How do we remember 1970s amplifiers?


I would be curious to hear some of the memories and impressions associated with the following short list of 1970s amplifiers:

- McIntosh "first generation" SS amps, MC2105, MC2505, MC2300, MC250, MC2100
- Dynaco Stereo 400 and Stereo 120
- Phase Linear 400 and 700
- Bang & Olufsen "slide rule" receivers (i.e. especially blackface Beomaster 4000)
- Original Ampzilla (not Son of Ampzilla)

I've chosen this list mainly because they cover a wide range of approaches to solving the issues of early semiconductor technology, and they were all pretty mainstream products in the U.S. I'm excluding the Japanese receivers/amps not out of predjudice; it's simply that the circuit designs varied quite a bit with each model, and thus harder to broadly classify their characteristics.

I'm interested in impressions of both sonic and non-sonic attributes, and a preferred ranking of the above, if you like.
kirkus

Showing 3 responses by pubul57

Well it was from an earlier time, but what I had in the 70s - the MAC MA 230 hybrid integrated. I remember it as being the greatest piece of gear of all time. I assume I was delusional, but I did not know any better and so it was the greatest piece of gear of all time.
"It's quite possible that some highly regarded "high end" amps are essentially "Haflers" or "Dynacos" with different parts." Amen.