Awesome KRELL & DYNACO VINTAGE Preamps + Bose Buys McIntosh!

[@tg_ny]

Bose owning Sonus Faber and McIntosh. Ugh. Waiting to hear about the launch of the McIntosh Wave Radio which contains 2-inch Sonus Faber speakers.

[@blah5387]

Can only hope the lower end products they’ll produce will allow them to fund and keep making the high end stuff

[@TriAmpHiFi]

"McIntosh Wave Radio" lol, that's pretty funny👍 Acid Jazz Funk & Brass🔈🔉🔊

[@milosdunjic8718]

😂

[@gtrguyinaz]

One of the greatest audio engineers was David Hafler… his designs still sound great today….

[@jasonk5979]

I have a couple of dynaco pre amps and hafler amps. I enjoy them when I use them. Unfortunately my dh500 is broken. Parts are sometimes hard to source. But I still like them.

[@henrylee1214]

The PAS 3 is known to not play well with solid state amps due to output impedance. The Pas-3X fixed this problem. If I'm not mistaken, there are simple mods to the PAS-3 which allow this. I believe I found this in the ST-150 manual explaining how to use the amp with the PAS-3.

[@jamesdoranto9013]

For me, it pairs better with my Parasound a23+ than my Schiit Saga+. The Saga+ has matched output stepped "volume" attenuation that makes matching the input impedance of the a23 more difficult.

[@jimmccloskey4254]

I enjoy a mix of gear including the original Coda FET 01 Preamp - a killer product. Thx for the episode.

[@peacetrain3320]

You are correct, Sir. Vintage audio is my passion!

[@metatron-007]

I love the look of the Krell Power Supplies, the science fiction look. Very Cool..

[@Aswaguespack]

I too am fascinated with Vintage Audio Gear. I am currently trying to track down a mid 1960 AR 60 watt Amplifier and where it passed off to after the original owner passed away. I saw it last in the early 1980s stored on a shelf in a warehouse. If I could find it that would be a real treasure.

[@xstensl8823]

i had a Pam 3 back in 85 traded it towards a ARC SP11, both where beautifully engineered

[@gojdartamas34]

My old friends are using Dynaco power amps, and they always drive a DIY preamps, and I asked once, why not the Dynaco preamps? They said it is not good…

[@farquell5782]

I second that

[@thPrisoner]

I love old H.H. Scott vintage gear.

[@scottyo64]

Me too!

[@amb3cog]

Me three. 😁

[@analoglooney]

Especially Scott tuners.

[@gotham61]

The Dynaco is a PAS-3X, and it was restored by George Ronnenkamp of Pacific Audio Regenisis.

[@alonzosmith6189]

I remember when you could buy a Dynaco amp kit self assembly

[@cathodebias]

I’ve restored a few Dynaco PAS, and one thing to keep in mind is there is no cathode follower on that preamp which requires the input impedance of the amp to correctly matched. Most solid state amps have too low of an input impedance to correctly match to the PAS

[@cathodebias]

The difference between the PAS 2/3 and the 3x is there is a tone control defeat when in the neutral position. It is somewhat better, but overall the tone circuits in these are very crude. I don’t recommend these units other than for the fun of getting them working again

[@jamesdoranto9013]

@@cathodebias sheesh, I personally love the tone control. It's not a parametric eq but is very fun to play with.

[@cathodebias]

@@jamesdoranto9013 I'm not saying tone controls are bad in general. I'm saying the execution in the PAS is crude, and frankly doesn't work unless paired with a tube amp with the correct input impedance.

[@paulpavlou9294]

I own and use some vintage gear in the mix with relatively contemporary equipment in three different systems in my home. I do this not for the look but for the sound quality that they bring and the synergy to my systems. Some examples are a modified Goldring Lenco GL75 turntable, Vacuum State Pre-amplifier and JBL L100 Century speaker. I also have a Nakamichi 610 Preamplifier and 600 tape deck in use - partly for looks but also for performance. I would also note that all of this vintage equipment I have had since new except for the Lenco turntable. I do have newer more revealing speakers that help me better assess what I have. I too am also vintage and have heard many different systems over time and am very happy with the systems that I have. I am still enjoying the music I have as well as new music that I’m discovering.

