I really enjoyed my Sony STR 6800 SD receiver circa 1976. This unit was rated at 80 wpc, but always delivered 105 wpc at the old McIntosh clinics. The British press raved about this unit, and USA dealers were constantly backordered for months when this unit was introduced. Also, this unit had a high quality attenuator, a 70 micro-second de-emphasis switch to use for Dolby FM, which was never adopted by the broadcast industry. I found this receiver much more stable when driving a 4 ohm load than the Marantz that I was previously using. This was probably the finest receiver that Sony ever made...not to be confused by inferior Sony receivers from the '80's on!
vintage bargains that are Fun to hear and look at?
Maybe this is the wrong forum for my questions... certainly some of this will sound sacreligious to some audiophiles. I appreciate that a truly accurate system will let great recordings rise to the top, and will make exciting but "crudely" recorded music sound... crudely recorded. But I just get distracted when Bootsy's bass is tastefully withdrawn and I can hear every particle of grit in the grooves of my records. So, maybe there are those of you who can help my search for a good looking, bargain vintage system that colors the music in a FUN way. PLEASE, no lectures...
I already have accurate (i.e. uninteresting) monitors (meyer HD1's) for my recording studio, and they're great for WORK. I want a FUN stereo for my living room (again, no lectures please). I like tight and deep bass, but overshooting the woofer can be fun! Of course, shrill high end or harsh midrange isnt good.
Also, modern speakers sound overly "open" to me. I'm not listening to classical music that calls for a 100 foot wide soundstage. I listen to soul & funk vinyl from the 1970's, and want it to sound engaging and warm. When there's a good bassline I want to feel it. When I crank up the volume, I want drums to sound punchy and bigger than on the record!
To me the most "forgiving" system is a boombox. But my buddy's KLH MONITOR 6s sound kinda cloudy. Also, it would be fun to have a vintage "hifi" setup that LOOKS impressive, like some setup I wish I could have afforded when i was in high school. Tower speakers would fit easily into my room layout, although smallish bookshelves on stands could work too.
Seems obvious I'd need a large woofer involved, and that I'm probably a dynamic speaker person. I'm thinking it might be enough to have one "colorful" sounding component in the chain.
I sure like the way the old b&w 802's look. KEF 104/2s would fit in my living room too. But online reviews suggest I'd find them dry? Maybe if I use a Dynaco tube amp and any decent solid state preamp?
Anyway, the challenge is how to accomplish this as cheaply as possible. I am also looking for suggestions about especially exotic and sexy looking components that are surprising bargains on the used market. Of course all of this is highly subjective, but any help would be appreciated.
I already have accurate (i.e. uninteresting) monitors (meyer HD1's) for my recording studio, and they're great for WORK. I want a FUN stereo for my living room (again, no lectures please). I like tight and deep bass, but overshooting the woofer can be fun! Of course, shrill high end or harsh midrange isnt good.
Also, modern speakers sound overly "open" to me. I'm not listening to classical music that calls for a 100 foot wide soundstage. I listen to soul & funk vinyl from the 1970's, and want it to sound engaging and warm. When there's a good bassline I want to feel it. When I crank up the volume, I want drums to sound punchy and bigger than on the record!
To me the most "forgiving" system is a boombox. But my buddy's KLH MONITOR 6s sound kinda cloudy. Also, it would be fun to have a vintage "hifi" setup that LOOKS impressive, like some setup I wish I could have afforded when i was in high school. Tower speakers would fit easily into my room layout, although smallish bookshelves on stands could work too.
Seems obvious I'd need a large woofer involved, and that I'm probably a dynamic speaker person. I'm thinking it might be enough to have one "colorful" sounding component in the chain.
I sure like the way the old b&w 802's look. KEF 104/2s would fit in my living room too. But online reviews suggest I'd find them dry? Maybe if I use a Dynaco tube amp and any decent solid state preamp?
Anyway, the challenge is how to accomplish this as cheaply as possible. I am also looking for suggestions about especially exotic and sexy looking components that are surprising bargains on the used market. Of course all of this is highly subjective, but any help would be appreciated.