Most Wanted Vintage Stereo Pieces Today

Summary

The host shares his list of the top seven most requested vintage audio gear that customers continually ask for - the Sansui G Series receivers, Harmon Kardon 430/730 receivers, Pioneer SX-850 and higher receivers, Cerwin Vega speakers, Klipsch Heresy speakers, JBL L100 speakers, and the Marantz 2270 receiver. He discusses the popularity around each item, noting factors like great sound quality, iconic looks, collectibility, and more. He also mentions expanding their services globally via eBay to reach more customers interested in their vintage audio products.

Takeaways

• 😊 The video covers the most requested vintage audio gear that the shop gets inquiries about
• 💡 Sansui G Series receivers are highly sought after for their sound, build quality and aesthetics
• 🔊 Harmon Kardon 430/730 receivers are gaining popularity for their great sound and reliability
• 🎧 Mid-late 70s Pioneer receivers like the SX-850 are very popular for their superb quality
• 🥁 Cerwin Vega speakers are known for insane bass and efficiency, especially the D and AT series
• 🎛 Klipsch Heresy and Cornwall speakers hold value well due to exceptional build and ongoing support
• 🎹 JBL L100 speakers remain popular due to their iconic design and association with a famous ad
• 🔈 Marantz 2270 receiver checks all the boxes - sound, looks, reliability and high demand
• 📼 No specific turntable models stand out as highly requested
• 🛒 An eBay store now makes Skylab products available worldwide

Q & A

What are the 7 most requested vintage audio pieces according to the video?

The 7 most requested vintage audio pieces are: 1) Marantz 2270 receiver 2) JBL L100 speakers 3) Heresy speakers by Klipsch 4) Cerwin Vega speakers 5) Pioneer SX-850 and above receivers 6) Harmon Kardon 430/730 receivers 7) Sansui G-Series receivers

Why does the narrator say Sansui G-Series receivers are rare?

The narrator says Sansui G-Series receivers are rare compared to other brands like Pioneer, Marantz and Yamaha because there don't seem to be as many of them out there. He thinks they may not have sold as many G-Series models as the other brands.

What are some pros and cons of Cerwin Vega speakers according to the video?

Pros: Great for rock music, loud and efficient, iconic 'college rock' speaker. Cons: Not good for all music genres, vinyl wraps prone to damage, foam surrounds rotted on many models.

Why does the narrator say Klipsch speakers like the Heresy have stood the test of time?

He says they were well made with good components, the woofers didn't rot, and replacement parts like tweeters and crossovers are still available from Klipsch which makes them easy to repair.

Why have prices gone up on 70s Pioneer receivers like the SX-850?

The narrator is shocked at the price increases. He thinks it's due to the resurgence of vintage audio, the reputation for quality, and high demand while supply is steady but not increasing.

How did the Maxell 'Blown Away' ad campaign benefit JBL?

Though the ad didn't mention JBL, the L100 speakers featured in the iconic 'Blown Away' poster became associated with JBL in people's minds. This benefited JBL's brand recognition.

Why doesn't the narrator recommend putting newly acquired gear directly on the sales floor?

He recommends testing gear for a couple days after repair/servicing before sale to check for any other issues that may pop up.

What change was made to help international customers buy products?

Skylab Audio opened an eBay store that uses the Global Shipping Program to make international shipping easier.

Why are turntables not included in the top 7 list?

The narrator doesn't mention a specific turntable model that gets requested significantly more than others. He lists a few common requests.

Why are these 7 vintage pieces unlikely to lose popularity and value?

Most have reputations for high quality, iconic looks, and are still sought after. Some like the Marantz 2270, JBL L100, and Klipsch Heresy are considered classics that will always be in demand.

Outlines

00:00

🎧 Intro music and opening remarks

The video opens with intro music. Kevin from Skylabs introduces himself and says they will be going over the most requested vintage audio pieces that are in high demand every year. He says this will be valuable information for first-time buyers, collectors, and flippers.

05:03

📻 #7 - Sansui G Series receivers

The Sansui G Series receivers, especially the earlier models like the 3000, 5000, 7000, and 9000, are very sought after. They were well-built, sound great, and weren't produced in high quantities so they are rare compared to other brands. The G Series covers a wide power and price range. Many people inquire about or request any G Series model in general.

