5 Vintage Stereo Sleepers | You Might Not Know They Even Exist?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ส.ค. 2024
- In this video, Kevin goes over some stereos that may not be some of the biggest or most sought after brands of the 70s, but might be worth looking into if want to get into vintage audio or want to add a secondary system in your house. Never judge a book by it's cover, as they say.
Getting into vintage audio doesn't have to cost you a ton! Kevin and Eric would be happy with any of these pieces.
Let us know what hidden treasures you have taken a chance on! Enjoy!
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#vintagehifi #vinylrecords #vintagestereo - วิทยาศาสตร์และเทคโนโลยี
I could watch these types of videos all day. Love the quick under the hood reveals, hope you guys keep this going.
Thank you.
Hitachi also made some very good and underrated pieces back in the day.
one of my favorite pre and amp with elac speakers all 70´s
It always amazes me the amount of vested interest people take in equipment that’s not their own. If you don’t own it, don’t worry about it. If you own it, do what you want to it.
That extra light you put in the Akai to illuminate the glass around the tuning knob is a great idea! Looks super stunning!
Thank you!
I have an AKAI AA1050....LOVE IT ! so glad you've covered the AA 1150 as in my view anything AKAI are real sleepers
Cool video, and the LEDs are a big improvement, especially in the Akai wrap around window. I think those Design Acoustics speakers look very neat and I would love to play with a pair.
It's so fun to see these and remember which retail stores carried each brand. The local RCA store had JVC, a sewing store had Fisher, and a wicked lady owned a store that had Kenwood and Sansui. I'm sure she wasn't wicked.. she was just sick and tired of us coming in to turn all the knobs. It did tarnish Sansui for me though. My first REAL store experience was Audio Labs in Des Moines. Heaven.
Audio Labs was mine too!
That Onkyo has a clean, classy look. I actually prefer the amber lighting. But very cool to see that here.
Classy or glassy? The fronts are smoked glass. I have one in the stock amber(gorgeous) and one in dark blue LED....the best of both worlds.
I always thought the illuminated window around the tuning knob on the Akai receiver looked pretty cool... and looks much better since you added a lamp.
Nothing wrong with any of the receivers you showed here, all are adequate for most people's needs
Only thing I noticed about the Sherwood is what I did NOT notice. Usually the main filter caps are the most noticeable objects in a 70's receiver. The main filter caps in the Sherwood are so tiny I did not see them immediately. The Fisher was trying mighty hard, I'd say 7 out of 10 to rock a Marantz silver receiver look. I had a Onkyo TX 8500 MKII that I loved but I traded it for another Pioneer SX-1250 so now I have 2. I loved that AKAI upgrade full orange around the knob look! Gave it a fresh 21st century vibe! Maybe I am DEAD WRONG here but my first receiver in college was a cheap Sanyo 2033 @ just 33 watts per channel. My Sleeper Sanyo 2033 receiver was a tank. She endured 15 years of everyday use without anything breaking.
Just love my Luxman R-1040. Picked it up from a thrift store (charity shop here in the UK) for £30. And well, the sound is just gorgeous; valve-like without the valves. I keep promising my wife that I'll sell the beast one day, but everytime I consider selling, I put it on, listen to it and change my mind.
All the best
Ian, Birmingham, UK
Dear Mrs. Kafkaian , Please don't let Ian sell his Luxman . You don't see those much in certain parts of the world. They're rare here in the states...once it's gone , there'll never be another. Thanks. Big City, Colorado,USA.
Kevin, it was great meeting you and Eric the other night in Randy’s room. This was a fun vid. I look forward to more.
Thanks! You too!
I remember those PS-10's and liked the sound but they were a slow seller. Great lighting mod on the Akai AA-1150!
I had one of those Fisher receivers but it was the Sears by fisher model. It was in mint condition and not bad sounding. I had a guy buy it off me for his office. Thanks for doing a video on these. Seems like everyone is always doing videos on the top end recievers and never give the smaller ones any time.
Glad that you crack em open, it's always good to see what's going on inside.