[@Jack96993]

I have the VAC PA 100 100 tube amp and the input circuitry was designed back in 1947 I bought it back in 1995 Still going strong and sounds pretty magical to me

[@amb3cog]

Bose used to sell through dealers. I remember drooling over a Tech HiFi booklet (I got from their store in RI) that had all the products they sold, and Bose was very prominently represented. As was Ohm speakers, EPI, Advent, and many other great Northeast based audio companies. Man I wish I still had that piece of advertising! ✌️

[@TriAmpHiFi]

. I worked (kinda', lol) at the Tech Hifi Salem NH store in 82-83ish. It was great. The Washington's Birthday sales were nutz. They'd back-up a tractor-trailer full of affordable gear & we'd empty it. Thanks for the memory, ☮ Acid Jazz Funk & Brass🔈🔉🔊

[@mikemarion2154]

@1:38 - I love the old picture of Steve in front of the NAD 7000 series receiver and the 5600 cartridge CD changer.... those were still around when I started selling NAD after graduating high school and starting college. this was just after Clarion Car Audio bought McIntosh (1990) so that was something we talked about regularly when asked why we were not a McIntosh dealer anymore.

[@deanfisher1656]

Nicely done Steve….appreciate your honest evaluation of vintage gear and the intricacies of setup. Have a Kenwood 700m amp and 700c pre-amp in a system and really enjoy my vintage setup from the 70s…….and you’re right ….it looks awesome….sent you pics once.

[@markwoll]

I still have a Dynakit PAS-2 in the garage. Got it used in 1976. It might work, but the caps are probably long gone.

[@williamcampbell3868]

Aw man! I don't own any McIntosh gear but I hope this doesn't happen to my precious Rogue Audio, Conrad-Johnson and Adcom brands who's equipment I do own! This is from a Black man O.G and music loving audiophile. When I heard of this acquisition I said "Aw naw!". What is going on with high end audio!?? With the rumored possible disappearance of other well known high end brands, this has left me feeling kinda worried about the future of high end audio. I wrote on another channel that when a brand goes under and a brick and mortar high end audio dealer closes iits doors I become somewhat depressed. I'm a seasoned 64 year old music lover and want American High End audio to survive!

[@MostlyBuicks]

I had three favorite preamps. Spectral DMC-6A. Threshold FET 2. Crown Professional Straightline Two.

[@adambrown8867]

My Hafler 9505 was getting noisy on the right channel & began to pass pops to the speakers when I turned it on the last couple of times. That in turn blew my Tannoy XT8F on the right side. I can't find OEM replacement drivers.

[@bblimediamostlyspeakers]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the vintage. The Krell was really cool looking, with those unusual looking monoblocks. I love the Switchcraft cable XLR's on the back. I personally wouldn't mind seeing more vintage reviews, like Hafler, or ADCOM's GFA-555! And Electro-Voice maybe?

[@annebokma4637]

Mostly vintage HK here, including the citation 25 pre amp. Bought it new, so I am now vintage 😂 Just waiting for the McIntosh acoustimas😂

[@glenncurry3041]

None of these names relate to the names that were established way back in the day. They used to be actual separate little companies, Marantz, Pioneer, McIntosh, JBL, .... the names have been bought and sold many times since then. Just like Masimo Corporation, which bought Sound United, is talking about closing that division down after the purchase did not provide anywhere near the ROI they expected. They own: Bowers & Wilkins, Denon, Marantz, Polk Audio, Definitive Technology, Classé, HEOS, and Boston Acoustics. Maybe some other company will by some of those names. But then at this point what does a name mean?

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

McIntosh is very real company, still building some of their stuff in Binghamton New York, same as ever.

[@jamesdoranto9013]

​@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac dang can't lie, I am disappointed to hear about this! acquisitions are historically bad for the consumer. Nothing but a money maker. Look at the state of Parasound in 2024, very sad

[@Pete-ui2un]

I gutted out my pas3 and installed the van alstine super pas3x circuit years ago.

[@tubefreeeasy]

I wonder if you tried one of your high end power cables unless you’re stuck with theirs.

[@andrewgillis5997]

Those new 901s look like they’re from a Bluey play set

[@cliff4693]

Bose is a $1 billion entity and Macintosh was probably in financial difficulty. Wise financial investment to expand their offerings. Personally I don’t think they will tamper with the Macintosh product.

[@Roudaki677]

Mac was owned by a PE firm, the entire goal of the PE firm is to flip companies. No surprise they sold Mac.

[@samuelreggio1611]

Such a great video. Love love love your perspective on vintage gear!!

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

Thanks!

