TECH2

A five-year-old surround-sound receiver has all the appeal of a five-year-old banana. But a five-year-old (or even 25-year-old) stereo amplifier might sound and perform every bit as good as one built last month. Much stereo equipment is timeless, which is why so many audio enthusiasts are getting back into vintage gear. And a lot of old stereo gear is also extremely affordable.

Here are five vintage amps and preamps I’ve had great experiences with — and in a couple of cases still own and use. If you see these guys selling on eBay or Audiogon for a reasonable price (or even better, at a garage sale for a crazily reasonable price), give ’em serious consideration if you’re in the market for something in that vein.