The ” Best ” Brands of Vintage Stereo & Hi Fi ?

I am often asked ” what are the best brands of Old stereo equipment. ” My usual answer is, what do you mean by best? Best sound quality, best reliability, best looking, etc. Many times that answer leaves the question man scratching his head. After all best means best, right? I try to use logic and common sense and explain that no matter how great your equipment sounds the most important measure of BEST is reliability and dependability. If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t sound. And if it doesn’t sound you have to bring it or send it to the stereo doctor. The audio physician charges more per hour then a divorce lawyer, or cosmetic surgeon. Now you get it back but it doesn’t quite sound the same. There are multiple reasons for it to perform better or worse but not the same. After using your equipment while relaxing in your woody den, with fish tank and antique chess set you hear flatulence coming through the woofer of your right channel. Oh no…tomorrow morning your on the horn with Moe’s Electronic Repair Emporium/Easy In-Easy Out chili restaurant. Hello Moe? My stereo is having the same problem that I sent it to you for repair three months ago. I’ve only had it back for two days and the problem is happening again. Moe, say’s hang on a sec let me look it up. No, that was the bi-polar electrolytic, biasing resistor fuse attached to the kafeegon fogon crystal relay switch. This a different problem so we can’t warrantee another age related issue. But Moe, I am telling you it was making the same raucous, wet gaseous noise when I sent it to you. Sorry nothing we can do, but if you would like to send it back to us we would be glad to address this new malfunction for a fee of course.

Ok, my idea of the best is decent quality that you can actually use and not have to depend on someone for constant or even occasional repair. Please believe me, it’s a marriage you really don’t want.  My favorite Brands are, not in any particular order: Adcom, Early two channel  stuff, made in US ex. GFA-555 power amp, GTP-400 pre-amp/tuner,  Dynaco tube equipment such as ST-70 power amplifier, PAS pre-amps, Fisher Tube receivers such as the 400, 500, 800, Kenwood Receivers from the mid – late 1970’s, ex. KR-9600, and KR-9050, Sansui 9090db, and a few of the sliver faced Pioneers. If these components have a problem and it is repaired you probably won’t have issues for a long while unless you picked up a lemon or an abused unit. Units from Adcom USA and tube Dynaco  many times work without any need for repair or service. I’ve personally had experience with these brands where not one component was ever changed from original assembly or manufacture. What brands would I stay away from you ask??? I will mention two…NAD and Proton. If they do work it won’t be for long. I have acquired every single stereo component from these two brands dozens and dozens of times. It’s always the same story, push the green power button and nothing, or something you just don’t want to see or hear, lol. I sometimes think the units that actually work are the lemons.