[@NovaluxStereophonic]

Great video Steve! Regarding the PAM-1 gain... I experimented with the DIP switches and configured it for the lowest gain option. My only thought is that perhaps the Krell power amps of that era had a lower input sensitivity than their competitors, and the PAM-1 was designed to interface specifically with those products? Just guessing :)

[@stinkenstine]

Looking to get a Dynaco PAS-3 from Kenny Russell. He just built me a beautiful ST-70. Sounds like pure silk…

[@geraldschrader8511]

Regarding that Krell preamp, it looks cool but the separate left and right volume controls would be a deal breaker for me. Absolutely no way I'd put up with that level of aggravation. Steve, I hope you can find some spare 7199 tubes for your Stereo 70 amp, because they've been out of production for a long time. Best grab whatever you can find.

[@stevenjackson8226]

The Dynaco preamps were never as good as their power amplifiers. I still have my father's PAS-2, ST-70, and FM-3. I've used this gear off and on over the years, though the last time was a long time ago now. I had a PAT-5 BiFET, which went with my ST-416, and my brother has a late production PAT-4 that he still uses with a ST-150 (with blue meters and wood side panels) and an FM-5 tuner. The ST-70 can be a lovely thing, even to this day. And the Dynaco transistor amps were good. The FM-3, while not the most technically capable thing, can sound excellent, though FM is not a high quality medium. The preamps, at least in stock form, weren't Dynaco's best offerings.

[@jamesdoranto9013]

I really enjoy their eq section. maybe i'm alone in this haha

[@airgead5391]

The less than stellar sound of the Dynaco preamp is definitely not cured by other tubes. Typical of that era: tube power amps you can find gems that are still relevant in these days, pre-amps much less so.

[@farquell5782]

Totally agree based on my own experience

[@artyfhartie2269]

No highs , no lows , must be McIntosh and Bose

[@rickg8015]

Hi Steve.. You might be surprised on how good a pairing is the ST70 + the ARC SP-3 preamp..

[@fletchermunson6225]

You can't reheat an old souffle'. My wife objects to the term "knob feel" coming up during our intimate moments.

[@stimpy1226]

It makes me sick to think that Bose garbage purchased McIntosh.

[@timleelim9930]

The Bose acquisition has directly reflected the market for products like McIntosh, yathink?

[@tothemax324]

If any Dynaco owner wondering what vintage year it is, look at the bottom of the bias pot the year is stamped there.

[@jamesdoranto9013]

nice

[@TheChianello]

Speaking of vintage pieces, I own a Harmon Kardan Citation A Pre-Amp. A Stuart Hegeman design 1962.

[@JK-rt2jj]

Early Luxman solid state still is being underrated.

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

Well, then it's more affordable to buy!

[@JK-rt2jj]

@ It is, yes! And the looks are very good too.

[@36karpatoruski]

What the whole world has been screaming for - another Bose 901. How long before we can buy a Trabant or Yugo car?

[@entity279]

I guess they hope the memories of the old one are gone

[@karlhartwig3981]

Lovely old gear, would love to hear them-but what did you play?!? OK, missed the music selections, but I'm not missing the irony of Bose buying up two audiophile giants. Since I've discovered the Y-Tube audio world in my retirement I sure have heard a lot of Bose bashing. Hopefully the products won't suffer for it.

[@meshplates]

The Pam 1 has four inputs. You forgot "tape monitor."

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

True! Thanks.

[@RogierYou]

What barbarian fastened the screws on the brass placks /-\ |

[@MarkMiller-i8q]

Looks are definitely part of the equation in the audio hobby. Just ask McIntosh and Marantz owners.

[@TheOriginalPaulGilpin]

❤ you, Steve!

[@LouStewel-rd7po]

You can bet your mortgage payment that going forward, Macintosh will soon be made in Jina.

[@farquell5782]

If it isn't already

[@julesl6910]

You claim the Dynaco PAS was restored, uhh why are all of the capacitors and resistors original? That's not restored. I'm glad you screwed this review up so the prices don't go up like they did when you used an actually restored ST-70, the prices have gone up 100% thanks Steve lol

[@GuaniJapetto]

I noticed this as well ! The "original" unmodded PAS I own is fitted with the same John E Fast hardware. Made me scratch my noggin. Steve care to elaborate? Need more info!!

[@GuaniJapetto]

@ 8:24 , pretty sure the filament capacitors are the only "upgrade". The tranformer may not be oem either but this is not a fully restored unit by any means. No offense but your verbiage conflicts with what I am seeing.

[@jamesdoranto9013]

Lmao this is funny

[@julesl6910]

The multisection cap looks stock too. So... 60 year old electrolytics delivering the power? And you are saying it didn't sound good lol what were you thinking Steve? Mail it to me and I'll restore it properly.

