Thoughts wanted! Why do we stick on to our vintage gear??

25 replies

Why do we stick on to our vintage gear?                                                                                                                        

Is it for sentimental reasons?

Because B&O gear has gone out of average pricerange?

Simply because the old gear are better quality and sounds better?

Neclecting general progress and improvements over time?

Fear of getting bored with modern equipment like net downloaded music?

Just too futuristic?

I myself havent bought any new gear for the last 33 years(BC7000) What did I miss soundwise?Didn't had the balls to buy that new BS5 and 4 BL6002....Time for regretting that?............Your own expieriences are most velcome..............Hans........

Because it is good value for money, is beautifully designed, is able to be serviced, still looks futuristic, produces excellent sound and is reliable and ergonomic.

Most of the 60s, 70s and 80s equipment can be operated without recourse to an instruction book and is very easy to set up. They will need servicing by now, but once done can be expected to keep working for decades to come. What is more, when the next service comes, most will still be able to be serviced, unlike the newer equipment and their replaceable modules.

My B&O Icons:

BeoCenter-9500.png BeoCenter-9500.png
Beoremote-Beo4.png Beoremote-Beo4.png
Beovox.png Beovox.png
Beovision-11.png Beovision-11.png
Beotime.png Beotime.png
Beosound-Stage.png Beosound-Stage.png
Beosound-Moment.png Beosound-Moment.png
Beosound-5.png Beosound-5.png
Beosound-2.png Beosound-2.png
Beoremote-One.png Beoremote-One.png
Beoplay-Portal.png Beoplay-Portal.png
Beoplay-Earset.png Beoplay-Earset.png
Beomaster.png Beomaster.png
Beolit.png Beolit.png
Beogram-400x.png Beogram-400x.png
Beocenter-2.png Beocenter-2.png

Thanks Peter, - so there really is not much to gain nowadays soundwise, -  except sourcing the music and technical solutions has changed?

Try to listen to a full Quad system from 1960 with a Garrard 301 or a Thorens 124 and you will understand...

Also, don't forget that vintage equipment comes cheap, especially when broken. So it gives us the opportunity to acquire once very expensive gear for a very small outlay and still enjoy the quality of it.

This said, some people think vintage means big money, and of course we steer clear of that way of thinking here, just being realistic and enjoy what we can afford. 

To me, it's the sheer pleasure of making forgotten ancestors live again! 😕

A better question to me might be,

Its timeless design , build quality and sound does it for me.

My B&O Icons:

BeoCenter-9500.png BeoCenter-9500.png
Beoremote-Beo4.png Beoremote-Beo4.png
Beovision-10.png Beovision-10.png
Beotime.png Beotime.png
Beosound-9000.png Beosound-9000.png
Beomaster.png Beomaster.png
Beogram-400x.png Beogram-400x.png
Beocenter-2.png Beocenter-2.png

Why?

I was not into HIFI or had done any experiences that way. I was into guitars, effects and amps sounding right but not the stereo or video department.

In my case it was really not planned that it had to be B&O but in a matter of 3 weeks that changed for good. I got the '80s Beosystem 2000 and an B&O Attyca II stand for it. That was the beginning and I just got a palisander Beocord 9000 a few months before.

Getting into the old school B&O experience that way was cool. Once the many units were serviced the feeling of how right the B&O products were at any given time they deserved to live on  for another 20 odd years of great experience for the owner. Be it sound, feling, looks or the technical matter like certain speakers certain age. If you want passive then post '90s unless its CX you want or want to play records or cassete tape? The same thing applies. Sentimential reassons? No with B&O pick the design you want. It will perform well in any case.

B&O to expensive? Well if it is then why bother. Expense of anything is a matter of what you think you can achieve. If it is to expensive it is.

I even have even managed Beolab 6000 and 8000 so far.

Old stuff sounds better?

It sounds good but you neeed to compare it and I had Beosound 9000 at some point. It is not that different.

I grew up with record and cassete tapes with cd comming much later. Why should I change mediums for being able to play music every 10 years or so? Music on pc? Right but that takes to many changes for no real good reasons at all. It depends on what mediums you prefer.

It does not really get better. The grass is not more green with the newer B&O.

Would I go for it? Yes Beovision wise but streaming of music I don't plan to do. 

Futuristic

I don't get tired of the sound, looks or the space it takes.

 

Because I just like it better that's why and I don;t have to explain or justify why either

The Dickster wrote:

Because I just like it better that's why and I don;t have to explain or justify why either

🤒

 

Location: Mexico city

Retired
Printing machine technician
Restored various 1960-70 items
Rock and Roll music
Collecting Vinyl
Restored Jukebox Wurlitzer 1050

I recently saw the movie Objectify which had an industrial designer who asked the same question as to why we would want any product whose design was not contemporary. My response is that with all the technological changes that are occurring at such a rapid pace and with equipment that is only expected to last a very few short years, it is is comforting to have something around you that works and has been around 30 plus years. I am a designer but feel that so much of the products I buy are not meant to last because the technology would very soon make them obsolete anyway. The other reason I think is many of the B&O designs are timeless.

john

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