This joint needs some more vintage hifi

1679111262

Comments

  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,926
    edited March 2013
    Nice Quads... nice stuff.
    Do you happen to know a guy in MA whose first name begins with the letter "W", by any chance? If not - I think you two would like each other :-)

    DSC_5170-1.jpg
  • Spriggs
    Spriggs Posts: 7
    edited March 2013
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    Nice Quads... nice stuff.
    Do you happen to know a guy in MA whose first name begins with the letter "W", by any chance? If not - I think you two would like each other :-)



    I like your rack(haha), and no i dont know any one by that name, im a kid btw (15) so other than my relative i dont know anyone.
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,926
    edited March 2013
    Not mine, unfortunately - too bad, a 15 year old should have speakers and electronics like that! ;-)

    My stuff is a tad more pedestrian...

    newamp.jpg
  • Spriggs
    Spriggs Posts: 7
    edited March 2013
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    Not mine, unfortunately - too bad, a 15 year old should have speakers and electronics like that! ;-)

    My stuff is a tad more pedestrian...

    [IMG][/IMG]

    I have no idea how i got into this kinda stuff it happend in middle school, I love it though. Oh that a nice little se amp i love the wood finish on the chassis. Are those sophias? How do you like Sophia?
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,926
    edited March 2013
    Yes they are - we taste-tested a bunch of different 2A3s in the amp (including some pretty nice vintage ones) and the Sophias won.
  • Spriggs
    Spriggs Posts: 7
    edited March 2013
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    Yes they are - we taste-tested a bunch of different 2A3s in the amp (including some pretty nice vintage ones) and the Sophias won.

    Oh really? I had a couple sophias but i settled for vintage 45s inplace of 2a3s. fun fact i live right next to sophias hq
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,926
    edited March 2013
    That's interesting.

    Vintage 45s are in a different category altogether; are you using globe 45s?
  • Drenis
    Drenis Posts: 2,871
    edited March 2013
    Well this 15 yr old schools me at tubes... I'm lost.
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,926
    edited March 2013
    at what point? the Sophia 2A3 (which is, as I understand it, essentially the same as their 300B but with a 2.5V filament; more plate dissipation than a 'real' 2A3)?

    :-)

    I certainly don't think I knew what a single-ended amplifier was when I was 15 (although I did know what a Williamson circuit was) ;-)
  • hertz9753
    hertz9753 Posts: 310
    edited March 2013
    Spriggs wrote: »
    ive joined

    Yes you did. :biggrin:
    AVR-Onkyo TX-NR808
    Front amp-Adcom GFA 555>Polk Audio LSi9's(Vr3 Castle Mods)
    Center amp-Adcom GFA 5400>Polk Audio LSi9 bi-wired(Vr3 Castle Mod)
    Surrounds-Polk Audio F/X500's<Onkyo TX-NR808
    Sub-Velodyne SPL-1000R
  • Glen B
    Glen B Posts: 269
    edited March 2013
    I feel like these are modern compared to some of the equipment in this thread, but here goes:

    Denon DP-59L
    101.jpg

    SAE-2300
    SAE-2300_01.jpg

    SAE-2400
    SAE-2400_03_zps63da88d8.jpg

    Phase Linear 400 Series 2
    PL400-2_03.jpg

    Pioneer SA-7100
    SA-7100_01.jpg

    Adcom's first amp, the GFA-1
    GFA-1_01_zpsd7c388af.jpg

    Kenwood KA-5002
    KA-5002_01_zps2a6edc26.jpg
    Main System: Denon DP-59L | Audio-Technica AT33EV | Marantz SA-11S2 | Classe DR-10 | Classe CA-300 | Classe RC-1 | PSB Stratus Gold i's | DIY Balanced AC Power Conditioner | Acoustic Zen and NeoTech cables | Oyaide and Furutech power connectors | Dedicated 20A isolated ground line.

    Home Theater: Toshiba D-VR5SU | Laptop #1 |Outlaw Audio OAW3 wireless audio system | Marantz SR-19 | Phase Linear 400 Series 2, modified | AudioSource 10.1 EQ (for subs) | Axiom M3 v3’s | Axiom VP150 | Optimus PRO-X55AVs | Dayton 12” powered subs (x2) | Belkin PureAV PF-60 line conditioner.

    Party System: Laptop #2 | Audioquest Dragonfly USB DAC | Technics SU-A6 | Acurus A-250 | Radio Shack 15-band EQ | Pioneer SR-9 reverb | Cerwin Vega DX9's | Dayton 100° x 60° horns with titanium HF/MF compression drivers.
  • Spriggs
    Spriggs Posts: 7
    edited March 2013
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    That's interesting.