[@gotham61]

The PAS 3X is mine, and was restored by George Ronnenkamp at Pacific Audio Regenesis. He went extraordinary lengths to keep it stock looking, including restuffing the vintage caps with new internals to keep the original look. The only place where he completely changed the look is the rear panel, where he created a new silk screened PVC label to replace the paper original. The preamp came with a thick spiral bound book with measurements, and an accounting of the restoration.

[@SuperMcgenius]

The ST 70 is a nice charming little amp, The Dynco preamp was dull, both Dayton wright SPL and Hollomans ATP Preamps blew them out of the water back in the late 70s. I am not sure how these older units would fair to Modern units. 😊 . note, I remember the Krell preamp as full and musical, that was a decades ago, so who knows.

[@4991544]

If you are having a vintage piece completely restored, how do you know the original sound signature will not be lost? Seems like there is a big risk of laying out cash for a huge disappointment.

[@FarrukhButt-f8c]

Ya, some components will be changed hence sound would alter.

[@herbward5240]

Come on Steve…I know you lusted over the Bose 1801 power amplifier

[@AudioFileZ]

Bose being a company with more on-hand capital than many small to mid-size banks could be good other than the fact they seem to think they know so much about audio. All I think about when I see or hear Bose stuff is how good they are at selling sub-par home audio products with ridiculous prices. There is a reason they didn't show at the Hi-Fi shows which is they knew they'd be embarrassed, plus they couldn't really woo those discerning buyers choosing instead selling only the big boxes and direct sales way. Bose, please keep your cost and design departments away from McIntosh. I guess it isn't the first time MAC has gone down this road, didn't Sparkomatic own them for a bit somewhere along the way?

[@theosalvucci8683]

People bought McIntosh because they trusted that it was so well built that it was an heirloom product. McIntosh promised to support their products indefinitely. Anyone who had a Mac could send it back to McIntosh and for $500 that company would clean it up and bring it back to spec. But the prestige that the build quality and support system created is now in jeopardy. The public's trust could very well be broken, in which case sales will decline, in which case Bose will cheapen the product line, in which case sales to go down more, and that downward spiral will never be able to be stopped. It's over for Mac, unless Bose wakes up and gets rid of the line.

[@stefangemmecke]

I think it’s the best for McIntosh.McIntosh is a small Company I think much to small to exist in the future successfully . In Europe the so called High End market ist drastically shrinking.That’s a problem for a lot of companies in the classical Audio business

[@analoglooney]

Let us hope that Bose understands that what gives Mcintosh it's street cred is the fact that it is made in Binghampton NY as it always has been. If they shut it down and make it abroad or just use the brand name for lifestyle rubbish then it is finished and it will go the way of the dodo like Shure and Stanton.

[@HxThomison]

Mac is dead to me ever since they started with the tacky green LEDs, and pooped out that lifestyle miniature crap.

[@carminedesanto6746]

Good afternoon ☕️🍩 I had that Krell pre amp 😱

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

Fantastic, what are you using instead?

[@carminedesanto6746]

@ is t funny ..I went from Bryston to Krell to Classe’ and back to Bryston 🤣

[@robertpincus6528]

I can see somebody wanting a stock MC240 or 8B, but a stock ST70 needs help, as in a lot of help.

[@MurkRondaan]

Only the 901 speakers from Bose was very good. Afterwards here in the Netherlands no one took Bose seriiously.

[@redstarwraith]

What did you listen to? That's half the reason I subscribe to your channel!

[@MrDaveaccord]

Why the hell would Mac sell to Bose? Gotta be about money. Bose used to be based here in Massachusetts in Framingham.

[@armanddimeo6575]

If Bose had bought MacIntosh 50 years ago, it would have made sense. Hopefully, they will not turn MacIntosh into another lifestyle company. With Bose coming out with a new version of the 901s, maybe it will be the other way around. We shall see. .

[@robtremble2277]

isn't Bose motto better sound through research why haven't they added a tweeter to the 901

[@ReverendDr.Thomas]

What does a corporation do when their sales are declining? Buy a profitable company, of course!

[@peterlundskow4061]

I think the new design of the 901 looks like bad 1970's furniture!

[@michaelgarnett1372]

Mac hasnt been the mac in 20+ years

[@HxThomison]

thank you

[@SteveWille]

Anyone else here bothered by the screws on the Krell name plates not being clocked?

[@analoglooney]

Yes! It drives me mad. How that was never corrected is beyond me.

[@SteveWille]

@ Good. I tell myself this is beyond some retentive fault in my personality. Right or wrong, seeing clocked screws is a signal to me that those that built or repaired the item also took care in the rest of their work.

[@TheBTG88]

Bose is a better owner than some entity from China that would ship McIntosh and Sonus Faber factory equipment to built there.

[@didioentoro7575]

You could afford to pay more with "made in the USA" for the same item, product and quality? How are the others ?

[@mistadobolina5160]

That’s the end of Mac. What a shame

[@GiancarloBenzina]

Bose bought Mc? Wow. Ok, Marketmanagement and Brand-Rescueing going on - Suits business. I wonder if they continue to service the old MCs, let‘s wait for the next story on them in 12-24 months. Who needs quality and sound, right, if shine, stance, presence is enough.

[@scottyo64]

Have you been hiding under a rock? It's been all over KZbin and Instagram. Every reviewer had to make a statement

[@drfuzz1756]

The new BOSE speakers look like a toilet...Just add a paper holder !

[@robertpeterson8640]

Back in the day, maybe still… VanAlstine did a PAS rebuild. Steve did you get a new camera or something? Your audio sounds weird and the image is poor.

[@GiancarloBenzina]

1. I forgot that our ears and brains need a technological upgrade to consume audio better than trained people loved to consume it in past times. 2. what is vintage? >10yrs? 20, 40, 60? With some people that‘s already >5yrs. Vintage to me is clearly >50yrs, Antique>75, Classic >25, old >5. 3. what is an original dynaco? With caps replaced you get already a new vibe. And as there‘s no reference, thanks to the DIY-Kits sold, what is it? And so, yes, I hear on Vintage, Classic, old equipment, just one new, not antique, but partially antique architecture. And it sounds good, in fact so good that Salesman on- or offline can sell me new gear that‘s not actually an outstandingly performing piece of a multiple higher category, or if a alternative wonderful sound-characteristic overall can be presented with an uncommon architecture. And with age, fun becomes even more relevant than a klingeling of neutrality at the 3rd bush deep in the right corner that you can‘t hear, but see on the visualization of iZotope or similar. It‘s like cooking, having fresh tasty ingredients, no need to fuzz around, just don‘t break it.

[@GiancarloBenzina]

Where has analog recording gone? The freedom to go out and record anything the way it is, analog? Out, like in the field, on events, parties, …, private Kammermusik/Rock/Quartetts or the like?

[@scottyo64]

Dang, I didn't know most of my system is already old 😂

[@mikechristensen1285]

Much hand wringing about the fate of Sonus Faber and McIntosh… let’s remember that Volkswagen managed to make the Bugatti Veyron. So, maybe Bose won’t screw it up too much!

[@crazyprayingmantis5596]

And now VW is pretty much dead

[@mikechristensen1285]

⁠@@crazyprayingmantis5596 second in global market share? Own two of the most valuable premium brands?…. I wouldn’t consider them dead.

[@jamesdoranto9013]

🤦

[@crazyprayingmantis5596]

@@mikechristensen1285 Volkswagen has reported a 60% drop in profits amid a slump in sales in China, with the carmaker emphasising the difficulties it faces as it prepares to close factories in Germany for the first time. The head of VW finance said the company has 12 months to 2yrs to save the brand

[@crazyprayingmantis5596]

Well i don't like Bose, McIntosh or Sonus faber so its probably a good match

[@michaelvincent8306]

Bose buying macintosh is like poundland buying harrods 😅

[@stevenkoski228]

Comparatively price-wise, all 3 brands are outperformed by others. Their future has no concern to serious audiophiles.

[@jvnb-y9e]

If the Bose board of directors is woke, the McIntosh brand will be destroyed.

[@justadad2304]

If you have an IQ above 20, I will be shocked

[@1michaelricci]

Just my option and personal experiences here: I believe Bose will prove to be excellent stewards of McIntosh and SonusFarber. They understand audio quality and brand strength built over years of releasing and supporting high quality products is something they want and need. This is a very good sign. Bose is a company of engineers and has very few commercial business employees. Several of the people I’ve met from Bose are music fanatics, audiophiles, musicians or mad scientists…and many have all those qualities. Bose underwent a structural business change several years ago to ensure they could continue. Now they are healthy and hungry and thinking outside of the box, as Dr. Bose always did.

[@farquell5782]

In my opinion, the PAS 3 is garbage. I've had two of them and they stink.

[@steven3557]

thank you, not all dynaco was all that. but still a nice restoration. Will admit my Scott 299 is cherrier.

[@farquell5782]

I like my stereo 70 but really dislike the pas3

[@deanryder4922]

Poor review nothing about the sound and how it compares to other transports of its price range,,,, nothing more then an infomercial.

[@octothorpe12]

The new 901s look weird because the proportions are off, and they've over-rounded the angles. It's… not a good choice, TBH.