Personality? Come on. I'd rather listen and watch to your calm insightful knowledge than some dude yelling and dancing like a Sham-wow commercial. Very professional yet laid back and to the point. I enjoy every video. Thanks and keep 'em coming.
The thing I like is your personality. Calm, balanced, reflective. Nice alternative to so much hype and attitude that is attracted to the subject of vintage audio...
@@DodgyBagehot There are people who manage to sort of put you in a spell. Just pleasurable to listen to. Then there are the people who make you want to open an artery.
For a self-described non lettered person I think you sure do know how to make interesting and excellent presentations. The content is not too long, not too short - it’s just right.
When it comes to vintage audio gear, Kevin by far has the best videos on TH-cam or anywhere else on the internet. Back in the 80s-90s my holy grails were Polk Audio SDA-SRS 1.2 or Klipsch Belle, La Scala, or Klipschorn. I have owned a pair of vintage La Scalas for 24 years and they have not disappointed!
Really great vintage audio presentation today, and especially that unique story regarding that randon phone call of audio treasures that you happily rescued from the landfill.
Sunday morning drinking my coffee and watching one of my favorite TH-cam channels. I think I'll put on some Eric Clapton and enjoy the day. Thank you for another awesome video, hopefully I'll win the lottery one day and build my dream vintage stereo system. 👍📻
I love Kevin's low key approach in these video's and I'm hugely jealous I didn't think about opening a vintage audio store before this. I lost a large amount of decent 70's and very early 80's gear due to some bad life decisions but managed to keep a few pair of Advent speakers and a couple of Marantz receivers. I wish Kevin all the luck and I keep forgetting he's about 4 hours away in Iowa.
I like this video! I am one of the lucky few to own an AU-20000 and a BA-5000! Was happy to hear how highly you think of them. The big BA is out for restoration now, can't wait to get it back! It is a beast! 108 lbs! :)
The G-22000 is also a Dual mono in the same fashion, I have one, glad to see the Biggest G Made your list. The G-22000 competed in price with the SX-1980 but the G-33000 was in its own sphere of market above them all at the time.
Super job on explaining everything 1.2 tons for a speaker set OMG, loved your story on the 301's can you imagine how much vintage stuff has ended up in the DUMP brings tears to my eyes as always love your channel!!!
I can't blame you for being a Sansui fanboy. The moment I heard the pure DC from the G series I knew what a quality build sounded like. Love the vids Kevin and I may have to support you in visiting ypur online store now.
Gooday from Australia. I was born in 1961. My grandmother bought my mother a Kriesler radio gram. All tube (toob) and I still have it. It has a 3 way 6 element amplifier and the tweeters are electro static. I'm gonna have it restored along with my AKAI GXC46D cassette deck. I love your channel. Cheers from OZ Andrew Collins.
Love the truck story… I found two Sansui three way speakers last year. Bought them for $14.00. The cones and mids and tweeters were in perfect condition. Who ever had them placed them where they wouldn’t fall apart. Hooked them to an old 70s Fischer studio standard , ran a aux adapter and played through my IPhone. They took me back to the old house parties back in the day. Such deep clean sound. Old school. I don’t know anything about audio but I really liked your video.
Love your uploads. As a high school kid, i owned a pioneer stereo tower. Just like my friends, i obtained it after weekend jobs during 4 years. Later on, i bought wrong stuff. But since a few months i am the proud owner of vintage yamaha receiver and wharfedale speakers. I feel the same excitement i had that long time ago.❤
I'm replacing a treble pot on a Sansui G-4700, what a pain, I had to take it nearly completely apart to get at it. They are a very good receiver though. lol
I fondly remember owning a Garrard 301 (or was it the 401?) and lusting after an SME IV tonearm ... connected to Quad 33/303 amplification. British sound in its heyday!