    Vintage 45s are in a different category altogether; are you using globe 45s?

    I am. they are very nice.
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,926
    edited March 2013
    Glen B wrote: »
    I feel like these are modern compared to some of the equipment in this thread, but here goes:

    Denon DP-59L
    101.jpg

    SAE-2300
    SAE-2300_01.jpg

    SAE-2400
    SAE-2400_03_zps63da88d8.jpg

    Phase Linear 400 Series 2
    PL400-2_03.jpg

    Pioneer SA-7100
    SA-7100_01.jpg

    Adcom's first amp, the GFA-1
    GFA-1_01_zpsd7c388af.jpg

    Kenwood KA-5002
    KA-5002_01_zps2a6edc26.jpg

    Nope, you're good :-)
    Spriggs wrote: »
    I am. they are very nice.

    cool!
  • cnh
    cnh Posts: 13,284
    edited March 2013
    Spriggs wrote: »
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    Nice Quads... nice stuff.
    Do you happen to know a guy in MA whose first name begins with the letter "W", by any chance? If not - I think you two would like each other :-)



    I like your rack(haha), and no i dont know any one by that name, im a kid btw (15) so other than my relative i dont know anyone.

    Welcome to Club Polk!

    OK, now you can come "clean" on who introduced you to this stuff and where you got it? It's OK. Because it's not likely that you stumbled onto it at your age (then again, remember, this is the internet so I could be 10 years old myself, if I wanted to be--not that I question your age?).

    If you are 15, then there is a friend or relative somewhere in your past--a dabbler in vintage audio. And then there is the "ability" to collect such pieces with little or no "income"? So family resources?

    Sorry if I'm giving you a hard time, but we've had members here create new accounts and "personas" just to pull our legs. And I am a bit of a doubting Thomas, you see!

    In any case. Nice stuff, but hardly something one could collect on a 15 year old's allowance. lol

    cnh
    Currently orbiting Bowie's Blackstar.!

    Polk Lsi-7s, Def Tech 8" sub, HK 3490, HK HD 990 (CDP/DAC), AKG Q701s
    [sig. changed on a monthly basis as I rotate in and out of my stash]
  • cnh
    cnh Posts: 13,284
    edited March 2013
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    at what point? the Sophia 2A3 (which is, as I understand it, essentially the same as their 300B but with a 2.5V filament; more plate dissipation than a 'real' 2A3)?

    :-)

    I certainly don't think I knew what a single-ended amplifier was when I was 15 (although I did know what a Williamson circuit was) ;-)

    I think you're being too "modest" here, mhardy. Either that or you were slacking off! lol

    As for me, I was reading Camus and Sartre and articulating my own theory of the "ridiculous", and the "absurd"--something I've NEVER really recovered from. So I do NOT recommend it (you'll be brooding over the human condition for the rest of your life and die with no answers!).

    cnh
    Currently orbiting Bowie's Blackstar.!

    Polk Lsi-7s, Def Tech 8" sub, HK 3490, HK HD 990 (CDP/DAC), AKG Q701s
    [sig. changed on a monthly basis as I rotate in and out of my stash]
  • Sprags
    Sprags Posts: 120
    edited March 2013
    I bet this really doesn't count as 'vintage' but the person I'm buying by brand new amp from builds his new amps based on the old Dynaco ST-70 design. I'm not an electronics guy but from what I understand the design is pretty much per the orginal design except for a new modern upgrades which includes a stainless steel heavy gage chassis as opposed to the original. He sells them in kit form as well as builds them. I heard an ST-120 a few years ago and it was absolutely beautiful in sound. He has several models, one of which is referred to as the VTA ST-70 and a more powerful amp which is the VTA ST-120. I remember the ST-70 from a girl I dated in the early 80's whose father built one and had in the his family room system. Here's the link:
    http://www.tubes4hifi.com/bob.htm

    I know there is another web site that also sells kits based on the original design. These are acually closer to the original design. Here's the link for those: http://www.dynakitparts.com/store/

    Hope this post is appropriate.
  • Glen B
    Glen B Posts: 269
    edited March 2013
    From the first sentence, I knew you had to be talking about Bob Latino. :)
    Main System: Denon DP-59L | Audio-Technica AT33EV | Marantz SA-11S2 | Classe DR-10 | Classe CA-300 | Classe RC-1 | PSB Stratus Gold i's | DIY Balanced AC Power Conditioner | Acoustic Zen and NeoTech cables | Oyaide and Furutech power connectors | Dedicated 20A isolated ground line.

