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Why Is Vintage Stuff So......

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Posted on October 21, 2015 at 10:57:16
AudioSoul
Audiophile

Posts: 4594
Location: north central AZ
Joined: July 9, 2005

Cool looking and sounding? The designs were so cool looking and had weight and heft to them. You felt like you were buying something special that would last. The modern day equipment feels like it has a short shelf life to me. What if someone built new equipment to vintage standards?

 

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RE: Why Is Vintage Stuff So......, posted on October 21, 2015 at 11:30:48
Poinzy
 Hail miniaturization. You can accomplish the same thing now with fewer and smaller parts. As a result, things aren't as hefty.

Frankly, when I think of the huge cabinet full of heavy, tube amps in my livingroom when I was a kid, I'm thankful for smaller, more powerful solid-state amps. "Vintage standards" wouldn't appeal to me.

 

"miniaturization" often means impossible to service NT, posted on October 21, 2015 at 12:00:12
Alpha Al
Industry Professional

Posts: 2958
Location: N. Carolina
Joined: February 16, 2004
Contributor
  Since: December 3, 2015
 /

 

RE: "miniaturization" often means impossible to service NT, posted on October 21, 2015 at 12:07:14
Poinzy
 I'll take that chance. I can't imagine what I'd do if I had to rely on tubes and pre-amps with big, clunky transformers on them. No thanks.

 

RE: Why Is Vintage Stuff So......, posted on October 21, 2015 at 12:13:18
Steve O
Audiophile

Posts: 12364
Location: SE MI
Joined: September 6, 2001
 If equipment was constructed to vintage standards it would be prohibitively expensive...like $10K amps and $30K speakers. Long service life and inherent repairability are actually negatives in an environment where advancements in the reproducing arts occur almost daily. Cool design is just a reflection of the culture at the time of design. Style and fashion are mercurial by nature and don't warrant appreciation outside of the cultural context in which they were conceived. ;-)

 

"I can't imagine what I'd do if I had to rely on tubes and pre-amps with big, clunky transformers on them"..., posted on October 21, 2015 at 12:17:22
Steve O
Audiophile

Posts: 12364
Location: SE MI
Joined: September 6, 2001
 ...I can! ;-)

 

Over generalization?, posted on October 21, 2015 at 12:21:55
E-Stat
Audiophile

Posts: 37607
Joined: May 12, 2000
Contributor
  Since: April 5, 2002
 Hmmm. Do you think that is the case for brands like Audio Research, VTL, Pass Labs, Ayre, etc.?

Maybe you're not looking in the right places. Having owned models from those companies (or related ones) over a period of thirty plus years, I can attest to both their weight and durability.

 

I have this feeling..., posted on October 21, 2015 at 16:53:46
FenderLover
 that there will be old heavy iron, vacuum tube units around --- 25 years from now. But, today's lightweight & cheap miniature integrated circuitry stuff... dunno.

I know ppl will be using vintage tube Fender amps well into this century.

 

RE: I have this feeling..., posted on October 21, 2015 at 17:19:17
Poinzy
 Amps used as, essentially, musical instruments, such as guitar amps, are different animals from ones used for standard signal processing. Besides, if your main priority is recording, they've got, as you must know, highly convincing, solid-state guitar-amp simulators that are a lot cheaper than 50W Mesa Boogies and Marshalls. And they can fit on your desk.

If you think solid-state has a doubtful future, I think you're in for a terrible shock.

 

No. Current solid-state is the future, posted on October 21, 2015 at 17:46:09
FenderLover
 But, that doesn't mean there won't be a place for tubes.

The life of ss units is not as good as some tube units. More landfill items. Guess throwaway is the future.


8^)

 

By impossible to service, don't you mean..., posted on October 21, 2015 at 18:13:23
Mr. Dick Hertz
 ...throw away?

 

RE: Why Is Vintage Stuff So......, posted on October 22, 2015 at 05:31:46
BillH
Audiophile

Posts: 3913
Location: Baton Rouge
Joined: December 23, 1999
 Someone does. Audio Research.

 

RE: Why Is Vintage Stuff So......, posted on October 22, 2015 at 06:09:57
geezerrocket









I'll take my vintage gear any day over its modern day equivalent.

1) It sounds FANTASTIC!
2) It looks COOL!
3) A ham fisted dumb ass like me can work on it!
4) I'm nostalgic. Made in the U.S.A. once meant best!
5) It won't be in a landfill in 20 years.

Did I mention that it looks cool?

