Best classic kit - what would you nominate and why?

Must be 25+ years old.

Needs to be, in your opinion, fully competitive in terms of performance with modern equipment in the same category. Or better of course
We need nominations and your reasons.

I'll nominate three:

Epos ES14.
Was better than most large stand-mounts back in the day and I'd say it still delivers today . The quality of the bass/mid driver is obvious on even a cursory listen. Clean, vibrant, open-mouthed presentation.

Heybrook HB2.
You can pick these up for £50 and in many ways they are a slightly less good version of he BBC classics such as the BC1 and LS3/6. Similar tonality and very liquid through the mids. Better bass than some of the BBC inspired designs though a bit too hot at the very top. Classic BBC 'saddle' response. I was listening to my pair the other day and thought these will run rings around many speakers today. Very entertaining.

Quad 405/2.
Assuming you don't connect sub 4 Ohm loads and want to play LOUD, this just gets on with the job in true Shreddies style.
Small, neat, goes loud into most speakers and doesn't drift. Won't self district and won't take your precious loudspeakers with it.

 

The MB Quart 980s floorstander has served me well over 25 years

http://www.hifi-wiki.de/index.php/MB_Quart_980_S

Any of the series listed on the above page would give similar sized products a good run for their money.

They were not marketed in UK but are seen on eBayUK from time to time, and are regularly for sale on German eBay.

All but the smallest have an aluminium dome mid range driver which has a smooth response and wide dispersion.

 

Tannoy (take your pick) 15" DC. Just sounded so right. Even now, nothing sounds better to me, just different or more accurate according to some. Vintage Luxman amp eg L-550 for the same reasons. QUAD 57 and 63s.

 

Where do I start, as I remember so much good stuff. To keep it to a minimum -

AR3a (and later "improved" and 10Pi models as well as the much larger but 3a based? LST) - lovely three way which although a bit coloured, could easily disappear from the proceedings.

Spendor BC1 - detested by some and revered by so many others, this speaker had a magical midrange and sweet top-end. The power handling and bass could be the main issues in all honesty and it's outclassed today taken overall, but it set standards at the time and can still "do it" if properly matched up IMO. For the midrange, still the best of all the first generation "BBC Legacy" models IMO.

Quad 57's - Totally impractical these days to all but the most committed, these speakers can disappear sonically within seconds of first listening. truly staggering if got right and truly horrible if not. These days, for masochists only - whether stacked or not.

Quad 63's - They're "all" coming apart now as old glues age, but get them well off the floor and tilted back a little and they're better than 57's, if not as "impressive."

Quad 33/303 - I mention this amp purely because it can be usefully "opened up" sonically into something endearing and charming, simply by a few cap changes and minor mods to the 33 power supply. Plenty around and ready spares. The CB era Naim lovers won't like it, but so many others do. More universal than the II valve amps and slightly better with slightly less efficient speakers.

Last Quads for now, the 606 series and 520F. the former is plentiful, happy with 4 Ohm loads and has no temperament that I know of. The "Pro" 520F is wonderful too, although I've not compared them directly.

Crown D150A - One of the first "Imported Top End" brands on the UK audio scene and only available from a tiny handful of UK dealers for some years, I've selected this power amp because it was the most universal of them all (D60 too low powered and DC300A too much of an animal in many ways). Stunningly capable still and built to last for ever, these only need attention if severely abused (or you're unlucky with a transistor failure). Perfect for transmission lines (IMF/TDL as well as PMC) and "porty" speakers in general, it doesn't like 4 Ohm loads, limiting hard into such loads to protect itself. I heard an older 150 recently with the much disliked IC150 preamp and was truly shocked by how good it was...

Thorens TD125 turntable - More substantial than the evergreen TD160 and sought-after TD150 models, these are cheap still and very VERY good if set up properly. Main bearings can be sloppy on mk2 versions, but the few mk1's I've seen are fine. A "sleeper" still IMO and well worth fettling. Far better in traditional turntable parameters than the hugely expensive TD124 and cost more than the 124 and 150 added together when first introduced.....

AR XA/XB turntable - The original "sprung" belt drive with a ghastly looking arm that's far better than you'd think. Happy with mid to high compliance cartridges like the ADC XLM/VLM/ZLM and Shure "ED" series tracking at 1.25g approx, this deck still involves and is still cheap to buy. Later "77" versions and early 1980's "The Turntable" had horrid, sloppy main bearings which killed the sonics, but the "Legend" and EB-101 models restored the sound and reputation IMO.

