Best looking vintage Hifi gear

I am not generally interested by vintage gear, but sometimes I like a lot.
My few favourites: Krell KPS cd player, Jadis JD1, Goldmund Reference turntable.
Here the Jadis JD1:

I recently saw a video that made me think on that subject. I like a lot the look of the gear in that video; Pioneer Elite.

Post your best looking vintage gear.

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Sorry to be dense, but what is it?

If it sounds anything like it looks, it must be good.

I’d post photos of my ‘new’ Quad ESL57s, but I’ve done that before.

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It was a very expensive cd transport back in the day……still quite expensive as a used item.

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Naim CB kit aside, for me it’s got to be the Lecson pre/power and tuner and the Nytech CTA252XD receiver.

(Piccies from the web)

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That Marantz TT 1000

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I’m very much with you on the Lecson, but the Nytech always looked to me like a cash till - horrible!

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Marantz produced some lovely designs in their time. I can’t remember ever hearing any, though.

The Garrard 301 with white base and strobe platter. With the plain sided platter its OK, but the strobe takes it into another place. This used to be a TT under £30!

I love the looks of the Marantz and a TT1000 has long been on my “must try” list. However, on the one in your picture it’s a bizarre choice of tonearm - it looks like one that has been nicked off an '80s AR EB101. Even a lowly Rega RB250 would leave it for dead.

Speaking of Marantz, I rather liked the looks of my old Marantz PM4.

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There’s plenty of other pictures on the web that could have put the TT 1000 in a better set up. I liked this one because of the glass shelf it was on. :sunglasses:

I know what you mean. When I was at school, my friend’s Dad had an LP12, CTA252XD and ARC101 speakers, so the Nytech holds a special place as my introduction to quality music playback.

May I present the Mission 776 pre/777 power amp.

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My Focus One, probably 1980/2 I can’t remember exactly. Sold it to a friend to finance the purchase of my lp12. When my friend passed away his family gave it back to me. Wouldn’t part with it, so it sits in a box in the loft.

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image

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Thank you (not!), Robert, that has quite put me off my breakfast!

Did these eyesores ever go into production? If so, I can’t imagine that many were sold.

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That’s a very interesting looking deck. Looks like a Transcriptors design.
What is the tonearm?

Back in the day I had a very early A&R A60. The A&R was in simple font and not the logo that came later, but I can’t find a picture of it. It was a lovely design in its wooden sleeve. What came next wasn’t really much better, but it too looked great. Delightfully simple.

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Technics SLP1200 CD player:

Still very expensive second-hand in 2022!

Mark

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I have always found the 401 to have a pleasingly ‘engineered’ look about it.
Brutalist perhaps?

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Is there a definition for vintage in the context of HiFi gear? 30 years old plus?