Amps from the 1980's -- What gear holds up sonically? Reliably?


Hi Everyone,

For me, the 1980s were a real "golden age" of amplifiers. Dr. Leach’s paper on building a low TIM amplifier had been widely distributed and relied on by budding designers, and lots of boutique brands came. It was also the era of the biggest of the Conrad Johsnon tube amps as well and the invention of the MOSFET.

For me, brands I cared about:

  • Threshold
  • Sumo
  • Perreaux (New Zealand, very pretty)
  • Tandberg
  • Hitachi
  • Kyocera
  • Nikko
  • Krell (of course)
  • CJ
  • ARC
  • Yamaha (professional)
  • Carver
  • Mark Levinson
  • Amber 
  • Tandberg
This was also the speaker era of Snell and Apogee and Martin Logan. I am not sure there would be a Krell today if it wasn't for Apogee's 1 ohm speakers.

I’m curious who is still listening to these vintage pieces, and which brands you think have stood up both in terms of reliability and / or sonics ?
erik_squires

Showing 2 responses by bdp24

Jerry, by the time I got to L.A. in '79, the town was awash in coke. It was passed around at parties like joints were in the 60's. I didn't see what the big deal was until one night when I finally got enough of it all at once. I liked it a little too much, and never touched the stuff again. I can see how and why people get hooked on the stuff.
For solid state, the Electron Kinetics Eagle 2 and Bedini 25/25. For an amp with the power of the above-mentioned Adcom 555 but with far better sound, the PS Audio 200C. Plus, it doesn't blow up speakers as the Adcom is notorious for doing.