I got to hear the Infinity RS V’s at PS Audio in Boulder. Paul’s son left me in the listening room by myself with a few of my CD’s and I listed for a while. It was a very well behaved, lovely, and neutral system. I didn’t dare turning it up loud and kept it at normal listening levels. Really happy they allowed me to experience that 🙌🏼
Hey, about the euro models you posted in another vid: i owned a pioneer tower (silver faced). I just saw a picture of the amplifier: it was the sa 610. It was very reliable and clean sounding: i used it between 19 79 and 2000, and brought it to a 2nd hand shop (charity in the netherlands)
Hi Kevin, I really do enjoy your videos as a lot of the people who leave comments do. I needed or I should say I felt the urge to make a comment on this one because I also have wanted since I was a teenager in the 1970s to have the opportunity to listen to a JBL paragon. I live in California on the coast and when I was in high school I met this guy who was in his mid-thirties who was obsessed with tube Hi-Fi gear and we became friends. He used to drive out into LA on a regular basis hunting for gear and even though he didn't buy a lot he took me with him and I got to see and learn about a lot of equipment that I never got to own. Although, I will say that I've had some very interesting pieces of equipment go through my hands over the years. Anyways I remember very vividly one day we went in to a little recycled stereo shop out in the San Fernando Valley not far from Universal Studios that had a paragon in their showroom for sale I remember it had a pretty wicked scratch on the top but other than that it was very clean and at that time they wanted $6,000 for it Unfortunately they could see that there was no way me and my buddy were going to buy this thing so they didn't even offer to let us hear it but I remember seeing it and thought it was just about the coolest thing I'd ever seen! Anyways, you reminded me of that event with your comments about the Paragon, and I just thought I would share with you that I like yourself I have never been able to hear one, but I've always wanted to. Thanks again for all of your videos. Best regards, Dave
Hard to disagree with that list, I also hold the BA5000's design in very high regard, its unfortunate that Sansui did not produce a matching Preamp or Tuner. For that reason I think I prefer the BA3000, CA3000 and TU9900 stacked, that is an absolutely gorgeous combo. Also one minor correction, the Paragon used 15 inch woofers, either 150-4C or later LE-15.
Totally awesome , I have to 100 percent agree , everything you showed is a piece of audio history, the Garrard 301 , that's just about unbelievable , also the Sansui BA5000 , G33000 , that's my dream and the ba smells like McIntosh Mc2300 , almost a carbon copy, anyway keep it coming, certainly bears merit , Anthony , Aj tha dj
I've been around for a while, and when I see something good, I know it. In my humble opinion, your channel is the best of it's kind. And I mean it. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and opinions. From this old rocker, it's greatly appreciated!
Kevin, My Dad had a Paragon from 1964 to 1970. He did buy it second hand. It was loud and honestly a bit "horney" in sound. Kind of like K-Horns. He drove them with Marantz tube gear. Crazy heavy to move. Thanks.
Awesome awesome video. I did have a chance to experience in here a pair of the old JBL paragon back in 2011 at a small stereo shop in Grosse Pointe Michigan. They were awesome and dynamic sounding. At the time, I did not realize the magnitude of what was involved with that speaker, and how rare and exquisite it was.
It must have been driven by a crappy little amplifier, what, with 12 inch woofers and the other great drivers it has should have had it sounding really good?
Great video - We're not all gonna have the same "Grails." I once heard a pair of JBL Everest D67000 (or D77000) speakers in an art gallery in Sedona, AZ. I knew I'd probably never have a place that would warrant something like that. My grail speakers would be the Polk Audio SDA SRS set. But I am a fan of Bowers and Wilkins, so who knows. As for receivers, I think the Sansui G series is a terrific looking and sounding line-up. I figure the G-8000 would be fine for me. I love the "fun ones."
I still own and use a Garrard 401 turntable . I use it with an SME series 2 tonearm and a Shure V15 111 cartridge with Jico stylus . All housed in an original SME 2000 plinth system . My turntable also came with a hardback manual with hand signed individual inspection report for unit serial number 03134 . Made around September 1965 and still spinning fine . I have owned a number of other turntables including Linn Sondek LP12 , Thorens TD 160 and one of those Michell ( Transcriptors ) Hydraulic Reference turntables . I have sold the all on but never parted with my Garrard 401 . I wonder what it would cost today if it was still in production ?
I was just recently bidding in a large stereo auction of mostly parts and pieces. There were 2 sets of bullet tweeters. There were also like 20 pairs of different crossovers and a fair amount of 15 inch, 12 inch, 10 inch, 8 inch, 5 inch and potato masher speakers, all JBL. I couldn't compete price wise in the end. And most of it was NOS.
2:00 I have a very similar Zenith console stereo that I'm working on right now, but an older 1965 vacuum tube model (MM2604). With some help online I've figured out a workable "plug and ply" strategy to be able to connect my WiiM Pro without cutting or modifying anything original. I'm very excited to get it functional again and hear what it sounds like.
In the early 1980s My cousin, and I used a G3300 for DJing, for about a year One night the fan stopped working My cousin had to fan it all night with an album cover.
For those interest in seeing some of those huge JBL speakers, like the Paragon, being restored, installed and tested in customer's homes, there is a TH-cam channel from Japan called *_kenrick sound_* that has many such videos. One of my favorites they uploaded is _"JBL 4355 Speakers Restored by KENRICK SOUND were Delivered to Mr. Abe's Room"_ Mr. Abe's audio system and "listening room" were just over the top.
