Vintage stereo equipment

[human]

Vintage Sony HST-49 all-in-one

I stumbled across this piece of vintage stereo equipment at a thrift store the other day for $8. Just couldn't pass it up. It's a curious configuration for an all-in-one in that it lacks a turntable. The cassette deck is pretty basic--doesn't even have Dolby--but the tuner seems to be pretty good quality. it has an abundance of inputs on the back for phono, a second tape deck, and 'aux'. Everything seems to work, at least as far as I can test it without speakers. The only thing holding me up on that score is the speaker terminals on the back are RCA plugs instead of screw or spring terminals. I ordered some RCA plugs on eBay and they should be here in a few days. I'll be interested to hear what this thing sounds like. I would have been in heaven with this thing when I was a teenager.

It's kind of strange but almost every reference to this unit I find online refers to a European variant, HST-49A (silver) or HST-49AB (black) that included a shortwave receiver and had LED level meters for the tape deck instead of the analog ones that mine has. Also, these later ones don't have the oh-so-'70s simulated woodgrain panels on the sides.

http://https//books.google.com/book...VRjomCh3urg2o#v=onepage&q=Sony HST-49&f=false

 

[jmurray01]

"<a name="start_30146.335302"></a>Does everyone else with their vintage equipment use it as relaxation therapy also?"


 


If I had vintage equipment I would!  Well, my Hitachi T-21 is from the mid 1980s so probably classes as vintage, but my main set-up is a 1990s Kenwood M-58 with Aiwa PX-E860 turntable. 



 


Either way, nothing is more stress relieving to me than playing a record.  Normally Roy Orbison (of course!) but it can be anything I enjoy really, it just helps me unwind.

 

[human]

Relaxation Therapy

That's my plan once I get some speakers and a CD player for this unit. I most likely won't add a turntable unless I happen to find a really nice one so ridiculously dirt cheap I can't resist it. I'm in the process of cleaning out my back bedroom to make it into a library. My books are already mostly on the shelves in there but I have a bunch of miscellaneous boxes I need to go through and get rid of half of what's in them. I'm looking to create a cozy space where I can sit and read and listen to music. The room will specifically not have a TV set in it. I've already got one in the living room, the kitchen, and my bedroom, so anything more would be redundant.

 

[human]

So I found an old set of headphones in a drawer and actually "heard" the HST-49 for the first time a little while ago. For $8, I was far from disappointed. The FM tuner works quite well using the power cord as an antenna and would probably work even better with a proper dipole antenna. It's got a crazy little feature that lets you "program" your favorite radio stations on the dial by setting markers, kind of like setting tabs on a typewriter. The tuner doesn't automatically go to them, but it gives you a visual target to find them more easily. Also, it will automatically switch between FM and AM as you tune past the markers in the program mode. The only part that isn't fully functional is the cassette deck. The mechanism is slightly out of adjustment so that the play button won't lock down unless you hold it for a few seconds. I'm pretty sure that's fixable but if something had to not work right, the cassette deck would be my choice as I haven't played tapes regularly in at least 10 or 15 years. Besides, the tape deck was pretty craptastic to begin with. It doesn't even have a Dolby button. And in a worst-case scenario, I do have a late '70s vintage Pioneer cassette deck that's in good working order and there are ports on the back to support it, as well as an auxiliary input port for a CD player or iPod. All in all, I think I could have done a lot worse on something a lot newer that cost a lot more money.

 

[dartman]

Radio Shack gear

I too worked at Radio Shack part time in the early 90's because l made friends with the manager of the one by my house and used to hang out and help fix things in trade for broken or discoed stuff. He finally just hired me so he could actually pay me to help.
They had many manufacturers making their gear, including Pioneer, and some of it was truly great quality and was great bang per buck.
They also sold some really good raw speakers, cb radios, and lots of electronic parts for folks that didn't want to deal with local electronics supply houses.
Got a lot of cool gear and parts, and still have 20 shares of probably now worthless stock.
When they started selling everybody else's stuff and got rid of most of their parts they quickly died off, plus they treated employees like crap and like that and it got worse after I left.
My manager friend finally quit and retired and we're still friends to this day.
Was fun place to geek out and I was the only stock person they ever hired I know of. I actually had to go through a interview and everything and was told I got the highest score they'd seen on the honesty part, I really didn't care so I just told the truth.

