Tips for Collecting Vintage Audio

So, you decided you really like vintage audio gear and want to collect. Now what? This is an overview of some of the things I have learned over my years of collecting.
What to Collect - Receivers, TOTL, Brands, etc.
Things to Consider - How to Price, Parts availability, etc.
How to Manage a Collection - Space needed, Selling, etc.
I am a long time collector of vintage stereo gear like receivers, speakers, amps, turntables and cassette decks from brands like McIntosh, Sansui, Pioneer, Yamaha, Klipsch, JBL, Marantz, GAS, Advent, Nakamichi, Thorens, Crown, SAE, Denon and many others. Be sure to subscribe so as not to miss future videos.
Video Link: • Tips for Collecting Vi...
Email: [e-mail]
Channel: / @stereoniche
#bestvintageaudio #vintageaudio #vintagegear #vintagecassette
#musiclistening #audiocollections #vintagecollection #vintagecollector #audiophile #stereo #klipschorn #klipsch #vintagespeakers #vintageaudiocollection #audiocollections

[@markd4292]

Wow. Great advice! I started a month prior to the pandemic with a Mitsubishi DAA15DC amp and DP10 preamp. I only try to get stuff locally because of what you experienced during the shipping process. I have my eyes on some other receivers and EQ and speakers. Thanks

[@Johnny-ov7qe]

The eBay pricing mention at 18 minutes is so spot on and people need to hear it. I get so annoyed when I find stuff locally on marketplace/craigslist and people price things absurdly because they saw one listing on eBay. These items never sell and the sellers won’t budge.

[@stereoniche]

It is frustrating to be on the buying end of that situation.

[@solardisk3]

I took my 1994 JVC receiver in for repair but it came back unrepairable (unavailable parts) but the guy had a 1978 Toshiba SA 750 he sold me for $200 that has left me gobsmacked. It's tone is incredible, so warm and spacious. Made the warm LED conversion, couldn't be happier! To think I kept that JVC for so long...

[@jpaleas]

Great advice from an insightful and classy audio collector! Thank you !

[@stereoniche]

Glad it was helpful!

[@ptownmusicroom580]

Ditto - love all your videos! Here is what my local hifi store charges for looking at my unit: “Yes, we charge $199 per unit as a bench fee to clean/test/diagnose.” But I will bring my beautiful Marantz 4430 regardless. I wanna keep it for another 50 years…

[@stereoniche]

Well, that certainly limits a trip to the tech to units with some good value.

[@SurnaturalM]

That's not expensive. It's the price I ask almost the same thing. It's better than trying to do it yourself, especially if you don't know what you're doing.

[@Techrewinds]

Great advice anyone that collects audio should know these tips 😊

[@stevezeidman7224]

Late to the commenting party. I’ve watched your videos since you appeared on KZbin. Your collection and room is awesome. My taste and yours are very similar. Also experienced the doa arrivals. In the beginning I didn’t realize it wasn’t buyer beware. I have small amounts of McIntosh, Sansui, Advent, ADS..Figuring out where to put stuff and how to fix them has been the most difficult as you said. My space is limited to two rooms that are multipurpose. Fortunately, my wife loves the stuff.

[@stereoniche]

Thanks Steve! Having spousal support is also VERY important, should have commented on that as well. :-)

[@enriqueism]

Thanks for your video, now I have a better perspective on how start. Greetings from Mexico.

[@stereoniche]

Best of luck in your journey.

[@cmbanaag2345]

Thank for the wonderful video.🎉

[@stereoniche]

Thanks for watching!

[@sidesup8286]

Interesting video and sounds like good advice for those who collect vintage audio. I think most people who have a lot of equipment lying around, are people who were simply trying to get better and better sound, and ended up amassing a large amount of equipment. I'm sure there are other vintage audio collectors. Just about anything whose prices are known to have escalated, will develop collectors. Back in the 1980s when original Living Stereo classical lps were at their peak, even people who didn't like classical music a bit, were expending great effort to acquire them. The main thing that would scare me about vintage receivers is that they are for the most part not considered the equal of modern integrated amps and seperates for sound quality. How they compare to modern receivers is something I'm not sure. I think above mid fi, you don't see many receivers being made, but integrated amps and seperates. I don't think that FM with all its commercials and sub par sound compared to good streaming is going to rise in popularity. There are a lot of tube equipment collectors; they see what happened with Marantz tube amp prices. The Fisher 500 is one receiver that's tubed, that is very desired. I do see vintage transistor receivers sometimes being advertised for aatronomical prices. If they really are "Selling" for those kind of prices I'd have to wonder why? Nostalgia? It certainly isn't sound quality. A used vintage Sansui receiver advertised for $3,00£ is not going to be able to touch some used Audio Research or Krell gear for sound quality. Does ignorance play a part? Paying more for something far inferior? Not everybody is an audio sound expert. The best years of their lives might have been from the era where stereo receivers are what most people used and were king. Nostalgia has fueled several industries like old toys. Which I found to be a much more lucrative and satisfying field than vintage audio equipment and records. I think the $100,000.Question is; what is the average price you'd likely be charged by a repair shop to repair a piece of equipment. If it's between $400 and $500 dollars, it would have to be something pretty special to make sense obtaining it. Actually I have no idea about repair prices. When buying used equipment on ebay, they might have averaged. between two or 3 years before developing problems. If an amp I paid $250 for, gave me 2 and 1/2 years of good service and fun, I was ok with it. Some of the equipment didn't totally quit, some was still usable, but with idiosyncricies. My philosophy was at those prices, you could look for another one, or for variety; try something different.

