A different take from everyone else. Your advice about your Mom was spot on. Great advice. Enjoy your parents while you have them. I lost my Mom 5 years ago but I was smart enough to secretly turn on the voice recorder on my phone when I visited her. I made sure I asked a lot of questions. Now I can listen to her on my audio system down at my shop while I'm working on my old cars.
Great video. You are so right about the whole specs thing. My whole life I always went for specs when I bought amps or receivers. When my son gave me a Marantz 2220b about 10 years ago, I was blown away by the sound. It's 20 WPC is enough to drive my main system with power to spare. I restored it cosmetically and it now looks like new too. Merry Christmas to you and your family!
I never went by specs..I just trusted my ears Nothing wrong with that ! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year..to your family and co-workers and love ones ! Love your channel !!!! Keep up the great work !
What better place to seek "shelter from the storm" on a dark gray, freezing, sloppy day than a vintage stereo shop with glowing tuner dials, VU meters and midcentury modern light fixtures? You are a fortunate man. Frankly, I don't want any speakers that can't be driven by my 38 wpc Sansui AU-4900 -- or my 8 wpc Boyuurange A50 MKIII 300B tube amp (with point-to-point wiring). That's all I need to keep me warm...
You guys have become one of the highlights of my Sunday mornings. Love to come downstairs, make my americano, and sip it while watching your latest upload! Thank you, and keep up the good work!
Thanks for the video I really enjoy them I learn a lot I recently serviced my Pioneer SX 6000 wow I'm impressed way overbuilt high quality capacitors man it sounds fantastic have a Merry Christmas I'll keep watching keeps me inspired keeps me pushing to fix all my junk got to get as much repair as I can I'm a geezer Merry Christmas have a great day
Great info Kevin. I have a pair of Infinity RS IIb speakers that I bought used. I initially thought they had an issue because almost every receiver or amp I tried them with shut off or kicked into protection mode when getting enthusiastic with the volume knob. Ran into a review in a German Stereo magazine and their testing showed an impedance of 1.6 to 14 ohms across the frequency range. I now have them bi-amped on Carver TFM-15cb amps and absolutely love the setup.
I used to sell audio in the late 80s till the mid 90s, and the number of people who were so hung up on specs during that time was mind blowing. Some would get it after very detailed explanations and demos... for example, between a 40 watt Harman Kardon vs a 100 watt Pioneer, but you could tell others ended up buying the higher power (on specs) amplifier or speakers only because they were afraid of what their friends might think. A great video as usual. Merry Christmas to everyone at Skylab!
Hey there I love your channel. The worst Infinity was the Kappa 9. I worked at Federated Group, and my buddy who worked in our West L.A. store said they actually caused one out of a pair of largest (at the time) Denon mono amps to catch fire. Have you ever listened to a Sansui 1000A tube receiver? Fantastic and would make a great comparison to the 9090. Back in 1974 we compared them and it was no contest. The 50wpc 1000A rocked it. Could have been the weed, too. Cheers Kevin Deal
What a well executed video! These ideas are the things that I think about a lot when considering the pieces I buy and have bought. Especially Loudness! I’m a loudness person. ( So many people tell me loudness should not be engaged at medium to high volumes- I never turn it off!). Two suggestions for future videos: 1-I’d love to know about all the gear (cams, mics, lights) you useto make videos, past and present. 2-What gear you use at your bench, test gear, safety gear (fume extractor?) and tools. Thanks Kevin!
As a 16yo back in '77 buying my first receiver, I went with a Technics SA-5270. Still have one today. I did because I felt the Pioneers were "over boosted" in the bottom end and didn't sound natural. To me the Technics were similar to Yamaha in sound. Two years ago, I got back into this hobby of buying and repair/restore of vintage. The SX-727 was my very first Pioneer. And I fell in love. I now understood the "warmth" that they have. In 2 years I've had every x2x and x3x as well as a few x50 and x80 units. I still prefer the x2x. Well built and amazing sound. I think they are better sounding than any of the Marantz from the same time. And don't carry a "tax" like the Marantz tax. Always enjoy your videos. You are well known in the Eastern PA area. And I got my Skylabs t-shirt :)
I appreciate that you showed a KR 4070 I purchased one new back in 1977. Its a very good receiver at it's price point with more that enough power home or apartment use. And as I recall, the loudness button really made a difference. I would engage it and then turn the bass control down to 10 or 11 o'clock and the treble up to 1 o'clock. Listened to a lot of Pink Floyd, Alan Parsons, Boston and Kansas that way!