10:04

🎚️ #6 - Harman Kardon 430 and 730

The Harman Kardon 430 and 730 twin power receivers have seen a recent surge in popularity and value. They are regarded as some of the best receivers from the 1970s in terms of quality and capability. Though not as rare as some models, they are still regularly requested.

15:05

🎛️ #5 - Mid-late 1970s Pioneer

The Pioneer models SX-850 and above or SX-980 and above from the mid to late 1970s are very sought after. They represent the pinnacle of Pioneer's capabilities in terms of sound, build quality, looks, and market availability. Prices for these models have increased substantially.

🎶 #4 - Cerwin Vega speakers

Cerwin Vega speakers, especially the D series, DX series, and AT series models in walnut finish, are very iconic and requested. With their extremely powerful bass and high efficiency, they were designed for maximum impact and volume, earning a huge following despite a lack of audiophile refinement.

📢 #3 - Klipsch speakers

The Klipsch Heresy and Cornwall speakers are regularly inquired about due to their legendary status, excellent construction, continued parts availability, and ease of serviceability. The Heresy remains in production today, maintaining strong demand.

🎵 #2 - JBL L100 speakers

The popular JBL L100 speakers from the mid-1970s benefitted greatly from Maxell's famous "Blown Away" advertisement campaign. JBL made high quality speakers across many models during this period. The L100 remains in production today due to ongoing demand.

🎶 #1 - Marantz 2270 receiver

The Marantz 2270 receiver is widely considered one of the most iconic vintage receivers. It sounds great, looks great, has excellent build quality, and benefits from plentiful replacement parts availability. Prices remain high for this legendary 70 watt per channel model.

Keywords

💡Vintage audio equipment

Vintage audio equipment refers to older stereo receivers, amplifiers, turntables, and speakers, usually from the 1960s to 1980s. The video focuses on the most sought-after and requested vintage models. Vintage audio has seen a resurgence in popularity recently.

💡Sansui G-Series

Sansui G-Series receivers were produced in the 1970s and are known for their high build quality and sound. They are becoming more rare and desired by vintage audio collectors and enthusiasts. The video specifically mentions models like the Sansui G-3300, G-3000, G-5000, and G-9000.

💡Harman Kardon

Harman Kardon produced high quality stereo receivers in the 1970s, especially the 'Twin Power' models 430 and 730. These are regarded as some of the best receivers of that era but still plentiful enough to find.

💡Pioneer SX

Pioneer produced their SX line of stereo receivers in the 1970s and 80s. Models like the SX-850 and SX-980 are especially sought after for their sound quality, power, and looks.

💡Cerwin-Vega Speakers

Cerwin-Vega made big, loud speakers ideal for rock music. Their vintage models like the D and AT series in walnut finish are in high demand today.

💡JBL L100

The JBL L100 bookshelf speaker, made in the 1970s, is an iconic and extremely popular vintage model. It was featured in Maxell's famous 'Blown Away' advertisement.

💡Marantz 2270

The Marantz 2270 receiver from the mid-1970s is legendary for its looks, sound, and build quality. It remains one of the most sought after vintage receivers.

💡Heresy Speakers

Heresy is a popular speaker model made by Klipsch. Vintage Heresy speakers from the 1970s, along with Cornwall models, are very desirable today.

💡Repairability

Many vintage models can still be repaired and restored to working order. This makes vintage audio equipment appealing to collectors and enthusiasts.

💡Rarity

Some vintage models are rare and hard to find today, driving up demand. Rarity along with high quality increases value for sought after vintage models.

Highlights

The Sansui G Series receivers are highly sought after for their sound quality, build quality, aesthetics, and rarity

The Harmon Kardon 430 and 730 receivers from the mid 1970s are regarded as some of the best vintage receivers

Mid to late 1970s Pioneer receivers like the SX-850 and up check all the boxes - sound, build quality, quantity sold

Cerwin Vega speakers were designed to fill the void for people wanting really loud, hard-hitting speakers

CLIPP speakers like the Heresy and Cornwall models were well-made and stand the test of time

JBL speakers from the mid 1970s like the L100 were unique in design and sound

The Marantz 2270 receiver checks all the boxes - sound, looks, build quality, parts availability

This list of most sought after vintage gear has remained consistent for years

High demand vintage pieces like the Marantz 2270 tend to steadily increase in value over time