 

[super-sweeper]

I had a Sears in the garage and a Llyod's (any history on that? maybe a department store brand?) in the bedroom. The Sears is hooked up to Fisher speakers! 


There was another pair of Fisher speakers where I bought the Sears pair from, if they're still there I'll have to grab them, the Llyod speakers have been acting up lately. Both are 8-Track/Stereo systems, but only the Llyod's plays tapes. I sabotaged the Sear's player to make the Llyod's work, it was a true redneck engineering marvel!  I have the Llyod's hooked up to my cassette player and a 2nd auxiliary jack for a phone or tablet or whatever. love my set up! 

 


Now to find a 45 RPM cabinet player....and a '59 Zenith Space Command TV! 

 

[human]

Lloyd's

Lloyd's was a lower end brand that was sold mainly through drugstores and discount retailers that did not specialize in stereo equipment but were looking to compete with higher end electronics stores mainly on price. I used to see their stuff at places like Eckerd, Woolworth, and G.C. Murphy, among others. It's ironic now that I've typed those three names, I realize none of them are still in business.

 

[super-sweeper]

That's really cool!

There used to be a F.W Woolworth right up the street from here, I wonder if that's where it came from? For a discount stereo it sounds great! 

 

[electroluxxxx]

Here is a toy I have acquired a couple of years ago, I finally got around to seeing if it worked and thankfully all it needs is some cleaning but all works as it should!

 

[super-sweeper]

Oooooooo, fun! 

 

[human]

The Sony's now fully operational

The speaker connectors I needed came in the mail today so I was able to hook the Sony up to a pair of Polk Audio bookshelf speakers and all I can say is Wow! For an all-in-one system, it really punches above its weight. It has a nice, rich sound--gotta love '70s analog systems--and it will drive those Polks with little if any noticeable distortion at normal listening volumes. Even though it's only 20 watts, it's sound quality is really more akin to a standalone receiver than a budget all-in-one.

I had a little time yesterday afternoon and took the lid off of it. I discovered it was manufactured December 24, 1979. I also discovered this thing is surprisingly clean inside. Very little dust. I sprayed the tuner and every switch and potentiometer with a liberal dose of CRC Electrical Contact Cleaner and what little scratchiness I'd heard through the headphones was gone when I fired it up today. I also cleaned the heads on the cassette deck and I repeatedly worked the play button for a couple of minutes. Now, the play button stays down fine, although you have to give it a pretty authoritative push.

The only thing that doesn't work is one of the lights on the tuner dial. There's one at each end and the one on the left, above the signal strength meter, doesn't work. At some point, I'll look into replacing it, but for now I'm quite happy if that's the only issue it has. I'm looking forward to enjoying some "relaxation therapy" with it this weekend.

 

[human]

Latest audio acquisition(s)

So I've been enjoying the Sony for the past week. I added a Magnavox CDB570 six-disc CD changer, which was made in 1987 and looks like it was just taken out of the box. But the madness bit me earlier this week and I made a last-second eBay impulse bid on a Kenwood KS-4000R receiver (the image below is from the eBay listing), which I won for a whopping $22.50, plus shipping. The unit arrived yesterday and it's in beautiful condition. Everything's 100 percent functional except for a somewhat scratchy volume control. I'll open it up and spray that down with contact cleaner this afternoon. Made in the early '80s, it's a very basic, entry level unit, putting out a whole 14 watts per channel, but it drives the Polks nicely with even less distortion and 'boominess' than the Sony.

What's very strange about this receiver is the connectors on the back. It accommodates only one pair of speakers via RCA plugs. You can connect two tape decks but there is no "Aux" port so the only option for connecting a CD player is to use the input side of the "Tape 1" RCA ports. "Tape 2" has only a 5-pin DIN connector. Fortunately, I have a late '70s vintage Pioneer cassette deck with the same DIN port, so I've ordered the necessary cable to use them together. Its most oddball feature is a Mic input on the front that allows the receiver to be used as a makeshift PA or even a rudimentary karaoke machine.

