Vintage Hi-Fi gear. Who's into it?

[vanaman]

The akai gx747 is another one on the same line as those.

This one of the best sounding sources ive ever listened to.

[monoaural]

That's an interesting looking speaker. I did a quick check & the asking price is $500 on the set I found. I'll only gamble if the potential loss isn't too great.

It was more of a thought of what is out there. I paid 5 bucks for my set. Pulled off the grills and saw surround in shreds. They were asking fifty, and I told them it would cost 100 bucks to get them fixed(have had a few sets of speakers refoamed before). Had 5 dollars in my pocket, and they took it. Of the old heavy stuff, 12in drivers is hard to find. Lots of tens. Independent thrift stores usually have a decent selection, around here, going rate is 30-50 bucks. There are millions of fisher ported enclosures that weigh about 15lbs with the drivers around though.

Oh, and these things thunder. Running stereo off of a denon avr, and they surprised me. (Don't have the original woofers, unfortunately.) I was running a Quadraflex Reference 650FETR. The first home receiver with MOSFET. Back when Fosgate was starting to make waves in the car audio world. Doesnt sound nearly as good as the Denon though. Their speakers were hand made in Berkeley CA. At at least the older ones. At this point, I am not sure where. It was cool, on the back label, it was hand marked on the mid and treble knob where max flat in a anechoic chamber.

[Nourdmrolnmt]

Marantz 1120 sitting below my TV...

problem currently is only 1 channel works, even on the headphone out, only 1 channel working...

[Rowayton]

Curiosity made me click in here for a visit. Nice to see so many people keeping the past alive. It's always fun to go for a ride in the way back machine.
I wish I hadn't got caught up in the rush to be on the 'early adopter bandwagon' so many years ago and kept all my old equipment. I worked in the audio business in the 70's and had to stay on top of the curve . I now find it very difficult to get rid of almost anything from the past - weather it has a plug on it or not. Maybe that's why I live in a two hundred year old house . All I have left from the good old stereo days are some odds and ends: a Pioneer SX-850 receiver, a Pioneer CT-F8282 cassette deck, a Teac 3340S four channel 15" reel to reel, a pair of Rogers LS3-5a bookshelf speakers (), a Nagra 15 - 30 ips 7" real to real AC/DC deck, a Carver rack mount C-9 holographic generator and a pair of huge [Canadian] Jumetite CR-610 ribbon floor standing speakers . Those speakers are almost 6' tall and must weigh close to 120lbs each! There are a few more goodies in original boxes I have stored in my basement that will get hooked up [some day] if I ever get around to building a vintage stereo listening room over the garage. My current [modern] system, while impressive to most that see and listen to it, is very good - but the old stuff is just more musical. Thanks for the trip down memory lane .
RB

[lnoriel]

.....If you want a vintage integrated look into NAD......

I was just given an NAD 3020 Integrated Amplifier (The original) which my brother had sitting in a closet. He had two of them.

My very first venture into Hifi was with an NAD 3020 which I bought new in the store in 1978(?). Amusing that this item still sells for around that same price or more today.

[mikegilbert]

Picked up several Tascam 122MKII and an Otari MX5050 BII for free last week. They're all minty- save for a missing power switch cover on one of the Tascam players. Just need some 1/4" tape to test out the Otari.

[Obin Robinson]

Picked up several Tascam 122MKII and an Otari MX5050 BII for free last week. They're all minty- save for a missing power switch cover on one of the Tascam players. Just need some 1/4" tape to test out the Otari.

awesome!!! for that low price you really can't go wrong!!!

obin

[mikegilbert]

Thanks! We were throwing out all of our analog audio gear here at work. Really missed the boat a few weeks ago when we chucked a few more 122s and a small broadcast console.

Hooked all the gear up today to test it. Sadly, the mint 122 won't play a tape and the VU meter backlights seem to be burned out. Ended up taking it apart and found some rotted belts on the main transport. This piece is a friction drive, which isn't getting any traction at the moment. Seems to be a common, easily fixable issue as I found this on another forum:



I was really looking forward to listening to all of my old late-night 'enhanced' synthesizer sessions from my teenage years.