PS-10’s were designed to fit right in the shelf with your record albums. So no surprise that they were better behaved on the workbench. 90db at 8 ohms make them an ideal match for lower power gear. The PS-8 was equally efficient. Check out the D-12, a 12 sided ‘70s icon.
A Sherwood S-7100A is one of my go-to receivers. These slightly earlier models had great build quality…real walnut case, good power supply, etc. They look very handsome sitting on the shelf. They had a fairly “aggressive” loudness curve which definitely puts their sound on the warm side of things, I’d highly recommend trying one out if you get a chance.
Agree. Good choice.
The Sherwood S9110 and HP2000 are the models to get if you can find them.
See the comment I just left. Did you live in New Jersey at the time? Did you buy your S-7100 from Disco Electronics in Springfield?
Good to see you finally show Sherwood some love. Back in the mid 1970s, when I was in college, I had a side hustle selling HiFi equipment. Before I left for my freshman year in college I bought myself a Sherwood S-7100. I ended up buying and reselling units I bought from the legendary Disco Electronics on Route 22 in Springfield, New Jersey. I'd buy them for $135, sell them to my classmates for $180. Back in 1973 to 1975, I had to have sold more than two dozen S-7100s and S7100As. I still have one and it still works flawlessly, 50 years later. So much better than the comparably priced Pioneer SX-424.
Anyone reading this that lived in New Jersey in the 1960s to the early 2000s remember Joe and Pat behind the counter at Disco Electronics?
From Livingston NJ .in the 70s
I owned a Sherwood s 7900 a
The best receiver I ever owned. Now live in Las Vegas and own a s 7100a and a s7225.
@@ericschwartzberg5083 remember the rock on the boarder of livingston and west orange on laurel ave , near rt 10 ...did you ever paint it lol
@@ericschwartzberg5083I know that Livingston was not really close to Springfield (no highway to get there), do you remember Disco on Route 22? It was next to JMK BMW just eat of the bowling alley. It was kind of a hole-in-the-wall place but in the era of fair trade retail price fixing, it was a place where you could do an end run.
Thanks for responding to my initial post.
I had one sherwood amp s 7200? it was the same as the sears am 4358 inside. I also had an audio reflex that was also the same internally. the sears amp is in a heavier enclosure but same back plate and circiut prtection and prefomance as the sears/audio reflex(jc penny?). They all sound the same in direct and can be conected together. idk if the sx 424 pioneer had pre out and main in./ direct/slave amp function. I feel that pioneer BIG OLD 1010,1250,1980.SPEC,AND SA GEAR IS GOOD BUT OVERPRICED. Is a bryston amp overpriced at $1000 in comparison to a $5000 pioneer 1250.? are we just talking $5000 for looks...do people know about the pioneer vsa9500 from the 90s made in japan. the one with the dual power tansforms and honeycomb heatsink. It has a remote control and it is way more dynamic. it looks like a pos vsx elite pioneer with black aluminium face and gold letters. dont be fooled these models will impress you. these amps are like a fast NAD but with accurate bass control and quicker dynamics.
Some very nice sleeper units for sure. Nice job presenting them and walking us through. I like this style of Vintage Audio in the shop.
Loved hearing about those Design Acoustics PS-10 speakers. I'm still using my Design Acoustics PS-55s after decades.
I have an Onkyo TX-4500 MK2 that I use daily. I can say, it is a big boy receiver.
LED lighting, takes it up a notch! I love how it looks!
I do not understand why someone would get upset about LED lights being installed. If someone buys the receiver, that person can change the lights.
LED lights look good, use less electricity, and are cooler.
My Onkyo TX 2500 MKII has the stock golden lights...and dam she's pretty. My Onkyo TX- 4500 has the blue LED's...I liked 'em , then felt like I did a terrible trashy thing, but now i'm back to liking them, and the issue is over - I have the best of both worlds. The 2500 is pretty good stereo, but the 4500 is an exceptional stereo, and you don't need to go further up to the 6500 or 8500...they're just big beasts with super high price tags. (but they look cool). The original TX-4500 was built with every component top notch - it saved the company. (long story)...but I want to thank everyone in Iowa for finally throwing in some Onkyo love...was feeling like a lost step child out here. P.S. - It's not smoked plastic on the fronts - it's smoked glass.
