Vintage vs Modern stereo cost comparison - Is Vintage a value compared to Modern?

Your numbers are spot on.
I picked up a Yamaha CR1020 on Craigs in N. California for 600.00
Had its lights replaced with blue led and recapped for 650.00
It’s driving my Legacy protege 98db 4 ohm beautifully.
I bought it part nostalgia as I had a CR 1000 back in the day driving Norman Labs. I grew up in Norman Ok in 70’s and always regretted selling it when I moved west.
I had been running my Jolida tube amp that was new old stock and when I hooked up the Yamy, I was doing my happy dance.
Punch, definition, air, soundstage and the thing that is it’s claim to fame. Natural un colored yet smooth sound.
I then acquired a Yamaha CDX 1030 vintage CD player that had been refurbished. Together they are making beautiful music.
I’ll be selling the Jolida now.

I paid 200,- for a perfect focal chorus 716 and denon pma 720 sounds amazing

Nice comparison. With the vintage system you also get an AM/FM tuner. With a modern receiver based system from Yamaha (for about the same price as the integrated amp) you can get newer means of network connectivity to streamers and such and even multimedia.

Or just buy a TPA3255 based little chip amp for 100 bucks and play everything from your smartphone. It's dead silence, super efficient, 0.00x THD and about 100db dynamics.

In years from now the new stuff from today will be considered “vintage” and it’s always been that way.
What’s old is new again.

The valid comparison would be to USED modern equipment.

While not as extensive as your collection, I have a LOT of vintage stereo gear. Several newer systems too. One thing to consider for vintage gear is, "do you live in an area where you can have it serviced easily?" Or, if you live in Jackson, MS for instance, if you and you need to get something worked on, you must send it to, Memphis, New Orleans, Birmingham, etc to get it serviced, fixed etc. I love vintage gear. A lot of what I have had been serviced, recapped, etc. when I bought. Yet.... later a push button fails, a pot goes out, etc. and I must send it off. Or... wait crazy times for the dying few vintage Tech guys in Jackson to fix it. So, vintage is great but I found that I have a lot of gear that I have to rotate into the "to be serviced stack" while something else gets back in the rotation. In the meantime, I have new Schiit gear, or McIntosh gear in various systems that I can count on. This particularly applies to receivers, turntables (especially idler wheel TTs that need to be serviced). Vintage speakers are a much more reliable proposition. Assuming they don't need foam or have already been re-foamed, most I have had have been great even without a recap. Or.. recapping most vintage crossovers is not a big deal and can be done DIY at your house. So, except for some newer Wharfedale Lintons, my other speakers in all systems are vintage. K'horns, Cornwalls, L-100s, HPM 100s, Wharfedale 60s, Advents, etc. They sound great solid state or tubes and have been very reliable.

Like most of the Polk Audio products of that era, the SDA-2 is a 2-way design. The passive-radiator acts like a vent (with compliance due to the suspension)

I love vintage audio and have the Yamaha cr820, technics sl 1400 turntable and polk audio monitor 7 speakers. It's a great set up. The biggest problem with vintage equipment is finding a local, honest, and competent person to do repairs.😢

R&D $ Has not been factored in .
Japanese engineers had a lead walk in angry and say "no matter what it cost it must outperform x"
China ? Builds stuff to sell in sweatshops . It's junk ....
It's tinny so stick to the tube side of the street or really know what your doing. I have almost 37 years experience and I'm 45. Labs labs labs . 100v 70-80 . Personally, Aragon 90's hand made in the USA.
Quick blowout , bias , check for DC , LSR plus....party on . If it doesn't double watts every impedence drop ....it's a phony spec . The good tube amps are 350k a set( no pun intended)😉
Class A,AB,G then D and let's keep it that way.

New to your YT channel love your reviews very much to the point no BS..keep up the great work greatly appreciated.

RE: Those Polk SDA II's have that large ten or twelve inch passive radiator for bass being driven by the dual midrange drivers - how are they a three-way speaker?

There is no motor on the passive radiator, no crossover. I see a two-way design with a passive radiator for bass.

Do I misunderstand what I am seeing?

Thanks for helping me understand the design and any errors in my perception.

The vintage by far is the better deal however performance wise the new system here will way out perform the vintage mainly due to the turntable and speakers.

What sounds better?

Did you give a comment on the comparibility of the sound quality between the old and the new hifi components?

Hey Scott i started to like your channel .I am a Yamaha vintage collector ..i just pour me some coffee ,and i will listen at every word you say ...

I recently discovered vintage gear after purchasing a used pair of Zu Omen Dirty Weekend speakers. I had a whole suite of mid-fi gear, and it simply was not doing it for me. I have gone through probably $20,000 or so in gear in the past two years or so...

Then I bought these Zu speakers, and boy this was tough, bought more gear, amp and preamp that matched incredibly good with the Zu's... Still not getting it.