Have passed by PS Audio a few times and wanted to listen to the IRS but had bad experiences with hi end shops in Denver so chicken out. It’s those big $ tags that scared me and the thought of parking my old Freightliner truck near their lot and in the republic of boulder, Colorado is unthinkable.
Definitely a nice list. When I got into High End audio it was the 90s so I loved Carvers and owned a pair of McIntosh MC-60 tube mono-blocks and an Oracle Delphi III turntable. I never did find the perfect preamp though. So while this isn't my lists I can appreciate it. One thing I don't understand about that giant JBL speaker. Why hasn't anyone built a reproduction? I have to imagine a woodworker could make it look perfect and I have to believe, with as ubiquitous as was and is, there must be comparable drivers that could be put into the reproduction to get a very close approximation of what the real thing sounded like. I'm not talking about reproduction for resale but just to have.
I found a set of the JBL Paragon build plans on a JBL group and after looking at them I decided that buying them at 20K was easier than building them. I haven't done either but for a home woodworker, it's the Mt Everest of speaker builds. I think my 5 grails would be those Infinity IRS speakers, JBL 4343 or 4345, the Nakamichi tape deck that flipped the tape rather than the heads, any of the big vintage Altec Lansing horn setups, and a set of vintage McIntosh tube monoblock amps.
Interesting video as usual. Your grail list does come with a hefty price tag. Just a bit of anecdotal history on the pronunciation of name Garrard, the late 70's factory reps that called on the store where I worked would pronounce the name with a soft g "Ja" verses a hard g "Ga". I have heard the name pronounced both ways for decades. The double r's are probably the source of the "Jer" variant. Just like Technics, the name debate will live on for decades to come.
I'd happily settle for the metregon instead of the paragon... and really want to own a Stig Carlson Sonab speaker pair. The Beveridge 2sw2 was a wonder to bathe you in sound.
I want a Pioneer SX-1250. I know the SX-1980 is the largest and most powerful vintage Pioneer receiver, but I understand that the SX-1250 probably has the highest quality construction of any 1970s stereo receiver. Also, 160 watts per channel is plenty of power for any speakers.
Awesome picks , not so much with the Speakers just because what Sends the Signal to them is more important to me, that's All. As far as the Sansui Stuff , very much in agreement but the Reality for me is the 22000 because it's got way more than enough Juice for Me and will most Likely be Possible to own! Also more into the BA3000 for the Same Reason and I could possibly get the Pre Amp and Tuner as a Set , but your Picks were the Awesome Stuff that I got to experience NEW and though I ended up More with the Pioneer Stuff, SX1280, CT-A9X Cassette, ( look up the performance on that one and the Looks, also a PD-71 CD, but I would have Gladly bought all of your Picks had I gone that Direction!! As far as the Speaker Direction went JBL and now have a beautiful set of L100 75s in Teak, one of 750 Sets! Keep these Vids Rockin, see ya. By the Way I found some Vintage Pioneer "Signage and Brochures" Thanks for taking the time answering my emails anyway! I paid 500 and sure believe got my moneys worth. Still looking, if you ever run across more "STUFF" as I call it!
Thrift stores aren’t what they used to be. I remember getting several decent vintage receivers for around 10-20 dollars. Nowadays, they don’t even make it to the floor. They get auctioned off online at eBay prices. The internet has been a double edge sword for obtaining equipment.
Wow, always interesting to hear about some of the over-the-top HiFi gear that has been built over the years, I'd never heard of the JBL monster speakers - definitely created for rock & movie stars. And I share your take on Macintosh, a little too much bling for my taste - I much prefer the understated look. It's one of those brands that I think has been riding a reputation from 60, 70+ years ago like Cadillac - when they were actually an innovative top quality product. Now they're just a name and a lot of markup.
Ess made a 100 pct electrostatic speaker with the heil, the woofer assembly was 100 pct electrostatic. It took a carver amp to power the speakers. Tekton Design Moab speakers is a grail, but they're 15k a piece, way out of my price range. I already own a 2270, and a Pioneer ctf 1250, and a superscope td 28. So I own three grails. Turntables, a Dual cs 608, the three speed direct drive is on my list. I have some old 78s.
I have always been a Kenwood fan and own the KA 8006 integrated amp which I purchased back in 1974. My holy grails that I have always longed for are the amp, preamp and tuner from the Kenwood 700 Supreme series. Unfortunately, it will likely ever happen. :(
Concept receiver cosmetics don't thrill me in the least, but they Do sound Very good and are quite well engineered, especially within their price bracket. I know a man who owns no less than three 16.5's and he couldn't be happier with them. My best piece is a Sansui AU-710 (717). It currently needs service, but that's only a "technicality".
