We Can Make Classic Cars Outperform Today's "SuperCars": Why Not Vintage Audio?

I disagree. Life is short. If it is in a museum, it needs to be original in all respects. If I'm using it, I want it to sound as good as possible. That's what it's here for 

@holmz Impressive analogy.

It all works well until you fracture a voice coil?

i use leafs 😎

Once something has been modified, it is no longer original.  It was true when I swapped out components on my bicycle to when I swapped out power supplies on a couple of Marantz 22XX receivers to whatever.  If I ever were to sell them, I would get whatever a modded item is valued at.  Fortunately, I gift out stuff when I don't want it anymore.  

I don't always get half the transactions on American Pickers.  I can't imagine spending good money on any item just to leave it in the typical beat up, as in condition that so many items are in.  No big fan of rust.  (My dad was a picker, too many weekends spent with the Chief picking through junk yards as a kid).  Caught an old re-run of the AP show where they were picking 5 vintage TTs and a 2265 Marantz receiver.  For two self professed, life long audio gear experts, Mike and his brother did not sound like they knew their stuff.  

Back to the topic, once you mod a unit in a significant way, it ain't the same unit.  You have modernized it to some degree, so it is not vintage anymore. 

Rich 

@rar1 Well stated, sir.

"You have modernized it to some degree, so it is not vintage anymore." Our thoughts are in alignment here. As I stated in one of the posts, when you take a nibbler to the back panel of something, there’s no going back. Modifying gear would certainly have an effect on its resale value. Thus, my catagories of "stock", "personalized" and "modified". We’re made a lot of car comparisons in this thread. I’d say most "car guys" cruise around in "personalized" vehicles, where very few have "modified" vehicles and even fewer have "stock" vehicles. Although the Holy Grail of collectables is "showroom stock", we’re also seeing "personalized" or even "tribute" vehicles scoring big bucks at auctions. This is relevant, or course, to the class of the vehicle. "Messing" with a vintage Ferrari would have greater penalties than yanking the original drivetrain out of a Tri-5 Chevy and replacing it with some modern "motivation." Or, putting the drum brakes in a storage container and opting for disc brakes all around.

Another pertinent item is the value of vintage cars vs vintage electronics. While serious car projects can easily propell you into six figures, the bulk of esteemed classic gear may fall into the mid 4-figure range. There are exceptions, and those pieces should be bubble-wrapped, put in a climate-controlled space with a barbed wire fence errected around them. But, it’s a comparison that really not a comparison. You may loose $50k on a vehicle because you were a bit too enthusiastic with your "personalization", but the "fees" attached to aggressive mods on your hifi gear are far less. In otherwords, in terms of our net worth, it probably won’t move the needle. Even if the piece is used to prop a garage door open. (I have a friend who scored an old Mac amp that was being used to hold a garage door open. He offered to replace it with a brick from Home Depot and owner went along with it. True story.)

"Nostagia" has a different meaning for all of us. A good example of a relic from a by gone era may border on the threshold of "sacred" for some -- especially those who have an emotional attachment to that particular piece. Hey, I have a pair of listening chairs up in the loft that gave me comfort while listening to music when I was going thru some pretty tough times. They are not for sale. I work one day a week with my tech for the sole purpose of keeping good gear out of the dumpster. I’ve learned never underestimate the emotional value of bringing something that’s been in storage for decades back to life. It’s routine to see grown ups brought to tears when the front panel lights up, and music comes out of these boxes. Especially those pieces formerly belonging to a deceased family member or friend. I’m considering the purchase of an old gas station about a half hour from my home. There are enought automotive collectables per square foot in, out, and around this old building to make it interesting as an investment. But, a stronger motivator for me -- it’s just really cool. American Pickers would have a good afternoon hanging out there. So, I "get" nostalgia, memorabilia, and emotional attachment to old audio gear.

That being said, it’s hard to be persuasive when your trying to describe an experience that others haven’t had to opportunity to take part in. I can only say when you take these old pieces and "get things out of the way that make them sound worse," you’d be surprised by the "audiophile characteristics" that emerge.

The ultimate tribute to a vintage piece may be to take it to a level of sonic realism that the original designers could only imagine at the time. And, it looks the same. Functions the same. And, gives the same (or, more) satisfaction as it did the day the proud owner switched it on for the first time.

Great topic! Of course in a straight line or maybe a oblong track, a car w/ enough horsepower (& high octane fuel) / weight ratio can go really fast & at its extreme needs a parachute to help stop it.

Put that older, really fast car in an F -1 style race where there’s twists, turns, continual acceleration & deceleration & it would get lapped a few times over before a race was completed. 
 

That scenario is more akin to audio reproduction that a simple drag strip. Today’s high quality audio components are better in every way compared to vintage maybe except for relative cost. The “straight line”, audio equivalent might be the old Altec, Voice of the Theater” lineup, old Klipschorns, old Western Electric horns etc can can still “smoke” most modern speakers for sheer dynamics & overall volume.  
 

That said, isn’t the current Mac M275 power amp a perfect example of the original subject matter? 60 year old design now w/ upgraded w/better components that sound better although it’s actually hard to know how much better because who has a brand new, original version to compare to today’s?