Classic reviews

It's pretty much impossible, in that what would the comparison be? Dollars for dollars, so the linked Fisher 500 would be compared to a $800 current receiver, the Outlaw maybe? Or would you put the retail price into an inflation calculator and come out with several thousand dollars in today's money, add in some more for updating and go that direction? Maybe a comparison to current Chinese crafted integrateds at entry level pricing like the Willsenton? Too many possibilities, IMHO. It's chalk and cheese.

Link to review below and Wes Phillips sidebar using modern ancillaries, though I tend to see vintage being used with vintage.

Link

RE: Link., posted on July 15, 2022 at 13:18:05
fstein Audiophile Posts: 2996 Location: fstein Joined: May 18, 2006	Miss Peter Breuninger

Rip. Here's another of his vintage reviews., posted on July 15, 2022 at 13:48:21

viridian

Link below:

Link

thanks for that, it brings me instantly back in time /nt, posted on July 15, 2022 at 14:01:09
Story Audiophile Posts: 10453 Location: NJ Joined: December 11, 2000

I have owned the Fisher and smaller Bozaks.., posted on July 15, 2022 at 14:30:01
viridian	..but never anything near the Concert Grands. Would love to have a pair before I kick the bucket. The problem with large speakers is that they are hard to move on.

Concert Grand, posted on July 16, 2022 at 07:38:42

M3 lover
Audiophile

Posts: 6604
Location: SW Mich
Joined: May 29, 2005
Contributor
Since: July 4, 2007

Years ago I lived in a condo hi-rise. There was an older gentleman with a smallish unit on my floor. After we met and discovered a common interest in music and audio he invited me to hear his system.

All I remember about his set up was the single Concert Grand. I agreed his living room was not really large enough to accommodate a stereo pair. But that was no problem for musical enjoyment, that was absolutely wonderful.

"The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing, if you can fake that you've got it made." Groucho

Very cool story! Thank you for sharing. nt, posted on July 16, 2022 at 14:43:00
viridian	Nt

RE: Very cool story! Thank you for sharing. nt, posted on July 17, 2022 at 09:07:28

sony6060
Audiophile

Posts: 1465
Location: USA
Joined: August 8, 2014

Frankly, older SS gear is not the same audio quality as newer gear. Example is the Rega Elex R. Vintage tube gear needs higher quality coupling capacitors such as Russian K40Y-9 at sound as good as most new tube amps.

The new tube amp manufactures have known for a long time the coupling capacitors make a huge difference. Better solid-state amps have upgraded from electrolytic coupling capacitors to polypropylene capacitors. Vintage SS did not use polypropylene coupling capacitors.

Did you have a comment about the Concert Grand?, posted on July 17, 2022 at 13:25:40
M3 lover Audiophile Posts: 6604 Location: SW Mich Joined: May 29, 2005 Contributor Since: July 4, 2007	I don't remember what electronics my friend had. So I don't understand your reply. "The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing, if you can fake that you've got it made." Groucho

I think he's a bit confused, posted on July 17, 2022 at 13:48:17

Story
Audiophile

Posts: 10453
Location: NJ
Joined: December 11, 2000

he gives no distinction to 'Older Tube Gear' as in what kind of time line.

Back around WW2 it was experiments on the circuits. That was primary. The components became important to different manufacturers who were discerning as time proceeded throughout the 50's. It continued to progress as time went on.

There was a lot of things happening along the way in the design of EVERYTHING and it happened pretty fast because of competition. Those guys meant business

BTW, I had the russian teflons and a multitude of caps 20 years ago, I compared them with several brands and they were nothing special at all. I sent a letter to Stereophile which was printed saying they sounded 'bleached' as a descriptive. I compared them to the best I had at the time, the VH Audio teflons.

They might have been a good match for a system that sounded quite 'dark'.

there used to a stereo store back in the 70's near me, posted on July 18, 2022 at 05:07:58

Story
Audiophile

Posts: 10453
Location: NJ
Joined: December 11, 2000

a place called AC/AC recording. He had Bozak, Infinity, Phase Linear, Polk and many others.

When the 4H fairs came around every summer, he'd rent a spot and bring some of his stuff to show it off. Wouldn't you know it, he brought his Grands one year and I heard the Eagles first album for the first time. The song that really pulled me in was 'Chug All Night'. I didn't understand what they meant by that, but I went right to the record store and bought the album at Graymat Music at the Somerville circle. I must have played it 7 times over and over with my Dual 1219. Still love those guys.

EDIT - make that the 60's and 70's

Wow, another great recollection, thank you., posted on July 18, 2022 at 08:45:09
viridian	As it happened, yesterday I went to the home of another collector who has, among other things, Altec Magnificents. In all these years I had never seen, or heard, a pair. They were just a lot of fun. I had a grin on my face the whole time. Mondo impact and scale

oh my god, I tried to buy those once, posted on July 18, 2022 at 10:16:30
Story Audiophile Posts: 10453 Location: NJ Joined: December 11, 2000	I had to give up and buy a pair of Valencia's. I still have them doing duty on my wife's system upstairs. Even those are damn nice

Vintage Asylum

Classic reviews

67.246.17.21