Then I stumbled upon a video regarding vintage Sansui, yes, brand specific stereo receivers, paired with the Zu speakers specifically, and I found an old, in working condition, Sansui 2000, circa 1969... Then I had a minor issue with the 2000 and jumped back on FBMP and found a one owner 4000 unit and went and picked it up for another $200. I did a service on it myself and she is sounding fantastic.

Meanwhile, I tore out my new gear, most of it is now gone, sold, and am sticking with the Sansui, the Zu DW's and a Mofi StudioDeck TT I picked up with their MasterTracker cartridge. I did install my PS Audio Gaincell DAC/Preamp and use that as my digital hub out to the Sansui via RCA. I use a WiiM Pro for streaming. I have the TV and Oppo BDP-83 hooked up too, with the Sansui handling the sound.

Everyone that has heard this has been completely surprised at the sound quality out of this old Sansui. Just the FM tuner alone is night and day when compared to modern gear. The Sansui is incredible with bass and has an airy tube sound in the midrange. the highs have that bit of sweetness to them, something that just tickles the ears. Best of all, no ear fatigue.

If you can find vintage really cheap and it's fully functional, vintage for me. I've been lucky with speakers, receivers, and turntable.

I get why people want these high end vintage units. Can you tell me where i can get vintage human ears that haven't lost any of the frequency range of hearing audible sounds?
Isnt there a set limit to all this audiophile expectation and potential listening experience?

I think one reason the vintage receivers sound better is that they have more robust power supplies than new equipment. That allows for higher current to give the speakers more punch.

Great video!!

But you leave "THE" ( for me at least!😉) question unanswered: which of the two sysyems sounds best?

I would think the "new" one: it is 50 years younger and there have been a lot of technological improvements in that time period.

What is your opinion on that?

Regards

Rob
Netherlands

The Focal speakers are $3,600 each.

Wrong & Wrong, The best value AND Hi Fidelity, is use professional PA equipment.
(Hi fidelity as scientifically defined back in the mid last century, excluding audiophile snake oils and subjectivity, excluding audiophile aesthetics, we want hi fi reproduction here, not shiny aluminum knobs )

Modern or Vintage... hmmm... I found out that I can have both:
I hooked up a 7.2 AV system.... which is great for Star Trek, etc... Sometimes in the morning, or late at night, it's too much though. I have a vintage Yamaha receiver as well. I found out that with an A/B switch like what Monoprice has, I can switch sources for my two main tower speakers... I can use the two main speakers in a 7.2 configuration for my Home Theater Receiver.. Or with a flick of a switch, they can be hooked up to my vintage receiver - when I just want a quieter experience.
- The system is not complete yet... On my vintage receiver, the output through the Monoprice, is to the two main speakers. But as inputs, it's only used for my CD player and for the tuner. Because it only knows analog, if I want to feed the audio from my TV to it, I need to get a DAC... I'm in the process of researching them now.
- For you Scott.... I hope that you would have something like a A-Z switch... to handle all of your receivers.... I'm only half-joking... Good Luck.

I picked up a pair of Jean Marie Reynaud Cantibile for 800€…retail is 4.500! Amazing sound

Now I feel quite happy about my CR-800 for around 250€ ...

Interesting subject but the important question which is not asked is, what do the systems sound like next to each other? I’m pretty sure the modern system seriously outperforms the vintage one.

I made the mistake of buying a pair of Polk SDA 2 speakers in late '85. I had them for less than a week then put them up for sale. 6 yrs later I finally threw them out because no one wanted them even @ $150.00 for the pair. They SUCKED BALLS!!!!

Modern amplifiers have a DAC, which is worth @ $200 or more, and more recent connections. And modern components should be more reliable. And they may have higher quality output, with less noise or popping.

What sounds better?

What about maintenance costs? New gear comes with several years warranty, so basically there are no maintenance costs. But if your old system breaks, then it may be expensive. Proper spare parts are often hard or impossible to get.

I actually have a pair of those exact same Polk Audio SDA-2 speakers myself. I was lucky enough to find them at one of my local thrift stores for $25/pair! (They were asking $50/pair for them, but I negotiated lower because one of them had a damaged grill.)

I have fully restored them along with rebuilding the crossovers with all modern polypropylene capacitors and better quality resistors and inductors too, along with better terminals, internal damping material, and other minor improvements, so now they most likely sound even better than when they were brand new, and they are absolutely beautiful sounding now!

I wish I had one of those Yamaha amps you have there too, but oh well, I find whatever I find at my local thrift stores and such, on a regular basis, so I do pretty good. My stereo system is probably worth about 10 times as much as I've actually paid for it all over the years, because I know a great deal when I see it, and I never buy anything brand new, especially not nowadays with everything being made in China to usually rather crappy quality standards! Vintage audio is definitely the way to go for the best value for money spent, especially if you have the knowledge and ability to fix or improve most things yourself!

