1980s Nakamichi Separates Advice needed


A bit of history: I have a set of Nakamichi components -- CA-7A preamplifier, ST-7 tuner, and PA-7 amplifier that I purchased new from Paris Audio in Log Angeles in the 1980s. I haven’t used the preamp in several years, nor the tuner for maybe 20 years (I’m sure FM tuners are pretty much worthless these days). I am, however, currently using the PA-7 amp to drive B&W 801 speakers in my family room and it works just fine and sounds great. We use this setup to watch movies as well and the switching and decoding is the main reason I’m using a Marantz AV-8801 instead of the CA-7A. I’ve never been tempted to get a subwoofer or even a center channel as this combination can rattle the entire house when necessary and provides a rock-solid center image under the wall-mounted TV between the speakers.

Before switching back to the PA-7, for 10 years, I had a Sony STR-DA9000ES 200WPC A/V receiver and that did a fine job with the 801s as well -- but I was only using two channels (tried bi-amping using 4 of the 7 channels and could never get that to work). When I got the Marantz, I used the Sony as an amplifier and that was fine as well -- but it died a couple of years ago and I went back to the PA-7. The only downside is that the PA-7 has a small audio delay, presumably a result of its Nelson Pass/Threshold design that isn’t important for audio but results in a very slight lip-sync delay when watching video, even with the Marantz set to 0ms delay (it can’t go negative). It’s not really noticeable unless I think about it. Then it annoys me but I quickly get over it. The other downside is that it doesn’t have a remote trigger to let the Marantz turn it on and off, and it runs pretty warm (charitably put) so I don’t want to leave it on all day. It did come with an outlet strip that the Nakamichi CA-7 used to remotely turn it on and off (the CA-7A has a remote control as well that switches inputs and controls the volume), but the relay in the strip stopped working a long time ago and I just stopped using it.

So, after that background, at some point in the next year, I’m looking at adding surrounds, and getting everything into sync means replacing the PA-7 with something that can still drive the B&W 801s but would be expandable to handle surround channels as well. I liked the sound of the digital amps in the Sony DA9000ES with these speakers and the Emotiva amps look intriguing, expandable and cost-effective but I’m wary of marketing hype. Please let me know if that’s clearly not appropriate for this setup -- I have been satisfied with my setup and haven’t paid much attention over the last 10 years -- I see a lot of new names mentioned. In any case, that’s a question for another day.

What I’m wondering right now is the state of the vintage audio market. When I’m ready, would it be better to offer the CA-7/PA-7/ST-7 as a set, or to offer them individually? If the latter, I could let the CA-7 and ST-7 (if anyone wants a tuner these days) go sooner while I figure out what to replace the PA-7 with. But if collectors interested in vintage audio are interested in the complete set, it would certainly be better to wait. The PA-7 was serviced by Nakamichi not long after I bought it to remove some overly-conservative current limiting (I only lived 15 miles from the Nakamichi service center at the time), and has never had a problem. The CA-7 has never been serviced, and I suspect that it could use some cleaning -- I’ll have to hook it up and do some testing.

Anyway, advice would be most welcome. And if this kind of stuff is considered worthless these days, I’m happy to hear that too.

Here’s a link to the amp: http://www.audiophileaddicts.com/2015/01/nakamichi-pa-7-power-amplifier/
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IF your B&W speakers are in good shape and are set up properly (sound anchor stands for ex.) in a good location, etc., they will sound better with each and every improvement you make.  I had the same speakers and they were transformed by Pass Aleph amps over and above even a Levinson stereo amp.  Of course the Aleph's were top of the line mono blocks at the time and much more expensive.  I wish Stereophile and the Abs.Sound could have heard what i heard that day and revise some of the opinions they had about the 801's when using hard-sounding digital sources and somewhat drier-sounding SS amps they had at the time.
The 801's midrange driver Is truly excellent and will let you hear a great deal even by today's standards.  So the Nak amp will drive just about anything cleanly (just like my Hafler amp used to do) but should not be expected to keep pace with the sensitivity of the B&W.  However if you're less picky than I am, you could ignore my observations in making your decisions.  
I would be more concerned about the amp.
Those caps don't last forever. Thankfully, they are working now, but I would seriously consider having someone have a look and see if they need replacing.
You can get prices of current sales for your items via Hifi Shark.
If it were me, I would sell everything and get more current components-which would be another thread.
B
if you look at ebay sales, the pa7 and ca7 still command lofty prices ($800-1000 each)--those pass designs have a lot of fans. you can get quite a bit of potentially less problematic, more modern gear for that, which would be my inclination as well.
Thanks all.  I don't have any complaints about the sound of the Nakamichi PA-7 amp with the B&Ws -- it's a bit different than the Sony which had more detail (and the low end was just as good -- maybe even better), but I enjoyed listening to both. I'm not really interested in spending megabucks on a replacement, since we use the system for watching movies more than audio these days and I'd like to put that into surround sound, so $2 or maybe $3k for amplification would be my limit. But above all, I need something reliable and fuss-free that just works and will work for a long time.

I was thinking about bi-amping the 801s by getting a five-channel amp (reserving the fifth channel for an eventual center) -- does that make any sense?  I can then add a second amp for the surrounds.  I know Parasound makes such configurations, and I'm sure there are others as well. 

I'll take the cover off both the PA-7 and CA-7A and take photos of the inside before offering them for sale -- hopefully nothing is leaking.  If they do need service, how does one find a repair shop that works on this kind of "vintage" equipment?  
We'd need to know where you are located in order to give recommendations.
Though, if it were me, I'd just sell them as-is. The buyer can do all the tweaking, as he sees fit.
B
There is a place in Baltimore that does service on Nakamichi vintage They have serviced mine. And they do mail-service. Places that do service the vintage equipment are getting rare by any standard it seems.
    The place in Baltimore is called "Just Audio" and they have a website.
   I'd like to buy them if in good shape. Or maybe trade for a five channel amp? I have a few.
Thanks for the "Just Audio" recommendation. I need to hook up the preamp and see if it has any problems (the phono section worked fine the last time I used it) and look inside the amp. And JollyGreenAudioPhile2 -- I'll keep your offer in mind as I move forward with this.  

I'm in Austin, Texas and got the Marantz 8801 at A&B TV. They're a Parasound and B&W dealer now as well -- back in 2003, I had to drive to San Antonio twice in a cleared-out van to bring home the 801s.  

BTW, before the 801s, I had Apogee Duetta Signatures for a decade that the Nakamichi stuff drove well. I've never heard anything that compares to those speakers. When we remodeled, and settled on a single A/V system and moved everything into a room where they wouldn't work, I sold them to a guy in Atlanta who drive overnight to pick them up.