My Sony TA-F808ES

What a beauty. That would pair well with my white Sony SS-F7ESG speakers. Sadly ES in good condition don't come often and for cheap.

Great job on the restoration BK. :)
 
I kick myself daily for selling my Sony SS-m7es speakers. They would have been the perfect match for this. There's so many things I should have sold before selling those.
 
Unless you have a huge house, 'keeping' is a real luxury. If you are still an apartment guy, 'experience and move on' is a good policy.
 
I have an apartment and a house so space isn't currently an issue but it was, briefly, when I got rid of the Sony speakers. I look at some of the stuff I kept, like these questionable Audio Nirvana full-range drivers in rather ugly cabinets and think wow, I kept those and not the Sonys, which I loved. I love the Harbeths that I still use but the Sony speakers looked better, and were less picky if ultimately not as great when all the stars aligned.
 
Prime Minister;n2147 said:
Its a stunning piece, Bill. 55 lbs of MOSFET sweetness. $1800 bucks new in '91 and now totally forgotten. One of the absolute best deals in audio today.



And where are these deals? the only one on the bay is overseas and sold for more than half of list before shipping. But I have another unit to look for.
 
They come up on ebay every now and then. That's where mine came from. I paid somewhere between $450 and $500 for it. I couldn't believe how heavy the package was. BPC it is not. It is a legitimately good sounding integrated amp without any caveats for brand, price, or decade built. Even has a nice phono stage.
 
And where are these deals? the only one on the bay is overseas and sold for more than half of list before shipping. But I have another unit to look for.
Keith....... also look for a TA-F707ES. Doesn't have the Gibraltar chassis but the same other than that. Rated at 90wpc rather than 100wpc for some reason.

BTW - what happened to bktheking? Like echowars on the AK forum, seems to have fallen off the end of the earth.
 
I am surprised to see the jump in price the f808es now commands. Wish I picked one up when I could for less.
 
I am surprised to see the jump in price the f808es now commands. Wish I picked one up when I could for less.
True for so much older gear these days. I happened to look at prices for the old McIntosh 250s of which I happen to have two. When I got them three or four years ago they were considered to be just really early Mac SS and not worth bothering with much. Now - yikes.
 
True for so much older gear these days. I happened to look at prices for the old McIntosh 250s of which I happen to have two. When I got them three or four years ago they were considered to be just really early Mac SS and not worth bothering with much. Now - yikes.

Vintage Mac SS prices seem plain absurd.....just shows you what the name does in the audio world.
 
Vintage Mac SS prices seem plain absurd.....just shows you what the name does in the audio world.
I guess that is where it is heading, but the early SS Mac was going for peanuts not long ago. Having said that, I think what I have was really undervalued at that. The thing does a rather nice stand-in for my tube amp when the weather is hot and makes no heat at all. Give it a good signal and speakers that match well and it really is very nice. The MV-45 turns my listening room into an Easy Bake oven in summer and I'm only willing to give so much for my listening joy....
 
I guess that is where it is heading, but the early SS Mac was going for peanuts not long ago. Having said that, I think what I have was really undervalued at that. The thing does a rather nice stand-in for my tube amp when the weather is hot and makes no heat at all. Give it a good signal and speakers that match well and it really is very nice. The MV-45 turns my listening room into an Easy Bake oven in summer and I'm only willing to give so much for my listening joy....

Same place I am at. Class A tube amps, small rooms and a hot and humid summer, are not a great combo.

Maybe time for an 808 to hit the system again?
 
Same place I am at. Class A tube amps, small rooms and a hot and humid summer, are not a great combo.

Maybe time for an 808 to hit the system again?
Yeah, add in house with hot water heating and it is recipe for misery. I could stick a window A/C in my study and then I couldn't listen to the music. So, a system that minimizes the number of tubes involved. I've at least found a combination that retains the same "flavour" quite well and to be honest I doubt that a less-then-critical listener would notice the difference at all.
 
So, the Sony is in and running. Letting warm up with one of those silver discs spinning. Hasn't found her stride yet, quite obviously.

Has first blush, the Sony is clearer and more transparent, but lacking the tubey midrange. Seems a bit quicker too.
 
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