[CaptainQualude]

I picked up another Nak deck, a 2nd Cassette Deck 2, for $35. It's in excellent cosmetic condition & plays well. I think I've got enough Naks now.

[CaptainQualude]

Marantz 1120 sitting below my TV...

problem currently is only 1 channel works, even on the headphone out, only 1 channel working...

Get it repaired or sell it to someone who will.

I was just given an NAD 3020 Integrated Amplifier (The original) which my brother had sitting in a closet. He had two of them.

My very first venture into Hifi was with an NAD 3020 which I bought new in the store in 1978(?). Amusing that this item still sells for around that same price or more today.

I thought about buying one at one time or another. I'm at the point right now where I have enough equipment, probably more than enough. I hear it's a very nice piece from that era.

I love the NAD equipment I have, but only one piece is over 20 years old. The rest is fairly recent. Some people find the sound too laid back. It really depends on the speakers in the system. I found that NAD & Paradigm Reference Series speakers work very well together, much better than the PSB Stratus Mini monitors that are usually recommended. I think the Mini's would work well taming a "bright" system.

[moonstation 2000]

This thread inspired me to go out into the garage attic and check out the old console stereos that have been up there for years. Turns out one of them is a 1964 all tube Fisher Heritage Series Custom Electra VI in Italian Provincial style. Pretty sweet!!!

I plugged it in and it works!!!! Even has aux in so I can hook up my ipod. This thing is coming inside tomorrow.

[1986GLMK2]

I used to have a nice Sansui system with Sansui speakers. With a Reverberation Amplifier RA-500 found if on the side of the road waiting for the trash.... I took it home hooked it all up and everything work like it was band new.... but it got stolen out of my garage after i moved from home and had to put it in storage I miss it all the time....

[vanaman]

Some old fisher stuff has a nice sound to it.

ive never noticed any postive sound improvments from my ra-500 its basically just pretty lights.


steve

[patrikman]

How much do you think this setup is worth?



it is listed with an optional cabinet still in box.

[vanaman]

prooly anywhere from $50-150

whats the model number?

[patrikman]

prooly anywhere from $50-150

whats the model number?

It's a 4000.

[CaptainQualude]

How much do you think this setup is worth?



it is listed with an optional cabinet still in box.

Use eBay as an indicator.

[CaptainQualude]

I moved some of the equipment to the garage to set up, but it was prematurely. The garage needs paint on all surfaces, so I need to start emptying it out. When I was in Lowes or HD checking out paint, can't remember which one, I found pre-assembled wood panels for sale. IIRC, Popular is the wood. With a minimum of cuts you can assemble the 6 walls of a cabinet, or if you want to go hard core, use the panels to finish a MDF enclosure. It surely would be rigid enough. Parts Express for the drivers & crossovers, build the cabinet, & you could have a set of garage speakers that rock with a vintage receiver. How would a 15" woofer in a 3 cubic foot enclosure, in a 3-way configuration sound?

[patrikman]

Could you just power that with say a "B" channel and a couple crossovers? Or do you need a bridged stereo amp?

[CaptainQualude]

I wouldn't build anything that would require more than a 2 channel receiver to run. The main issues I've found with vintage 3-way speakers are bad drivers, soon to be bad drivers, cabinet rigidity, bass that doesn't go as low as you would think partly because of lack of cabinet volume, & cost. $500-600 isn't an unheard of asking price with the previously listed issues included. I haven't made a complete list of parts & costs, but a 15" woofer runs $85-160, $35-40 for a mid-range, $10-50 for a tweeter, & $50 for a cross over. The wood is the only unknown cost at this point. I would think $200 would cover it. What you would get is a speaker that you can't buy on the vintage market. What you don't get is an actual vintage speaker, just something that would go with equipment from that era.

[patrikman]

I just picked up some vintage (pre MTX I think) AAL speakers. They have dual 10s but one of them has a pushed in dust cap so I will probably replace all 4. I am having a bit of trouble getting any info on them. Does anybody have any clue where to maybe find a manual or anything for these?