Kevin & crew, I really enjoy these listening sessions! Brings back many memories of sitting in front of my Dad's old Kenwood. That Shurewood looks great with the white LEDs! Really clean! And yes, Fisher was a Sears exclusive brand. The Kenmore of hi-fi's. 👍
I have the Akai AA- 1150 and it sounds awesome. I highly recommend it as a real value. This from a man that also owns a Marantz 2230 and a 2275. The extra light and color idea is excellent. I'll have to investigate that.
I have an AKAI 1050 and I couldn't agree more, highly underrated !
Another great video! I got a pair of Design Acoustics 9’s. Reformed the base drivers on the bottom and paired them with a Marantz 2245. Have them in a 15’ x 6’ x 3’ built in the wall bookshelf in on old 1910 house. They sound great as bookshelf speakers in a inclosed environment. Look forward to seeing your videos every Sunday morning!
I really like videos like this! You show there’s plenty of performance in moderately priced equipment.
Glad you’re reviewing an Onkyo receiver. This excellent brand often slips under the radar. I’ve owned quite a few vintage receivers, Pioneer, Yamaha, and Sansui. I bought new, and have kept my late 70’s Onkyo TX7000, 90 watt per channel model. Sold all the previous brands, and replaced them with the Onkyo. This particular model is the total package: possessing a powerful, dynamic, amplifier, state of the art digital tuner, excellent build quality, and extremely attractive appearance. Great product!
Let's not forget its outstanding phono stage!
The best tuners were on the tx4500 mk2 and above models..they had quartz lock tuning..the tx1500mk2 and the tx2500mk2 had the servo lock tuner. The tuners were discrete and best there was. The later ones with ic tuners (hitachi) werent as good..only cheaper to build..
The specification sheet for the TX7000 indicates that it’s tuner is Quartz Locked with a digital display, and has the Super Servo feature. Another unique feature on this model are the heat pipes which are used to cool the hefty power output of this amp. The receiver always remains cool even when I push it.
@@BobO-ps1py ill pull up the drawings
@@BobO-ps1py the quarts lock or servo lock are both types of phase lock loop circuit designs.. that is actually sepperate from the actual tuner..the original tuner capacitor is a big square with fins and a round knob that turns it on the side. After that they used ic chip to eluminate almost 50 parts..if its digital tuning..its not discreet with a variable cap..the heatsink improvement is advancement i agree. I repair audio for a living..
The Sherwood is really tidy inside. Fishers were all the rage in the 80’s. As an Onkyo TX 4500MKII owner I’m gutted to find out it’s an empty box. My Sunday morning is now complete.
The LED upgrades you undertook really enhance those receivers. The green ambience LEDs were terrific. Great video, as per.
I had the PS 10 and found a,pair of the PS 8.You have to check out the woofers ,they rot out and you have to take off the bottoms to check them out.I had them on Stands .Used the 10s in the 80s.
Hi Kevin, That Onkyo series is outstanding, I picked up a 2500 MKII at a garage sale for $30 about 7 years ago and was instantly a fan. What an under the radar gem. The 4500 and 6500 is the same with more power.
The Sherwood that is never talked about is the S9110. 110 watts with phenomenal features and sound
Not sure I have run across a S9110 yet. Maybe soon?
@@skylabsaudio I ran into you at Axpona on Thursday night. We were talking about the JBL 4311. When I make the trip to stop by your place, I’ll bring my S9110 to you to service
Very cool. Was nice to meet you and chat! Hope you make it by sometime, John.
I think the STANDARD on all tune ups should be LEDs, Banana 5 point binding posts, power supply and filter recap and I even like to get a detachable power cable that is maybe a little more robust than what they had from the factory. It's kind of like taking an old mustang and doing all the upgrades and now you have something that's faster than the modern version.
