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Showing results for tags 'vintage'.
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Hey Guys, I just picked up some Pioneer DSS-9's on a whim with little prior reading. They seem to be in very good condition, and the sound absolutely blows my B & W 683s2's out of the water. Is there much love for vintage pioneer over here on SNA? The sound, clarity, imaging, bass.... These may be end-game speakers... Anyone else heard these before? Anyone else have some, or other vintage pioneer stuff? Chime in! Ben -
Retro or Vintage audio systems: how much should we care?
Guest posted a topic in General Hi-Fi & Beginners Discussion
hello. I have this KENWOOD mini component, HM-331. It is in excellent and very good condition. A model that is almost impossible to find in good conditions, some systems are very hard to repair / to find pieces for it, some other retro devices or vintage aren't hard to repair, some others are really impossible even for a service. This Kenwood is almost impossible to repair, being so: should I use it just for a little? should I store it inside a showcase with glass doors like a museum piece? can I use it more often? I think how hard or impossible it would be for repair if it fails, that's why I think that. My own answer (based in a friend's opinion) could be: if you have had a new device and you've been using it with care, there is no reason to don't keep on doing it so. but still I think in the rare ancient relic Maybe you have some device, system or component that you do care so much or have it like a trophy in your showcase, or maybe you enjoy your 70' amplifier using it with Netflix. If you have opinions, notes, comments, thank you !
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Hello everybody! I currently own a beautiful, aging Dual 1228 turntable, that I won from an eBay auction about 2 years ago. I had the turntable serviced via a gentleman in Melbourne who brought her back up to speed immediately after I purchased it. (Fixed a few issues, like the tonearm not lifting, etc.) Although she runs pretty much flawlessly now (about 95% of the time) I'd really like someone to service her properly who has worked with Dual turntables before and get her up to a like-new condition. She only has a few minor issues, such as a few squeaks here and there, and an odd problem of running on 45 RPM speed, the auto-cue to the edge of the platter doesn't work, so you have to manually cue it up. (Not a major issue.) I'm not technically savvy when it comes to servicing and repairing turntables and I was wondering if anyone here knows of a Dual "Specialist" located in Melbourne where I can drop her and replace any worn parts if need be, and get her operating to a like-new condition again? I would really like to do a complete tonearm re-wire at some point with some Litz wire, but I have absolutely no faith in my skills to achieve such an exercise. Would anyone recommend somebody that could do a complete service and a tonearm re-wire at a later point, and the possible costs involved? I really love my Dual turntable, and I'm also going to get somebody from the states to build a custom solid wood plinth for her too, replacing her worn veneer chipboard. Any help would be greatly appreciated, Thank you! -
With the rise rise, and rise of computer audio I decided it was time to return to headphone listening. I'd given up 3 odd years ago, having exhausted all of my CDs and my old and humble Sennheiser HD590s slowly wearing out. Well I've rejoined this club and boy it's good to be back. The HD590s went walkabout which I was initially dismayed about. No biggie - cue eBay. I'm now the proud owner of some HD560 Ovation IIs from 1993/94. Mint condition, the previous owner had the pads replaced. And they comprehensively tear strips off my previous pair. Dare I say it these (with appropriate amplification) could easily keep pace with anything costing up to 500 bucks today. They are gorgeously neutral, just letting the music waft through. The soundstage is typical Sennheiser, deep and wide. I don't know how else to describe the sound without being overly analytical with my language, because the 560s are anything but. Warm but not lush or sticky, incredibly detailed without taking a surgeons scalpel to the recording, low bass extension without boom or thump? If I had to summarise, take your favourite recording that you know inside out back to front. Give it the longest most thorough intricate buff and polish you thought possible. Then sit back and enjoy You just can't put a stereotype on the sonic signature, because there just isn't one. In a word: linear If there's a caveat, they need a lot of juice.... I didn't think 300ohms would prove tricky to drive, although my old pair were less than half that at 120. They're powered by an Audioquest Dragonfly V1.2, fed into a Perreaux SXH-1 Sillhouette class A. Considering at some point upping the DAC to a red as the voltage is much higher. Oh, and the source (before I hook them back up to my main Rotel setup) is Tidal HiFi Masters. At the moment however - I is pig in detritus
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Hi all, I bought an old amplifier at a house auction this week and ended up with two giant speakers to boot (I thought it was a table the amp was on and a separate lot) There seems to be a few unconnected wires and some bits I don't know if they are part of the speakers or not. Do any of you have any advice as to what needs to be connected to what , are these things even worth looking at (are they better off being used as firewood) All comments welcome. Cheers Phil
