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The 1970s was a bumper decade for massive integrated amps and receivers although these big beasts of the audio jungle often remained something of a rarity in the UK

Big stereo receivers never made much of an impact in the UK, but this did not stop the importers servicing the large Japanese manufacturers from offering them from time to time. Pioneer, Marantz and Kenwood all boasted full-fat machines with colossal power output ratings stretching into hundreds of watts per channel – these numbers far in excess of British audiophiles’ experience. Add to this list Sansui, a brand that always had heavyweight models at the top of its ranges. The 7070 model seen here is typical of the breed – it was introduced in 1976 and remained in the catalogue until 1978.

If there’s one subject which arouses the ire of what designer and [HFN] contributor Ben Duncan calls the HLOs, (Hard-Line Objectivists) it’s hi-fi cables. And if there’s another, it’s the single-ended triode amplifier.

Hunt around online, says Steve Harris, and you can hear the earliest electrical recordings and read the scientific paper that laid the foundations for the next century of hi-fi sound

While vintage hi-fi hardware remains cherished by enthusiasts, repair and refurbishment relies on access to technical information that can be increasingly hard to find, says Jim Lesurf