I love the LED's. If Sherwood had access to LED's in 1979, they would have definitely used them.
Another excellent video Kevin. Been enjoying these ones featuring the sleeper models. Here in New Zealand we had a lot of Akai models that were made under license by PYE Including the AA-1150. I've repaired a number of these and other similar Akai receiver's and they perform great. That Sherwood looked very Pioneer inside reminded me of the SX650.
Keep up the great work as always 👍
All of those receivers looked great. Especially the Sherwood. I have a 20 watt Marantz 2220b. It has enough power to drive any of my speakers. I installed LED lamps because there was serious heat damage to the plastic lamp housing. Along with a reproduction face plate and new vellum, it looks like a museum piece.
I had one of those Sherwood receivers, great sound great value!
There's a massive difference between Sherwood of the 70"s/early 80's vs the later stuff.
The fisher up to mid 70's was much, much different than the Fisher of the late 70's through the 80's. On much of this equipment manufacture date means much more than the name.
Sherwood used to make high quality stuff in the early 60s, like stromberg carlson quality, and I've seen separate system from sherwood, it looked like it was quality stuff.
Another informative video. Thanks guys.
I can only suggest that you get a receiver big enough to have the features you want. Power switch (Pioneer), Speaker outputs, inputs, look. The wattage is not important, to me, since I can hear my Genesis G2+ speakers clearly out in the street with my SX-450. And yes, the SX-450 is the reason for my power switch..uh..phobia. Another fun one, keep them coming!
Another great video. Sony receivers from the 70’s seem like great value to me. I’ve got a couple - an STR 6065 and an STR 7045 that I paid a total of $300 for. Both work flawlessly and they look and sound great.
Yes! I was about to suggest he does a video on Sony, especially from this era.
The lighting mod in that Akai is fabulous!
If you end up with any mid to late 70's HH Scott Receivers in the shop for service, I would definitely take a look at them for a potential add to your sleeper list. The ones I have had experience with have been pretty solid units. The designs of the early to mid 70's units are a little plain in my eyes, while the later 70's units really took it up a notch in my opinion. In any case, great video. 👍
As someone from the UK, I am scratching my head with the US fascination with receivers. For me, the natural progression from the basic, fully all-in-one music centre with amp+tuner+turntable+tape, was towards separate components - amplifier (pre+power for the well heeled), turntable, tape deck, only occasionally a tuner. All the big brands that released receivers in the US (Pioneer, Technics, Sony, ...) were available in UK stores, but I don't remember there ever being a market for receivers. Certainly not the big, flashy, knob encumbered, light shows that are such a feature on this channel.
My follow up question would then be, what did the serious US audio listener progress to when they outgrew receivers? What vintage US gear is the equivalent of a NAD 3020, a Mission Cyrus One, Musical Fidelity A1, or for those with money - QUAD, NAIM etc.
My impression is that, in the 80s, an audiophile might have progressed to Harman-Kardon, McIntosh, or higher-end Marantz separates (Marantz started out a US-based company that built some pieces in the US, but transitioned to Japanese manufacturing by the 80s). But all the brands you mention were (and are) also available in the US, so people could also get into NAD, Cambridge Audio, and so-on if they had the money.
Another great video always learning from Skylab
Hey from Australia. I bought an ONKYO 7.1 surround amplifier which is equipped with "THX" certification. Thanks George. Seriously it is a great amplifier. ONKYO made Quadraphonic units in the 70s with CD 4 discrete sound. WOW. I just sprayed my boxers. It never took off. A lot of people in the business are calling Dolby Atmos the 2020 version of CD 4 discrete. I don't know anyone who is running it unless they have lots of cash. The audio quality these days is great and I can't be bothered adding another 2 channels. In Star Trek First Contact, the audio steering is excellent to the point of why bother with 9.1 surround? All my Blu-ray discs sound phenominal and I had to install a DBX 163 to catch the transients going to the subs. As I'm a young 63, these amplifiers your showing here are just as brilliant as they were when released and after a recap, still sound as good if not better than some crap released today. Cheers. Andrew Collins. Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Hi Kevin. Thanks for another fun video and thanks for featuring my first receiver that I bought brand new in 1978, the Akai AA-1150. I paid $325 for the receiver in July of 78. By the way it delivers 50 watts into a 8 ohm load. Mine still works and sounds great. The only work it has received is a controls cleaning and LED replacements for the incandescent bulbs. I probably should replace some caps soon.