Notice photo #1;

I'm guessing the Fisher TA-500 (circa 1955) is around and playing beautiful music long after the Steve Jobs unit that sits atop of it is in a box in the attic.......









 

And It Doesn't End At Home., posted on October 22, 2015 at 06:31:34
geezerrocket









Vintage gear just belongs at the cabin....

Interior decor selected by a couple of Norske savages - My brother and I.










 

RE: And It Doesn't End At Home., posted on October 22, 2015 at 07:31:24
Mr. Dick Hertz
 Where did you get the giant capacitors for the TV stand?

 

RE: And It Doesn't End At Home., posted on October 22, 2015 at 07:44:21
geezerrocket
 Ha!

Yeah man, that's a lot of paper and a lot of oil!



 

RE: Why Is Vintage Stuff So......, posted on October 22, 2015 at 07:57:33
dls123
Dealer

Posts: 1214
Location: Beautiful B.C.
Joined: April 15, 2003



Please, this is not an ad, just an example, but I make custom tube gear as well as restore vintage gear. Mine is way over built with good parts that are run conservatively and will last a LONG time. It is also made to be serviced eventually when you have to change a filter cap or something some day! There are many more commercial manufacturers who build good, long lasting tube gear as mentioned in posts below. Long live tubes...

cheers,
Don

 

RE: Why Is Vintage Stuff So......, posted on October 22, 2015 at 09:46:04
Crazy Dave
Audiophile

Posts: 14371
Location: East Coast
Joined: October 4, 2001
 Beautiful work! As you say, there are others. They just are not cheap. Of course the vintage equipment that we cherish now were not cheap when they were new.

Dave

 

RE: Why Is Vintage Stuff So......, posted on October 23, 2015 at 22:14:18
dls123
Dealer

Posts: 1214
Location: Beautiful B.C.
Joined: April 15, 2003
 Hi
I just read that guy's review of the citation I and II copies. Wow, he knows very little, but tries to sound authoritative. For example he talks about how the citation I (new) preamp has switches rather than continuous tone controls and how they are truly out of circuit in one position. That this is somehow better than the original which had continuous tone controls. Well, gee, I have rebuilt over 50 citation I preamps (the original ones) and guess what... every one of them had switches for tone controls and they are out of circuit when at 12 o'clock. Never seen a continuous tone control on a citation I preamp. Then he talks about how the original citation II amp was 50 watts per channel. Ummm, I have rebuilt about 70 of them and they are 60 watts / ch and they are really about 65 watts/ch when rebuilt.... Guy knows nothing, but writes like he does:) I just love the audio press.

Anyway, yes, modern tube gear can be expensive. I agree. But you can fix it one day if it is well designed. The thing is, that the vintage gear that is 40+ years old needs to be rebuilt too and that brings the price of it up. But most of it can be restored to run another 40 years. Try that with a lot of modern gear.....

 

You Gotta Hand It To The Writer, posted on October 24, 2015 at 08:14:11
geezerrocket
 He doesn't let facts stand in the way of his preconceived notions.



 

RE: Why Is Vintage Stuff So......, posted on October 26, 2015 at 08:58:14
Crazy Dave
Audiophile

Posts: 14371
Location: East Coast
Joined: October 4, 2001
 I don't know about modern gear, because I can't afford it. But I am working on rebuilding some vintage transistor gear. I have worked on both tube and transistor gear. The transistor gear is usually more complex and the workspace is much tighter, but it is doable. If you are starting with electrolytic capacitors, that is what you will be using, because there isn't enough space for anything else. Still, I expect my Threshold CAS-1 and my C-2x to be around for quite a long time. Don't get me wrong, I've owned and loved tube gear. I currently own pieces I plan to restore. I just think there are worth sand amps and preamps too.

As fare as the review goes, I was wondering about that tone control statement myself. I linked to it to show that they were still making Citation copies.

Dave

 

So simply put, but soooo damn corect! Love it! nt, posted on October 26, 2015 at 22:22:43
alaskahiatt
Audiophile

Posts: 7503
Joined: December 9, 2000
Contributor
  Since: November 1, 2005
 nt

 

RE: Why Is Vintage Stuff So......, posted on November 3, 2015 at 20:53:38
Fisherfan
Audiophile

Posts: 189
Location: S.E. Michigan
Joined: March 21, 2004
 This is a beautiful presentation.

 

RE: Why Is Vintage Stuff So......, posted on November 4, 2015 at 11:19:15
geezerrocket
 Thanks



 

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