Keeper classic audio vs "flavor of the day" audio?

geowak · « **on:** 15 Apr 2015, 10:59 am »

Since many of us here at AC have owned, as a huge group, many pieces of audio equipment. Can anyone say what they feel is a classic keeper audio piece and what has become a "flavor of the day" piece that was once hot and now is gone!
I had Bose 901 speakers once that were very sought after and innovative. Oddly they have become classics now, but probably do not hold water compared to some of the better designs.

ACHiPo · « **Reply #1 on:** 15 Apr 2015, 12:48 pm »

Interesting thread. When I got back into audio after about a 10 year hiatus I was pleasantly surprised that the gear I'd owned over the years still had a lot of admirers. From my first real audiophile piece of gear, an AR turntable (that I still wish I had, but got rid of it in favor of a Dual direct drive POS that died after 3 years), to the first generation Lehman BlackCube phono stage and Spica TC-50 speakers, I've been fortunate to have some good gear for the money (and some not good like the 80s Dual turntable, bargain-basement KLH speakers and receiver, and Harmon Kardon cassette deck). I give most of the credit to a few audio dealers and friends that took me under their wing (and took my money

) and helped me on my journey.

The other thing I've learned is that while I've been fortunate to have top quality bargain gear, the expensive stuff usually sounds a whole lot better.

I also remember looking at my uncle's 50s vintage mono hi-fi when I was little and thinking how old, crappy, and out of date it was. It was a Garrard 301 turntable, a giant speaker--probably Altec or JBL, and a tube integrated amp. Sure wish I had that 'table now!

geowak · « **Reply #2 on:** 15 Apr 2015, 02:00 pm »

Quote from: ACHiPo on 15 Apr 2015, 12:48 pm

Interesting thread. When I got back into audio after about a 10 year hiatus I was pleasantly surprised that the gear I'd owned over the years still had a lot of admirers. From my first real audiophile piece of gear, an AR turntable (that I still wish I had, but got rid of it in favor of a Dual direct drive POS that died after 3 years), to the first generation Lehman BlackCube phono stage and Spica TC-50 speakers, I've been fortunate to have some good gear for the money (and some not good like the 80s Dual turntable, bargain-basement KLH speakers and receiver, and Harmon Kardon cassette deck). I give most of the credit to a few audio dealers and friends that took me under their wing (and took my money ) and helped me on my journey.

The other thing I've learned is that while I've been fortunate to have top quality bargain gear, the expensive stuff usually sounds a whole lot better.

I also remember looking at my uncle's 50s vintage mono hi-fi when I was little and thinking how old, crappy, and out of date it was. It was a Garrard 301 turntable, a giant speaker--probably Altec or JBL, and a tube integrated amp. Sure wish I had that 'table now!

I could not agree more. I think we can safely put the Garrard 301 into the keeper slot! Probably the JBL or Altec speakers too. Were they not started by the Lansing brothers?

srb · « **Reply #3 on:** 15 Apr 2015, 03:04 pm »

David C · « **Reply #4 on:** 15 Apr 2015, 03:33 pm »

Interesting thread
In the keeper category I had a pair of Dalquist DQ10's a GAS Son of Ampzilla 90 watt amp and the classic Advent model 300 integrated amp that I used as a preamp/phono stage. Lost them in a house fire in 1988 along with nice TT with a Rabco ST7 tonearm and about 800 LP's

Mudslide · « **Reply #5 on:** 15 Apr 2015, 06:07 pm »

SRB
14
[/quote]

srb · « **Reply #6 on:** 15 Apr 2015, 06:17 pm »

Quote from: Mudslide on 15 Apr 2015, 06:07 pm

SRB
14

I wondered if anyone would get that!

To the OP and those who didn't, because this is the Karma Circle ("a place where you can offer up extra audio-related items to your fellow AC Members") "14" is my pick in the number drawing for the pair of Bose 901.

Is the required external active equalizer included?

Steve

brother love · « **Reply #7 on:** 15 Apr 2015, 07:33 pm »

Quote from: ACHiPo on 15 Apr 2015, 12:48 pm

... From my first real audiophile piece of gear, an AR turntable (that I still wish I had, but got rid of it in favor of a Dual direct drive POS that died after 3 years), to the first generation Lehman BlackCube phono stage and Spica TC-50 speakers...

+1 on the Spica TC-50's & the AR turntable (I installed a Premier MMT tonearm on mine). I'd also add a NYAL Moscode 300 hybrid amp. (3) components I wish that I still had ...

geowak · « **Reply #8 on:** 15 Apr 2015, 09:29 pm »

This might be an example for a flavor of the day product here;

If someone has this turntable in their audio system....please don't be offended.

Mudslide · « **Reply #9 on:** 15 Apr 2015, 09:57 pm »

Quote from: srb on 15 Apr 2015, 06:17 pm

I wondered if anyone would get that!

To the OP and those who didn't, because this is the Karma Circle ("a place where you can offer up extra audio-related items to your fellow AC Members") "14" is my pick in the number drawing for the pair of Bose 901.