LEDs have such a narrow band a light and are usually much brighter than the incandescents they replace. Incandescents radiate a broad band of visible light frequencies that give a much warmer look, no matter the color. Yeah, it's a personal choice but I think LEDs can look cheap unless gels/colored plastics are used to more closely replicate how incandescents look.
Most installations I've seen are by people that don't really understand LED as an electronic component and how to tune them to the application properly. The intensity can easily be brought down with a resistor, and by playing with different resistance values can approximate (within a reasonable ballpark) the intensity of the original lamps. It's the **FLICKER** most people really don't understand or address. I've only seen one YT video so far where a truly knowledgable person addressed that by doubling the LED's with the second ones mounted in the inverse polarity in an attempt to balance out the flicker.
A fun video, as always...definitely a fun one.
I've been into vintage audio gear for a long time but I just recently discovered the Concept brand. I was so impressed with the Concept 2.5 that I found that I just bought another one. Real wood top covers and veneer and solid builds. This is a brand that's going to be on my radar from now on.
Picked up a Concept 4.5 from a member on Discord. Excellent receiver! He sold me his 4.5 but kept his 3.5 that he liked better.
@@drsbranch-wn2vx I am now keeping my eyes open for bigger Concepts, too.
Nice video. Looks like me and my friends popping the hood on various receivers. The Sherwood was a nicely packaged 20WPC receiver. Looks easy to maintain too.
I like the laid back vids and u guys don't need to rehearse..
Just hang out and open up some receivers. Good stuff.
I sold the design acoustic series back in the 80s. FYI, they were designed for bookshelves. That’s the reason why they sound better or your service bench. Cool stuff, thanks for sharing.👍🏼
Enjoyed the upload very much. And personally, I like the what you did with the LEDs, dds a lot. My younger brother had that Onkyo receiver, always thought it was a good choice.
Definitely gonna be a fun one!
I still use my Onkyo TX-6500 MKII and love it. Plenty of power, great looks, and I am the original owner.
Good on ya. I have the original TX-4500(non mkII) and my face is smoked glass. He said "smoked plastic" but not my stuff. My 2500mkII is glass also....so maybe just a slip o' the tongue.(?)
I have this one as well, inherited from my father in law who was the original owner. Have the receipts and owners manual. What year was your purchase? I agree, this is one of the best units I've ever owned.
@bigcity2085 Agree, I don’t have any plastic on mine.
@carternash1384 Hi, I think I purchased it around 1979 or so, I was friends with a local stereo store owner and I had him special order it for me. I think it was around $500 at the time. I would love to have it cleaned out and gone over by a vintage repair shop but I don’t believe there are any in my city, upstate NY. I think a lightbulb may be out, and I’m sure it’s full of dust. But it works fine, needs a blast of dust spray in the volume control every once in a while. Take care.
@@sandyfader4649 Plus, you'll never see just the glass for sale, anywhere(at least I haven't)...it gets broke, that's it.
Love the LED's, never seen amber color before though but what an amazing effect! All the colours look fantastic and as you say it conserves heat and will make the unit cheaper to run albeit not much but some :)
Great stuff,Thanks
Great Video !!! I am the owner of a fairly obscure receiver. Its a Project One Mark 600. These beasts were distributed by a company called Playback in the Midwest. Gorgeous aluminum faceplate, toggle switches and nice wooden case. Conservatively rated at 60 watts per channel, although i think its a lot more. Marketed to look like a Pioneer receiver. The only weakness they had was their VU meters. Finding one where all of them work is a challenge. Three out of my four VU meters work and my local repair guy just can't fix / repair the fourth one.