I wholeheartedly agree, the Concepts don't get much attention on youtube but are some of the best out there. I'm a collector since my first 11.0 in 1977. Now have almost every model.
I have a old ADS system with the preamp and the woofer amp inclosure don't have the sattelite speakers though pretty cool the woofers need work which is normal for a old unit but its neat.
Entering the workforce I would often go to a HI-FI shop that had the Infinity & Macintosh flagship's " Infinite Baffle Array is a science " that's how I ended up Original Polk SDAs ( hearing those with modern accuracy is interesting)
Those Pickering tonearms are lovely, I've never seen them and I've seen a lot of vintage kit. I'm only 40 miles from Swindon where Garrard were based so I've had a lot of 301s (and 401s) through my hands. I'm surprised that the manual has two stars when the serial number is 44,xxx. In my experience, 2 stars means 1957 which is the year they transitioned from grease to oil bearing and the serial numbers were in the early 20,000s. However yours is a 60Hz model so maybe the numbering was different. Other thing is. the pronunciation emphasises the first syllable so it's GArrard rather than gaRRARD.
"Personality" may have worked for Billy Mays... but he be dead. I don't need an excited host trying to emulate a 1960s top-40 clear channel DJ on a Friday night. Keep doing what you do. I'll listen. ☕
I can't be the only guy monitoring at ear level from 3 - 4 feet away. Giant speakers aren't always needed. Especially, since the woofer in a small accurate speaker is doing the bass, mid, and most of the hi.Monitoring with a good vintage, you will hear stuff you never heard before. Even my behemoth 250 watt Pinnacle AC-650's are on vacation as my mint AC-550's ( 5 1/4) are all I need. There's more than one way.
Great content! Just found out about a channel recently. Have a question if you dont mind. What would you recommend from vintage amplifiers for ATC SCM 19 v2. One of my preference would be it would sound nice also at low volume. Thanks in advance
I knew a guy with a Paragon in his front room, he owned a professional music equipment company doing stage amplification for touring bands, Sadly I never got to hear it.
Personality? Come on. I'd rather listen and watch to your calm insightful knowledge than some dude yelling and dancing like a Sham-wow commercial. Very professional yet laid back and to the point. I enjoy every video. Thanks and keep 'em coming.
I was always a fan of Vince from Sham Wow (and the Slap Chop).
But I like the way Kevin makes his videos.
I concur!
The thing I like is your personality. Calm, balanced, reflective. Nice alternative to so much hype and attitude that is attracted to the subject of vintage audio...
@@DodgyBagehot There are people who manage to sort of put you in a spell. Just pleasurable to listen to. Then there are the people who make you want to open an artery.
For a self-described non lettered person I think you sure do know how to make interesting and excellent presentations. The content is not too long, not too short - it’s just right.
I need a Kevin T-shirt that reads, "It's going to be a fun one".
I would buy one.....have Kevin with his Skylabs shirt on, his head, saying that.
When it comes to vintage audio gear, Kevin by far has the best videos on TH-cam or anywhere else on the internet.
Back in the 80s-90s my holy grails were Polk Audio SDA-SRS 1.2 or Klipsch Belle, La Scala, or Klipschorn. I have owned a pair of vintage La Scalas for 24 years and they have not disappointed!
Thank you!
Kevin is theBEST
Really great vintage audio presentation today, and especially that unique story regarding that randon phone call of audio treasures that you happily rescued from the landfill.
Sunday morning drinking my coffee and watching one of my favorite TH-cam channels. I think I'll put on some Eric Clapton and enjoy the day. Thank you for another awesome video, hopefully I'll win the lottery one day and build my dream vintage stereo system. 👍📻
The style of the Paragon is still relevant today! The piece doesn't look dated, could have come out recently. I would love to hear a pair!
I love Kevin's low key approach in these video's and I'm hugely jealous I didn't think about opening a vintage audio store before this. I lost a large amount of decent 70's and very early 80's gear due to some bad life decisions but managed to keep a few pair of Advent speakers and a couple of Marantz receivers. I wish Kevin all the luck and I keep forgetting he's about 4 hours away in Iowa.
It was funny seeing the picture of a young Tony Blackburn he's still spinning records on BBC radio he's now in his early 80s
I like this video! I am one of the lucky few to own an AU-20000 and a BA-5000! Was happy to hear how highly you think of them. The big BA is out for restoration now, can't wait to get it back! It is a beast! 108 lbs! :)
The G-22000 is also a Dual mono in the same fashion, I have one, glad to see the Biggest G Made your list. The G-22000 competed in price with the SX-1980 but the G-33000 was in its own sphere of market above them all at the time.
