Vintage Stereo Gear

**jackfish** · **01-18-07, 05:55 PM**

Ok, who is still seduced by vintage audio? There are quite a few followers of the 1970s classics. Double Large Advents anyone?

**Otto** · **01-18-07, 06:40 PM**

Well, I inherited my dad's Thorens turntable. Mom's gonna send it for my birthday, so I don't have it yet. Never been a vinyl guy, but looking forward to having some vintage around!

**geekwithfamily** · **01-18-07, 06:52 PM**

Wow, Otto, lucky turntable inheritance. I don't have any actual vintage gear, the closest I have is my Rogue Audio 99 Preamp, that has a "classic" tube sound according to reviews.

When I was a kid, my next door neighbor had an impressive system including a reel to reel tape machine.

**rcarlton** · **01-18-07, 07:33 PM**

Running a pair of McIntosh MC-250's and a MC-2100 downstairs. Upstairs I have a McIntosh MAC-1700 with valves a glowing running Cornwall's!

**reed.hannebaum** · **01-18-07, 09:37 PM**

jackfish,

Only single large Advents, 1978 vintage. Had the speakers refoamed a couple of years ago. They still sound great!

**akitaboy** · **01-18-07, 09:56 PM**

I'm still using a Hafler DH200 power amp for my two channel setup. I assembled several of these in the late 1970's and I even used one as a PA amp, and it was plenty tough enough to take it. The last Bryston I used made me wonder a little if it's time to move on, but I just haven't been able to give up the Hafler yet. I received this particular Hafler as a Christmas gift from my son Pupton a couple of years ago. Seems he remembered me spending all that time soldering on the kitchen table when he was a kid, and I didn't even think he noticed.

akitaboy

**F1 fan** · **01-18-07, 10:09 PM**

I was given a classic McIntosh MC240 several years ago but I ended up selling it.

**Sonnie** · **01-18-07, 11:06 PM**

I had the MC250, MC2505, and MX115 in my system back in 96.

http://www.snapbug.ws/sr1.htm

**jackfish** · **01-19-07, 01:10 PM**

The old Marantz, Sansui and Pioneer receivers were something to behold. My vintage system includes:
Dual 1245 turntable with an Shure M97xE cartridge
Harman Kardon TD4400 CD Transcription cassette deck
AKAI AT-2600 tuner
Oppo DV-970HD non-vintage for a digital source with an AudioDigit Tubalizer tube buffer stage between the Oppo and the preamp
Harman Kardon Citation 11 preamp - reconditioned
Two Phase Linear 400 Series I power amplifiers - reconditioned
Two pair U4 Large Advent stacked, each pair driven by one of the above amps

The Large Advents are the "new" version and have been refoamed and had component upgrades to the crossovers.

**reed.hannebaum** · **01-20-07, 08:31 PM**

Jackfish,

That sounds like a great vintage system. Show some pics if you have them. How do those stacked Advents sound? In the '70s I know they were the rage. When I bought my mine back then I could barely afford one pair let alone two. I also had a Pioneer SX-880 receiver (what a beauty that was) and a Technics SL-3350 turntable, and I thought I was in heaven. The receiver & turntable were lost in a divorce, but I still have the "new" Advents.

**F1 fan** · **01-21-07, 06:58 PM**

Quote:

Sonnie wrote:

I had the MC250, MC2505, and MX115 in my system back in 96.

http://www.snapbug.ws/sr1.htm

Sonnie ,cool write up in Stereo Review.That was a serious HT system especially for the day.I bet 18" sub woofers were not very common although I think Snell produced one back then.The Snell B's,B minors and C's were all very good speakers.And of course the Mac stuff is built
to a very hi standard.

**BoomieMCT** · **01-22-07, 09:36 PM**

Add me to this list. I LOVE the heavy metal knobs and switches of vintage systems. I sadly had to retire my 1970's Kenwood reciever that I inherited from my father (not worth the expense of fixing). However, I still have some stuff going strong;

Adcom GFP-555 pre-amp and tuner
PsAudio number 2 amp
Advent 4002 "bookshelf" speakers (bookshelf - yeah right)

I may be picking up some Ess speakers of some sort from my brother shortly. I know nothing about them, or the brand for that matter.

**BoomieMCT** · **01-22-07, 09:39 PM**

Quote:

jackfish wrote:

Two pair U4 Large Advent stacked, each pair driven by one of the above amps

The Large Advents are the "new" version and have been refoamed and had component upgrades to the crossovers.

Aurgh! The Large Advents are the one Advent I'd rather have then my beloved 4002's! Feel my envy!

**Sonnie** · **01-22-07, 09:43 PM**

Thanks Fred... yeah... it was fun. Can you believe I had that sub crossed over at 35Hz? It only handled the extreme low end, but it literally shook the entire house. I never will forget moving that thing around underneath the house trying to get it in the right location so that it sounded best.

I actually miss my McIntosh gear. The Snell's were no doubt marvelous speakers too, although they did have some problems with their early models and surround rot only after a few years.

**Sonnie** · **01-22-07, 09:48 PM**

There are a lot of those Large Advents on ebay and I see some rebuild kits there as well...

**BoomieMCT** · **01-22-07, 09:51 PM**

Quote:

Sonnie wrote:

There are a lot of those Large Advents on ebay and I see some rebuild kits there as well...

I'm too skeptical to buy them on ebay. Besides, shipping on ebay would probably kill me. The 4002's I have I got on Craigslist (so I was able to hear them / see them before buying). I always think it is funny how much I like my 4002's - yet I only paid $20 for the pair (reconditioned a year previous).

**jackfish** · **01-23-07, 01:47 PM**

For all things Advent: http://www.classicspeakerpages.net/d...topics&forum=5

For Large Advent replacement crossovers: http://www.classicloudspeakerservices.com/

The key to buying Large Advents on eBay is to ask alot of questions, particularly if they have been refoamed as if you buy them already competently refoamed you will save some money and hassle. Usually shipping could cost more than the speakers themselves, but if you can get refoamed New Advents in good condition for around $300 a pair (including shipping) it is probably worth it. I have five pairs and if I ever get a decent 5.1 preamp, there will be Large Advent surround!

**muse77** · **02-10-07, 08:31 PM**

I still have my Pioneer SX-950 with 85 watts of power. One channel doesn't like high frequencies. I also have Pioneer CS-711A speakers. I blew out the foam surrounds on the bass and replaced the tweeters so I'm not sure if these would count.

**jackfish** · **02-11-07, 07:48 PM**

Here are New Advent Utility cabinets, professional refoamed woofer surrounds. These I got for $25 plus $95 shipping.

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