678A0004 by patrikman, on Flickr

[CaptainQualude]

I just picked up some vintage (pre MTX I think) AAL speakers. They have dual 10s but one of them has a pushed in dust cap so I will probably replace all 4. I am having a bit of trouble getting any info on them. Does anybody have any clue where to maybe find a manual or anything for these?

Do you have any shots of the fronts?

[patrikman]

Not at the moment, they are down in the garage.

[patrikman]

pardon the crappy cell pics


678A0015 by patrikman, on Flickr


678A0017 by patrikman, on Flickr

[patrikman]

Can somebody recommend a good vintage hi-fi forum so I can try and find some more info on these speakers?

[CaptainQualude]

Can somebody recommend a good vintage hi-fi forum so I can try and find some more info on these speakers?

There really aren't many vintage audio forums with a lot of traffic. Try Audiokarma.org & ask in the speaker area. I found that website when looking for information about my vintage Marantz receivers.

[patrikman]

Thanks, I didn't think it would be this hard to find basic specs.

[CaptainQualude]

Thanks, I didn't think it would be this hard to find basic specs.

You may not like what you find on that site. The history of the company is listed there a long with the quality, many name changes, & the reason for the name changes.

[patrikman]

You may not like what you find on that site. The history of the company is listed there a long with the quality, many name changes, & the reason for the name changes.

Meh, I can take the truth, they are in good condition with the exception of the dust cap problem.

Also, I am going to look at an old Kenwood KR-7600. From what I have read, these are pretty nice units. Anybody have any experience?

http://greenbay.craigslist.org/ele/2199285290.html

[CaptainQualude]

Meh, I can take the truth, they are in good condition with the exception of the dust cap problem.

From what I read, replacing the four 10" drivers might be a move toward fixing the issue.

Also, I am going to look at an old Kenwood KR-7600. From what I have read, these are pretty nice units. Anybody have any experience?

I was always interested in a 9600, but I have too much stuff currently. I don't think you can go wrong with the 7600 if everything works. Do a search for it on Audiokarma.

[VR6ix]

80 pounds each

the thingers on the left!

no the wrinkles don't harm anything.

[patrikman]

From what I read, replacing the four 10" drivers might be a move toward fixing the issue.



I was always interested in a 9600, but I have too much stuff currently. I don't think you can go wrong with the 7600 if everything works. Do a search for it on Audiokarma.

I just want to see if I can find specs, that way I can match the new drivers to the old specs. I picked up the receiver, it seems to work great and is in good condition. I hope I am very happy with it.

[CaptainQualude]

I just want to see if I can find specs, that way I can match the new drivers to the old specs.

You might want to remove one or more driver, see if there's a label on the back, & view how they are wired. The cabinet label you posted says 4 ohms, but the way they are wired can influence that. Two 8 ohm drivers wired in parallel would produce 4 ohms. Finding 10" 8 ohm drivers is the easiest scenario.

[patrikman]

You might want to remove one or more driver, see if there's a label on the back, & view how they are wired. The cabinet label you posted says 4 ohms, but the way they are wired can influence that. Two 8 ohm drivers wired in parallel would produce 4 ohms. Finding 10" 8 ohm drivers is the easiest scenario.

I am curious to look at the wiring setup. They have two tweeters also, and one mid range. Must be an innteresting crossover in there.

What I am having trouble with though, the specs on the back says it responds down to 26hx, I may have trouble finding replacement woofers without breaking the bank.

I will have to open them up and have a look today.

[CaptainQualude]

What I am having trouble with though, the specs on the back says it responds down to 26hx, I may have trouble finding replacement woofers without breaking the bank.

I will have to open them up and have a look today.

I wouldn't worry about the stated specs. It's been proven time & again that the stated specs & measured specs don't usually match & are generally on the light side. Cabinet volume would be another reason they might not go as low as stated on the sticker. You'd need over 2 cubic feet, & probably closer to 3 to get down near 25 Hz.