Cool list. You do have a personality sir, and... loved the quick bloopers at the end.
Super job on explaining everything 1.2 tons for a speaker set OMG, loved your story on the 301's can you imagine how much vintage stuff has ended up in the DUMP brings tears to my eyes as always love your channel!!!
Thank you
I can't blame you for being a Sansui fanboy. The moment I heard the pure DC from the G series I knew what a quality build sounded like. Love the vids Kevin and I may have to support you in visiting ypur online store now.
Gooday from Australia. I was born in 1961. My grandmother bought my mother a Kriesler radio gram. All tube (toob) and I still have it. It has a 3 way 6 element amplifier and the tweeters are electro static. I'm gonna have it restored along with my AKAI GXC46D cassette deck. I love your channel. Cheers from OZ Andrew Collins.
I restored one of those recently mate - I'm in NZ, north island. Beautiful console.
Love the truck story… I found two Sansui three way speakers last year. Bought them for $14.00.
The cones and mids and tweeters were in perfect condition. Who ever had them placed them where they wouldn’t fall apart. Hooked them to an old 70s Fischer studio standard , ran a aux adapter and played through my IPhone. They took me back to the old house parties back in the day. Such deep clean sound. Old school.
I don’t know anything about audio but I really liked your video.
Love your videos Kevin. Always brings back a lot of memories of growing up and buying my first hifi system in the 70’s
Love your uploads. As a high school kid, i owned a pioneer stereo tower. Just like my friends, i obtained it after weekend jobs during 4 years. Later on, i bought wrong stuff. But since a few months i am the proud owner of vintage yamaha receiver and wharfedale speakers. I feel the same excitement i had that long time ago.❤
Love your videos, I would "never" pick the G Series as my favorite Sansui line, the look just never took with me.
I'm replacing a treble pot on a Sansui G-4700, what a pain, I had to take it nearly completely apart to get at it. They are a very good receiver though. lol
Amazing stories! I wish I could have half that much luck someday.
I fondly remember owning a Garrard 301 (or was it the 401?) and lusting after an SME IV tonearm ... connected to Quad 33/303 amplification. British sound in its heyday!
Thank You for sharing your Grail List!
Thanks for watching!
I have a Nakajima 500 with both white and walnut side panels. I'm the 2nd owner all the paperwork receit cover and and double shipping boxes .LOVE IT
I got to hear the Infinity RS V’s at PS Audio in Boulder. Paul’s son left me in the listening room by myself with a few of my CD’s and I listed for a while. It was a very well behaved, lovely, and neutral system. I didn’t dare turning it up loud and kept it at normal listening levels. Really happy they allowed me to experience that 🙌🏼
Hey, about the euro models you posted in another vid: i owned a pioneer tower (silver faced). I just saw a picture of the amplifier: it was the sa 610. It was very reliable and clean sounding: i used it between 19 79 and 2000, and brought it to a 2nd hand shop (charity in the netherlands)
Hi Kevin, I really do enjoy your videos as a lot of the people who leave comments do. I needed or I should say I felt the urge to make a comment on this one because I also have wanted since I was a teenager in the 1970s to have the opportunity to listen to a JBL paragon. I live in California on the coast and when I was in high school I met this guy who was in his mid-thirties who was obsessed with tube Hi-Fi gear and we became friends. He used to drive out into LA on a regular basis hunting for gear and even though he didn't buy a lot he took me with him and I got to see and learn about a lot of equipment that I never got to own. Although, I will say that I've had some very interesting pieces of equipment go through my hands over the years. Anyways I remember very vividly one day we went in to a little recycled stereo shop out in the San Fernando Valley not far from Universal Studios that had a paragon in their showroom for sale I remember it had a pretty wicked scratch on the top but other than that it was very clean and at that time they wanted $6,000 for it Unfortunately they could see that there was no way me and my buddy were going to buy this thing so they didn't even offer to let us hear it but I remember seeing it and thought it was just about the coolest thing I'd ever seen! Anyways, you reminded me of that event with your comments about the Paragon, and I just thought I would share with you that I like yourself I have never been able to hear one, but I've always wanted to. Thanks again for all of your videos. Best regards, Dave
What a list. Wow. Great story as well. Those finds are the best.
Glad you enjoyed it
That thumbnail looks super cool, could honestly be a nice poster
Hard to disagree with that list, I also hold the BA5000's design in very high regard, its unfortunate that Sansui did not produce a matching Preamp or Tuner. For that reason I think I prefer the BA3000, CA3000 and TU9900 stacked, that is an absolutely gorgeous combo. Also one minor correction, the Paragon used 15 inch woofers, either 150-4C or later LE-15.
