a bit of fun

[ThomasOK]

Just to blow my own system out of the water I would like to have this setup:

https://youtu.be/IN1lE3Om8Z8

A Pioneer SX 1980 Receiver (the king of receivers) and Tannoy Arden HPD 385 speakers. Top it with a 1980 Sondek. This one would be nice:

https://youtu.be/jmFjye9LVVA


My older brother had the small Pioneer SX 434 with the lovely blue dial screen for radio and some home build speakers. He used it with a Technics direct drive turntable.

The Pioneer system is cool looking but if the clip on youtube is any example I'm glad I don't have to listen to it! There is a big demand for the top line Japanese receivers from the 70s despite the fact they weren't very good musically. An NAD 3020 will musically kill most of them. But it seems the baby boomers are now in the position of the children being out of the house and they can now buy the big ass receiver they lusted over in their youth but couldn't afford back then (instead buying SX 434s and similar). Because of this they tend to go for ridiculous money, the typical SX 1980 on eBay going between $2000 and $5500 but a recent flawless open box unit actually pulled in $25,000! This applies to a number of the big Japanese receivers of the time with the top line versions from Marantz, Yamaha, Sansui, Kenwood, Pioneer and others all going for sums often exceeding $1000. If it is big, shiny, silver and has lots of lights and meters, mostly blue, it will likely fetch well more than it is musically worth.

The LP12 certainly sounds much better and I had one with the Mission 774 arm, which I rather liked, along with a Supex SDX-1000 between my Grace 707 II and my Ittok/Asak.

While I'm at it I also had Vlado's nostalgia system, for quite some time. I don't need to comment too much on his new system except to say, sounds great to me!

[Charlie1]

I think this topic has run its course.

But to twist it a little, to what extent do members think that music from any period sounds more 'right' or 'well balanced' on a system manufactuered during that same period?

And if so, is it just cos you lived through that period (i.e. nostalgia when hearing your 70s LPs sound like they did during the 70s) or does it also apply to music before you were born?

This is not a musicality question. I think we all agree that the most musical system is the most musical across all genres and eras.

And I'm not advocating anyone build a system this way. Truth be told, I'm a bit bored and keen to stir up some conversation with you all :)

[Tendaberry]

Truth be told, I'm a bit bored and keen to stir up some conversation with you all :)

You could always claim, that any old Thorens is more musical than the LP12. I'm sure that would cause quite a stir, especially if you posted clips, where you switched the audio tracks (like Michael Fremer did in a comparison between a Technics SL1200 G and his own Continuum Caliburn ;-)

[Defender]

Tendaberry - how about clips from your new LP12? If my information is right it arrived today? ;)
BTW what do you think about the Technics 1200 or even the Technics SP-10 R?

[Charlie1]

I'm sure that would cause quite a stir, especially if you posted clips, where you switched the audio tracks (like Michael Fremer did in a comparison between a Technics SL1200 G and his own Continuum Caliburn ;-)

Not heard of that - is it something he did on purpose or by mistake?

You're probably not suggesting this, but just in case, I've no interest in being controverial. It's only ever curiousity driving my questions, perhaps fuelled by some boredom.

[Tendaberry]

I wasn't seriously implying that you should do something like that, just as the thread says "a bit of fun", Indeed, Michael Fremer did switch them.
@Defender: Can't make any comparison clips, since I don't have any LP12 clips stored, that I made earlier. Anyway, I'm considering returning to 1,0 Nm for the upper bass on my Akubariks, not entirely happy with the 1,09 Nm. Maybe some clips for that with my new LP12, which should arrive in about 1 hour.
Sorry for off-topic...

[ThomasOK]

There is no question to me that all my music, whether from the 50s, 60s, 70s or current pieces are more musical and more balanced on my current system than they were on any of my systems that I owned in the 60s and 70s. Of course, my system combines current source and electronics with speakers released in 1957 and made in 1978 for my pair. Best of both worlds? :-)

[markiteight]

I think this topic has run its course.

But to twist it a little, to what extent do members think that music from any period sounds more 'right' or 'well balanced' on a system manufactuered during that same period?

And if so, is it just cos you lived through that period (i.e. nostalgia when hearing your 70s LPs sound like they did during the 70s) or does it also apply to music before you were born?

This is not a musicality question. I think we all agree that the most musical system is the most musical across all genres and eras.