New international shipping options now allow customers worldwide to purchase Skylab vintage gear

Sansui G Series receivers seem relatively rare compared to other popular vintage brands

Harmon Kardon Twin series receivers are still regularly found despite high demand

Cerwin Vegas often discarded due to foam rot and changing tastes over decades

Aftermarket parts keep CLIPP speakers working decades later

Maxell ad campaign featuring JBL L100 speakers benefited JBL brand

Transcripts

[Music]

Hey Kevin here skylabs bringing you

another video definitely going to be a

fun one I thought we'd go over the most

requested vintage pieces of gear uh we

get a lot of requests for these year and

year out this list was actually really

easy to make uh I could have come up

with this in my sleep and I don't think

it matters if this is your first vintage

stereo maybe you're a collector even a

flipper

this is really good information to know

as if a piece is in high demand it's

going to make it easier to sell and I

don't think a week goes by that somebody

doesn't email call or walk in the door

and ask for one of these pieces of gear

or to see if we have it and for anybody

out there that wants to play a little

game pause the video right now jot down

your picks I'm going to give you seven

of the most requested pieces of gear and

see how close our lists are share it in

the comments down below below I'd love

to read through those it'd be fun and I

did put these in order so number one

will be the most requested and let's

start with number

seven and coming in at number seven we

have the Sansui G Series and for this

one I don't have a specific model for

you um a lot of people do really just

want to know if we have any of the G

Series Sansui available and since the G

Series does kind of cover a wide range

of wattage and price maybe the most of

any vintage receivers considering the

g3300 is in the same group as the

g3000 and you're you couldn't get any

further apart with those two receivers

but um usually the inquiry is I'm

looking for a G Series open to anything

the G Series is kind of rare when you

compare it to Pioneer or morance or

Yamaha even there seems to be a lot more

of those out there there's not a lot of

known issues with the G Series

especially the earlier ones like the

3,000 5,000 7,000 9,000 I don't think

there was a high failure rate which

makes them rare I kind of think they

maybe just didn't sell as many as

Pioneer or morance and the people that

have them are just hanging on to them

and the early G Series is definitely my

favorite series as well for Sansui

especially with the receivers I like the

aesthetic of them I love the sound of

them I like the repairability of them I

like the build quality I pretty much

like everything I do have a couple

trivial things that do bug me uh with

the bigger units and that's the inputs

and the speaker outputs are on the side

but there were other manufactures that

did that as well too so I see why these

are in high demand I honestly think

they're a little bit undervalued at

least in the mid-range you know the the

3,000 5,000 the smaller units might be a

little a little bit undervalued when you

compare them wat toat with morance or

maybe even some of the pioneers and

again I don't think this is an issue

whether it's your firsttime receiver

you're a collector or a flipper um

Sansui G Series there's a lot of people

looking for those so definitely a good

one to pick up for any one of those

reasons and coming in at number six

we've got Haron Carden mainly the 430

and 730 twin it did seem like this was

more of a leaper receiver a few years

ago and with the Resurgence of this

hobby the audiio karma community and all

the technicians out there that really do

praise the 4:30 and 7:30 it makes sense

that people are kind of getting Savvy to

it now these are some of the best

receivers from the' 70s I know the value

on them is starting to creep up and I

know the collectibility taken off a

little bit too there's still a lot of

them out there these were well built

they sold a lot of them we still see

them on a pretty regular basis I don't

think the wells dried up yet on the

Harmon cardens uh from the mid 7s

especially the Twin series so and this

whole list is not going to be about

receivers only after this next one I do

have some speakers for you as

well and at number five we've got the

mid to late 7s Pioneer this would be the

SX 850 and above or the SX 980 or above

and I really agree with the demand for

these especially considering the amount

of numbers they sold the quality of

these pieces of equipment everything

about this era of pioneer just checks

all the boxes sound quality quantity

sold build quality looks you name it

it's all there and with this era of

pioneer I really think the prices have

gone up more than most the the other

vintage electronics I'm shocked a lot of

times when I go to Price one of these

pieces of equipment because I can

remember a couple years ago selling it

for half the price it's so funny cuz we

have people come in you know and they

say must be great for you you know the

price everybody's got eBay anybody can

look and see what things are selling for

I have to pay more for it you know it

it's a wash you know it's not like the

prices of vintage elonics go up and I

have 10 warehouses full of vintage

electronics um just waiting to go out on