    Home Theater: Toshiba D-VR5SU | Laptop #1 |Outlaw Audio OAW3 wireless audio system | Marantz SR-19 | Phase Linear 400 Series 2, modified | AudioSource 10.1 EQ (for subs) | Axiom M3 v3’s | Axiom VP150 | Optimus PRO-X55AVs | Dayton 12” powered subs (x2) | Belkin PureAV PF-60 line conditioner.

    Party System: Laptop #2 | Audioquest Dragonfly USB DAC | Technics SU-A6 | Acurus A-250 | Radio Shack 15-band EQ | Pioneer SR-9 reverb | Cerwin Vega DX9's | Dayton 100° x 60° horns with titanium HF/MF compression drivers.
  • Mikey081057
    Mikey081057 Posts: 7,127
    edited March 2013
    Those old SAE's look great even today
    My New Year's resolution is 3840 × 2160

    Family Room| Marantz AV7704| Usher Dancer Mini - 2 DMD Mains |Usher Dancer Mini-x DMD's Surrounds | Usher BE-616 DMD Center | SVS Ultra Rear Surrounds | Parasound Halo A21 | Parsound Halo A52+ | MIT Shotgun S3's | Dual SVS SB 4000 Ultras | Oppo UDP 203 | Directv Genie HD DVR | Samsung 75" Q8 QLED | PSAudio Stellar GCD | Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ | Lumin U1 Mini | HP Elite Slice PC | ROON'd for life |

    ManCave: HT:Polk LSiM 706VR3 LSiM 703's LSiM 702's|| Marantz AV7002 AV PrePro Sunfire TGA-7401| Sony PS4 Pro| Sony PS4 Pro|SVS PB13 Ultra| Oppo UDP 203 | Music Hall MMF 5.3se TT w/ Soundsmith Carmen | Samsung 55" SUHD TV | Sony PS4

    Patio | Polk Atrium 8's | Yamaha R-N303BL |

    Office BlueSound Node| KEF LS50 | Peactree Nova 125SE |

    Bedroom | Focal 905's | Chromecast Audio |

    Garage | Polk Monitor 5B's

    Closet Yamaha M80 | 2 Polk MP3K subs| Yaqin MC100B with Shuguang Treasures KT 88's & CV181Z's | Tesla E83CC's | Marantz 2252B | Marantz 2385 |Polk SDA SRS 2.3 | LSiM 705's |
  • heartystatue
    heartystatue Posts: 329
    edited March 2013
    My dad had the SAE amp and preamp. From back in the mid 70s. Had a pair of EPI towers for speaks. Those were monsters. I knocked more than a couple pics off the walls listening to them.
    HT: LSI15, LSIC, LSIFX, Emo XPA-3:biggrin: Onkyo TXNR809, Sony BDP-S500, PannyDMP-BDT320, MIT S1 SC. Mit 73842dlp
    2ch: SDA-SRS 2.3 Fully modded. BAT VK500 w/batpak, BAT VK5I, Essence HDACC.
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,926
    edited March 2013
    cnh wrote: »
    I think you're being too "modest" here, mhardy. Either that or you were slacking off! lol

    As for me, I was reading Camus and Sartre and articulating my own theory of the "ridiculous", and the "absurd"--something I've NEVER really recovered from. So I do NOT recommend it (you'll be brooding over the human condition for the rest of your life and die with no answers!).

    cnh

    Nietzsche was more fun! ;-)

    PS Everything I know about philosophy I learned from Monty Python...

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_WRFJwGsbY
    (some adult language from the Pythons)
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,926
    edited March 2013
    Oh, and back on topic - You all, likely, know the tale of the late, great James "Bongo" Bongiorno. Bongiorno started his career with Dynaco and contributed to the big Dynaco 400/410/416 power amp designs, then moved on to SAE and then on to his own Great American Sound Company (GAS).

    GAS was famous for the Ampzilla power amp and numerously cleverly named (by the standards of the day - it was the 1970s, after all!) preamps and a digital tuner called... yes... Charlie (as in "Charlie the Tuner"). From GAS, he progressed to SUMO (the SUMO Charlie, at this late date, is rather better known than the original GAS version)... and, late in his life, an Ampzilla reboot called "Ampzilla 2000". www.ampzilla2000.com

    Bongiorno passed away fairly recently, his sense of style in music, audio, and in matters sartorial will be missed.

