to buy a cheap vintage amp to add to my system,use it for a while, if it needs to be shined up,cleaned i will do that, hear how it sounds, control my speakers, get some more experience with a vintage amp, try something different.

A few things i would like to have is peak power level meter or vu meters so i can get and idea of how loud (watt) im playing since my phone can't show spl above 89db, when i play 88-89 db i i can hear if the amp distorts and i would know im playing above it's limit, i just would like to hear how loud the music is relative to how much the peak power level meter, vu meters are showing, it also adds a bit extra having peaker power level meters,vu meters.

I also would like to have more than 30 watt pr channel in 8 ohm.

Price under 100 euro 90 punds.

So fare i have found a Technics SU 7100k, Technics SU 3500 no peak power level meter or vu meter.

Some say the SU-3500 is one of the best sounding older technics amps (in the reviews)
https://www.hifiengine.com/manual_library/technics/su-3500.shtml

JVC ja-s22 vu meters,Pioneer SA-508 peak power level meters, a bit expensive and only 2x25watt.

Is there other amps you would recommend?
 
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As far as analog meters go, despite what they claim to show, they're just a VU meter. Some may have a dial scale calibrated in watts but they are VU meters none the less. They will not be accurate in showing what actual power the amp is producing. Their main purpose is "eye candy".

Despite that, I like the look of meters on amplifiers.

Peak reading LED's might be different....or not.

I've had a couple NAD 3020's and was always surprised at how loud the music had to get before the 1 watt LED started flashing.
 
The Yamaha sold in the US as the CA-410ii (identical, I think, to the CA-510 sold in other territories) is a decent, low-powered, low priced integrated amplifier with little analog output power meters.


Vintage-Yamaha-CA-410-II-Natural-Sound-Integrated.jpg

(borrowed image)

There was also, apparently, a CA-410 that is probably very similar inside, but cosmetically different (nicer, actually). I've never seen one in the "flesh", though.

$_3.JPG

(borrowed image)

If you want a little more power the Yamaha CA-610/CA-610II/CA-710 (depending on territory) is a very nice 45 wpc (give or take) stereo integrated amplifier. I've owned one since 1978 and I've never been disappointed by its performance.

P1020541 by Mark Hardy, on Flickr

JUST BE AWARE THAT the meters won't really help with your problem -- in virtually all cases, on modestly-priced, consumer grade equipment, they measure output voltage, and "convert" the voltage to watts based on a nominal load impedance (typically 8 ohms). Also, the ballistics of an inexpensive analog meter are typically too slow to respond to transients.
 
Vu meters or peak level meters, i would just like something with that so i get an idea how much load on the amp (watt) theres is and it does look kind of cool, my dad use to have a tape deck with old vu meters and it looked cool.

It was just to have some small project to fiddle around with, clean it make shure nothing makes unwanted sounds,compare it to what i have,hear how it sound when not having to much power compared to what i have,can it be punchy,loud enough (wouldn't it be easier to make a small amp "watt" that have alot of power for it's size,watt like the nad 3020 than a big amp?)get to hear it with my favorite music (pink loyd,queen,dire straits,blues,deep purple....), talk about it in forums, just use it until i want something different,get new experiences.

I found a Nad 3020B with the tuner that matches, for the same price as the amp was sold for about 40 years ago and im interedsted in the technics su-3500 (althought it doesn't have vu meters).
 
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I only paid $40 for my Proton D1200.
Proton-D1200-Stereo-Power-Amplifier-Tested-and-brought.jpg
Of course it doesn't work, and needs at least half the final transistors replaced, but it was cheap.:D


I have both NAD and Technics equipment and am very happy with both.
 
Are you looking for integrated amps only? There are many options in the power amp camp.
 
Mostly integrated amps, i had for some time 2 amps i could use.

When i have used the secondary amp for a few weeks,months i usually sell it.

When i do that i usually lost what it would cost me to rent a powerfull amp or an amp and speakers for 1 or 2 days (if you need something for a party) which is not to bad, 1 powerfull system for a day or to or an amp for 1-3 month.
 
gasolin75 said:
Mostly integrated amps, i had for some time 2 amps i could use.

When i have used the secondary amp for a few weeks,months i usually sell it.

When i do that i usually lost what it would cost me to rent a powerfull amp or an amp and speakers for 1 or 2 days (if you need something for a party) which is not to bad, 1 powerfull system for a day or to or an amp for 1-3 month.
Click to expand...

Why not buy something you actually like and want to keep lol.
 
I suspect there are hundreds of amps that fit the requirements.
This is what I have. Pioneer SA6700. I got mine for about $100. Component count is low and a lot of room between the components make it easy to work on if you are just starting out. No protection relay to corrode. On-line service manual available. Real wood sides.

sa-6700.jpg
SA-6700 insides 2.JPG
bulb change 4.JPG
 
I have one of these and I like it a lot. It has relatively large, visible meters too.
Seems like they pop up once in a while pretty inexpensive.
Sounds great.
Love the huge volume knob right in the middle on these!

KA5700.JPG
 
Oldsansui441 said:
How about an Akai AM-2450, are these easy to source in Denmark? They are from a really nice series of integrated amps.
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Akai Am-2400,2600,2850 are not cheap 250 euros and up

what i can get to give an example for under 125 euros or just within my budget without having to sell my amp.

Luxman, R-600s (reciever), nad 3020b, 2x nad 7020 (reciever), Technics Su-3500 (silver i prefere dark color), nikko NA-2090 (silver).Hitachi HA-3500, nad 3400 just old enough to be qualified as a vintage amp......
 
There are these Realistic/Radio Shack APM-200 external meter things. Had to have look on e-bay SOLD and $200 (or higher) = bad idea.

Tthey probably weren't more than $50 brand new.

Realistic APM-200.jpg
 
62vauxhall said:
There are these Realistic/Radio Shack APM-200 external meter things. Had to have look on e-bay SOLD and $200 (or higher) = bad idea.

Tthey probably weren't more than $50 brand new.

View attachment 1400243
Click to expand...
Forty-nine ninety-five, of course.
New for 80 :)

upload_2019-1-27_13-51-15.png

source: www.radioshackcatalogs.com (1980)

Its all analog :) predecessor was considerably cheaper (at least back then).
Nowadays, both of these meters are astonishingly expensive :p

upload_2019-1-27_13-58-28.png
source: www.radioshackcatalogs.com (1978)
 
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If you get a unit with LED watt meters, it will respond far quicker than needle meters to peaks.

The JVC A-X1/2/3/4 series might be reasonable-- 40 to 60 or so watts, with LED meters, fairly cheap.
 
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