whats a great bargain amp and tuner cheap from 80's -90's?

[gentlejax]

I am looking around at the old 85 or so Pioneers..need something cheap but strong enough to run a couple of towers ..DCM Time Windows 10.0 ...

I am getting rid of my HK 3485 which is a 120 x 2 so I can get seperate amp and tuner.

what other models are good solid amps..tuners ?

I dont know much about home audio from them days and I am on a tight budget but dont want to go integrated again.

Need to spend less than $100 for the pair..

I see the sa-540 / 940 sets pretty cheap and I have heard they were good decent pieces...

just want to know if there was something else like kenwoods or something that can be had cheap

 

[KEW]

I am looking around at the old 85 or so Pioneers..need something cheap but strong enough to run a couple of towers ..DCM Time Windows 10.0 ...

I am getting rid of my HK 3485 which is a 120 x 2 so I can get seperate amp and tuner.

what other models are good solid amps..tuners ?

I dont know much about home audio from them days and I am on a tight budget but dont want to go integrated again.

Need to spend less than $100 for the pair..

I see the sa-540 / 940 sets pretty cheap and I have heard they were good decent pieces...

just want to know if there was something else like kenwoods or something that can be had cheap

To find something like a decent used Amp & Tuner for under $100 would be an incredible stroke of luck. You need to start combing Goodwill and Thrift stores as well as Craig's list. Add lots of patience and stick a horseshoe up your arse and you may find what you are looking for. But their are certainly no known and consistently available models that fit this bill. If their were, the demand would raise the price well above $100!

As my daughter would say, "Yeah, good luck with that"

 

[gentlejax]

um, yeh OK thanks for your unhelpful answer....

I can get a pioneer sa-940 and a sx540 right now off ebay for right at $100. If I had bought the same set before the last time he listed it then it would be less than that.

I have seen lots of tuners cheap on ebay for like $20-25 ...

I have seen lots of old amps go for less than $100

so ...unless you know its not possible then thanks for nothing


anyone else have any suggestions on good older amps/tuners ?

 

[markw]

Not really a valid question.

What choices do you have? That's easier to answer.

Since you appear to know what you want, just watch epay and jump in when the water seems comfortable and feel free to bounce your potential finds off of us.

It's not reasonable to expect anyone to list out all the possible combinations that were made in that 20 year period and then to try to guess what they might sell for on epay or garage sales.

 

[gentlejax]

I just figured some one would have some examples of good amps from the 80's that might not cost a fortune.

I have read of people picking up the pioneer SA models for like $20 ....there are several on ebay right now. I am bidding on one now for $6 + shipping...

I am not dead set on those models but my father had the set when I was little and I liked it then....but I was little

What I had read they were really not bad and very overlooked.

I am sure they are not the only ones out there now that can be had for a great deal

I have spent the last 20 yrs in car audio and really havnt gotten into home audio outside my stereo listening..

I had a top model Yammie and several HK AVR but I didnt get the use out of them they were intended for so I am going just stereo

 

[gentlejax]

I cant really give choices as the only ones I have read about were the Pioneers...

I could be looking at what I think is good older gear and it might be junk. that is what I am asking around here for.

Pretend I didnt say total of $100 ....say $100 for amp $100 for tuner....will that help ?

 

[markw]

Just stick to the brands you've heard of.

But, IMNSHO, by the early 80's, virtually all the major brands were well into their nose-dive stage.

For "the good stuff" you should be looking at NAD, Adcom and a very few others, but finding them for those prices you quote may be a bit of a challange.

 

[jinjuku]

Welcome to AH.

I guess to put it out there: Anything is possible in almost any price range if you:

1. Get Lucky
2. An have a lot of time on your hands

The above is no Guarantee. What is considered a 'quality' vintage piece is based solely on opinion. You are going to find sites like AH/AVSForum/Hometheatershack will tell you that you are searching for a white elephant.

No I am not saying you may not get lucky in the sense of the 'golden bb' and find some estate sale where you get a rack of McIntosh for $200 but we are talking lotto odds here.

I doubt that comparatively speaking that I would consider the Pioneer models you are looking at to be 'quality' units. There is a reason they are $9 and a amp like a Crown DC 300A is still $2-300 even though it is 25-30 years old.