    JimB.jpg
    source - http://www.ampzilla2000.com/JimB.jpg

    A fine, large-sized JPG of the early version of the original Ampzilla amplifier: http://amp8.com/tr-amp/foreign/gas/jpeg/zilla2a2-1c.jpg

    I have one GAS piece (piece of GAS?)... a somewhat scruffy but well-functioning GAS Thoebe preamp. I don't have a good photo of it; here it is in situ waiting for something to do...

    thoebe.jpg


    Someday I'd love to have a Son of Ampzilla.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 7,658
    edited March 2013
    "Bongo Jim" in a red zoot suit, priceless! Twenty three skidoo!
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,926
    edited March 2013
    The vintage GAS amps and the vintage Polk Audio "Monitor Series" speakers play very well together.
  • cnh
    cnh Posts: 13,284
    edited March 2013
    Mr. Ampzilla? I remember the first time I heard of that amp, I thought someone was pulling my leg. Ampzilla? Really? But, as is often the case, I was WRONG. I have yet to hear one. But they do seem to be "legendary".

    And the guy's history was almost as colorful as his dress?

    cnh
    Currently orbiting Bowie's Blackstar.!

    Polk Lsi-7s, Def Tech 8" sub, HK 3490, HK HD 990 (CDP/DAC), AKG Q701s
    [sig. changed on a monthly basis as I rotate in and out of my stash]
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,926
    edited March 2013
    The GAS stuff was good sounding. A little tempermental, but good sounding.
  • WastelandWand'r
    WastelandWand'r Posts: 466
    edited March 2013
    Mr. Hardy,
    It appears to be calling to you.
    No affil., just thought it was timely with the recent discussion about this amp.
    Nathan

    http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/ele/3548541583.html
    Home Rig

    SDA 2.3TL's front and center
    Polk 1000p Center
    Pioneer Elite SC35 Receiver (Pre/Surround
    Sunfire Cinema Grand 5X200-Back in the mix.
    OPPO BDP-93
    Squeezebox
    Stepped up to name brand Speaker Cables and interconnects!
    Monitor 4, 5, 7, 10's, SDA 1B's, 2B's, 2.3TL's, RTA 15TL's all in storage waiting for me.
    Sales Rating #1!!
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,926
    edited March 2013
    callin' from too far away (and too 'spensive, too)... but thanks for posting that. They're not horrifically common any more.

    FWIW, the one I'd like to have is the ca. 80 wpc Son of Ampzilla :-)
  • Spriggs
    Spriggs Posts: 7
    edited March 2013
    cnh wrote: »
    Spriggs wrote: »

    Welcome to Club Polk!

    OK, now you can come "clean" on who introduced you to this stuff and where you got it? It's OK. Because it's not likely that you stumbled onto it at your age (then again, remember, this is the internet so I could be 10 years old myself, if I wanted to be--not that I question your age?).

    If you are 15, then there is a friend or relative somewhere in your past--a dabbler in vintage audio. And then there is the "ability" to collect such pieces with little or no "income"? So family resources?

    Sorry if I'm giving you a hard time, but we've had members here create new accounts and "personas" just to pull our legs. And I am a bit of a doubting Thomas, you see!

    In any case. Nice stuff, but hardly something one could collect on a 15 year old's allowance. lol

    cnh

    Sorry late reply
    I under your doubt it is the internet after all. I am not pulling anyones leg but yea I myself did not pay for everything 1% would be quite the overstatement as well. If you still dont believe me either continue not believing me or met me in person(loljk i dont meet strangers from the internet). But i do have the birth certificate to prove my age and a highschool ID card (I dont have my licence yet i know i should get it soon but ive just been to lazy and SOLs are coming up soon).
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,902
    edited March 2013
    Mommy just taught him how to use a computer ^^^^^
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • leftwinger57
    leftwinger57 Posts: 2,917
    edited March 2013
    After going through these pages that name of Mr.Borgiorno has been heard by me before. Being a Dead gear head that's where I heard the name . After Bob Weir ditched his Mac 2300s for whatever reason he went w/ GAS amps and the original AMZILLA was his main power source after they tore down the WOS and he gigged w/ his own band Rat Dog. From what I heard they were not all that road worthy until some improvements were made then became standard fare for Weir for a long time.
    2chl- Adcom GFA- 555-Onkyo P-3150v pre/amp- JVC-QL-A200 tt- Denon 1940 ci cdp- Adcom GFS-6 -Modded '87 SDA 2Bs - Dynamat Ext.- BH-5- X-Overs VR-3, RDO-194 tweeters, Larry's Rings, Speakon/Neutrik I/C- Cherry stain tops Advent Maestros,Ohm model E

    H/T- Toshiba au40" flat- Yamaha RX- V665 avr- YSD-11 Dock- I-Pod- Klipsch #400HD Speaker set-

    Bdrm- Nikko 6065 receiver- JBL -G-200s--Pioneer 305 headphones--Sony CE375-5 disc