the floor that's not the way it works so

um yeah it's great there's a big demand

for this equipment it just means that I

have to pay more for it uh when I buy it

as well so no

difference and coming in at number four

for the most requested vintage

electronics we hear around the shop

serwin Vega we get asked about serwin

Vega speakers all the time I love serwin

Vegas they definitely have their place

they sound great with specific styles of

music I don't think they do every kind

of music well you know the base on these

things um it's insane the efficiency is

insane and I think sirn Vega did

something really well in that they

filled maybe a void you know where

everybody was going for flat response

speakers in the upper grades of cons Tor

speakers I think they realized some

people just want really good loud throw

you in your seat speakers and that's

what they did they did an amazing job of

it all the way down to the orange woofer

surround I don't know anybody in the 9s

that kept the grill cloths on their

serwin Vegas and it's just because of

that silly orange foam surround on those

whiffers it just looks cool that's

that's just the way it is I say orange

but it was actually red when it was new

it just kind of faded I think everybody

remembers them as orange now what is

that called um a Mandela effect and with

Sirin Vega I think it really is the D

the DX and the at series that are the

most sought after especially if you get

the Walnut finish you know these are the

Quinn essential frat house rock speaker

it does it better than most speakers

there are a lot of people that kind of

lift their nose at surn Vega it's not a

refined flat laid-back speaker but sirn

Vega figured out that not everybody

wants that and that's what you have to

remember they they they filled a void

and they did it really well and I think

they sold a lot of surn Vegas I bought a

pair brand new in 1989 and it was a

great purchase for me because at the

time that was all I listened to 80s

metal and hard rock that's what I listen

to and certain Vegas really do seem to

be on the rare side considering how many

of these they sold and I do think

there's a couple reasons for that one

the wood finish on most of these is a

vinyl wrap so they didn't take to

getting dinged up or banged up very well

unless they've sat in the same room for

the last 40 years which most of them

haven't most of them have been to

college and Back Again into somebody's

basement and then the Foams did rot and

in the early 2000s when vintage

equipment wasn't cool and you had this

big huge set of surn Vegas with rotted

Foams you know either they discarded the

original woofer and put a Radio Shack

woofer in it which we see a lot or they

just threw the whole speaker away

because you know they grew up and now

they wanted a smaller speaker for their

home theater stereo or their new

lifestyle living room it happens to all

of

us

and coming in at number three definitely

one of the most requested Brands we get

this is clip mainly heresies but we do

get asked about corn walls quite a bit

as well and the nice thing about these

speakers are they were really wellmade

you know we get a lot of early clips

from the early 7s that are in really

good shape they used really good

components the woofers didn't rot Clips

just made a speaker that would stand the

test of time and they have there's very

few issues with these if you do have

issues the other Beauty with Clips is

they still make those diaphragms for

those tweeters and mid-ranges you can

buy aftermarket crossover Network

repairing a set of Clips almost anybody

with a simple set of tools can handle

that and I think that's why there's so

many of them out there they're just

working you know whether or not you're a

fan of Clips I'm not the biggest fan I'm

just not that big of a fan of horns

we've talked about about this before I

prefer the corn walls out of all the

clip speakers I've heard I do like the

kg series as well from the'80s or maybe

it's the 9s I'm not sure the heresies

I'm not the biggest fan of but they have

a massive cult following there's

absolutely no way there could be that

much demand for a speaker that people

don't like so it is purely just a taste

preference there's not a lot of

companies that have the longevity that

Clips does by no means am I throwing in

shade on that brand that that is a solid

brand right there again one of the best

reasons for buying a set of heresies or

corn walls are really almost any Clips

you can buy it try it live with it for a

while there's enough demand for these

that you won't have trouble selling them

no

problem and coming in at number two I

think most of you can probably predict

the last two spots this is the JBL

L100 if if you've been in this hobby you

know this speaker everybody wants this

speaker or has owned this speaker I

think this mid 70s era of JBL is

absolutely outstanding from the smallest

speaker to the largest speaker they just

made some very very good sounding and

looking sets of speakers there were a

lot of Unique Designs whether it was

just in the grill cloth the grill cloth

color um they just put a little twist on

a lot of Standards including the sound

you know there there's a JBL sound out

there I'm definitely a fan of JBL I like

the smaller speakers from this series

more than the L1 100s you know like the