My newer favorite channel loved the color an wrap round you did on the receiver
Those Sherwood knobs may have been vapor honed as many audio units were in the 70's and 80's. I worked for JCPenney's in 1972 doing private label design for them. They purchased most electronics then from Matsushita in Japan. They sent a couple representatives from Japan to ask me what "Vapor hone" meant. I thought those guys invented it, but they didn't have a clue. It's basically passing the item through an acidic vapor to "etch" the finish. Not speaking English may have been a problem for them. I showed them an elevator door in the building that looked like the finish. They took a picture and a couple weeks later I got a sample that looked right. I suspect that tumbling the part in a slightly abrasive media could get the finish as well. Sorry for the geekish response, but product design was my life for 50 years!
Great review as always. I currently own 2 Sherwood receivers s 7225 & s 7100a
I picked up a Fisher Studio Standard RS 1015 on ebay this past weekend for 66 dollars with tax 71 dollars and was able to pick it up free so no shipping . Everything works perfect even the tuning meter. Three of the 7 lights work. All will be working after this weekend. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE VIDEO. PS Fisher does make a stereo with only 12 watts.
Have you ever considered a video on some of the sleeper receivers which were sold in Europe in the 1970s ? (although many have made it to North America over the years, because they have adjustable input voltage).
I have a few from Schaub-Lorenz, Philips, Nordmende, and one of the best is a Telefunken Opus 7050 HiFi, which has the typical wide, low black face Euro styling with green multiband dial scale. The tuner is incredible for selectivity and sensitivity, and the amplifier is clean and powerful, maybe 50 W / Ch.
I live in the state north of Kevin. I might have to take a trip and check out his shop.
Still have the incandescent lights in my SX 780 and 980 old school.
I got one Onkyo TX 2500 MKII. Sounds really good. In fact my 12 year old stopped me from selling. I then realized how good it sounds. Hooked up to a technics SL D303 turntable, AKai CS -F39R cassette player and a Sony CD player. JBL LX44 speakers. All vintage setup. Except the CD.
I’m with you, like the look of LED, I have blue in my sx-3700
Love the onkyo with the blue led lights man , so beautiful, I’d like to have one just like ya and the AKIA with wrap around lights on the dial Man U did well
the Kenwood Model 11s are one of my favorites. maybe not a deep sleeper, but the look of the unit is spectacular. also have every control and input you would want.
Another fine vid!
When I purchased my 9090 DB , I also purchased a pair of Design Acoustic D-6. The woofer was on the back side and required they be placed 2” from the wall
Keep using that orange, on random units!
It’s absolutely fabulous that you highlighted that tuning knob! Akai was asleep at the wheel for ignoring it.
This is fine work.
Keep at it.
And, an EDIT: I need you guys to refer someone who can FULLY restore PORTABLES. My two favorites that I adore are the Superscope CRS-2200 from 1978, and the Sansui CP-7 from 1980.
I will never, EVER let go of these units. EVEN at their THD levels, when they were Brand New, they were simply Fabulous in their respective performances!
Maybe you mean Akai was asleep at the knob. Ha ha
@@scottprice8994 Spot-on, SP! Excellent!👌
Warm white LED's are often the conservative approach to keep things looking more original while reducing heat an improving longevity.
I had an Onkyo tx2500 mk II for a short period of time and I thought is was an excellent sounding unit.Much better than quite a few receivers I have owned.Also have an Sears Audio by Fisher which I think is their totl model and it sounds fantastic.I have moved on from 70s receivers as my main units for the most part but that Fisher and a Sony 7065 are more than likely my life keeper receivers.The blue leds look terrible in Marantz and Pioneer receivers.
great video, I like the LED lighting...
Great video there. I have an Akai aa-1135 from 1979, looks very much like the ones you have there except only one bass & only one treble control.
I overhauled it and fitted new caps about a year ago and also renewed the 3 8volt incandescent lamps but after 6 months all the lamps had blown, so I went with green leds. Good tip about adding another led on the end of the window, it looks much better. I think I'll try that.