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Picked up a small old radiogram on the weekend, gutted it (was partially gutted already) tidied it up a bit and put my old Pioneer (SX-440) in there PS: My Kilpsch bookshelves did just fit in there too, but sounded crap, so pulled them back out and made some DIY stands for them instead -
What a beautiful piece of design this is https://www.trademe.co.nz/1591238473
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Hi everyone. I am a complete novice to all of this, but have just recently grown an interest in vintage audio and have just purchased a suitcase record player. I was wondering if anyone could shed any light on it... It has BSR on the arm, so I've researched that part of it. But it's not a dansette, it actually looks homemade. It's in pretty poor condition and doesn't work, so I'd love to know somewhere in Victoria that fixes these things. It's a lovely vintage piece, with a love note written inside...but that's as much as I know of it's history, so any information would be great, thanks! -
An old bloke gave me a fally-apart, dangly-bits one of these when he bought a new turntable a few years ago. I told him I'd try to get it back on the road, as it were, but I don't really know where to start. Everything seems to be there but the wiring, bushes, springs, etc are all looking pretty knackered. Anyone done one before? How difficult was it? I'm pretty good with tools but no sort of techie. Is it worthwhile? After all the blood, sweat and swears do you have gorgeous a garrard-style vintique audio gem or just a bloody old turntable. I fantasised about using it set up with a mono cart/arm (which I don't have) into an old valve amp (which I sold) through some sort of nifty, old-school, high-efficiency, horn-loaded, coaxial speaker (which I assume exists) to play old bluegrass 78s (of which I have none) Anyway I'm not sure I have the time, unless someone can convince me it's going to be a life-changing project. Anyone got any ideas, suggestions, advice, parts, accessories, cruel taunts (or wants to offer me drug money) for it? Thanks, Simon
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Hi, joined to go over some old/archived posts for info to correctly re-wire speakers to suit a low-powered retro 1970s pre-Optonica Sharp 4 channel Radiogram GS-9200 ($40 got me a working unit with ye olde speaker connections & two Sanyo 3-way speakers, so no speaker cables/ plugs that fit). Rear speaker connections take a plug with two (different sized) prongs - not your standard DIN plug but probably not too hard to mock something up to fit. I have sourced some Sharp Golden Sound speakers with no plugs which I figure have low enough power ratings to use as Rear speakers. Front speaker connections takes a plug with four prongs, three active for 3 leads to speaker box, I think the 1st to high (+), 2nd to low (+), 3rd to common (-). Basically, I need to sus out what is needed for crossover, re-wire as needed and replace speakers in Sanyo boxes with lower-rated speakers to suit the Sharp receiver). A bit tricky without service manual or even operating instructions and HiFiManuals.com etc has nothing for these (now 40 year old) 4 channel receivers that were built on the cheap for the Australian mid-fi market that existed at the time... Some previous forum postings have images, schematics for other Sharp models, and identify similar issues: At Stereonet: http://www.stereo.net.au/forums/index.php?/topic/36535-help-with-dads-old-hifi-connecting-to-his-amp/ See also QuadraphonicQuad: http://www.quadraphonicquad.com/forums/showthread.php?17126-Sharp-Optonica-GS-4520A-Speaker-Connections And Audiokarma: http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/archive/index.php/t-268190.html -
As im helping Mark to pickup some Marantz gear from Epping, he generously "paid" me with the speakers that the sellers had. Im not that familiar with vintage wharfedale, i know they got a great reputation before but during my audition for speakers under $1000 around 6-8years ago, i cant remember any of their models that impressed me. So i hooked them up with my main system with Audio GD M7, M5 pre and Ncore with CEC TL51XR as transport, i was so surprised to hear a very organic sound with decent highs although very limited bass, so much so that i decided to measure them . This speakers is spec'ed for 15w, so im well aware that the ncore prob have too much power for them, but they are not sensitive, although the label at the back says 92db . here are some photos of the speakers
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Hi, I just joined SNA to see if anyone has any suggestions on how to correctly re-wire front speakers to match a low-powered retro 1970s pre-Optonica Sharp 4 channel Radiogram GS-9200. Posted in the new member's section & djb (after asking why not offload it to a hipster store ) suggested I post here - is this the correct forum? I do not have the original speakers for this system & want to try re-wiring speakers that suit a different 4 channel amp (from the same era). The front speaker connections indicate that the original Sharp 'Golden Sound' speakers were unusual - had a plug with four prongs, three active with three-core lead cable to the original, I think the 1st lead to high (+), 2nd lead to low (+), 3rd lead to common (-). At this link, the photo on the bottom right shows the rear of a very similar mode - see three lead cable at top right of unit: http://forum.audio.com.pl/vintage-sharp-golden-sound-GS-8200A-t29840.html I am not overly familiar with speaker cables - previously have