Totally awesome , I have to 100 percent agree , everything you showed is a piece of audio history, the Garrard 301 , that's just about unbelievable , also the Sansui BA5000 , G33000 , that's my dream and the ba smells like McIntosh Mc2300 , almost a carbon copy, anyway keep it coming, certainly bears merit , Anthony , Aj tha dj
I got my skylabs shirt on Saturday and the same day I picked up a Pioneer SX-1250!
OMG! Good one, Wow.
@@dredrotten yeah i'm stoked, i have it setup in my office and bought two wiim's and have them synced with my garage system.
thanks Kevin good stuff as usual. Keep them coming !!!
Awesome choice of Excellent Top Notch Audio gear....Great video upload Sir...😊
👍
Loved this video, lots of stuff I never imagined.
I've been around for a while, and when I see something good, I know it. In my humble opinion, your channel is the best of it's kind. And I mean it. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and opinions. From this old rocker, it's greatly appreciated!
Thank you so much 😀
Kevin, My Dad had a Paragon from 1964 to 1970. He did buy it second hand. It was loud and honestly a bit "horney" in sound. Kind of like K-Horns. He drove them with Marantz tube gear. Crazy heavy to move. Thanks.
Awesome awesome video. I did have a chance to experience in here a pair of the old JBL paragon back in 2011 at a small stereo shop in Grosse Pointe Michigan. They were awesome and dynamic sounding. At the time, I did not realize the magnitude of what was involved with that speaker, and how rare and exquisite it was.
One more thing Kevin. I've watched TH-cam from it's early days in '05, and have never paid for a membership....until now. You got me.
I heard the JBL Paragon in 1964 or 1965. Not much bass, not much stereo separation. Looks - WOW!
It must have been driven by a crappy little amplifier, what, with 12 inch woofers and the other great drivers it has should have had it sounding really good?
Very cool. Thanks for sharing!
Loved the pickup truck find story. That’s much better than the Goodwill stories people brag about on the audio chat’s.
I, like you would love to hear a JBL Paragon. You have a nice list.
Great video -
We're not all gonna have the same "Grails."
I once heard a pair of JBL Everest D67000 (or D77000) speakers in an art gallery in Sedona, AZ. I knew I'd probably never have a place that would warrant something like that. My grail speakers would be the Polk Audio SDA SRS set. But I am a fan of Bowers and Wilkins, so who knows.
As for receivers, I think the Sansui G series is a terrific looking and sounding line-up. I figure the G-8000 would be fine for me.
I love the "fun ones."
Nice eye opening knowledge, thank you.👍❤️🇨🇦
Nice vid man.. your topics have been pretty cool lately and I joined ther discord too. Keep on rollin'
I still own and use a Garrard 401 turntable . I use it with an SME series 2 tonearm and a Shure V15 111 cartridge with Jico stylus . All housed in an original SME 2000 plinth system . My turntable also came with a hardback manual with hand signed individual inspection report for unit serial number 03134 . Made around September 1965 and still spinning fine .
I have owned a number of other turntables including Linn Sondek LP12 , Thorens TD 160 and one of those Michell ( Transcriptors ) Hydraulic Reference turntables . I have sold the all on but never parted with my Garrard 401 . I wonder what it would cost today if it was still in production ?
Definitely was a fun one!
Kevin would love to see more videos put more into the podcast version on Spotify. I love to listen to them!
Enjoyed the video! More equipment I will never own, but cool to dream about. Great story about your rescue mission!
Thanks! 👍
Yup, same , the biggest G, and BA, my grails also. I still use old Pickering carts with new stylus on my tech 12.
Another brilliant presentation. I would love to see your personal "rig". The one you've put together for your own listening room, as it were.
I was just recently bidding in a large stereo auction of mostly parts and pieces. There were 2 sets of bullet tweeters. There were also like 20 pairs of different crossovers and a fair amount of 15 inch, 12 inch, 10 inch, 8 inch, 5 inch and potato masher speakers, all JBL. I couldn't compete price wise in the end. And most of it was NOS.
Your best so far. Thanks
Garrard 301 is just beautiful! Check out also Thrones TD 124. Schopper (Company Name) in Switzerland specializes in it.
Good picks!
2:00 I have a very similar Zenith console stereo that I'm working on right now, but an older 1965 vacuum tube model (MM2604). With some help online I've figured out a workable "plug and ply" strategy to be able to connect my WiiM Pro without cutting or modifying anything original. I'm very excited to get it functional again and hear what it sounds like.