BTW it does have batwing transistors, I had to replace one which was difficult to locate.
I'm definitely pro-Onkyo. I had a TX-6500 Mk II (100W/Ch). Zero complaints from the day I bought it till the day I sold it. It followed me from home to college and beyond...never complained. I'd get one without giving it a second thought (if I was in the market). While they don't have the following of Pioneer, I'd put them up against Pioneer and other contemporaries. In fact, the TX-6500 Mk II displaced, for me, a Pioneer SX-737 (also a great receiver for what is was). The Onkyo, for most of its life, drove a pair of Cerwin-Vega S1s (so, that is where I was in that part of my life) and then in college, a pair of Altec 604G/620 (aka Model 17)...we had the loudest apartment on campus!
I totally agree. I know it’s hard to believe but I picked up the TX - 6500 MK II at Goodwill for seven dollars about 11 years ago when you could find just about any electronics for cheap. It is a monster. I haven’t had to change caps or anything major since.
I took off the vinyl woodgrain and replaced it with walnut veneer. It is connected to Infinity Kappa 7’s and it still sounds fantastic.
@@markmelton9187 I had my TX-4500 checked out when I got it and all was good. I'm just a few years before the MK II's. I used my spare TX 2500 mk II most of the time, because the 4500 was just so exquisite I felt it shouldn't be day to day. So of course, when I decided to pull the 4500 out, a channel had gone down just sitting, so in for a rebuild she went - 3 months.My MK II is a tank and she hasn't needed a thing...but I'm glad I have 4500 set for life (hopefully)...but remember; these old repair guys won't be around forever.
I wound up getting an AA-1150 a few months ago after your mention of the AA-1030 in one of your earlier videos got me looking at Akais. It arrived needing only a bit of control cleaning and is currently in my bedroom driving a pair of Dynaco A-10 speakers. Nice receiver and that wraparound window is a novel design feature. I’ll have to try your _add an LED at five o’clock near the tuning knob_ suggestion when I relamp it at some point.
Thanks for the video!
BTY: If people want a more vintage (incandescent) looking LED just use the 2700 kelvin version in lieu of 4000 kelvin or K.
Great video
In my opinion, the ultimate sleeper line of all time would be Tandberg. Considered "the McIntosh of Norway," anything of this brand is truly a find. I have owned a TR-2025 Mk II since 1979, and it is still going strong with no recapping. These things are configured in three completely discrete sections (tuner, amp, and preamp) with plug in connectors. The toroidal transformer in this model was way ahead of its time. The unit delivers a very clean 80 or 90 watts per channel in a 27 pound package, which puts it in a class by itself. I recently had an opportunity to pick up a model TR-2040 for use in another room, and found this 40 W unit to be of similar quality. hopefully you will be able to review something from this company soon.
Those Onkyo txii's are so awesome. In sound, appeal, and function. I'll never get rid of my 4500
Good video, enjoyed it very much. My sleeper is a Realistic STA-95 from 1979. At 45wpc it's not a real powerhouse but it has great sound. Great to listen to but a nightmare to work on.
I have those speakers. Maybe an earlier version. Had to refoam them. I remember it being a little fiddly but not horrible. Very good near-field. Play with toe-in and you can get them to "disappear." Fun and enjoyable, plus those woofers can take a pretty big base hit, so to speak.
Hey Kevin. Another great vid. Love the Onkyo and the extra lighting on the Akai. What was your test music?
The LED’s are a slam dunk for sales. Cool blue is usually number one, they look great in the Pioneer SX- x80 and SX-x50 series receivers. I have an Onkyo 4500 mkii that I was planning to keep incandescent, but the blue in your 2500 has me rethinking that original plan.
I have the original TX-4500 with blue led's and it makes for a dark blue (possibly cuz my smoked glass is - well, smoked.. But, they're easy to change.(on mine). There might be more than one shade of blue, also.
