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Retro amplification required

I have to admit I always thought the A48 was pretty decent too. I like Sugden kit in general - good honest unpretentious stuff IMO. Groundbreaking in the case of the original A21 and A51.

Tony.
 
DSJR said:
After the huge VAT hike (and sharp downturn in business which never recovered - ever!)
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VAT hikes in the UK have nothing to do with output from Japanese factories. Sorry, but the UK is simply not that important a market.
Had you said the Plaza accord & the two oil shocks you might have been on to something. Actually not, as neither had an adverse effect on product quality.
 
Hi jimbO i use a sugden a21 circ 1969 ......... the phono stage is pretty good considering , i use it for 78 playback only and run a phono stage into the aux as i have 4 TTs running at the moment well 3and a half :rolleyes:
 
joel said:
VAT hikes in the UK have nothing to do with output from Japanese factories. Sorry, but the UK is simply not that important a market.
Had you said the Plaza accord & the two oil shocks you might have been on to something. Actually not, as neither had an adverse effect on product quality.
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The UK market was quite big back then and it seemed amazing that all of a sudden the far eastern amps took a nosedive in quality after 1975.

It could be that far eastern makers like Sony had HUGE ranges and that the UK importers just took cheaper models as "replacements" for the rather excellent earlier models. The Sony TA-5650 and 8650 were superb V-FET amps with a lovely sense of depth and space and a little "loose" in bass and treble regions - something most far eastern amps couldn't reproduce at all. The UK replacements weren't anywhere near as good, although it seems the V-FET idea continued with improvements in the US for some years...

Looking at other posts, I'd confirm the Rogers A100 was a FAR better amp than the Panthera A75 IMO and the T100 tuner is/was a forgotten gem of a tuner.

We took on Sugden at the end of the A21 and C51/p??? pre and power era, all of which had a fresher sound than the A48, which is definately warm toned.

All IMO of course :D

Just 'cos I like the Nait (almost as much as a Rogers Cadet III valve amp) doesn't mean I'm still a Naim-head (how dare you suggest such a thing! :D ;))
 
hifi_dave said:
DSJR stepped into the light many, many years ago with the acquisition of a Notts Mentor/arm/Decca and Croft amp. :cool:
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Don't forget those CELEF professional monitor thingies I replaced with the ATC's............ Wish I still had the Mentor, the chap who bought it from me had a bargain..............
 
the little sugden 6 watt A class baby i have has been recapped by sugden and it as close too valves as your gonna get , sound is clear crisp just lovely .................. but i am a old fart:rolleyes: ...........wouldnt swap it for anything ................ truth :p
 
DSJR said:
The UK market was quite big back then and it seemed amazing that all of a sudden the far eastern amps took a nosedive in quality after 1975.
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For Japanese manufacturers, it was the US and home markets that counted.
The Brits like to be told how very important and wonderful they are, and so are told. If it makes you feel good.
What you say about declining quality simply does not connect with what I've heard and seen.
 
joel said:
What you say about declining quality simply does not connect with what I've heard and seen.
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It really seemed to end really fast here, my big Denon TU-850 tuner and Marantz 2252B receiver both date from 78 and are lovely heavy over-engineered things, by the early 80s such things had vanished here completely replaced with ugly plastic kit aimed at the low end of the market. I'm sure much of it was politics, i.e. the Linn / Naim thing got such a strangle hold on the press and dealer networks that a lot of good kit simply never got to these shores.

Tony.
 
Woodge (Woody on the Lenco forum?) - how much was it to get the A21 recapped by Sugden?

If I was to pick up a set of Quads, which are much more readily available, (33/303, 34/306 etc) what should I look at getting done to them?
 
JimbO yes im woody From LL , im banned from LL but we wont talk about that ............... sugden did a complete service ,recap , for a amazing £120 which i think was great the sugden really sings now ....... i have a few other amps but this is my favourite .......... over the years ive owned lost of vintage ,new amps ....... dr thomas muscial fidelity.crimson ,quantum,accuphase e202, i sold my roksan caspian dual mono pre amp and 2 caspian mono blocks in favour of the sugden yes i know im mad , but its so good i bought a pair of tangent TM3 circa 1977 and ive never looked back, its so musical and just so enjoyable, foot tapping ............. i also have a pair of kilpsch heresys like tony and they just sound great ................ but im stuck ina time warp and wanted a certain sound ,warm and sweet yet full rounded bass ................. i think the quad stuff is great sounding , but they always need lots of work, but are well worth the trouble ......... hope this helps
 
A few years back (late 90s) I got a Quad 303 that had just had a Quad service. This was replacement of the big PSU caps, a blown bridge rectifier and a checkover - £80. Not bad. Meridian did similar to a dead 105 for £120.

There are other caps you can replace but the usual/essential is just the PSU caps.
 
I forgot to add i also had a leak 30 with the big leak sandwich speakers with a lenco 70 like tonys and it blew me away ......... the leak 30s are good the pots need lots of cleaning , but as long as you have easily driven speakers thing can really sing ........ you can pick em up on ebay for >£30

this is what im using at the moment with my sugden

11l1k5k.jpg
 
oops also had a marantz 1072 console amp great amp paid less than £100 for it 2 phono inputs has the retro look again you just have to worry about the pots getting noisy , but a good contact cleaner will sort that out :cool:
 
thanks ant ........... we have met im sure you remember me picked up all the decks from you for audiorigami .......... its taken me a long time to get that deck right ......... ive had about ten different arms on it , like the SMG the best ..........sounds great with jazz
 
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