This purchase was prompted by the wave of nostalgia that hit me after I found the Sony. I started thinking about the Kenwood KR3400 receiver that I used to have until my ex-wife made me get rid of it. I'm not sure where I'm going to use the thing. I have the Sony sitting in the dining room where I can listen to music there and in the kitchen. It's better suited for that spot than the Kenwood because of its comparatively narrow front-to-back dimensions (8 inches vs. 18 inches). I may set it up in the back bedroom once I finish setting that up as a library. I think I've bagged my limit on vintage audio equipment for the time being, but you never know. If I were to find a KR3400 like I used to have in really pristine condition for a really nice price, I just might have to jump on it.

 

[human]

Update: no more scratchy volume

When I got home from work this afternoon, I opened up the Kenwood receiver (removed about a dozen screws and slid the guts out of its wood box) and sprayed the potentiometers (volume, balance, treble, bass controls) liberally with contact cleaner. It was amazingly clean inside. After I buttoned things up, I cleaned the gunk off the front as well as the RCA plugs in the back. When I tested it again, every hint of scratchiness was gone from the volume control. The thing is now working as perfectly as one can expect a 35-year-old piece of home electronics to do.

 

[electroluxxxx]

Edgar, if you really want some nostalgia go for the 1979 pioneer sx780 , prices can be really reasonable and sound is out of this world. Give it a shot as you can always resell it if you don't like it.

 

[human]

Pioneer Gear

Yes, I like Pioneer gear. I've got a late '70s vintage Pioneer cassette deck (don't remember the model number) and a Pioneer PL12DII turntable that I've had for more than 30 years. I even have a pair of Pioneer SE-205 headphones that I got new for Christmas in about 1977. I gravitated toward the Kenwood receiver because that's what I had back in the day. I kind of wish I had held out for something a little better than the KS4000-R, but it'll do for now. Once I get my library room finished, I'll set up what I have in there and decide where to go from there.

 

[human]

Speaking of Pioneer gear...

So I stopped off at one of my favorite Goodwill stores on my way home from work and sitting there on the shelf waiting for me was a Pioneer PD-M425 six-disc CD changer for the princely sum of $5. Needless to say, it left the store with me. I see these players in thrift shops all the time but I usually leave them sitting because they lack the disc magazine. Amazingly, this one had it. The thing powered up and tried to find a nonexistent disc, so for less than what the six-disc magazine alone would cost on eBay, I pulled the proverbial trigger.

When I got the thing home, I loaded the magazine with CD's, put it in the player, and pressed play and...nothing. It tried to load each disc and then displayed a "No Disc" message. After allowing myself to become momentarily disgusted and then consoling myself that I could at least get my money out of the player by listing the disc cartridge on eBay, I decided to take the lid off and see what was happening. When I did so, I immediately spied the problem. A disc was stuck in the mechanism. Fortunately, it wasn't wedged. As soon as I tipped the thing forward, it fell right out. When I tried the CD magazine again, it worked perfectly. I now have all the pieces for my "library system" whenever I get around to cleaning out that back bedroom. Everything's Pioneer except the Kenwood receiver and the "frankenspeakers" I built when I was in college. Hey, maybe this will actually encourage me get off my butt and make that room a reality so I can enjoy my new stereo components.

 

[suckolux]

so what was on that disc?

 

[super-sweeper]

Was just about to ask, Suckolux! 

 

[human]

"Sax Winterlude: Instrumentals for a Contemplative Christmas". Sounds like it's probably a bad ripoff of Kenny G. I haven't listened to it yet as I refuse to play any sort of holiday music before December 1 or the first Sunday of Advent, whichever comes later.

 

[suckolux]

So, had the quasi grandson over today with his dad to just hang out, he wants a turntable for Christmas! Babe I have a spare, He played with that all day, had never touched one! Wow. In love with it, even likes my old school music! I know where my stuff will go one day for sure. No wonder we get along so well!19 and 50 inside.

 

[human]

Wow. Gotta love a young person who wants to listen to music on something other than his iPhone and knows a turntable is used for something more than generating hip-hop scratch grooves.

I just acquired a turntable earlier this week. It's a real nice Sanyo TP 1020 direct drive unit. The dust cover looks like it just came out of the box. Unfortunately, the postman decided to set the thing on end on my doorstep and the platter came dislodged and trashed the stylus. I've ordered a replacement, which should be here early next week. In the meantime, I've transferred the head assembly over from my old Pioneer PL12D II. It has been a very long time since I've played my vinyl and it's amazing to hear the sumptuous warmth of the medium. I think maybe having listened just to CD's and MP3's for the past decade or longer has given me a new appreciation of the old ways.