Where is the old original Mono Blues and Jazz Vinyl from the guy with the garrards and the neat tonearm?😉🤣
In the early 1980s
My cousin, and I used a G3300 for DJing, for about a year
One night the fan stopped working
My cousin had to fan it all night with an album cover.
I enjoy your video's.
For those interest in seeing some of those huge JBL speakers, like the Paragon, being restored, installed and tested in customer's homes, there is a TH-cam channel from Japan called *_kenrick sound_* that has many such videos.
One of my favorites they uploaded is _"JBL 4355 Speakers Restored by KENRICK SOUND were Delivered to Mr. Abe's Room"_
Mr. Abe's audio system and "listening room" were just over the top.
Have passed by PS Audio a few times and wanted to listen to the IRS but had bad experiences with hi end shops in Denver so chicken out. It’s those big $ tags that scared me and the thought of parking my old Freightliner truck near their lot and in the republic of boulder, Colorado is unthinkable.
love your video. hello from Sarajevo ❤
Another great video. Love seeing some of these!
Definitely a nice list. When I got into High End audio it was the 90s so I loved Carvers and owned a pair of McIntosh MC-60 tube mono-blocks and an Oracle Delphi III turntable. I never did find the perfect preamp though. So while this isn't my lists I can appreciate it. One thing I don't understand about that giant JBL speaker. Why hasn't anyone built a reproduction? I have to imagine a woodworker could make it look perfect and I have to believe, with as ubiquitous as was and is, there must be comparable drivers that could be put into the reproduction to get a very close approximation of what the real thing sounded like. I'm not talking about reproduction for resale but just to have.
nice work Kevin !
Thanks Kevin i am also a Sansui fanboy im into the AU And TU black face equipment have a complete black face system
I found a set of the JBL Paragon build plans on a JBL group and after looking at them I decided that buying them at 20K was easier than building them. I haven't done either but for a home woodworker, it's the Mt Everest of speaker builds. I think my 5 grails would be those Infinity IRS speakers, JBL 4343 or 4345, the Nakamichi tape deck that flipped the tape rather than the heads, any of the big vintage Altec Lansing horn setups, and a set of vintage McIntosh tube monoblock amps.
Nice list!!!
Interesting video as usual. Your grail list does come with a hefty price tag. Just a bit of anecdotal history on the pronunciation of name Garrard, the late 70's factory reps that called on the store where I worked would pronounce the name with a soft g "Ja" verses a hard g "Ga". I have heard the name pronounced both ways for decades. The double r's are probably the source of the "Jer" variant. Just like Technics, the name debate will live on for decades to come.
I'd happily settle for the metregon instead of the paragon... and really want to own a Stig Carlson Sonab speaker pair. The Beveridge 2sw2 was a wonder to bathe you in sound.
15 years ago I fixed a Nakamichi Dragon and I was delited, not the best construction as the Tandberg 3014, but the best sound on cassette ever
For pure looks the Claritone Project G series consoles are hard to beat
I want a Pioneer SX-1250. I know the SX-1980 is the largest and most powerful vintage Pioneer receiver, but I understand that the SX-1250 probably has the highest quality construction of any 1970s stereo receiver. Also, 160 watts per channel is plenty of power for any speakers.
I had a rough G8K at one point, sounded nice and clean...
AR9 4-Way Speakers by Teledyne -MY holy grail and I have them today!! kids will have to deal with them after I am gone!!
My Bozak Concert Grands are like having a refrigerator of sound
Those Infinity towers were err are the things my dreams were made of back then as a teenager in the 80s
Awesome picks , not so much with the Speakers just because what Sends the Signal to them is more important to me, that's All.
As far as the Sansui Stuff , very much in agreement but the Reality for me is the 22000 because it's got way more than enough Juice for Me and will most Likely be Possible to own! Also more into the BA3000 for the Same Reason and I could possibly get the Pre Amp and Tuner as a Set , but your Picks were the Awesome Stuff that I got to experience NEW and though I ended up More with the Pioneer Stuff, SX1280, CT-A9X Cassette, ( look up the performance on that one and the Looks, also a PD-71 CD, but I would have Gladly bought all of your Picks had I gone that Direction!! As far as the Speaker Direction went JBL and now have a beautiful set of L100 75s in Teak, one of 750 Sets! Keep these Vids Rockin, see ya. By the Way I found some Vintage Pioneer "Signage and Brochures"
Thanks for taking the time answering my emails anyway! I paid 500 and sure believe got my moneys worth. Still looking, if you ever run across more "STUFF" as I call it!
