mick2me 3,033 Posted January 13, 2007 Report Share Posted January 13, 2007 My first system of the early 70's comprised Amstrad IC2000 Amplifier, BSR McDonald Deck, and a set of Comet Audiovox Loudspeakers. Later upgraded to a Pioneer PL12D Deck and Pioneer SX636 Tuner Amp. (the Pioneer stuff is still going, and in my lounge at the moment - Not bad since 1974?) Cant find a picture of the IC2000 but heres another one of Alan Sugars, from the same period. AMSTRAD INTEGRA 4000 MKII STEREO AMPLIFIER Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,033 Posted January 13, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2007 Which prompts another question? What do you have that has given you good service for years? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ayupmeducks 1,730 Posted January 13, 2007 Report Share Posted January 13, 2007 I always dreamed of having a Marantz, but alas they were way out of my price range. Then when I could afford one and purchased one in the late 80's, I found they were now made in Japan... There is a company that sells origonal designed tube amplifiers complete with all the same old components Marantz used for a few thousand bucks a pop! They purchased the speaker transformers as surplus from the Marantz wharehouse. At around $7000 each, I'm afraid I'll stay with my solid state 120 watts per channel Marantz. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,033 Posted January 13, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2007 I didnt rate the Marantz System that my In laws had. What about the Quad 303 and 404's? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ayupmeducks 1,730 Posted January 13, 2007 Report Share Posted January 13, 2007 I didnt rate the Marantz System that my In laws had.What about the Quad 303 and 404's? The Marantz Gold Line, the tube set up was always rated as the finest designed and engineered sound system on the market Mick. Don't matter a toss these days to me as I have hearing damage from working near heavy machinery plus aging of my hearing, so I wouldn't be able to tell the difference anymore. I used to be able to hear bats when others couldn't, that shows the highs I could hear years ago. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Craig Strongman 13 Posted January 13, 2007 Report Share Posted January 13, 2007 Boys, youve hit on a topic that i spend too much time and money on! Mick, where did you buy that original set up from? at the time they were around, i was flogging em at L & M supplies in Bramcote, where, if we sold 30 Amstrads on a Saturday, 25 of them came back faulty on Monday! I started buying hifi when i worked at Dixons, and my first "proper" set up was a Thorens TD 150 deck, Leak Stereo 30 plus amp, and Wharfedale Super Linton speakers................Ill have to addd more later as 'er indoors is moaning im on the laptop............. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Craig Strongman 13 Posted January 13, 2007 Report Share Posted January 13, 2007 Couldnt edit it in, so, the next stage was reached by upgrading the stylus on the Goldring G800, to a Super E stylus, the Thorens 150 made way for a 125, first with an SME 3009 arm, then a straight line Rabco SL8E arm, and Shure V15 3 cart, next , Quad 33/303 replaced the Leak, and B & W DM6's? relpaced the Wharfedales. After that i moved into American hifi ,firstly using Bose 901's, but then found the Quad set up not nearly powerful enough, so a giant 700 watt rms Phase Linear amp was bought, replacing the 303, but keeping the 33, until a better pre amp could be bought........Im cooking as i write this, so again, ill be back later! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,033 Posted January 13, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2007 Now yer talking Craige, tho you seem to have missed out on the KEF 104ab's Well I am afraid I bought my stuff from a new company caled Comet? The Amstrad IC2000 worked ok, though dust build up in the rather cheap Slider controls (Volume, Bass, Treble, and MIDDLE) caused some scratching in the speakers when they were moved. (the sliders not the speakers) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ayupmeducks 1,730 Posted January 13, 2007 Report Share Posted January 13, 2007 Check thgis vacuum tube amp out at $3590!! Tube Amp Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Caz 25 Posted January 14, 2007 Report Share Posted January 14, 2007 Which prompts another question?What do you have that has given you good service for years? My fella.......................... & I get me spark plugs changed regularly Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Stan 386 Posted January 14, 2007 Report Share Posted January 14, 2007 ......eeeehhh,that`s Champion ,lass! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,033 Posted January 14, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2007 My fella.......................... Not Quite what I was thinking Of Caz! How about a Prestige Pressure Cooker, 1975 Vintage Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Craig Strongman 13 Posted January 15, 2007 Report Share Posted January 15, 2007 Mick, for whatever reason, i didnt buy any Kefs, probably because Dixons didnt stock them, not that they had the American stuff either, by then, id left and was working for a guy who imported the other stuff, inc, Fisher, which, like Marantz, was not middle Eastern at that time.. Strange coincidence that tube stuff is back in favour, in fact my current cd player, the Eastern Electric Minimax, has a valve output stage. Should have mentioned earlier, before i could afford an Amcron ( American Crown) pre amp, i had Gordon Hill, from Nottingham Hifi, on Alfreton Rd, build me one, basically to increase the output needed to drive the Phase Linear power amp, to its minimum 700 watts output. It was whilst i owned this set up, that i started dj'ing, using my hifi kit to do gigs with, the first ever one i did, in the mid 70's\ish, was for The Nottingham Karate Clubs annual doo, (where i had trained under Shiro Asano for quite some time), and that started what was to be, and still is, my occupation. It was at Boots Social Club on Trent Bridge incidentally. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,033 Posted January 15, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2007 Asano!, didnt he live on Westdale lane? My brotherin law trained under him, I believe. "Why you want to learn Karate?" "To protect myself" "Two Good legs - Run Away!" Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Craig Strongman 13 Posted January 16, 2007 Report Share Posted January 16, 2007 Still lives there, whats your brother in laws name? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,033 Posted January 16, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2007 Dusty Mapleston Mentioned elswhere, (Stu Morris) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