The other thing I'm trying to decide whether to try to fix is the tone arm damping is pretty well gone on the Sanyo. The arm drops like a stone if I take my hand off the cueing lever. The fix will require taking the unit apart to add a few drops of silicone damping fluid. Right now, I'm going back and forth about whether to undertake it or use it as is. I'll probably do the latter for a while and then make a decision based on how much I use the turntable and how frustrated it makes me.

 

[vacuumlad1650]

Ill grab a picture later, but we have a FUNCTIONING 1930's Radio/record player in the basement.

 

[suckolux]

Yes, it was cool to see him " blossom" when he got the tunes going! He went to my recliner, semi kicked back and just smiled. He said its so warm and room filling, nothing sounds like vinyl! I told him to play anything you like, he wants to come back and spin again! There is a system in his " room" but he didn't know there was one in the living room too! Hell there is a small system in the garage!

 

[suckolux]

He loves my XXX Lux too, old soul in there!In all fairness his first year on this planet was mostly spent at my home! To his dad and him, this is still home.Both took a nap after dinner the other day.Stew in the last Le creuset dad gave me.

 

[human]

Reconstructed my college era stereo system

It's amazing what a few pieces of idle stereo gear can inspire one to accomplish. Ever since I moved into this house almost two years ago, my back bedroom has been a hell-pit of a dumping ground for everything I had yet to unpack or just didn't know what to do with. I literally hadn't been able to walk more than a couple feet into the room before this week. Buried in there were the remaining pieces of my college era stereo system, pretty much everything but the Kenwood KR-3400 receiver, which got away from me several years ago. Having recently acquired a somewhat lesser Kenwood KS-4000R receiver to replace it, I've been itching to set up this reconstruction/homage of my old stereo. Since my holiday break started this past week (joys of being a college prof.), I decided to tear into that room and make it into a library/listening room. It took three days of hard work, but yesterday afternoon, I finally got it cleared out, books on the shelves, sofa and coffee table in place, Persian rug on the floor, and stereo hooked up. Even though the receiver and CD changer were recent acquisitions, it was like saying hello to an old friend I hadn't seen in a long while. It was the first time in almost 15 years I'd heard sound out of my 'frankenspeakers' that I'd (re)built when I was in college. It was actually something of an emotional experience. The best part is my house actually feels a little more spacious now. I've got one more junked-up bedroom that needs attention but it'll have to wait until summer.

 

[gsohoover]

Sansui 9090

This is my Sansui 9090, along with a Technics SL-D2 turntable. I love listening to vinyl and the radio on this thing. I currently have it hooked up to a pair of Advents and a pair of Sansuis. Sounds amazing to my ears. No other stereo will sound the same again once you listen to vintage equipment.
- Tyler

 

[suckolux]

Nice! A lot like my turntable. Rough day here today on pain, I payed vinyl a lot! Somehow it helps.

 

[human]

Yeah, there's nothing like the sound of vintage vinyl through a vintage system. I spent a couple of hours doing that today. I even took a nap on my sofa for the first time since I put it in storage in 2009 (long story).

David--sorry to hear you're hurtin' but I'm glad the music helped ease things a bit.

 

[tolivac]

After seeing this-guess will have to dig out those older peices of Hi-Fi gear and hook 'em up!I have a tubed Leak amp and a pair of Altec speakers I bought from a pawn shop.No longer have my Karelson/Philups speakers from school days and the Scott amp-they got lost in the Rapid City flood of '72.So miss those things!The Scott was tube and had lots of good low end bass response for its amp size-the Scott had HUGE uutput transformers!The high end of it was very smooth.Now similar Scott amps sell for thousands today!Mine came from the trade in pile at McGuires Hi-Fi in Wash DC.Was only 50 bucks back in the early 70's.Wish I could find another for that price!!!!Scott LK48 int amp.

 

[suckolux]

It helps that I haven't moved in 35 years and lived here my whole life, things don't get lost as easy or have to get rid of. Kind of nice, in a boring sort of way