Is the required external active equalizer included?

Steve

Steve, perhaps we accidentally just wandered into the Audiokarma twilight zone forum.

bside123 · « **Reply #10 on:** 15 Apr 2015, 10:47 pm »

The original, Reference KEF 104.2 Speakers
I could happily listen to them and live with them to this day.

charmerci · « **Reply #11 on:** 16 Apr 2015, 04:31 am »

I've had Bose 301's II (classic?? They certainly weren't in my system for very long.)
Pioneer SX-650 receiver
Crown IC150A pre-amp (maybe)
SAE 2100L pre-amp with parametric equalizer (I'd say flavor-of-the-day, I didn't care for the sound)
Large Advents
Koss 4AA headphones - classic but only for its time...

Klipsch Cornwalls and Klipschorns
Halfer DH100 pre-amp

These are the oldies but goodies that I've owned (but not a complete list of what I've owned) when each of them were modern.

JLM · « **Reply #12 on:** 16 Apr 2015, 11:22 am »

My first serious piece of gear was a pair of JBL L44 Lancers (8 inch full range driver with matching 8 inch passive radiator from the early 70's). I did own a MacIntosh integrated (1976), but it wasn't a classic (nor did it sound like it).

The closest I got was probably a Hafler power amp that I assembled from the kit in 1980. Since then I've been into the weird side tracks of audio.

JBL = James Bullough Lansing (born 1902, started the company in 1945 after leaving Altec-Lansing, being a better engineer than business man he committed suicide 3 years later naming the company the beneficiary of his life insurance policy). Sidney Harmon acquired the company in 1969.

ACHiPo · « **Reply #13 on:** 16 Apr 2015, 01:22 pm »

Quote from: geowak on 15 Apr 2015, 09:29 pm

This might be an example for a flavor of the day product here;

If someone has this turntable in their audio system....please don't be offended.

I actually saw a thread somewhere of a guy (in Greece, I think?) that lusted after one of these when he was a kid, picked one up recently and rebuilt it from the ground up with machined components, improved electronics, etc. Obviously a labor of love!

ACHiPo · « **Reply #14 on:** 16 Apr 2015, 01:25 pm »

Quote from: bside123 on 15 Apr 2015, 10:47 pm

The original, Reference KEF 104.2 Speakers
I could happily listen to them and live with them to this day.

These take me back! I was a senior in college and heard a pair of these at an audio store and they blew me away. When I graduated and had a little money I tried finding them and at the time there were a lot of negative reviews and buzz about Kef and the 104/2s innovative design. While it still made sense to me to have the push/pull concept, I settled for the Spicas. I came across several glowing reviews in the past year that makes me think I was right and the naysayers were wrong back then.

Guy 13 · « **Reply #15 on:** 16 Apr 2015, 01:59 pm »

Quote from: bside123 on 15 Apr 2015, 10:47 pm

The original, Reference KEF 104.2 Speakers
I could happily listen to them and live with them to this day.

Hi bside123,
a long, long time ago,
I almost bought those KEF speakers,
but I didn't, because they did not have enough bass to my liking.
However, the mids and highs sounded good.

Guy 13

SteveFord · « **Reply #16 on:** 16 Apr 2015, 11:02 pm »

For classic audio, I still own a lot of it which has held up well. Magnepan MMGs, VTL amplifiers, Stax Sigma headphones, Well Tempered turntable, Sonic Frontiers preamplifier - it's old but still sounds really good.
For flavor of the day, maybe the Carver TX-11 series tuners. My old Sherwood tuners put them to shame.

Letitroll98 · « **Reply #17 on:** 18 Apr 2015, 04:32 pm »

Keepers are NAD 3020B integrated amp, a fabulous amp and phono stage with an okay preamp. Allison 3 speakers, still unmatched in solving in room bass problems. PS Audio 4.6 preamp with its outstanding phono section. Snell E type Series IV speakers that still compete with many two way towers today. Adcom GFA 535 II amp, the sweetest and most direct sounding of the 500 series amps. And of course the aforementioned MMG Maggies, that remain the budget bargain of the century, maybe across two centuries, sort of since production began in 1995.

Don't have any duds, so many fads I just pass on.

Johnny2Bad · « **Reply #18 on:** 13 May 2015, 08:12 am »

I wish I still owned my Luxman Lab Reference Series 5L15 (integrated, 80 wpc). Had a TEAC 860 Cassette Deck that made the best tapes I ever heard (I can pop one into the Soundstream Cassette deck I have in my beater truck and instantly know it was made on this deck). Thorens TD 125. Original PS Audio phono preamp. Denon DP-something table with an Infinity Black Widow. Wish I still had my Fidelity Research FR1 MK III cartridge. That's about it.

geowak · « **Reply #19 on:** 13 May 2015, 01:10 pm »

Will the Logitech Squeezebox and it's variations stand the test of time or become "flavor of the day"?