Thrift stores aren’t what they used to be. I remember getting several decent vintage receivers for around 10-20 dollars. Nowadays, they don’t even make it to the floor. They get auctioned off online at eBay prices. The internet has been a double edge sword for obtaining equipment.
Wow, always interesting to hear about some of the over-the-top HiFi gear that has been built over the years, I'd never heard of the JBL monster speakers - definitely created for rock & movie stars.
And I share your take on Macintosh, a little too much bling for my taste - I much prefer the understated look. It's one of those brands that I think has been riding a reputation from 60, 70+ years ago like Cadillac - when they were actually an innovative top quality product. Now they're just a name and a lot of markup.
Still love my sm-150 infinity's
Great video thank you
I am stunned the Sansui receiver goes for as much as a late model sedan these days.
Ess made a 100 pct electrostatic speaker with the heil, the woofer assembly was 100 pct electrostatic. It took a carver amp to power the speakers.
Tekton Design Moab speakers is a grail, but they're 15k a piece, way out of my price range.
I already own a 2270, and a Pioneer ctf 1250, and a superscope td 28. So I own three grails.
Turntables, a Dual cs 608, the three speed direct drive is on my list. I have some old 78s.
I have always been a Kenwood fan and own the KA 8006 integrated amp which I purchased back in 1974. My holy grails that I have always longed for are the amp, preamp and tuner from the Kenwood 700 Supreme series. Unfortunately, it will likely ever happen. :(
Grails:
Sansui G3300 or any larger G seires (G6000 and up)
ADS L2030
ADS 1590
Pioneer SX5590
Marantz 2500 or 2600
Not sure how much you know them but I have a Concept 16.5 receiver that is incredibly good sounding. It’s an heirloom quality piece to me.
Concept receiver cosmetics don't thrill me in the least, but they Do sound Very good
and are quite well engineered, especially within their price bracket.
I know a man who owns no less than three 16.5's and he couldn't be happier with them.
My best piece is a Sansui AU-710 (717). It currently needs service, but that's only a "technicality".
I wholeheartedly agree, the Concepts don't get much attention on youtube but are some of the best out there. I'm a collector since my first 11.0 in 1977. Now have almost every model.
I have a old ADS system with the preamp and the woofer amp inclosure don't have the sattelite speakers though pretty cool the woofers need work which is normal for a old unit but its neat.
Entering the workforce I would often go to a HI-FI shop that had the Infinity & Macintosh flagship's " Infinite Baffle Array is a science " that's how I ended up Original Polk SDAs ( hearing those with modern accuracy is interesting)
My speaker holy grails is a pair of Quad 57's & Wilson Watt/Puppy.
Those Pickering tonearms are lovely, I've never seen them and I've seen a lot of vintage kit. I'm only 40 miles from Swindon where Garrard were based so I've had a lot of 301s (and 401s) through my hands. I'm surprised that the manual has two stars when the serial number is 44,xxx. In my experience, 2 stars means 1957 which is the year they transitioned from grease to oil bearing and the serial numbers were in the early 20,000s. However yours is a 60Hz model so maybe the numbering was different.
Other thing is. the pronunciation emphasises the first syllable so it's GArrard rather than gaRRARD.
that silver arm from the truck is a from a Gray table?
Better than McIntosh? “I’m shocked, shocked I say, that such words are being spoken here,” to paraphrase Claude Rains in Casablanca. 😮
I’ve had a pair of Fulton Js since 1976. Have you heard them? What do you think if them?
Pay close attention to estate sales in your area. If the past owner has MCM furniture, the sound gear is going to be equally amazing.
"Personality" may have worked for Billy Mays... but he be dead.
I don't need an excited host trying to emulate a 1960s top-40 clear channel DJ on a Friday night. Keep doing what you do. I'll listen. ☕
I went to the Infinity dealer when I was 16 to hear the IRS Vs. The store owner looked at me like I was from a different planet.
😢
I can't be the only guy monitoring at ear level from 3 - 4 feet away. Giant speakers aren't always needed. Especially, since the woofer in a small accurate speaker is doing the bass, mid, and most of the hi.Monitoring with a good vintage, you will hear stuff you never heard before. Even my behemoth 250 watt Pinnacle AC-650's are on vacation as my mint AC-550's ( 5 1/4) are all I need. There's more than one way.
Great content! Just found out about a channel recently. Have a question if you dont mind. What would you recommend from vintage amplifiers for ATC SCM 19 v2. One of my preference would be it would sound nice also at low volume. Thanks in advance
I knew a guy with a Paragon in his front room, he owned a professional music equipment company doing stage amplification for touring bands, Sadly I never got to hear it.