Been doing this a long time. If you want vintage especially anything mechanical, be prepared to get them back to snuff. New you unboxing them, and enjoy them. Easy. Vintage is about replacing worn parts, chasing down documentation, and techs to get it working right. Not easy to do. At the very least you are looking things like tired electrolytic capacitors with high ESR, and electrically leaking if not physically, and a dead short like a resistor. Noisy transistors would be next. Seldom are you getting off scott free. New gear is very expensive for sure. But you can go a bit less than shown here. Depends where you are. I refuse to buy new because it is outrageous. I have some electronics skills, and I am very careful what I buy. I have a TEAC A-7300 reel to reel I am slowly restoring. Save the work, buy new. Save potentially on used assuming it needs nothing. Be careful what you look for, as there are no modern equivalents on my reel to reel or casstte deck. Receivers and such, much different story. If you are really. Buying vintage, and care it is right, buy from a reputable dealer like Sky Audio. They will test, and restore gear best as possible. Also vintage gear, parts are hard to get like, motors, head stacks, ring emitter transistors. So you have to know what you are doing. Also you should be using an isolation transformer with variac, and a dim bulb powering gear slowly, and carefully so you are not promoting any more damage, than could already be. I watch XrayTony and Mr. Carlson's Lab, and learn allot. I have been doing audio since I was 5. In my 60s now. I love this stuff. Yeah I was the kid who saved the teacher from doing anything stupid on the AV gear at school. Vintage is great, new is great. Do your homework, and understand what you want. New is the budget with warranty. Vintage, you are on your own unless a dealer will support you.

Wow! Up on stage! Great! Prior to my marriage I worked at a radio and TV shop in a small town. That’s how a guy gets hooked on stereo gear!

Ur comparing a 1978 Ford Torino with a 2022 Mustang 5.0..come on man!

One thing to keep in mind is that one can find contemporary gear for sale, barely used. A great way to save a lot of money. There's always people who need to sell what they recently bought, or estate sales, etc.

And one thing for sure: the Focal Aria will perform much better than the old Polk. I had Polk speakers back in the 80's, though not that particular model. Their passive radiator design was not that good, and the soft-dome tweeters were a bit buzzy.

And I used a Yamaha integrated amp on the Polks, a model that is in the ancestral line to what you picked here. It was fine if uninspiring.

Nice, informative video, but I would’ve enjoyed at least a cursory probe into the sonic differences of the old vs new.

The new Yamaha has no tuner

What I do NOT like about vintage is so few line level inputs. I need at least 4. Also I want banana plugs for speaker outputs. Those little spring clips are infuriating. I do not need AM/FM. And the modern stuff also often has too few line inputs. So, I tend to go with stuff about 35 years old now, and about 10 years old now. I DO like digital inputs with the new stuff. So I have Crown PSL-2 preamps and PL-2 power amps in two of my systems. For my main, all purpose system I have Cambridge CXA80 (don't use the power amp section on that), Cambridge AZUR 851W, Cambridge CXNII and Cambridge CXC. One of my bedroom systems has a nice sounding Pioneer SA-8100 with those damned spring clips!

I have both a vintage and a modern system. Both are solid but sound very different. I love my Vintage setup but it can't do what the new stuff can. The imaging, clarity, detail in new gear is amazing. Vintage has that romantic tonality. Both are great just different.

Anyone who listens to vinyl is not a credible "audiophile."

Here's what you need to know: If the amplifier uses discrete transistors, it will probably sound pretty good. If it uses those hybrid blocks it probably won't. That's the most important thing if you're comparing solid-state consumer stuff like this.

l have always try to buy second-hand quality hi-fi gear. The new gear that l have bought over the years has needed much repair…..Nakamichi 550. Luxman R1070. l have saved thousands!

I can tell you that my friend and I have both vintage and new equipment, and I would take my new gear over vintage all day. I have compared that exact model you have in this video next to my newer Yamaha, and it definitely sounds and operates much better. I was tired of repairing vintage equipment all the time. My back up system which is vintage is now down. The receiver and turntable broke the same day! I am not an electrician, so I have to pay for someone to fix all that stuff.

I suspect the new amp'freq response may be wider and with a flatter line .The vintage one may need it's capacitors changed but how knows??

The Vintage Yamaha has way more features. Who cares about a remote. Go vintage or get ripped off by new gear. Your choice.

With prices ballooned with the top Vintage Receivers might as well get a Luxman or Accuphase modern Integrated Amps! they both have Vintage vibe!

you need add wages in past-when vintage retail prices was,and now-when new buy...and need to make attention,that some vintage prices because of ultra rare...and past top models an nowadays ..if JVC or Victor was in top,why now not equal to clearaudio or smthng..Yamahas amps ,now can be equal to Krell or Mark Levinson..no?

I'm not sure why there is so much love for the vintage Japanese stuff, outside of nostalgia (they did look friggin cool) but it was always mid fi gear. If ya wanna go down memory lane then look to things like Dynaco, which despite the price, had superb sounding transformers. Of course all this old gear will need a rebuild to replace things like worn-out caps, and addition of modern input jacks and speaker binding post if you actually want performance. Other great vintage stuff would be say, Macintosh or Conrad-Johnson. etc. Just opinion of another random internet guy.