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Vintage vs New Amplification

Posted by sony6060 (A) on May 7, 2021 at 05:27:27

Can vintage receivers and amplifier sound like new amplifiers? Lets discuss 1974 to 1980 vintage vs new amplifiers. New and vintage are of same design. There is no new technology. Both amplify a signal the same. Both use transistors, capacitors and resistors. Both have an AC to DC power supply. What are the differences? Plenty in the components. What is the difference in components?

First, the rectifiers are very quiet today in the power supply. The power supply is paramount to good sound. All an amplifier is, is a modulated power supply. Most new amps use Hexfred and some SIC rectifiers. Old receivers have noisy rectifiers and were not closed matched either adding to the noise. New amplifiers use better filtering vs old amplifiers or receivers.

The old capacitors in the audio coupling circuits (circuits that amlify the music) were of ordinary design and never produced to accurately pass audio. In older tube amps, they were quite good in many cases of passing good audio. Tube capacitors are low value film type capacitors thus better materials were used. Solid-state uses high capacitance electrolytic capacitors and these were not made to pass quality audio. They were the same as a power supply capacitor that has a different function. New amplifiers use what is called audio grade electrolytic capacitors and they greatly outperform the old capacitors.

The transistors are somewhat the same in late 1960s and '70s amplifiers. Old transistors were low noise audio transistors, but low noise at the time period. Newer transistors operate more quiet. But, the level of low noise does not make a large difference in the sound. Phono sections are the largest benefactors of quiet transistors. But, for the most partsnew transistors do not necessary sound better (some may disagree with me). The are exceptions such as First Watt amplifiers. But, you are getting into an area you may need $5K speakers to clearly hear the difference. First Watt has many models and the transistors are tuned for a certain sonic signature. If you can afford a $4K+ amplifier, you may have no interest in a vintage amplifier or receiver.

Resistors have not changed much. Older vintage used for the most part carbon resistors and newer amps use metal film. There are boutique resistors today vs none years ago. They may make a difference, but frankly not a lot. Most new amplifiers use standard metal film, not boutique resistors. In some cases new amplifiers may use carbon film for the more lush sound. Not a bad decision. Old potentiometers may require a DeQxit cleaning. I have always had good success on 'scratchy' pots, but you may need a new replacement. Most 1974-1980 used a separate power switch, thus new manufacture is readily available. If an odd resistance is encountered, replace with next higher resistance pot and bridge the potentiometer with a 1/2 watt resistor to achieve original resistance.

So, what happens to a quality designed vintage receiver or amplifier using the better new components and an upgraded power supply? A lot! First, the small soundstage becomes huge. Better clarity and lower distortion. This includes higher order distortion that also effects the quality of sound. The power supply can use 2 to 2.5 times the original capacitance for better filtering. The new capacitors are much smaller than old capacitors thus fit well in the higher capacitance values.

Old receivers and amplifiers may use an op-amp in the phono section and at times in the pre-amp. These old op-amps were not designed for quality audio like the new op-amps. And, some prefer discrete new design vs any op-amp.

Some think when you upgrade an vintage amplifier or receiver, you will still get the old sound. They also do not think the superior parts adds to the sound quality. These same audiophiles are not technical in the least.

I say you replaced the poor performing parts, what's left? Transistors? Older carbon resistors? The transistors do not make a huge difference. Both old and new are made out of the same silicon. Old carbon resistors are still used today. Basically carbon is carbon, nothing complicated about that!

An upgraded vintage amp and receiver will sound very different and very good. Rebuilders on ebay used audio grade capacitors. They may need to be prompt to double the power supply capacitor capacitance and to use Hexfred or SIC rectifiers, but they will and can upgrade your vintage receiver for a base cost around $400. They will check for out of tolerance resistors too. They also know what resistors to look for due to their experience.

I used to say no way to solid-state as I am a tube amp audiophile. I rebuild an Allied 395 (same as Pioneer SX-1000TW) and was shocked how good this receiver sounded. It is close in performance to my best tube amp and I used Revel M22 speakers that are reported to outperform KEF LS50. Not a shabby speaker to hear quality sound despite what one audiophile said. I have not directly compared my Allied 395 to a new Rega Brio or Cambridge CXA81 amplifier, but I think my Allied 395 would compare. Would my Allied 395 compare to a First Watt amp? No way, but it still sounds good.

Three non op-amp vintage receivers are: any Pioneer in the SX-800 (not SX-890) and higher number such as SX-1010, etc. Any Marantz 22xx series. And, the low cost sleeper? Onkyo TX-2500 MKII (40 watt per channel) & TX-4500 (60 watts per channel).

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