only had 'standard' sound systems with twin-core lead e.g. red/black to the speaker, or two twin-core flex for 'bi-amped' jobs e.g. red/black to woofer, blue/grey to tweeter. Anyone ever encountered anything like this? Would the cross-over arrangement be different to usual? I don't have the service manual or even operating instructions for this model but I'm hoping the schematics on the links below (for slightly different models) might provide some clues. I can do some trial and error with some 3-way floor-standing speakers of the same era/ quality (Sanyo) which may be suitable, if the speakers are low-rated enough to suit the Sharp receiver. Would using a multimeter assist with determining correct wattage/ impedance ( I really have no idea)? Other forum postings with images, schematics for other Sharp models, which raise similar issues: At Stereonet: http://www.stereo.ne...ing-to-his-amp/ See also QuadraphonicQuad: http://www.quadrapho...ker-Connections And Audiokarma: http://www.audiokarm...p/t-268190.html If anyone has any pointers I'd be much obliged. Tangio tumas, SoloOlo
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Hi all, I am new here and looking for some advice in regards to setting up a new HiFi system and whether its worth getting new gear. The story goes like this: I have an old system as a hand-me down from the inlaws. It consists of a technics SA 5150 receiver and a pair of wharfedale dovedale 3 speakers circa 1975-77 (I have posted links to the gear below). It was sounding really bad but after a bit of low level maintenance it's back up sounding good again. It's a pretty low powered system ( amp 20w per channel at 4 ohms and the 3 way speakers power handling is 50w) but the room isn't large and it puts out about 75dB of nice clean sound at 1/4 volume which is more than enough. It seems to handle all the music I can throw at it from pop, electro, to metal, my father in law is a rock and jazz man, and although it distorts at louder volumes and when I ramp up the bass on the amp, I would never routinely listen to music at this level. The system is just in the lounge room but the house is open plan dining and kitchen but we rent so no plans to setup a multi-room wireless or doing anything too fancy. Most of the music is in the from of digital downloads and CDs. We do play the sound from DVDs through the system as well, but are not planning on going down the home theater root as not massive home movie buffs. The plan was to drop 2.5-3k on a new or newer second hand system, but now that its sounding pretty nice I'm wondering if its worth it. My main questions are 1) Does anyone have any experience with this gear. What was it like back in the day and how it holds up in the digital era, and 2) have an idea on what I'd have to spend today to get something better. If I can get new or near new stuff in my price range that is an upgrade in terms if quality then I may consider it, if not then (against my wife's wishes as she really wants some new gear!) we may just hang onto the old stuff (plus the old technics receiver looks sweet all lit up!) Thanks for all your help, Sam http://www.thevintag...Dovedale_3.html There are a few conflicting specs out there for the receiver http://www.vintagete...ivers/index.htm and http://audio-databas.../sa-5150-e.html
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Hi all In Canberra on the weekend of 26-27 January 2013 I plan to hold a vintage and modern speaker GTG. The aim of this GTG is to give people the opportunity to hear how well setup vintage speakers sound in comparison to some modern counterparts. The idea for this GTG came from conversations with a number of people who had never heard what vintage speakers sound like and also the recognition that some people's memories of vintage speakers may not reflect their true performance. The sound that some people remember about vintage speakers may be influenced by the turntables and electronics they were fed by. The event provides an opportunity for people to get together and hear some vintage speakers that they may not normally have the opportunity to hear. The event will allow back to back comparison against modern counterparts to identify what sort of differences there are between them, and what are the relative strengths and weaknesses of both. It might also help explain why some people persist in using vintage speakers. The focus will be on having fun and enjoying good music rather making the GTG an overly analytical exercise. The GTG should be both fun and informative. Some of the speakers initially identified to be included in the shootout are the Goodman's triaxioms, rare three way compression horn based Goodman's system, as well as Goodmans two ways and the possibility of some Altecs thrown in.. There will be a number of amps from Shindo, VAC, vintage Japanese 300B, miniwatt, etc that will be available for use, and should have a killerdac as well. LP playback and R2R might also be possible. The GTG will be held at my place which has a dedicated listening room (see thread http://killerdac.com/forum/index.php?topic=804.0). I may also set up a second system at the other end of the house. There will be social activities organised over the weekend including a barbeque or two and dinner. If you are interested in attending drop me a PM, if you have a speaker or amplifier that you would like to include in the shootout please provide me with the details. There will be limited space to doff on my floor. Cheers, Andy
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Hey. Any opinions on this player? Rubbish, or look elsewhere? Any reliability issues?
