That’s about the vintage of my old AU-717 & TU-717.
I dont have personal experience but I think Luxman would be a current example of the same fine Japanese craftsmanship.
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I’ve been giving the new $180 a pair Apos Ray 12AU7 tubes a spin in my BHK pre and I was so impressed, I ordered two more pairs to replace the NOS Brimar 12AU7s in my Primaluna Dialogue Premium amps run as monoblocks.
https://apos.audio/products/apos-ray-tube-12au7
As I mentioned in another thread, Apos / Ray are cagey about their provenance (China, most likely) and they claim to only accept the top 4% of production, whatever that means.
In my system, the Ray tubes are dead quiet and quite detailed without any hardness or edge. They have a big, dynamic sound, and they throw a huge and extremely well-organized soundstage, with powerful, yet tight and textured bass.
Seriously, it’s by far the best $600 I could have spent on my rig.
Definitely worth a try if you have 12AU7s anywhere in your system…
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I am installing this tonight:
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I Zappa cuppa.
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I had those Sansui’s as well…until they were stolen! 
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That sucks. Nothing worse than a liar or a thief.
Fantastic! I haven’t seen this photo before.
Thanks!
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I’m looking hard at the M-66 as well.
Just installed today–sounding very impressive so far on my main REL Carbon Special subwoofer:
It’s a mouthful–The Synergistic Research Atmosphere SX Reference REL Spec subwoofer cable…
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Returned the Vidar today. Pretty sad about it. I wanted to love it but the damn transformer hummed when playing music or just sitting there in standby. Was told that’s normal: back in the box it went. Schiit has a 15 day unconditional money back period. I could have lived with the modest hum if it didn’t also do it in standby.
Next, going for a very modern Class D amp built around the Purifi 1et400A amplifier module and Hypex SMPS built by a European company call Apollon. Loads of power and the half chassis size I want. Just ordered it.
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Sorry to hear about the transformer hum. How weird that they told you that’s “normal”. I couldn’t live with that either. Was it plugged into the Everest?
Close, the Denali v2 and Typhon T2 combination.
So, it sure wasn’t your inlet power. Weird.
I remember buying a new car in 1973. I returned to the dealer with a list as long as my arm with issues, to which the “service” manager said “they all do that”. Infuriating.
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Was it a Corvette?
A German Ford Capri, sold thru Mercury dealers.
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Those were a $hitbox
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On par with my first car, a 1970 Ford Maverick. I learned a lot about engines, I was always fixing it.
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Ford Maverick = Ford Pinto in powertrain and chassis and some interior parts.
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I had a Maverick in the second half of the 'seventies with three on the tree and man I thought that was a fun car, especially in the winter–slip sliding away!
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