Quote Originally Posted by jocko_nc
Yea, Feanor, that is exactly what I am wondering...

Is "desireability" based on performance or romantic attachment to the past. Let's compare the best of the late-70's with a more modern workhorse. Is there something to modern design? Are older components really old?

I wonder about all the "older-yet" equipment people seem to desire. Call it early to mid 70's. Marantz. Sansui. To me, that is nostalgia, a bit too old for performance. (???) Maybe that notion is way off base. (???) To me, its Japanese from the 1978-1981.

We are busy right now, I'll get around to it in time.

jocko
I've been looking at some vintage receiver offerings on eBay. Gosh, some are so georgious! The heyday was the late '70's. Marantz, Sansui, Pioneer, Kenwood, even Akai, especially the top-of-the line models. Sony and Technics (Panasonic) had some nice ones but not quite as splendid. Yamaha came along with some more sleek, "European"-style models.

Yes, I was alive and into hi-fi in those days. But even then I had moved beyond receivers. In fact I never owned a receiver, and by 1979 I had a Phase Linear 400, (spare me your comments on that one, please), and my Apt Holman preamp.