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Hi everyone, I'm hoping you can help me out here (and that I've posted this in the right spot). There's an opportunity to buy a Luxman 5L15 integrated amp and a 5C50 pre-amp from the Labrotory Reference Series, both say "customed by Lux..." on the front, I'm not sure if they all say that but the ones I could see on google all do. Anyway, I have no idea what a fair price would be and there aren't many listings to go off on ebay or other places online. From what I can gather a fair price for the amp might be 350-400, and maybe 300 for the pre-amp? Am I way off or is that in the ballpark? I've just turned on the amp and it works, but it definitely needs a clean as the knobs and switches crackle and a channel will drop in and out. The pre-amp can't be tested yet as the power lead has been cut off at the plug. The amp started emitting a weird smell like a burnt resistor or something so we turned it off, it was still running fine when we turned it off. They're both in similar condition, not perfect but pretty good considering their age. Regards, Daniel -
Hi all, I was just wondering if anyone has had any experience with Luxman integrated amps from the 1970's. Specifically the SQ-505 and 507. They look amazing, but I have never heard one in the flesh. Even though I have heard generally good things about Luxman, I'm worried they might be all style and no substance. I'm also a little concerned about buying a 30-40 year old amp, but if they are well built (as a lot of things from that era are), then this would be less of an issue. Are there any things I should be looking out for when inspecting. And what kind of price range would be reasonable? Any other feedback or opinion would be great! Cheers!
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Has anyone heard of ITT Hifi? My wife just picked up a unit form the side of the road, and I've never heard of it, it looks mighty impressive, I found manuals for it, but I just can't seem to find out if it's rubbish or quality gear, I've got an 8032 Reciever/amp & an 8021 tape deck, both about as heavy as each other, maybe 12kg
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Hi guys, I've had a pretty keen interest on Conrad Johnson gear over the past couple of months and I'm wondering if there are any owners here on SNA that would be happy to give some insights into their gear. Special interest goes to Premier gear. 2's, 4's, 8's, 12's etc. I know this gear is extremely rare in Australia and I'm resigned to idea that any responses may be minimal. Look forward to reading the contributions. Thanks!
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Hi, For some reason I started looking into older and vintage amplifiers because I am starting to like the look of it. Either I have become of vintage age, or it is the age where vintage is cool. I do hope it is the latter. If they age just like me, than I might expect a few quirks and a bit of maintenance to buff up the aged interior. What things should I take into account, when buying an older amp, or other equipment? An internet search came up with a couple of things. - Bias/DC adjustment. Can this be done with any amp? - Checking and replacing capacitors. The lifespan of these things seem to vary from 10 - 30 years. Would you replace all of them? - Resolder dry joints. This seems to differ with how hot the unit runs and if it frequently has been turned on and off. Would you resolder every individual dry joint or just in some particular areas? There are probably even more things that I haven't found out yet and looking at these, is it really worth the trouble? Would a similar priced modern amp being able to catch up with an older or vintage high end unit? I wouldn't mind trying some stuff, but how much cash would I need to keep at hand, to make this an enjoying experience?
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Hi everyone, I just acquired the following pieces, looking for some opinions and past experiences. Nikko Alpha 440 amp Nikko Beta 40 pre amp Nikko Gamma 40 tuner Nikko ND 1000C cassette Nikko EQ 20 equalizer Nikko ATD1 time delay synthesizer Nikko Alpha 220 amp
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Vintage Lenco table-need advice please
Jebediah posted a topic in Turntables, Record Players & Vinyl
Hi all, Walked into my hifi shop the other day to order a acrylic platter for my debut carbon. Got talking to the owner whom has a vintage Lenco L435 for sale, fully serviced by their tech, in good working order. Not sure of stylus but apparently its in good condition. I've done a bit of googling to find out some info on this model, but there doesn't seem to be too much about. The shop is just looking to recoup costs for the service work done, so I could pick it up for about $200 cash. Just wondering if you more vintage aligned guys rate this as a worthy pickup for the money? Cheers -
Turntable consoles - cabinets. Greetings all - Does anyone know where the best place to look and buy a vintage record (console/cabinet) player in Melbourne? Or alternatively a modern take on one? (not eBay/Gum Tree) Cheers - and thanks in advance for your time.
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Item: WTB: Wharfedale Mach 9 Speakers Item Condition: Used (can repair if needed) Extra Info: Perth pick up preferred but may consider courier depending on costs.
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Item: KEF 104aB Price Range: $250-450 (Depends on the condition of the speakers) Item Condition: Used Extra Info:
