THE MOST WANTED VINTAGE STEREO AMPLIFIERS EVER MADE

AllEliteAudio.com
Looking to upgrade your hifi system (vintage or new)? My company All Elite Audio specializes in assessing your system and helps you find an upgrade path to meet your sound goals!
/ alleliteaudio
/ alleliteaudio
My Essential Vintage HiFi Tools
Clean your knobs, switches, and pots with...
geni.us/DeoxitD5
Clean Faders & Sliders with...
geni.us/DeoxitF5
Clean your faceplates carefully with...
geni.us/Facepl...
My Essential Vintage HiFi Accessories
Add banana plug terminals to your receiver...
geni.us/Banana...
Another option for small speaker terminals...
geni.us/LilPig...
My Favorite Banana Plugs
geni.us/Speake...
Switch Between Multiple Amps & Speakers
geni.us/DOUKVU3
(Some links may be affiliate links which I earn commission on, you clicking and purchasing any products helps support this channel)

[@profoundsinger]

I still have my Yamaha M-80 power amp, and it has faithfully given me decades of use. With 250 watts of clean punchy power, and some of the most gorgeous meters of the 80’s, the Yamaha M-80 is a vintage amp that can’t be beat!!

[@LennyFlorentine]

Very nice, do you have matching components?

[@profoundsinger]

@@LennyFlorentine sadly no. My Yamaha preamp died years ago. But the M-80 is still going strong!

[@Bbba724]

Is it 4 or 8 ohm? My 87 model Kenwood was bad about clipping at the 1 o’clock position with the factory speakers and even at 4 channels with the Cerwin-Vegas it still clipped. I tried using the eq to see where it started but I think it just lacked the power. I want a do over with my Phase Linear( Carver) . Those two speaker cabs I built like a bass amp with the HMTs were the best I ever had. Though a line level 3 rd Sub channel for a 500 watt self powered sub would be great 👍

[@mikecampbell5856]

I absolutely love your audio history lessons.i bought my first system in 1975 and your videos bring back some great memories. Thanks for the hard work!

[@LennyFlorentine]

Glad you like them! Always trying to bring back those memories!

[@steveallen489]

I have a Hafler XL280 power amp and absolutely love it! Talk about buttery smooth, warm and "tube-like". If you like vintage speakers, it matches well with JBL, Polk audio, ADS, Advent, Altec Lansing, Klipsch and many other American speakers.

[@dewaynejelks9088]

My Pioneer A-80 has been awesome since I purchased it new in 1985 while deployed to Italy. Still sounds good.

[@scottwheeler6050]

In the mid 70's I bought a SA9500II, SG9500, TX9500, CTF900, RT707 and I still have them all. I use them all the time. The CTF900 has always been finicky... but everything else, works great! Needs a good cleaning :) Should I keep or sell?

[@tjtreinen7381]

I have a Onkyo m502/504 set up. great sound and really puts out the power.. also have a smaller adcom amp/preamp.. the amp is 50watts rms and sounds great also.

[@robertliskey420]

I could have watched this one for an hour! Being in this "nutcase" hobby over 50 years, you hit the nail on the head. If a person has either power hungry, or even tricker revealing speakers amplifiers make a huge difference. My first high power amp was for a cult speaker known as the Dahlquist dq-10 these needed enormous amount of power. An audiophile friend (Chris hope you are doing well) sold me my first big amp A Sound craftsman 375 wpc and the clip light would flash quite a bit when the speakers were sounding great. Have had several of Mr. Carver's amps love them all. One you missed is the Luxman M-4000 truly a magnificent amplifier. Love your content. Oh the reveling speakers I own are Altec Model-19's.

[@LennyFlorentine]

I could have gone on for an hour!

[@sand0077]

Sneaking amps, my specialty was sneaking speakers into the home usually when my wife was conveniently away. I'd first store them in the garage then wait for the right moment to integrate them into the system discreetly. "Is that new? Oh no, always been there, just brought them more into view!" 😁😁😁

[@PremierComputerFairs]

If your Channel was on National TV Lenny, it would win major awards! You do not know how great you are as a presenter and HI FI dealer! Absolutely fantastic series of vintage Hi Fi!

[@LennyFlorentine]

Thanks so much that’s such a great compliment! Would love a tv show!

[@PremierComputerFairs]

@@LennyFlorentine Absolute pleasure Sir! I love the Channel so much! You are very talented!

[@stevezeidman7224]

I loved all the vintage receivers back in the day. I had a Marantz 140 and 3200 pre I loved. I now have two McIntosh but my fav is my MC2155.

[@Adam-cl9xr]

I have owned the Marantz 1070, and Kenwood KA-5500 integrateds that I loved for years. I’m now using a Hafler DH 200 power amp with a Rotel pre amp and Definitive Technology towers. I grew up in the 60’s & 70’s, so vintage gear will never get old!

[@WilliamSutton-d5b]

Still using and love my luxman m120 sounds amazing running klipsch lascalla with thornes turntable

[@kimbryant281]

Made me smile to see a Wallensak 3M 8-track player on the shelf. It was the first thing I bought - I wanted something else to play my tapes on except my 68 Olds 442!😂. Wasn’t until I got it home that I figured out I needed something to connect it to! Hey, I was in high school - what did I know!! Oh yeah, I later bought a Magnavox quadrophonic, a Sony BetaMax and a Pioneer Laser disc player. I stopped giving advice on audio/video a long time ago!!

[@59seank]

My favorite vintage components are the Accuphase P-300, C-200 and the T-100. The Accuphase E-202 is a great integrated amplifier.

[@Frankinsteinguitar]

Loved our Phase Linear 400 and matching preamp.

[@thomassmith1070]

Just sold my Onkyo M508 today. Glad to see it get a new home. Non recapped and still working.

[@larryhazelwood5491]

the Technics SE-A3MK2 was rated at 300 wpc but had peak power of 1500 wpc.With a 4 stage darlington output and class a this 86 pound beast was the amp to beat.The power meters went to 1000 watts as well.

[@kristophergurley585]

While not quite vintage(though the early 90s when they came out was 30 yrs ago)I will forever have a soft spot for Jolida Tube amps. My first amp I bought with my own money(on layaway)was a Jolida 202a. I still have it and it's still a great sounding piece. They are currently doing business under the name Black Ice Audio and I can't wait to get one of those in the house.

[@sheldonhambrick7317]

I've wanted an Onkyo M-504 since they came out, and finally got one last year :-) !!!

[@tcrutch65]

Thank you for choosing the Onkyo M - 504. Mine is running perfectly

[@michaelharden6538]

Had mine over 20 years, it works perfectly. I'm using it to power magnepan mmg's.

[@68pishta68]

My buddy bought the entire SAE rack catalog that was stocked one piece at a time while serving overseas in Philippines from the Navy Exchange. I think it was great looking with most lights being red and the gold VU's

[@paulchasteauneuf2098]

Great commentary Lenny and extremely well presented. I love my Kenwood KR2400 not because it’s the best sounding amp of all time but because it’s what my dad had when I was introduced to the world of audio. Buying the best audio he could afford at the time listening to Shirley Bassie while raising a family. Gave my brother and I our first appreciation of audio.

[@sk22ng]

I just rebuilt my system from scratch and donated my Carver Platinum Amazing Loudspeakers, JVC QL5 turntable with a fabulous new cartridge installed and SAE 200 watt per channel power amp to a friend's daughter & her husband. She gave me a warm hug.

[@BigBoy4004]

Owned a Marantz PM-8/ST-8 combo until about 2004. Sold it to a dealer as the volume pot wore down and being a special 12-stage construction, it was basically irreplaceable and beyond repair. Now sits on a shelf of a vintage HiFi collector just to be looked at once in a while. Was the best sounding piece of HiFi equipment I ever owned, though... 😢

[@AudioGearhead]

Kenwood KA-9100 is my favorite vintage amplifier, it is my first "big power," home amplifier. My Adcom GFA-5400 I think is vintage now and I have a Decware SE34I.6 that is built like a vintage tube amplifier.

[@Bbba724]

I miss my Kenwood KA87 system it was Amp, EQ, Changer, Tuner, and a Double Cassette I could record a double track guitar mix on, and I just replaced the Speakers in the original Cabinets. For a solid state that clipped out at 8 ohms at 1 o’clock. I still wish I had it though because I could have put 4 ohm caps on, and my Cerwin- Vega were rated for 4 ohms and 8 ohms with a dip switch by popping out the speaker connections.

[@Bbba724]

I want another 5 channel system with just a CD changer and Turntable at 100w per 2 channel or 70x4 at 4 ohms and a line level for a powered sub. If anyone has such a beast laying around and wants to sell please let me know here. Thanks. I have some medical issues to fix, but I need a straight forward little system like that for my mental health.

[@deanfisher1656]

Great video and awesome info Lenny….love your energy. Just got back my first real audiophile purchase in 1977. Have a Kenwood 700M amp. (Gorgeous and sounds great) and 700C pre-amp. Running a PD 272 Luxman turntable and Kenwood 8300 tuner. (Tuner is weak link but it sounds wonderful. All are fully serviced and updated . Love those blue meters at night.😊. Keep em coming.

[@Anh-Áo-Nâu]

I current have Sansui 9010, which do you think I can upgrade next to see great improvement. .... and how much? Thanks

[@Uraim]

I have a Pioneer sa7800, i completly rebuilt it from scratch with new semiconductors, and it sounds like a good dream.

[@roccobruno8027]

For me the one amp I've always lusted over has to be the Marantz model 9 mono amplifier. I've always been a fan of the Threshold Stasis amplifiers as well.

[@jim010109]

I still have a Carver TFM 15 and a Carver TFM 6. I've since upgraded to Parasound, but they still work. Another fun video. Your killing it!

[@Hanover_Fist]

Thanks, Crown Straight line 2 series of components. SAE made some cool stuff also. Both made in the USA.

[@LennyFlorentine]

Yeah USA Crown was powerful stuff!

[@ole9421]

No mention of the Sansui BA5000? And, I've always understood it to be the preamp that provides the greatest change in a system's sound. Power amps provide the dynamics, but preamps control the color or sound overall.

[@ericbachmann8037]

Speakers have more of an impact on a systems sound that anything.

[@robertwright5487]

I have noticed that vintage stereo equipment is much like vintage cars.$$$$. Oh, well. Enjoy your channel! We can all dream!

[@LennyFlorentine]

Thanks! Yes going up like vintage cars, what's in your system?

[@robertwright5487]

There's nothing like what I have seen in your store. A music hallmmf-2.2 turntable, a Panasonic DP-UB820 Ultra Blu-ray, FURMAN M-80x power conditioner, a Yamaha AVENTAGE surround sound receiver, a Zen phono amp, 2 Infinity IL40s, 4 Infinity IL30s, 1 Infinity IL36C, 1 Infinity IL100 subwoofer, 1 SVS SB-4000 subwoofer. Viewing pleasure is an old LG OLED65B9PUA. This is my primary system for now.

[@Cimone90]

Kenwood doesnt always get a lot of love, but the kenwood 700m is an absolute beast

[@ericschwartzberg5083]

Great video taking us back to the 70s. In the mid 80s I had a Harmon Kardon Citation 2 from the 60s. All tubes ran hot like the Mc Intosh I miss it.

[@paulsfam]

I picked up a 1964 Roberts/ Akai 1630 tubed amp reel to reel the reel player was toast but removed that and you have a nice sounding tubed preamp/amp made a wood case for it and it drives my Kenwood kd5077 and university speaker very nicely. You can get those reel players cheap and you have a nice tubed amp.

[@chabinathramkissoon1295]

I used to be a DJ , I have a great collection of Indian records but I sold out to my brother the disco, reggae calypso etc.I had two of the Mc 2500 , (Mc intosh) four of the Crown Macro Tech 2400, one of the crown Macro Tech 3600, one of the same 1200 .and one of the SAE 350 watts amplifier. Previously I one phase Linear 400, three 700 (two black) one D 500 (500 watts per channel) one Carver 250 watts per channel. While the phase linear will give you a deeper bass it is better to use it in copper coil rather than more sensitive ones like aluminum edge wound coils. You can play a Crown or Mac at full power but from the moment you cross half power with a phase Linear, your expensive speakers are in trouble. I used to use Gauss 15,s & 18,s I also had Studer Revox reel to reel half track recorder. I did an electronic course in the early 1970,s so I knew what I was doing. Trust me, Nothing compares to a MC intosh.

[@thermopolis68]

I love my HK770 and 775 vintage amps and they have color changing lights.

[@johnmiller3689]

Great video, love my Marantz 2270

[@LennyFlorentine]

Good choice!

[@audiolover]

I love mine Luxman C-1000 M-4000 set, Kenwood Supreme, Exclusive C-3/M-4, Sansui BA-3000/CA-3000, Sony Esprit TA-N902 TA-E900 👌

[@karaDee2363]

Those are some great ones Lenny... you have good taste👍

[@chrisblock6697]

I agree. Lenny knows what he’s talking about in my opinion.

[@Billsoundmaster]

I had a SPEC 2 back in the 80's the inrush current would trip breakers in my dorm.. As I remember the Phase Linear gained the name "Flame Liner" in the Pro world, for the tendency to catch fire. The Crown D series was another Amp. that gained wide use in home systems. I am using a D-75 and it sounds great powering a pair of Klipsch KG1.5s .

[@olivermax1647]

My ultra rare Accuphase M100 monoblocks are just 🔥 from 1985 with massive VU metres, 500W into 8ohms and that sweet warm Accuphase sound! Perfect to power my hungry B&W 801 Matrix S2. Altec 9440a is new to the stable, the amp that Altec recommended in the 1970s for the A7, A5 and A19 (my current primary speaker).

[@GlennBerrySQL]

Carver made some nice amplifiers in the mid-1980s, as did Yamaha. They both have a fan base. The Carver M-500t has huge analog power meters. The Yamaha M-85 amp, matched with a C-85 preamp and T-85 tuner was a great combo from 1986. I have a T-85, which is one of the better DXing tuners from that era.

[@johnkortgardner3221]

Still goin strong with my Marantz stack, 125 tuner, 1250 integrated amp, & added a DC 300 amp. Beautiful blue lamps...

[@steverose7122]

my first power amp and still have today carver m1.5t purchased new in germany 1988 it still performs flawlessly.

[@steveneastland4128]

For me, the Musical Fidelity A1000, no other integrated amplifier has ever taken control of my Tannoy Definition 300's in quite the way that this 50 watt class A does, everything is expressed in such a natural way and vocals are to die for, it doesn't have a favourite genre or recording type it just plays music, beautifully

[@sampsonpaul73]

Thanks for the video presentation, a little sorry there wasn't more of Sansui. Keep up the good work 🙂

[@LennyFlorentine]

Yeah you are right! Which one would you pick?

[@peterderidder9922]

Hi, I have several old school amplifiers . But my absolute favorite is the pioneer SA-9500II , it have's that typical vintage sound and have enough power with 2X80 watts. My Akai AM-2950 sound also verry good and can give me much much more power, doh ik prefer the pioneer sound. It sounds so smooth and ad the same time verry clear sound. Normaly I'm gonna sell my akai AM-2950 , but it have's VU meters and it is a real powerhouse. So I'm gonna think it over. All my other old school amps dont comme even close. What's youre opinion ? did you ever had the chanse to play a pioneer SA-9500II ?????

[@marcparsons1726]

Got the Onkyo Integra 506RS, preamp, eq, cd, tape. Lafayette tube tuner. (Integra tuner is too expensive). Looks cool at night!

[@mitraramsaroop6275]

I like the phase liners power amp

[@michellevey9608]

My Yamaha MX-1. I've heard it's nicknamed the whale. To me it's just perfect! I bought a recap kit for it that l may use someday. I currently run it with a Rotel RC-1070. Maybe not the best out there, but like it's simplistic look.

[@ericbachmann8037]

I have a Pioneer SPEC 2 (also matching SPEC 1 pre-amp) Onkyo M-5090 (also P-306 pre-amp) 3 Proton D-1200’s. 2 are bridgeable, 1 non. Yamaha M-600U 2 Denon POA-2200’s. Need work. Also not an amp, but, a Sansui G-9700. Pioneer SX-3900 And a bunch of Sony ES components I DO MISS the 2 Adcom GFA-555II’s I had back in the mid 90’s. Bridged to a pair of Polk Audio SDA-1C’s. Those would be awesome powering the Polk SDA-SRS 2.3TL’s I recently acquired. I do plan on using the 2 Proton D-1200’s bridged. Eventually.

[@LennyFlorentine]

Thanks for sharing! All great stuff, love the ES components!

[@Turboy65]

I had a Spec 4. I sold it when I upgraded to Krell monoblocks. (KMA-160s)

[@LennyFlorentine]

Nice! You enjoy the Krell?

[@dracdrum]

My Dad used to swear by his Harman Kardon Citation 19. 100W in to 8 Ohms per side. Was basically 2 single channel amps in a box. Each channel had its own discrete power supply. It also weighed like 60 lbs or so. He used to work part time at a stereo shop and they cooked it on a test bench and got 144W per channel at 8 and could get well over 300w and be stable bridged into 2 ohms. He used a Nakamichi pre amp, which I have, but is in rough shape... I also have a set of HPM-100s but they are also in rough shape :(

[@btu45nh]

I have a couple Nikko amps and pre amps I bought in 1979 there still sound amazing and running strong. both going into JBl speakers one set is a pair of JBL L220s which is one of the best audio investments I ever made.

[@frankcolliton10]

My 1977 McIntosh 2505 runs perfectly after 47 years!

[@BcBaxley]

The headroom on these amps make modern mastering seem.... MID 😎🍻🤘

[@joeparaski]

I am surprised you didn't mention SAE amplifiers! I have 6 of them, including a rare Clare Brothers 2600.

[@knivesandfire1]

I sought out to buy whatever McIntosh power amp I could afford, so last year I bought a MC202 for $1700 from the local used hi-fi shop.

[@raymondhale6982]

I still have my original pair of Carver M 4.0t amps, and they still sound great, and are going strong.

[@andrewyankitis7162]

Kenwood basic m1d still going strong!!!

[@LennyFlorentine]

Nice! How long have you had it?

[@Bbba724]

I bought a Kenwood system in 1987, just K-A amp, C cassette, 87 for each component. I thought it was just a cheap thing and donated it and went digital and what a disappointment. I started in the 70s with the Kenwood TK systems and thought well they are analog and you couldn’t find records. I have wandered in the wilderness. I am blind and disabled now and I wouldn’t know where to begin. I just have a small Yamaha receiver/ CD player that is tiny hooked to a a set of bookshelf Cerwin- Vega speakers. A sound bar with a tiny sub, it is hooked to my TV and sounds good like a 70s Curtis Mathes Console TV did. But I really want a good system again, but My wife gets sick at certain frequencies and my granddaughter is all for it but she is a singer with perfect pitch, and I don’t want to disturb her vestibular system.

[@andrewyankitis7162]

@@LennyFlorentine I'm the original owner

[@adrianenriquez3409]

I love the Kenwood Basic series. I have collected the M2, M2A, M1, C1, and C2.

[@Bbba724]

I really miss my Kenwood vintage stereo. I had a TK -40, a TK -140X, and the K87 combo . It would clip out at 1 o’ clock on the dial, but man it sounded good for an 1987. The early analog ones were really good, but Carver’s Phase Linear was the best with my home built cabinets with a 15 inch bass amp speaker and 2 passive radiators one on each side and a Hiel Air Motion Transformer on the two cabinets. I got kicked out of a couple of apts , then got married and had to sell it all because it made my wife sick and gave her migraines.

[@tomtompkins7546]

I bought a Sansui ba3000 from the Goodwill for $16. It was mint. What an amplifier.

[@ohmbug10]

That's a cool story. Congratulations!

[@LennyFlorentine]

Wow what a deal!!

[@sampsonpaul73]

Nice buy!! I had something similar, I came a cross a Sansui System that consisted of the BA/CA 2000 series with a TU-9900 tuner and it all fed into a set of SP-X11000 speakers. Great sounding unit, love the color and perspective Sansui presents.

[@karaDee2363]

That's cool. And almost as good as the brand new in the box Sansui BA 5000 that I got handed to me for free....lol

[@paulandriessen489]

I have a Cryma A 480.they are only made in Andorra ! These blow all your Amplifiers away😂

[@TurboLoveTrain]

I'm happy with my H.H. Scott Stereomaster 299B It pairs nicely with my 20 year old Kenwood tapedeck and ancient Polk Audio speakers..

[@raycimbalnik5159]

My Yamaha CR-2020 is my favorite so far!

[@craigm.9070]

I've had several going back to the late 70's when I started my hi-fi journey. I'm partial to and still own a Sansui AU-11000A and TU-9900 tuner; from the Professional Series '75 -'78, both fully restored. I also still have my Pioneer SA-8500 II and TX-8500 II tuner; also both fully restored. Collectively, they all sound amazing, but my ears prefer the Sansui set...then the Pioneers on rotation :)

[@jimkerrigan1888]

You got get the Technics series rack with SB7000a speakers because they are are awesome speakers rack looked Cool too

[@jasonSmi15]

What are your thoughts on the marantz 250 powered amp?

[@KbRonG]

Can you explain why a person would want a stereo amp when surround sound makes music much more enjoyable My favorite is a Yamaha DSP amp because I found the front effect speakers to be a requirement. However a Denon is also required because the Yamaha does not use the center speaker in any of the audio modes. The front effect speakers make a significant difference

[@davidbartochowski7832]

Crazy OCD Lenny. back in the 70s I would have taken a phase linear over the pioneer. Maybe that's why pioneer bought phase linear great video is always

[@LennyFlorentine]

Oh wow really? Why's that?

[@davidbartochowski7832]

@@LennyFlorentine they were ahead in the power wars with 200 to 300 watt amplifiers and they were clean lots. And I believe that pioneer bought phase linear

[@kerryedavis]

How about the Luxman 5M21 from the Laboratory Reference Series?

[@Retrogamingmaverick]

For me, it’s the sx-6000 from pioneer. It’s low wattage but it packs a PUNCH

[@LennyFlorentine]

Oh yeah nice one, do you have it?

[@Stoodknight]

Nakamichi PA-7A MkII -- Nakamichi CA-7A combo needs a mention here.

[@toddellison5128]

Damn... no love for the Dynaco ST70?

[@peteway9377]

Less well known but professionally desirable for its durability and superb audio, BGW 750.

[@BoudewijnvanHouten]

Mark Levinson ML-2 Class A mono amps, Threshold SA/1 Class A mono amps, Conrad Johnson Premier One tube stereo amp. SAE 1001 and 2600 stereo amps.

[@chrisklincker4635]

Sadly ,you missed the Quad equipment range , great product line.

[@jamesswain1586]

Nothing like the Sound of MacIntosh. Its a stand alone sound. You can alwsys tell.

[@rasherbilbo452]

You missed the Luxman laboratory reference series, top notch and rare, and arguably the GOAT of the time and so rare it's pretty unknown even among vintage collectors, the Stax DA300 or the crazy rare Stax DMA-X1...

[@keithbarnhart6952]

The MCIntosh 2300 didn't change anything. Home stereo equipment was SUPER-rarely ever used for live performance or even in the studio, they are not designed to be moved or subjected to those kinds of dynamics. Few bought McIntosh as they were ( and still are) comparatively too expensive for the average consumer.

[@halshaw8056]

Of all the amplifiers I've owned, the ones I miss the most are my Marantz 9s and my H/K Citation 16, although the 9s did put a nice down payment on my first home. Wish I never sold the Citation though.

[@LennyFlorentine]

Nothing wrong with selling an amp for a down payment!

[@careystuart]

I have a friend that has the whole SPEC system. Ironically his name is Krell.

[@bryanholley5262]

I don't know why, but, im kind of partial to pioneer, Akai,Marantz. I love those brands. I would love to have a complete system.

[@dtracy03ss]

Pioneer SX1280 and up ! Plus the Sansui 9090s for Recievers and then the Pioneer Spec Amps! But the 2000 and 3000 Sansui amps are bad ass too! In the 70s and 80s I went through the Marantz, Sony, Onkyo, and Realistic! What I know is what I still Like and thats at the beginning of this comment!!!

[@BillDouglass-m9d]

Owned every Carver amp made except silver7. I thought they were the best and still rock the silver9t monoblocks. Magnetic field was so different than all other technologies. 😊

[@512bb]

Ah, I new I could here that Baltimore accent. I'm still fuming mad that my beloved Colt's snuck out of town in the middle of the night...God bless Johnny Unitas!

[@markbelanger7394]

Love your vid.marantz170dc,3650 preamp,2110,5020,and 6150 and hpmspeakers with cerwin vegasve-15

[@LennyFlorentine]

Very cool! Do you still have any of those?

[@BrokebackBob]

The King: Heath AA-1640 with optional meters. No contest.

[@pplebite8844]

Two Amps worth having... Technics SE-A1 and Carver M500T

[@audiofrik]

The SAE 501 is my all time favorite.

[@glenncurry3041]

Actually being a rep for top products back in the '70's (Marantz, AR, Kenwood, Cerwin Vega, Audio Technica, ...) I see things from a very difference perspective. Yes in terms of popularity, you are pretty much on it! But I specialized in the higher end Audiophile oriented customers. OK, yes I sold tons of Cerwin Vegas, ... to the more retail oriented stores as well. But when in town I would hang out at Opus II in Memphis, Fat Julian's in Atlanta,.... and the more popular brands were not the choice of the Absolute Sound group. Which leads me to my suggestion for amps. After reviewing my Rep samples, Harry Person of Absolute Sound said they were the most perfect amps he ever heard and owned a set as reference for years. The Kenwood Audio Purist line. The LO-7M was the 1st. 150W of DC to light with immeasurable distortion levels mono blocks. The first (and only?) amp to come with it's own custom speaker cables! Then they introduced the LO-9M, 300Watts of massive current supply! Yes the LO-7M sounded slightly better! Then the LO-5M @ 100Watts was the best sounding. Then there is the even earlier Harmon Kardon Citation 12. The first of the ultra wideband solid state amp designs. earlier days of moving from lower powered tubes to transistors as they became capable of power and higher frequencies. I still own my original "reseller employee purchase" one from 1970.

[@Roddy451]

NAD 3120. The little integrated amplifier that could... thanks to an overdesigned power supply circuit that made it a dynamic range beast. P.S. Yes, I know it is a slightly newer amp, but a classic nonetheless.

[@AnchorTH]

As always Kenwood gets no respect, the Supreme 700T/700C/700M stack is amazing. The later 1970s L07 and L-09 power amplifiers are highly underrated too.

[@frederikjacob1985]

In my opinion, you have forgotten the Marantz DC line up. 140/170dc. BUT... I own a vintage accuphase c200x/p400 combination. Preamp is class a and the power amp is switchable to class a or ab. I always play it in class a. I'm really happy with my old set of accuphases. That's what I could afford some years ago, but right now as I heard some other accuphase sets, I will never ever sell those.

[@robertdavis5714]

Agree with your research.............I remember Bud Man. I Like your cassette shirt.

[@alberthodge631]

how about the Bose 1801 ?

[@Konradski1976]

You forgot the Sansui AU and BA series amps. They have legendary transformers built into them

[@eabr2881]

I was fortunate to see a faulty MC2300 in person. This amplifier is switchable to 0.25ohm loads per channel.

[@LennyFlorentine]

Isn’t that insane! So the one you saw was broken?

[@andyrey6709]

My favorite amplifier is the Kenwood 700M in combination with the 700C and 700 T.