loppylugs 8,424 Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 Just posted on Hi-Fi in the 60s section now I found this. First system Roger's Cadet three running a couple of Wharfdale Super Lintons with a Garrard SP25 turntable. Soon traded the Garrard in for a Thorens TD150. Later added a V15 III Cartridge. I still have it and I still think it beats the pants off many of the CDs with their brittle sound. The Rogers amp died a few years ago and I presently use a Panasonic surround receiver for the TV. Haven't found anything to really touch the old Rogers though for shear purity of sound. Actually took the system to Canada where it worked well for many years. Had to buy a new motor for the Thorens to run on the 120v 60Hz mains frequency but it was worth it. Dave Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bip 88 Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 Well Dave you lost me at the first hurdle mate....but I will forgive you only because like me you are a dog owner and understand the trials and tribulations us dog owner have to endure…..presently I own a Pioneer mini unit, had it since 1985, turn table works but wares out needles very quickly, tape section too is not working any more but who cares I don’t have any tapes worth playing on it, radio still is ok and the CD works fine too. Bip Quote Link to post Share on other sites
loppylugs 8,424 Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 Thanks Bip. I assume the good looking boxer is yours. As you say there are many trials and tribulations to dog ownership. But they are worth it. My Black Lab is now 9 years old but a great dog. Often call him loppylugs - among other less polite names. Real name is Solomon. Usually shortened to Sol. Dave Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Val 11 Posted February 23, 2008 Report Share Posted February 23, 2008 Just found this forum on vintage hi-fi, we started with Radford valved amp & preamp, bought off the same guy that Craig got his American Hi-Fi off. He also got us hooked on Bose 901's and Phase Linear amp, but ours was only 400 watts (rms) Still have 901's but not the originals powered by Linn Amp & pre amp. We also had at one time a SME arm (bought off Craig) on a 401 deck, but now have a revolver deck with Linn arm. When we ran the disco (years ago!) we had a Vortexion amp which replaced the Leak amp. When I helped out at L&M which churned out Amstrad amp & Garrard system by the dozen when it first opened in Bramcote, the faults did not always lie with Amstrad. One woman rang up to complain her system would not work - turns out she had not plugged it in! Val Quote Link to post Share on other sites
loppylugs 8,424 Posted February 23, 2008 Report Share Posted February 23, 2008 Nothing to do with Hi fi but reminds me of a lady where I went to check out a 'frig. She said it had stopped working but it was running just fine when I got there. Checked it over and told her to just keep an eye on it and let us know real quick if it acted up again. After all we can't just replace parts and HOPE we fixed it. She then asked me when it would act up again. To which I replied, "I don't know." after all I didn't. She then got quite huffy and demanded to know when it would act up again. I suggested that she might like to contact a fortune teller rather than a tech'. I probably shouldn't have done that but I was having one of those days. She said she would call my office so I gave her the phone number. The foreman got a kick out of it anyway. Some folks should just avoid technology. Dave Quote Link to post Share on other sites
loppylugs 8,424 Posted February 23, 2008 Report Share Posted February 23, 2008 Which prompts another question?What do you have that has given you good service for years? I am STILL using those Wharfedale super Lintons and they sound as good as the day I got 'em. The Thorens TD150 turntable also continues to run smoothly whenever I need it. I'm not even sure Wharfedale exists anymore do they? Dave Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 305 Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 Which prompts another question?What do you have that has given you good service for years? I have a Microwave (Or rather my mum has) that I bought in 1982/3 when I was on shifts at Pork Farms, used every day since firstly, for a family of 5, and going down as we left the family abode, but it is still in perfect working order. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Craig Strongman 13 Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 I am STILL using those Wharfedale super Lintons and they sound as good as the day I got 'em. The Thorens TD150 turntable also continues to run smoothly whenever I need it.I'm not even sure Wharfedale exists anymore do they? Dave They are still around, now in the same group that own Quad, (Chinese company) and Val, I had totally forgotten I sold you my SME arm!!! I have one again now, on a Thorens TD160 super (mk11) Funny how so many people had a Td150, a Leak 30 plus and Super Lintons as their first "proper" system. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
loppylugs 8,424 Posted February 24, 2008 Report Share Posted February 24, 2008 They are still around, now in the same group that own Quad, (Chinese company) and Val, I had totally forgotten I sold you my SME arm!!! I have one again now, on a Thorens TD160 super (mk11)Funny how so many people had a Td150, a Leak 30 plus and Super Lintons as their first "proper" system. Hi Craig. Yes, that was a popular configuration in its day and Wharfedale were considered to be one of the best speaker manufacturers in the world. If I remember rightly the big argument centered on whether the Leak, which was one of the first transistorized quality amplifiers, was better or inferior to the existing tube (valve) amps of the day like the Rogers. Reading some of the online stuff that argument goes on right to the present day. Dave Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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