Radford STA 15/25 and MA series etc. - One of the true great valve amps ever from a true great UK designer. Better than the Quad II in all honesty - cleaner bass and with more power - and highly neutral. very expensive now though and they'll all need regular servicing..

Is that enough for now Rob?

 

Plenty Dave - thanks

Agree on the Radfords. I remember hearing a pair of MA15s a good few years ago, into Epos ES14s in fact and thinking that's not what a valve amp is supposed to sound like.
Drove the 14s wonderfully within the limed 15w capacity.

Aslo agree on the Quad 57/63. Have both pairs here fully fettled and the 63 is the winner with care over positioning and some tilt (back). The tilt makes a world of difference especially in a small room.

 

My mate who's dealer staus dare not be mantioned () has some valve radford stuff, but the STA25 he bought for his "museum" recently needs work and he dared not plug it in. I remember mine with great affection though and wished I'd kept it a few more years until modern matching preamps and servicing came along - in 1976 these were still being got rid of in favour of "the latest thing."

 

You mean Dave from Radlet?
Mention away...... happy to give a plug to the good guys.

 

I have a pair of Tannoy 15" MGs - the quality of the sound is spot on for something that was designed and sold more than 40 years ago.

It fills the room regardless of what you feed it with!

 

Townshend Elite Rock - a radical and successful take on the TT

Absolutely agree with the Quad stuff listed above

 

Garrard 401 - with a good cleaning, robust MDF plinth and everyman Rega arm for company it shows today's price equivalent a clean pair of heels in the bass department. Beyond that a lifetime of tweaking improvements await.

Quad 33 - the 405 is a slam dunk for this thread, so instead I'll reiterate this model because for the £50 or whatever one costs second hand these days it helps to get a first timer onto the hi-fi separates ladder. Yes, it has inadequacies, but is modifiable well beyond its original performance.

Exposure VI + VII + VIII combo - after years of appreciating the Quad presentation their bass thump, dynamism, up-frontness (and, yes, colour if we must call it that) hooked me. Have always made Naims of the period seem a little dull by comparison to my ears.

Pete

 

Since some of my faves are already nominated I'll add: The Rega arm!

A classic because it came about from typical RGandy/Ford-background thinking: spend on the design and tooling to the job well and once; and use it widely thereafter.

But it remains a superb even unique item, a custom tapered-wall one-piece casting. The better standard (and no doubt some of the many various custom) versions of this single casting still have the potential to challenge anything produced since at less-than-silly prices. But you can still get most of the way there for free as part Rega's most basic one-box TT offer - which altogether costs less than very many reputable cartridges, let alone TT/arms or combos thereof.

 

Good nomination. The RB300 doesn't feel 25+ years old somehow but it clearly it, and I remember when it first appeared and a few dealers at the time (inc Russ Andrews) claiming it bettered the Linn Ittok for all of £90 IIRC.

 

September/October 1983 was when the RB250 and 300 were first introduced and I totally agree that it was a landmark product. The "new" model is but a refinement I believe...

Talking of tonearms - SME??? Various models perfect for the cartridges they were designed to be used with and still worthwhile today as well as beautifully made and finished... Loads of spares too and ripe for bodgers of the finest order - including me...

 

Audio innovations 1st and 2nd audio amps

Impulse H1 and H2 Horn speakers

and last but not least
Roksan xerses turntable

which was all part of my old system

sounded great with the valve amps taking the clinical edge from the Roksan
wish I still had that system

 

Decca C4E or SC4E cartridge - just stellar! Beats my Garrott Brothers Decca Gold and my Allaerts MC1B

Hadcock 228 tonearm to go with my Decca

Radford STA15 - truly sublime British amplifier

Thorens TD124/II - my personal preference in the classic idler TT stakes

Decca Kelly tweeters - still a wonderful sounding unit

 

Never heard the 4E but will never forget some wonderful years with an original Super Gold - the real Decca version with VDH stylus. Also enjoyed the Garrott version.

 

Marantz PM4, they just don't make them like that any-more.

Yes, I do own one

 

Another vote for Tannoy Monitor Golds. Awesome sound that takes some beating. Thought i had found the sound i wanted with smaller cabs but you can't beat a bigun.

 

Rob,

The Mark IVs were something else to behold!

Best wishes,

Charlie

 

Charlie, I shall have to give one a try.
Are yours restored to standard or modified in any way?