How long should amps go for?

[62caddy]

Originally Posted by PHC1

Does your vintage gear see play time regularly? It’s better to use the gear and keep the caps formed than it sitting unplugged of course.

If one looks at the schematics of vintage gear vs new, one will quickly realize the sheer amount of components is quite different. Good luck with getting all the caps replaced on modern gear in the future, I can’t imagine it would be cost efficient or feasible. It is what it is, buy, enjoy, don’t sweat it.

All my equipment is in regular use which I agree is significantly better than setting unused. For the most part, the only issues I've had with my amplifiers were electromechanical in nature ie, relays and such.

Apart of an output transistor failure in an MC2505 (c. 1974), none of my amplifiers really had any signal-related problems.

Because of McIntosh's well known longevity and value retention (especially new replacement cost), it's usually well worth the cost of servicing/restoration in most cases.