You were able to save $100, save that again X 2 and then we will be able to help you out more.

 

[KEW]

Sorry, my response was probably more "tongue in cheek" then it should have been.

I did not mean to offend, and was trying to be helpful by giving my honest opinion.

Cheers,
Kurt

 

[Seth=L]

Are you completely uninterested in a receiver?

What is it that you hope to gain by getting rid of the H/K in favor of an old integrated amplifier? The isolation circuitry in most of these 80's integrated amps is either poor or needs cleaned to operate as new. In order to get the same level of solid power output, even at $200, you will be hard pressed.

 

[Seth=L]

For the hell of it.

http://cgi.ebay.com/KENWOOD-INTEGRATED-AMPLIFIER-KR-501-TUNER-KT-615-/380253383601?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5888de2bb1

That's a nice set with a buy it now price.

If you keep an eye out, you'll find something like this.

http://cgi.ebay.com/KENWOOD-Integrated-Amplifier-KA-7010-100W-x-2-RMS-WOW-/110564411879?pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2

 

[markw]

No, you're not seeing double.

Are you completely uninterested in a receiver?

What is it that you hope to gain by getting rid of the H/K in favor of an old integrated amplifier? The isolation circuitry in most of these 80's integrated amps is either poor or needs cleaned to operate as new. In order to get the same level of solid power output, even at $200, you will be hard pressed.

I just thought it made so much sense that it should be repeated.

Think about it. That's quite a nice receiver.

Sometimes the "good old days" aren't really all that good, just old.

 

[gentlejax]

Are you completely uninterested in a receiver?

What is it that you hope to gain by getting rid of the H/K in favor of an old integrated amplifier? The isolation circuitry in most of these 80's integrated amps is either poor or needs cleaned to operate as new. In order to get the same level of solid power output, even at $200, you will be hard pressed.

ha ha ..you might be right...I just like the old tuners and amps better than the integrated hk I have now.

 

[markw]

ha ha ..you might be right...I just like the old tuners and amps better than the integrated hk I have now.

If you seriously want to explore the "real" vintage stuff, look into the big names, but in the early/mid seventies. I personally love the 22xx series Marantz stuff from that era.

 

[Seth=L]

ha ha ..you might be right...I just like the old tuners and amps better than the integrated hk I have now.

With that in mind, I'd wait until you have more funds to allocate to this move so you can benefit from your change. A change now will be at best lateral performance wise. However, I feel it is far more likely you will be downgrading by taking this path with so small a budget.

Don't let this discourage you though, because there are still bargains. Keep your eyes and ears open and do your homework. I have personally knabbed many great deals on vintage and even some modern equipment.

 

[gentlejax]

For the hell of it.

http://cgi.ebay.com/KENWOOD-INTEGRATED-AMPLIFIER-KR-501-TUNER-KT-615-/380253383601?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5888de2bb1

That's a nice set with a buy it now price.

If you keep an eye out, you'll find something like this.

http://cgi.ebay.com/KENWOOD-Integrated-Amplifier-KA-7010-100W-x-2-RMS-WOW-/110564411879?pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2

I like those ....I just like the old stuff better....unless I get a older all black HK receiver again or maybe a Onkyo Integra or Denon...

I am not against a all in one...I just dont like the new stuff and only need stereo not all the rest

 

[gentlejax]

With that in mind, I'd wait until you have more funds to allocate to this move so you can benefit from your change. A change now will be at best lateral performance wise. However, I feel it is far more likely you will be downgrading by taking this path with so small a budget.

Don't let this discourage you though, because there are still bargains. Keep your eyes and ears open and do your homework. I have personally knabbed many great deals on vintage and even some modern equipment.

I am trying not to downgrade but I think there are good deals out there but I dont know what they are...I have been in car audio for all these years not home

 

[Rickster71]

Here's a link to a site that has tuner comparisons & rankings:
http://www.audio-ideas.com/reviews/tuners/tuner-project-conclusion.html
Keep in mind, when you go vintage there's no remote.

 

[Seth=L]

I like those ....I just like the old stuff better....unless I get a older all black HK receiver again or maybe a Onkyo Integra or Denon...

I am not against a all in one...I just dont like the new stuff and only need stereo not all the rest

You may keep an eye out for Proton stuff on ebay as well, as they offer pretty good value.