OPENING DAYS/HOURS ARE:

FRIDAY to SUNDAY – 10am to 6pm.

Comments closed

 Firstly, you need to understand what types there are:

There’s the ‘Pre-Amp’ – simply it’s a the switch box selector (phono/tuner/tape/aux) with the ability to manipulate the sound with knobs such as treble/bass/volume.

Here’s an image of a Pre-amp & Power amp:

The Pre-amp sends the audio to a Power Amp which amplifies the sound (this is where the ‘grunt’ is provided). The Power amp drives the speakers.

Then there’s the Integrated amp – The Pre-amp & the Power amp, integrated into one box!

Finally there’s the Receiver – an Integrated amp with a radio tuner built in – in Classic HiFi’s context, that means an AM/FM radio.

If you think you may want to listen to the radio, get a receiver, they are beautiful to behold. They are easily identified as they have a radio ‘dial’ across the front panel.

Most of our customers choose an integrated amp or a receiver – they both accept Turntables as a source, as well as iPods, CD or DVD players, even audio from your TV or computer.

Comments closed

In a nutshell, it comes down to dollars!

Quality amplifiers in the 70’s & 80’s, on average, cost about 1/2 the price of an average motor vehicle!

Spend that sort of money today & you’ll get yourself a truly ‘killer’ amp.

Spend $500 to $800 today on a quality classic amp compared to the same value on a modern amp, and the difference will be like chalk & cheese – just the weight of the old amp will indicate quality – to smooth out our rough old 240v power supply, you need transformers & copper wire that’s heavy – pick up a modern amp for that value & it’ll be like a black empty shoe-box! Pick up a quality modern amp (say $10,000 worth) & it’ll be heavy, really heavy.

These quality issues also extend to nearly every other part in the amp – the capacitors, transistors, resistors etc. Whereas in modern budget amps mostly made in Asia somewhere, are just that – a budget product for a fast living, disposable orientated consumer.

To the retro buyer, quality and style oozes out of the classic amps – steel chassis, steel covers, solid alloy fronts & knobs, VU meters, timber cases, all things beautiful!  Play with the front of a modern budget amp (say under $1000) & it’s all plastic.

What about the sound they produce? The sort of classic quality amps we stock, offer a wonderful tonal warmth only the highest quality amps produced today can offer.

Here’s some un-solictored words from a recent client who bought a gorgeous old Linear Design amp –

“just want to say how pleased i am with it – it is a beautiful amp in every way and compliments my ancient honky old speakers beautifully. i put it to the test – which means both sides of yes’s “close to the edge” on vinyl quite loud and it really delivered. it even makes those silly little CDs sound good. i couldn’t be happier. thanx again.”

WATTS AINT WATTS!

When helping our customers selecting an amplifier, we often explain that ‘Watts aint Watts!’

As mentioned elsewhere in this Notice Board, usually, the power or watts that an amplifier generates is nearly the last consideration.

How loud an amp can sound depends on a number of other factors, including the input source level and more importantly the efficiency of the speakers that the amp is driving – if speakers are efficient, it won’t take much power to drive them to ear-shattering levels, but if speakers are in-efficient, a very powerful amp is needed to get a modest volume out of them!

Broadly speaking, modern speakers are less efficient than those from the 60s,70s,80s, mainly because in those days, the amps made then, were much more modest in output.

But rated volume outputs of amplifiers expressed in Watts RMS (Root Mean Square referring to the mathematical calculation where it’s worked out!) can’t be used to compare amps either! Constantly we come across amps rated in the 1000’s watts, that aren’t as powerful as a modest 35w amp from the 70s! It all depends on the parameters an amp manufacturer use’s when quoting power – some are only using middle frequencies (the easiest power to achieve), or momentary peak power without reference to distortion, or even with one channel driven.

The only way to tell, is to compare ‘apples with apples’, that is delivery of full rated power continuously, through the audible frequency range, into 8ohm speakers with both L&R channel s driven.

Yes, it’s great to have full power at the extreme audio frequencies which give life and excitement to music, but then there’s the neighbours!  In todays more confined living environments, big thumping audio systems can be the source of dis-course, even feuds!

Don’t judge an amp by it’s quoted power, or distortion, or frequency range – judge it by how it sounds to you into the speakers it will be driving.

Comments closed

Whilst all our classic amps have ‘Phono’ inputs for turntables, the same can’t be said for modern amps.Lots of audio manufacturers dropped ‘phono’ inputs on amplifiers in the 90’s – they thought vinyl had gone away……….silly them!Consequently, we get lots of enquiries on how to connect turntables to amps that have nothing more than ‘Aux’ inputs, even on Home Theatre Receivers.Yes, there’s an easy fix.It’s called a ‘Phono Pre-Amplifier’ – a little powered unit that equalizes & boosts turntable output via the standard RCA sockets from the turntable for input into any ‘Aux’ input of any amplifier. Typically, this is what they look like:For those of you who are struggling to hear a decent reproduction of your vinyl, it will be dawning of a new era! It’ll make your records sound awesome!From as little as $88 for the entry level unit, they are worth every cent.Here’s the link to ours:http://www.classic-hifi.net/range-products/?product_id=286There’s also another version of this entry level Phono Pre-amp – it also has a switchable Phono/Aux input to preserve the Aux input taken up by this Pre-amp, so you don’t loose that input!Here’s the link:http://www.classic-hifi.net/range-products/?product_id=1331Of course, there are many higher end versions & without going berserk (they can go up to the $1000’s) the ProJect Pre-amps which we stock, carry our recommendation for those who want that little bit more from their vinyl.The ‘Phono Box II’ is the next step up (at $249) with MM/MC capability for those who might want to investigate the world moving coil cartridges at some stage:Next, there’s the ‘Phono Box USB’ ($279) with all of the above plus a USB output for direct connection to a computer:

Finally, in the Project range there’s the 2x valve version ‘Tube Box’ ($599) to engender that beautiful warmth that only valves can:

Over and above, we stock the likes of Michell, Creek, Musical Fidelity, Ortofon, QED.

 

Comments closed