Marantz 1060 Console Stereo Amplifier

If you have never listened to a 1060, do it! Do it now! This is one of those magical amps, that will make you second guess yourself where you will be thinking 'Does it really sound that good?!' Yes, yes it does sound that good, and always impresses. Rated at a conservative 30 watts per channel it has plenty of power and its three-tone pre-amplifier is where all the magic happens. Derived from the Marantz 7T- the transistorised version of the Marantz 7C which is a pre amplifier that sits in legendary status land, this amplifier is sure to bring you hi-fidelity joy! So go out there and listen to one!

Sony TA-88 Mini Component Stereo Amplifier

Somewhere, in the beginning of the genesis of HiFi, under mini component systems, you would find the Sony TA-88. Along with its complimentary ST-88 AM/FM Tuner, SQA-100 Surround Adapter and a pair of SS-5088 bookshelf speakers. This wonderful set is the forerunner of future of mini component systems. The TA-88's power output is rated at 13 watts per channel, so this is no room shaker but its not meant to be. With its small footprint you can have it practically anywhere and where ever you put it, it's going to look good!

The TA-88 paired with its ST-88 and SQA-100 counterparts:

Sansui AU-101 Solid State Stereo Amplifier

Although the AU-101 was the 'budget' amplifier for Sansui back in 1973, it is not to be underrated. Power output is at a conservative 1970's 15 watts per channel. Its pedigree comes from the popular Sansui AU-555A which is quite a respectable amplifier itself.

Onix OA-21s Amplifier and OA-22 SOAP power supply

Wow. Wow. Wow. Yes there are three there and there should be more. At 60WPC coupled with it's SOAP power supply it just sounds amazing. From it's minimalism design, to it's stunning blue circuit board, quality components and it's absolutely spectacular sound. All this unit would need is some incandescant ambient lighting and a cameo in a Ridley Scott 80's sci-fi movie and it would have it all!

Playmaster Twin Twenty Five (25)

You may not instantly recognise the brand Playmaster immediately, especially if you're not from Australia. To be honest I didn't either, but the name rung a bell. Down under, we once had a magazine called "Electronics Australia" they would periodically release designs and sell them in kit form under the name Playmaster. Ranging in valve and solid state equipment, a lot of their earlier work was with Guitar Amps and PA amps, however they did do HiFi as well.

Quite beautifully built, brush aluminum faceplate, Solid machined aluminum knobs, and a nice simple design that's not cluttered. It's exactly what a nice simple amplifier should be. Simple!

Akai AA-1010 Stereo Receiver

At 15WPC it's by no means a very powerful receiver. Infact this is the baby of the series being first produced in 1976. Looking at the internals it's not awfully complex either. Taking cues from the Yamaha receivers of the day, it's brushed aluminium faceplate is complemented by a faux vinyl woodgrain veneer built on a plywood casing. It's simply a nice little performer with good looks to boot.

Marantz 3200 Pre Amplifier

It's what you'd expect from a 1970's designed and built Marantz. The wonderful warm sound that their lineup of stereo console amplifiers and stereophonic receivers are known for, brought into a wonderful pre amplifier unit. Not for the purist at all but made for the masses, listening to this unit hooked up to my Marantz Model 32 power amplifier is like coming back home...

Aiwa A22 Micro Component Stereo Amplifier

Proving that good (read: great) things come in small packages, here's the Aiwa A22 Amplifier. A little beauty at a very cool maximum output of 36wpc. I picked this one up at a local flea market with a matching tuner and cassette deck for $10. Sadly the particleboard rack that they came in was beyond saving. The tuner just needed some TLC however the cassette deck was long gone with signs of corrosion, deteriorated belts and the unsettling feeling that some minor has tried to press every control button down at once.

Marantz 1122DC Console Stereo Amplifier

61 watts of class AB, DC power. Need I say more? What a beautiful amplifier with it's classic Marantz symmetrical design, beautiful warm sound that can be expected from the 1xxx series of stereo console amplifiers and more than enough inputs for all of your devices, this is all you needed. This wonderful example was brought in by a client who had intermittent and then no sound coming from it at all.

Sony TA-1055 Integrated Stereo Amplifier

At a very under-rated 20 watts per channel, this DC integrated amplifier is a true gem. This is actually the second time I've had one of these and I'm still in love with it's design. A warm sounding amplifier, it really can deliver in the sound department.

Marantz Esotec series PM-4 Class A integrated amplifier

Well I thought I'd start with a classic. A Marantz Esotec series PM-4. This little beauty does 60 watts per channel in Class A+B, or hit the magic button and it does 15 watts per channel in pure Class A. It really doesn't sound like much, but when I crank this little beauty up a couple of notches you see people's faces light up. Then you tell them that it's only 15 watts and they just look dumfounded!

This amplifier is quite the statement. It had metal ribbed sides, from which the power amplifier transistors were directly connected to for convection cooling, steel mesh cover giving ample cooling. It still retained the champagne finish for the controls, and a wonderful symmetrical design.



I will admit, I did pay a bit too much for this little beauty. Especially for the state it was in. There was dust, rust and worst of all, leaking caps and corrosion. In fact when I first gave it a go, I was only getting sound in one channel and only if I tilted it to the right!