And I'm not advocating anyone build a system this way. Truth be told, I'm a bit bored and keen to stir up some conversation with you all :)

I don't think a system needs to be period correct to an album for that album to sound its best, but I do think there is something to the sound of a system sparking nostalgia. Shelter in place has found my on an '80s Synth Pop kick and I've been rediscovering a lot of music I haven't heard in decades. One album in particular was one of my favorites when I was 12-13-ish. I just acquired it on LP I and I haven't heard it since my $9.99 drug store blister pack Walkman ate the tape 30 years ago. Hearing it again decades later on a system that is several orders of magnitudes better is certainly a lot of fun, but that feeling of being transported back to my childhood simply isn't there like it is with some other albums. I found myself wanting to hear complete with all the hiss, wow, flutter, and distortion I enjoyed as a kid. This was especially apparent on the last song, where the Walkman batteries typically started to run flat. I'd never heard the song as full speed before!

The thought has crossed my mind that it would be fun to put together the system that was in my parent's living room when I was little. But have you seen what a Marantz 2240 and a pair of AR 2ax speakers are going for these days?! That's a Karousel's worth of vintage hi-fi I don't need!

[Charlie1]

Thanks for your posts and stories gents.

[donuk]

I think it is not possible to apply any absolute values really when judging music and systems of our pasts.

The factor that might be coming into play is simply this: Some of us older ones lived through the 60s and 70s and acquired reasonably good systems to listen to the fantastic music of the times. At least we thought we did.

The first decent system I had was (I may get the details wrong) a Thorens TD160, a Shure M75ED, a Pioneer 8080, and some over-large Leak speakers. And an Akai DB4000 tape deck.. I thought it sounded great and friends used to come round to admire it.

But..... It was not great, was it?

But. I first heard Dark Side of the Moon, American Pie, Hotel California and Jazz Samba on it. I listened to them many times. And that taught me what these albums sound like. Subsequent systems make them sound much too intimate to my nostalgic brain.

Don't some of you older ones get the same effect with early Beatle records? I first heard She Loves You on a six transistor portable with a four inch speaker. It sounded wonderful, never as good today when I can actually hear the bass guitar.

So the ideal solution - would be a good idea for a hifi show - would be to have a room with some typical kit from each decade playing music of the era.

Keep safe, Donuk empty downtown York
PS John MacCormack still sounds best on 78.

[Charlie1]

Nice read Don.

I read someone recently said their beatles records always sound best to them played with a simple conical stylus instead of high end MC. Similar thing perhaps.

[lindsayt]

If I were limited to the 1950's, say 1959, I'd have, if possible:

An EMT 927st
A pair of Western Electirc WE91A 300B SET monoblocks
A pair of EV Patrician IV speakers. Or maybe a pair of JBL Hartsfields.

[anthony]

I think it is not possible to apply any absolute values really when judging music and systems of our pasts.

The factor that might be coming into play is simply this: Some of us older ones lived through the 60s and 70s and acquired reasonably good systems to listen to the fantastic music of the times. At least we thought we did.

The first decent system I had was (I may get the details wrong) a Thorens TD160, a Shure M75ED, a Pioneer 8080, and some over-large Leak speakers. And an Akai DB4000 tape deck.. I thought it sounded great and friends used to come round to admire it.

But..... It was not great, was it?

But. I first heard Dark Side of the Moon, American Pie, Hotel California and Jazz Samba on it. I listened to them many times. And that taught me what these albums sound like. Subsequent systems make them sound much too intimate to my nostalgic brain.

Don't some of you older ones get the same effect with early Beatle records? I first heard She Loves You on a six transistor portable with a four inch speaker. It sounded wonderful, never as good today when I can actually hear the bass guitar.

So the ideal solution - would be a good idea for a hifi show - would be to have a room with some typical kit from each decade playing music of the era.

Keep safe, Donuk empty downtown York
PS John MacCormack still sounds best on 78.

Hi Don,

In the early 70s I had a rotel rx1600 and some large leak sandwich speakers, they were the 2060 model. My dad gave me a Garrard 301 which I wished I still owned.
I progressed to a & r 60 with spendor bc1 which were hard to improve on.

[FairPlayMotty]

I found the, "listen to an earlier system" idea very easy. When moving house I discovered the system (minus the speakers) I listened to before I bought my primarily Linn-based system - it had been in a cupboard for twenty years. The amps were Cyrus and the CD player was an award winning Rotel from the 90s. The speakers (Mission 753 Freedom) were still being used in the bedroom. The Cyrus amps are now powering a Hakai in my bedroom. My Linn Classik is powering a Hakai in the kitchen. But the primary system in the lounge is night and day better. Nostalgia over my old Sugden A48, KLH speakers etc. does nothing for me. Due to Fredrik's generosity I am now listening to the best sounding music I've ever heard.

The CD player, tape deck and a Dual CS505 are in a rack upstairs for my daughter to enjoy retro.














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