I've had several Fisher's, from the RS-2007, RS-2010 to the RS-1050 and the big boy RS1080. All have impressed me with their sound. Also have several older, pre-sanyo days and they also are very nice sounding receivers. As far as the STK drivers, well, even Pioneer used them in one of their biggest sellers, the SX-780. They work. And there are aftermarket options available.
How did you get your electronics training? How long would it take for someone starting from scratch to get up and running to confidently repair vintage systems? Your channel is my “go to” on TH-cam. I got laid off last July and I’m looking for a new fun career.
Another great video Kevin. I’m thinking a sleeper maybe the MCS 3275
I have an Fischer RS2015 my wife snagged for me at an estate sale a while back. The thing weights a ton, but everything works great. I should bring it in for a the Skylabs special
i self have an akai aa-1050 with blue led. did it my self. looks great. most of all it's sounds nice. warm and good bass to. i think it's more mid range than entry level.
Nice Video, I had a buddy with the speakers you had there and They were a bit weak on Bass so we put them on Top of Wooden Milk Crates and they Woke up. I mean big Difference! Also the main reason I don't think you see too many Fishers is that they were Well Liked by the Owners!
But if I remember correctly the output transistors Are a problem to find or were, so there were sacrificial lambs if you know what I mean, a great bunch of Recievers and probably very affordable! Loved the Orange LEDs on the Onkyo.
See you next round .
PS I loved the Fact you got together with my other Favorites, Crazy Lenny and Mr Analog and the Cheap Man!!! Did you meet the Geshelli Crew, they are an awesome Group and Family with a Great Product line, they made me a J2 DAC with Custom Pioneer Blue Plexi End Plates, Love them! That was Epic.
I believe I watched this after you guys were together but You guys are All subscribed!!
Thank you!
Loved this and DEFINITELY had fun! In the future I’d like to see/hear what you think about the old Realistic STA performance.
Also, is there any chance you could throw FM radio performance into your reviews? That could be a big deciding factor for some of us that still like listening to stations with real, live DJ humans selecting the music! Stations like KQAC, KHMD and KBOO in Portland, OR (or check ‘em out on-line).
I have a pair of PS-10. They are placement specific. They can sound horrible or amazing depending where you put them and what height.I found the sweet spot on mine and use them with my tube amp and turntable.
that reminds ,me of Concept 3.5 and 4.5 I used to have. They're nice receivers.
I had to come back to this video and comment about the Design Acoustics speakers. I remembered them from back in the day and I was just digging through some old manuals and found my Crutchfield catalog Fall 87/ Winter 88 from which I had ordered my Dual CS5000 turntable (still have it). Anyway they had the Design Acoustics PS-10 for $388 ($520 List) per pair. Also the PS-8a for $299 ($400 List) and the PS-103 floor models for $799 ($950 List).
The catalog also had cool looking Proton components which I remember being well regarded but a little pricey for me at the time.
The Akai looks cool with the orange lights. It is something different. The knobs on the Akai remind me of a Yamaha. (Ha ha. I wrote this comment before I heard Kevin say it reminds him of Yamaha.)
Harman Kardon HK505 integrated is an incredible integrated amp. High on my sleeper list.
As far as sleeper units, i recommend checking the scott 400 series integrated amplifiers. They sound fantastic. The 420a , 440a, 460a and the 480a are all great. Way undervalued imo.
I just came across the Teac AS-60. Just a great sounding receiver. I've had that Onkyo you mentioned is a great receiver but the Teac I believe is just heads above that. They didn't make many. There was 5 of them that came out between 68 and 75. I've only gotten to listen to the AS-60 which was the first one. Check it out if you ever come across one.
The Fisher was the only one in the series that had the cap coupled amplifier design (single large capacitor). That design tends to give you the fat, full sound that many people love in vintage audio. Many brands used this design, especially in the lower cost, lower wattage receivers. Sansui for example used the cap coupled up to the 551 model and then switched to DC coupled for the 661, 771 and 881.
Have an Onkyo TX-4500 MKII and love it. Just be very careful when you clean the faceplate on these. If you use something harsh it will take all numbers and letters off of it