Marantz PMAs had a reasonable output stage, and were quite linear without much clipping. A good 1st Amp. The later one's the pm400 has power supply problems though, and would cut out.

This will date me now - my 1st venture into the real stuff was when I bought a used Rogers Ravensbourne LSS 25 from a Hi fi store in Streatham, south London. It had a lovely cedar wood case and enamelled control panel. A lovely looking integrated amp
An electonics graduate modded it for me, and with the extra board, one could switch over, and get nearly 10 watts PC in class A.
The Rogers had to go though, when I was seduced into buying a pair of used walnut Celestion Ditton 551s in mint condition, exported to Milan, and then were re-imported back from Italy in 1983. These hefty ported beasts were considered top doggy for classical material at the time, and I still use them, for all sorts of classic, rock and acoustic unplugged material.

Mumford & Sons did a very engaging set at Glasto, that I saw on the Telly.

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Duncan

I remember back in my early twenty's, a friend wanted to go backpacking around India for a year but was having trouble raising the necessary funds. He ended up flogging his personal items and offered me his turntable- which had been given to him by his father. I paid £100 for it.

I cant remember the name but I recall it was pretty high spec, I remember it had steel weights dangling on wires that could be adjustded with a glass surface for the LP's, it looked amazing. I rarely used it and on his return my friend begged me to sell it back to him, which I did. I regret it now, probably worth quite a bit more than £100 today. I will try and find an image on the web.