l16s or the L 26s the little two-ways

and while these are definitely more rare

they they sold a lot of L1 100s because

there's still quite a bit of them out

there and I think some of this Had To Do

With a Little Help From Another another

manufacturer Max L and with Max L

putting out maybe the most iconic stereo

advertisement campaign that's ever

happened with the Blown Away poster I

think it might have done more good for

JBL than it did Max L A lot of people

come in they all remember that image but

a lot of people struggle with figuring

out the brand behind the image I think

JBL was the winner of that ad even

though I don't think it ever said JBL on

it and I am the proud owner of an

original Max L Blown Away poster I think

you might be able to see it there and

people ask if it's for sale quite a bit

and no it's not obviously but I'm glad

to own it display it and let people see

it because it is such an iconic piece of

vintage stereo and advertising and like

the clips heresies at the number three

position um the JBL 100s are still being

made today that's how much demand there

is for these speakers whether they're

vintage or brand new that is a cool

thing about both of these sets of

speakers they're not going to go down in

value because they're still being

marketed the JBL 100 and the clips

heresy name is still being advertised

today so classic speakers never going to

lose value and before I talk about the

number one spot there are no turntables

on this list and I did think about this

we just don't have a specific model that

gets you know requested a lot if I were

to try and guess at maybe a few that we

get asked about a lot it would be like a

PL 530 Pioneer Thorns TD 160 and a

techniques

1200 and in the number one spot we have

our last receiver maybe the most iconic

receiver at least from the 70s and that

is the morance

2270 and the morance 2270 really has

everything going for it you know uh mid

70s morance quality looks

repairability the quantity sold so

there's a lot of parts there's a lot of

good working units out there it just

again this one checks all those boxes

especially for somebody that's shopping

for a vintage iconic piece you know

you've got a perfect amount of Watts

it's not Overkill where they're so

expensive they're just Out Of Reach but

there's still enough power to really

power most speakers out there every time

we get one of these you know I get on

eBay to look at comps just to see you

know what the Market's doing you know

I'm I'm usually shocked considering this

is a a 70 wat per Channel receiver that

does not seem to be rare you know it

gets the prices like it's got 125 watts

per Channel when there's a product out

there that is kind of legendary or maybe

a Holy Grail in a sense not not in

Rarity but in stature you're going to

have high demand and you're going to

have a high retail price and that's what

it is with the morance

2270 they sound great they look great

great build quality lots of them out

there maybe more aftermarket parts than

most receivers there's a lot of wins

with the morance 2270 you won't have

trouble selling it and I just don't see

it going down in

value ever and I really doubt at any

point in the near future I'll be doing a

part two to this this list I could have

made this list three or four years ago

and it would be exactly the same the

only one is the Harmon Card and it's

kind of slipping in there a little bit

but besides that one these have kind of

been the in demand items ever since I've

been open a lot of times as a store

owner you know you have to think about

floor space and your floor space is

worth money because it's rare you only

have so much floor space so a lot of

times what I will do I can leave them in

the back and maybe put a not so known

piece um out on the floor so that

somebody can see something they might

not know they want and since 99% of the

time when a piece of equipment comes in

you know it takes us maybe a couple

months to go through get it all tuned up

verify everything's okay very very very

rarely does something come in the back

door and go straight on the floor so a

lot of times while we're waiting to

service something or get it ready for

the floor somebody will ask and I'll say

well you know we've got one in the back

I can call you when it's done for that

reason a lot of times they never even

end up out on the floor sometimes I

actually wait a couple days and I'll put

it on the floor so we can test it make

sure everything's good with it before

they come and pick it up cuz I don't

want to just take it from the bench and

hand it to the new owner you have to run

them for a couple days to see if

something else is going to pop up and in

good news there are a lot of you out

there that live outside the United

States that have been wanting to pick up

some skylabs products and merchandise

and we haven't been able to get those

products to you we went ahead and just

opened up an eBay store that way through

the global Shipping program we can send

you our items right here from West de Mo

to wherever you are in the world that

eBay ships to so I'll have a link down

in the description definitely go check

it out I'm sorry this took so long but

at least we have an option now so check

out our eBay store really appreciate

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it

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