[@user-cf8jh6xy4e]

In my mind it’s the same as a used exotic sports car, have to be willing to invest well over what you paid initially to keep it running. I only collect higher end units for that reason. It seems that disposing of vintage gear when something goes wrong, instead of fixing it (if possible), is a luxury that will disappear with time

[@sidesup8286]

I used to have a Sansui G 7500 90 watt per channel receiver, bought new around 1980. The controls just had such a positive feel to them when using it. Unfortunately the high end sounded hard and brittle versus my then Carver equip., which itself sounded way less clean than my PS Audio equipment. The thing is, if you're an audiophile like me, you will tend to use only your cleanest sounding equipment. Once you have a high rez spatially uncompressed sound that's ultra smooth with no grain, you don't get the hankering to say to yourself on a whim "Hey I think I'll hook up my old this or that which is grainy and small sounding." Perceptually and psychologically you've moved past it. We've moved on. We're now at a new vista and who feels like going back? Backward. Unless your old equipment is on the same overall performance level and does a few things better (and a few things worse) and you still like to hear it for the things it does best. The rest of your equipment will collect dust most likely, if you are a critical listener, and don't want to go backwards in sound quality. Unlike most people, I have many great audio cables, and yet I still usually have only one source hooked up at any one time, so I can just use my favorite cable. Once you are used to a certain level of sound quality; you are spoiled. You think of looking forward not backward.

[@user-cf8jh6xy4e]

@@sidesup8286 yeah once you hear something unquestionably better it’s not so easy to go back lol. At that point selling it on for a newer audiophile to enjoy would probably be best

[@sidesup8286]

So true about getting spoiled, and I try to sell a lot of what I don't think I'd go back to anymore. I do like to have a second system with much different tonality though. But I don't think I'll ever need a tenth or eleventh system. I buy and keep what I might put into use. Even with records. Some people collect records just for ownership, and never play them. I modify equipment, and I think what has taught me the most are compilation cds and Christmas cds. Where you have the same song and artist on about 5 or 6 different companies cds. Each one of these labels were obviously sent a different generation of the tape by the record label. You can hear how clearer and cleaner the same track sounds on one cd versus the other. Of course their cd mastering plays a part too. One time I could hear that China Grove by The Doobie Brothers sounded annoyingly veiled on one compilation and the track Layla from the same compilation was too harsh to listen to. I took it as a challenge to modify my cd player until China Grove had the same kind of clarity that I was used to on it. And Layla by Derek & The Dominoes opened up and got sweeter sounding to the point where it was pleasant enough to listen to. That one takes a super clean stereo for it to not sound obviously flawed. That one never gets perfect. But you would be surprised at just how many recordings do.

[@cnhhnc]

Good talk. I've pretty much given up. I was collecting for a while and then as ebay, etc. started to price skyrocket, I STEPPED OUT. Not going to pay $1000s for a vintage piece. That's just madness. Then again, I've NEVER been a Market guy. The Market is what YOU do NOT want to deal with. When it was cheap or modest, that was fine. This stuff is OLD, it is going to FAIL. The idea that something that's going to explode and will cost $1000 or more to repair should cost $1000-$5000. Is just CRAZY! I'm happy with what I have and to be honest, I don't hear a HUGE difference between the super high end pieces and the mid-level ones. And, I'm NOT interested in fueling the market. When I do sell my stuff. I WILL not be looking to get MARKET rates. I believe in passing things on to those who really care, not FLIPPERS ANONYMOUS, lol!

[@stereoniche]

Certainly less financial concerns if you were able to get in before market interest surged. But also, makes it even more critical to buy wisely.

[@ekbanjosworld4926]

I bought my Nakamichi 680ZX while in Japan. I just picked up an awesome just dead mint 480 for peanuts!

[@stereoniche]

Nice score!

[@michaelscottcutler3627]

The largest majority of my vintage audio I scavenge out of the trash. Many high-end pieces: Receivers, amps, turntables, R2R and cassette decks. I have foreign manufactured gear, but much prefer American tube stuff made in the 1960s. Fisher, for instance. Found a Fisher FM 1000 tuner setting in an open suitcase setting on the curb about ten years ago. It came with a Fisher amp. I was out scavenging through trash 5 days a week. Got VERY lucky with my finds. I must have at least 10 high-end record decks - all stacked on top of each other. I found Sony's first professional, audiophile grade turntable. A 1966, TTS-3000 with original plinth. Found numerous AR and KLH speakers, too. Just that I don't have room to display or use this gear. Very frustrating!

