Vintage amps phono stages

[vintage_dog]

Vintage integrated amps/preamps made during the "Golden Age of Audio" provide a magic that's difficult to match even with modern gear. During the late 50's and early 60's, these amps were used primarily to make music coming from records (LPs)...not CDs, so they were voiced and tuned primairy for LPs.

I have been using for almost 2 weeks now the venerable Eico HF81 (considered one of the best if not the best el84 integrated amp around) for analog. Last night, I decided to use her bigger brother the Eico ST70 using the more powerful 7591 tubes. This amp is another sleeper with the same superb vintage phonostage with twice the power output of the younger sister (HF81)...boy, this amp had enough juice to drive the Spendor S3/5! I was spiniing record after record last night I forgot it was already 3am! what an experience consiering the amp is stock but with matched tubes..very detailed and way way musical! not as sweet in mids as the HF81(which has auricaps) but surprisingly very balanced!

setup: denon dl103->rb300-> michel mycro TT->peerless 15095 step-up -> Eico ST70-> Spendor S3/5!

[m_shoe_maker]

I used to own Dynaco PAS2 / 3. Great beer budget phono stages.

[arnoldc]

:) Great beer budget phono stages.

you mean natapunan mo ng beer tapos ok pa din?

[m_shoe_maker]

:) Great beer budget phono stages.

you mean natapunan mo ng beer tapos ok pa din?

Yup, ok pa rin. Yun nga lang medyo parang lasing na yung artist pag kumanta.

[ichabod]

Hello Francis,

Well, I'm happy to know that the HF 87 did match up with the spendor 3/5. As I have one coming my way along with an HF 85, this excites me to no end. Thanks for posting something made of tubes like the Eico 87 matching with the Spendor S 3/5, with vinyl at that! I can't help but think how good the sound might be on an LS 3/5a.

Regards, James

I had to edit this after I released the post. Got so excited over your report since I also got an ST 40 using the same tube compliment as the ST 70, with lesser watts though.

As I've said up there, the prospects for the HF 87 to go with the LS seem like a foregone conclusion with the ST 70 (not the Dynaco here) matching up with the S 3/5 spendor.