2. amps-preamps
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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 1 response by magfan

magfan
1,583 posts
 
I loved my Kenwood...KA-7100 of the late '70s.

Good with my 12" 3-way JBL 4311 clones from RSL....(SoCal Boutique brand) and later with my first panels...some MG-1s.
Since I was poor, I did a snip/snip....solder/solder and attached cables with RCA male ends and used just the preamp for another couple years with my first bit of hi-power amp, my old Carver Cube. Worked fine as a preamp.....

I still know where the amp is. I gave it away to someone who NEVER used it. I'm going to ask for it back. If they haven't used it in 20+ years, it'll never get used. Maybe a recap of the PS would be in order before pluggin it in?
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