[@stereoniche]

Well, certainly the BEST way to get gear is FREE whenever possible. You also saved great gear from the dump! Fantastic. I've found a piece here and there from the trash, it is quite satisfying. Too bad you cannot display it. That is a great way to continue enjoying it.

[@mikecampbell5856]

I love your videos. Good advice. I started buying stereo gear in 1975. I never knew I was buying gear that would be valuable in the future. Looking at all of your awesome receivers which one is your favorite? If you could only have one. My son gave me a Marantz 2220b for Christmas a few years ago. It sounded great but the faceplate was badly damaged. I bought a brand new reproduction from Vintage Hi-Fi Audio and with new lamps and new vellum paper, it looks brand new.

[@stereoniche]

Well, that is "almost" like asking to pick your favorite child. :-) On the Receiver side, it would be a hard struggle between my Marantz 2275 and Sansui 9090. They both have sufficient "grunt" to power most anything, but the Marantz has the benefit of a 4 ohm spec, so that would probably be the one.

[@SurnaturalM]

I love collecting audio equipment. I have a few tube receiver, integrated with the matching tuner, (eico ST-70/ST-96 and multiplex, fisher 800m, sansui SM-32, 1000A) and some solid state receiver too, pioneer sx-1010, marantz 2220b, and the smaller separates 3200/112/140 from marantz. I don't want quantity over quality. My next purchase will be the bigger separate 3300/15/250 or 240 from marantz. I love the sound they have. I'm a electronic technician since the lates 80s, and bought most of these in non working condition. That's the only way for me to be able to buy this. As long as the cosmetic is in good condition, it's ok. I've scored great deal in the lasts 25 years. Especially tube stuff. People almost gave them away, often elderly people who were moving. It was heavy and took too much space. I bought all of them locally. It's a fun hobby.

[@stereoniche]

You are doing it very well. Buying what you like when you run across it. Being able to repair it is icing on the cake.

[@adaboy4z]

Picked up a Realistic STA-790 receiver and Optimus Pro LX5 speakers for $30 in excellent shape at Estate sale Thursday. Of course the foam surround need to be replaced on the Optimus speakers.

[@stereoniche]

Nice pickup! Get them refoamed and let us know what you think.

[@JayRCela]

Nice video, thank you. BTW I notice an old Sony STR V5 or 6 series receiver behind you. I would really like to see a review of it. Thanks again :_)

[@stereoniche]

Yes, I do plan to do a review of it fairly soon. It is a V7.

[@chuckmaddison2924]

I have a few things, but not exactly going out looking. It tended to find me . Space is a problem, especially with stereograms.

[@stereoniche]

You can never have enough space.

[@ranrae]

I wish you would rate the Kenwood Eleven 111. I have one and love it. Kenwood gets a bad rap.

[@stereoniche]

I reviewed the Eleven II some time ago. I do not yet have a III.

[@tlister67]

Selector switches can be hard to find for desirable units. I have a Sansui that I can’t find a replacement switch and have a feeling that others have the same problem. Wish someone could rebuild them.

[@stereoniche]

Very true. The power/volume switches are the one most prone to failure that need replacement.

[@marksweeney7327]

Do you ever host events? A collection like that should be shared.

[@stereoniche]

I live fairly remote, so only occasionally, but that is why I started the channel!

[@joeyjustin6895]

8:43. IF YOU DO THIS. YOU DON'T TAKE IT TO A TECH. YOU BECOME THE TECH. OR YOU DONT DO IT

[@stereoniche]

Sure thing.

[@ekbanjosworld4926]

Craig was junk back then! Couldn't imagine anyone considering collecting it now?

[@stereoniche]

It was a brand that served the low end of the market. Collectors? No idea.

[@soundman2604]

Everybody know that Marantz is the vintage name brand that keeps its value the best, but somehow you never even mentioned their name....lol Good talk never the less.

[@stereoniche]

Marantz are a great brand to collect. The video was intended to cover collecting in general, not what to collect. :-)

[@joeyjustin6895]

8:00 CRAIG. LISTEN. CRAIG. IS. SANYO. OK. REALISTIC. IS HITACHI. AND SEARS AND MONTGOMERY WARD ARE HITACHI.

[@stereoniche]

No matter who made it, still not worth more than $50, OK?

[@ryansmith7974]

I'm new into the vintage gear. My first unit is the SX-780 paid current market price for it, and then I had to take it to a technician. It had issues and still does, but I find it very attractive. I also picked up a pair of large Advent 5002's made in Cambridge the same day, along with some mini Advents. This setup has been my gateway into stereo imaging, and now im hooked.