Hartley - Forever Analog

April 24, 2022April 25, 2022

Marantz 2270 Review – The Good, Bad And The Ugly

My first vintage audio purchase was a Marantz 2270 receiver. I purchased the unit off Craigslist from someone selling off their father’s hi-fi collection. I wasn’t the only interested buyer and what sealed the deal was that I was willing to buy it along with two other vintage receivers.

People always seem impressed that I own a Marantz 2270 and even though I enjoy owning one, there are things people should consider before spending a lot of money on one.

In this article, I will discuss the features I like about the Marantz 2270 but also point out some of the common pains that come with owning one.

First, let’s talk about some of the good things…

April 19, 2022May 11, 2022

Cambridge AXC35 Review – 5 Reasons To Buy This CD Player

I’ve been shopping for a modern CD player for a few months now and finally decided on buying the Cambridge AXC35. I was inspired to stick with Cambridge after recently reviewing their AXA25 amplifier.

First, I started Forever Analog as a site to promote “all things analog” but let’s be honest, I grew up buying CDs and still have a very large collection. Therefore, I have written articles for the website about digital items like how to repair a Yamaha CD player or how to connect a modern DAC to your vintage CD player.

Below are five reasons I would recommend buying the AXC35 and if you would like to purchase one via my site, please purchase with my affiliate link via Amazon:

March 16, 2022March 16, 2022

Everything To Know About Direct Drive Turntables

People like to argue a lot in the hifi world, especially when it comes to belt drive and direct drive turntables. These arguments lead to confusion for people interested in buying a turntable and can cause paralysis analysis.

Friends tell me, “I want to buy a turntable but I’m confused on the difference between the models so I don’t know what to buy”. Often they are worried they will purchase the wrong kind of turntable and regret their decision.

They often have the same questions about direct drive turntables in particular so I decided to compile my most common answers in this article to hopefully help people’s decision be easier.

This article will start with some basic questions, probably best suited for first time turntable buyers…

February 9, 2022April 28, 2022

Cambridge AXA25 Review – A Budget Amp With A Big Sound

I’ve been busy reviewing a lot of separates lately like the Schiit Saga+ preamp, Emotiva Airmotiv B1+ speakers, and the Vincent PHO-8 phono preamp and yet friends keep asking me to suggest a budget amplifier as a starting point to build their stereo system.

I’m always on the lookout for great sounding budget gear for beginners and I’ve had my eye on the new integrated amplifiers from Cambridge, specifically the AXA25 and AXA35. I finally got my hands on the AXA25 and was impressed by the big sound for the low price. I’ll explain more of my favorite features below, along with a few annoyances and lastly, how the AXA25 compares to its bigger brother, the AXA35.

Also, I reviewed the matching Cambridge AXC35 CD player if you are interested in how it performs along with the AXA25.

February 2, 2022April 14, 2022

Schiit Saga Plus Review – 4 Reasons Why I Love This Preamp

Ever since I saw the tube sticking out of a Schiit Saga+, a preamp that retails for just $399, I knew I had to purchase one. I wanted to hear how that tube sounded in my system. Would it offer that traditional warm “tube-y” sound that I hear in a traditional preamp like my Primaluna EVO-100? Or is the role of the tube different than a traditional tube preamp and therefore not offer any sound difference at all?

After several weeks of listening to the Saga+ (along with my Primaluna EVO-100 tube preamp), I liked the operation of the tube, but not in the way you might think. I discuss the tube “sound” provided by the Schiit, along with the reasons I love this preamp, in more detail below.

January 5, 2022January 7, 2022

Vincent PHO-8 Review A Wonderful Phono Preamp For Under $400

I’ve been buying and selling audio gear for several years now and have always relied on using the built in phono stages for my vinyl playback. But recently I’ve been interested in using a stand alone phono preamp instead of the built in phono stage in order to improve the overall listening experience. Lately I’ve been buying phono preamps at different price points and reviewing them here for friends who are curious in improving their vinyl playback experience as well.

(Click here if you’ve never used a phono preamp and are curious why you should or how to hook up one up in your current system.)

I recently purchased an Emotiva BasX PT-100 preamplifier for just $250 during their Black Friday sale. I’m always interested in listening to affordable audio gear so I can make recommendations to friends who are looking to buy new stereo gear on a budget. I am currently working on a review of the PT-100, but in the meantime, I used the phono stage on the Emotiva to A/B test a Vincent PHO-8 phono preamp that I purchased second hand on Facebook market for $200.