Yes, I once carelessly got rid of a Garrard turntable that my dad offered me for free.
It wasn't mentioned in any of the magazines of the day and being young and impressionable I assumed this relic from yesteryear couldn't be very good.
All the talk back then was mainly of Dual, Rega and Linn - at least in the magazines I read (Popular Hifi, Hi-Fi Answers, and that notorious Linn/Naim propagandist rag, Hi-Fi Review).
Still doesn't excuse my idiotic decision, nor many of those that followed.
In fact there are many valid reasons why vintage gear can hold its value quite well, and nostalgia is only one of them.
Some of the restoration jobs people have done on some vintage gear are simply quite fabulous. These Hi-Fi restorers cannot be too far behind their automotive counterparts.
Another item I discarded was an old valve radio, and yes, it was another big mistake.
Lack of perspective, lack of perspective...
Moral of the story?
If you find something you really love, then look after it and take very good care of it.
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I miss my AGI 511 preamp (1976). Part of my first high end system! Used it with the GAS Son of Ampzilla and the Infinity Monitor speakers with the Walsh tweeters! Now I have two Sons and a pristine pair of those Infinity's purchased over the past several years! |
Quad 57 ESLs!
There is a drive and impact with dynamic speakers but I will never forget the 57’s sound! |
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No! Newer gear is SO much better. Although it costs WAY more than my old gear. |
I miss tape now and then. Had a Teac reel to reel (X-7R) and an A-450, top loader cassette deck. The rituals of threading the reels/setting the levels, etc., were “appealing” in retrospect...quaint. They sounded good, no denying it, particularly the reel to reel.
Would I trade my Node 2i and Tidal to have it all back?
...naaaaah. |
My Altec Lansing model 19s. The first song I heard on these was Black cow by Steely Dan. Totally hooked on them after that. I’m curious about how they would hold up to my current system. |
I sure do. Sold a fully refurbished Krell KSA-250 amp 10 years ago and missed it ever since. Arguably the best sounding power amp I have ever owned. The other item of HiFi equipment I regret selling were a pair of Yamaha NS1000M speakers I purchased new in the early 80s and sold 6 years ago. That was a mistake, they looked and sounded stunning. But, hope is on the horizon, thinking about buying a pair of Yamaha NS5000 speakers. Every review I have read on these speakers rates them very highly. So, if you are a former NS1000M owner that upgraded to NS5000, I would love to hear from you. |
Yes, of course! I can’t believe I sold my Pristine Sansui 9090DB, or my McIntosh C-29, C-28, C-26 (the 26 is the one to have), or the MC-2300 (I miss it every day!), or my HK Citation 17, my EMT 927, my Pioneer RT1050, my Mark Levinson ML-2,s, my Krell KSA 50 ( what was I thinking), my GAS Grandson, my Nakamichi 1000, 600 and 500, my SUMO Electra II, my marantz 7, my EPI 500’s, my ESS LS5’s, all my Phase Linear 400 & 4000, my ReVox B77, my Crown 822, I can go on and on.
Then I realize it’s okay. They are all in a good home someplace and what I’ve kept are the units I can’t seem to live without. But, yes I do miss just about everything at one time or another. I think the only think I don’t miss, is my LP12..... no, not one bit. =)
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No. Always something better out there ahead. |
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I miss my Marantz 2285B. I sold it to a friend that made me an offer that I couldn't refuse.
At least I get to go over see it from time to time. |
Personally, no.
Save for an Audible Illusions M3A from 20 plus years ago. If only it had a remote control...... |
My dad and I threw away his Nikko 8085 after trying to fix it. We didnt make any progress, so we just threw it away.
Im sure if we kept it and took it it to a repair shop they would get it going.
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I miss my oh so basic Lenco TT. What a prize and I just let it go! But then I also miss my uber rare Hofner 500/6 bass too! I'm still kicking myself after almost 40 years.
Like the saying says though, "you never know what you've got 'till it's gone". |
@normansizemore, ditto on the LP12, the best, worst turntable I ever owned. Maybe I got that backwards. Perhaps it should be worst, best.
I've had plenty of vintage equipment. There was a TD 124II/SME . It rumbled so bad you could here it on Klipsch Heresy's during Foxy Lady,
There was the Marantz 7C preamp, it's switches and pots failing and tube sockets a brittle dark amber. An A77 Revox with Dolby! I recorded about 1/2 of my collection thinking I would just take the tapes to college and leave all the vinyl stuff at home. Eventually it's brakes went bonkey and tape would spill all over the place or worse break! I saved up and took it to a reputable person that worked on them for "adjustments" and it got even bonkeyer. I can say that I wouldn't mind having my Krell KMA 100s
back. They were truly first class amp but they ran hotter than hell even with the fan. After 21 years one finally burned up it's output stage. I sold them as is. I should have had them rebuilt but as always I needed the money to help with new amps. Can't live without music. No I really don't miss any of it. Technology moves on and I'm not romantic about machines. My current system is seriously better than anything I've done previously. It always improved on an evolutionary basis over the years. I get the urge for a real to reel once in a while, sort of like the way I get an urge for a motorcycle. Once in a while. |
Sure, I had managed to pick-up two Yamaha CA-1000 amps at an estate sale in 2008 or thereabouts for less than $100cdn. After using one for a few years and really liking the class A circuit, I decided to keep it, but I needed to streamline my collection so I sold one for $300usd. A separation and downsizing that followed necessitated further selling in 2015 and so with a few other pieces (Marantz 22xx receiver, Thorens TD166) I sold the other CA-1000 for less than $500usd. Those Yamaha amps sound awesome and like the Marantz receivers I've watched their value continue to increase year after year. Once the dust settled and I could start adding to my collection again, I located a CA-800ii for a reasonable price, it's close but not quite up to the 1000. Ive made my peace however with the current market of not likely ever owning another one or another Marantz 22xx receiver. The rare Fisher TA-600 receiver (not to be confused with the solid-state 600t) has been given pride of place in my main system and it likely will remain there for the foreseeable future. |
I miss my Eico ST-70 integrated. Not that I have a system that it would fit in with anymore, but that was one sweet sounding integrated. |
The Klipsch Forte' speakers I had in the late 80's are what I miss. I recently moved off grid. My old system in the city will be liquidated and I pretty darn sure I'll be getting another pair of Forte's soon.
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My old Pioneer SX 727 from the early 1970’s. |
I've never regretted a single piece I've sold. I've kept enough vintage pieces to build at least three full systems, the pieces I liked I've kept. I still have the first high end piece ever purchased back in 1973 or so, Sony STR 7045 receiver. If I have good memories attached to particular pieces they don't go away.
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Maggie IIIs....they were wonderful. |
Two for me.
TDL Studio 0.5's. Transmission Line designed cab, warm, nice presence for a small floor stander. A bit difficult to set up.
Threshold 400A. Heated the room, but had such power and separation, clean yet warm sounding.
I will likely make the mistake again in the future.. but it has been fun hunting for the threshold, I'll own one again someday. |
