What makes a chip collectable?

[PhilC]

For example for no good reason electronics for audio amplifiers are now highly sought after. I assume it is due to old pharts like us want to rebuild the amp they had when they were kids? Or maybe uber enthusiasts who think tubes give better sound than transistors?

To Me sound is sound I'd just buy a decent new AV-Amp from Richer Sounds.

I must confess that I did buy a few different opamps to try in one of my amplifiers, including some rare ones but still haven't got round to it as it sounds fine as is.

[rubber_jonnie]

@rubber_jonnie I don't think I have one of those but will certainly let you know if I have

Please do :)

[Steve]

For example for no good reason electronics for audio amplifiers are now highly sought after. I assume it is due to old pharts like us want to rebuild the amp they had when they were kids? Or maybe uber enthusiasts who think tubes give better sound than transistors?

To Me sound is sound I'd just buy a decent new AV-Amp from Richer Sounds.

I don't go as far as tubes, but Japanese transistor amps from the late 1970's was a kind of 'golden era' for amplifiers. Beautiful solid metal chassis, polished silver fronts, glow of bulbs or VHD for displays. Then 1980s happened, cost reductions, component consolidations, cheap plastic, crap equalizers... then the 90s happened, even more cost cutting, 'bad cap era', basic amplifiers moving towards crappy AV integrations...

That late 1970's sweet spot was something magic... the height of consumer technology, the centre of the house was dominated by a quality amplifier. I was born in the 80's and I remember my Dads HI-FI system sounding better than anything I personally owned during the 90s, 2000s. Then one day I started going back to vintage audio, and straight away I was like 'damn, this is when audio was good'.