Last time we talked about systems in general. In this edition I will be discussing vintage brands and the purchase of a vintage system. But which should be the first purchase? Should it be the heart of the system ... amplification? Short answer ... YES!! Amplification should be the first piece addressed in a new system.
In my last posting I stated that a receiver would be the best option for the heart of your system because it affords a lot of flexibility. Generally vintage receivers were engineered to support multiple components and were generally "over engineered". Wife Acceptance Factor, (remember this), must be taken into consideration, you will be a happy man, just keep thinking WAF! It will be easy to sell her on a receiver, which by the way can look downright beautiful when it is on. Of course that is just the beginning of the search.
The right receiver might be more difficult to find than the rest of your system. Sansui, Kenwood, Pioneer, JVC and Yamaha will each have sound characteristics of their own. All are excellent brands and were among the best selling brands during the Golden Age of Hi Fidelity!! Other brands that are probably price prohibitive, (depending on your budget), would be McIntosh, Carver, and Marantz. Are you asking why different receivers ... is there really a difference? The simple answer is yes. It would be beneficial to listen to as many systems as possible so you can hear the differences. These days that is difficult to do as there are no bricks and mortar companies selling "real" stereo equipment. You can learn by researching sites such as Audio Karma, Audio Asylum and The Vinyl Engine. They have a wealth of information in their discussion boards. There you can learn more about the last few things I will talking about in this session.
When buying a receiver, get as much wattage, (power), as you can afford, power is a good thing!! You will not regret owning a receiver pumping 125 watts per channel. You may not need that much power, 10 watts may be fine for your listening area, but if 125 watts fits within your budget, it will allow you greater flexibility when choosing your speakers. Another benefit of higher powered receivers is the amount of terminals available. Some receivers provide you with two turntable terminals, tape dubbing, (meaning two tape deck connections and the ability to record from one to the other), plus one to three extra auxiliaries terminals where you can hook up almost any other source you want. I would reccomend reseraching the sites I mentioned as well as looking at your local ads such as CL's, and audition as many as you can, that is the best way to learn about the things I have shared in this session. And remember, the most important thig here is to "Enjoy the Music", till next time!
