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High End Components - How long do they last?

Happy New Year to everybody! Being on the high end market almost a year, I was wondering how long top level, well build high end components do last. A friend of mine has some Levinson components from the seventies... still terrific sound! Of course the answer will depent on the brand, but anyhow it would be interesting to hear different stories.
koen
detlof
1,899 posts
 
Grandpad, great to hear I'm not the only one! Wished I had'nt sold my Revox years back, nor my AR D-79. The Stasis II cost me exactly $2800 hard earned bucks! The ML X-over was used and cost $800 and I still use it today to drive my Maggie basspanels, which I forgot to mention and which are also late seventies!They still function perfectly (and so do we audio -methusalems! (: )
tubegroover
2,320 posts
 
I still have McIntosh MC-60 mono amps from the 1950's. Is this considered hi-end? They still sound wonderful btw and I can't part myself from them.
rhyno's avatar
rhyno
649 posts
 
depends: components can last a long assed time.

dynamic speakers, less so.

planar speakers, maybe less, maybe more than dynamics (depends on factors like owner is a smoker, humidity, etc).

powered speakers (like subs), probably the shortest life span.

rhyno
koen OP
8 posts
 
Tubegroover, that's almost half a century, fantastic!
tubegroover
2,320 posts
 
Hi Koen

I'm the third owner of this pair. The original owner purchase one I believe in 1956 and had it in a mono set-up. He sent it back to McIntosh in the late 50's to match it for a stereo pair. I purchased them from the 2nd (less than 1 year) owner in 1990 after they had been in storage for many years.

They capture the eye of all that see them unlike other gear I've owned. Sure a lot prettier than my current amp which is business only.
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