One of the first things I do is turn on the loudness switch and leave it on forever... That's just the way I like it..lol Great video Kev, it takes time and experimentation to find the right speaker to go with the right amp/ stereo receiver, especially when you're on a budget. Merry Christmas ❤🎄🎁🎉
Kevin, you like the 'loudness' option on and I like my DBX 3BX Series II w/ Impact Restoration on. Merry Christmas to you and all the staff at Skylabs Audio!
YES! I got my hoodie order on December 22th, just in time! Their Christmas presents for my son-in-law and daughter. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone!
Great video and great topic, Kevin! I think the aspect of system synergy when it comes to vintage gear is fascinating. Add phono cartridges into the mix and you could spend a lifetime comparing different combinations. Hope you and your family have very Merry Christmas!
I'm sitting here on a Friday evening in New Zealand, watching a few of your videos. I thought that I recognised a few pieces of equipment you have including the Pioneer SX-727. I have one of those. It was my fathers. It needs a total refurbishment and I will get that done in 2025. Sentimental value. Love the blackout display too.
Nice audio topic to examine, Kevin. You are right on about finding the right meshing of components to get the best sound. I was also pleasantly surprised to see my Kenwood KR-4070 receiver make a brief appearance. And yes, it has a very pronounced loudness circuit curve, vs some others. It's my current daily driver receiver, with excellent tuning section, and decent aux/CD and phono section performance. I drive some 1958-era KLH Model Six speakers to very hefty volumes, that probably are not very efficient speakers. I still like the Kenwood a little better than my former SX450 & SX650 receivers, for various reasons. Love the amber backlit tuning scale too. Great video as always! Have a very Merry Christmas!🌲
I had several of those vintage receivers before I moved to separates. With regard to Loudness compensation, I like what Yamaha does on their contemporary Integrated amps. Set the volume to the level you want, then turn the variable loudness control to get the desired amount of compensation.
Maybe I'm not doing this right but on my CR620 unless I have the loudness cranked all the way clockwise it sounds anemic. It may be that they have a linear rather than logarithmic volume pot.
@@CTinNorthvilleAt the risk of stating the obvious, there’s a lot of variables in the chain between turning any of those knobs and the sensory images created in your brain. The combination of volume control and loudness compensation curves and speaker impedance & sensitivity can just as easily work against you. I absolutely loved how the Yammy’s variable loudness contour worked, and was frankly never a fan of the much warmer tonality of the Marantz and Pioneers of the time - mid ‘70s to late ‘80s.
I worked for a lady I met through my dad years ago. I repaired er garage dorr and seen a Pioneer SX-1980 sitting up ontop of a shelving untit under a old roof of the garage. No climate comtrol. Getting dusty. Some time after the job.... I felt man.... that thing is going to weather out there beyond repair. I ask my dad to ask her if i could work around the house for it, but I never got an answer in return. That thing was beautful even lonley and dusty in that old garage. This video caused me to remeber that. I never heard the audio quality of one but sure is nice looking.
One of your Best Video discussions about different gear this year. Very nicely done. I always drool over the wall of great receivers in your shop (RUclips). Especially the amazing Receiver colors and controls. So many to choose from. I really enjoyed this one. Thanks for sharing Kevin. Merry Christmas!
Loudness controls (volume) pots are different depending on design. The standard pots are called audio taper. With these, you turn the control up to about 9:30, and there is a big jump in sound loudness. However, the other type of control is the linear taper type. This is probably what is in the Marantz. These types of pots are very common in Radio station control consoles. The change in loudness is linear and steady.
Great vid that really soeaks to me. While stationed in the UK in the mid 80's I and many others bought RS II infinity speakers. All of the sets my fellow airmen owned had aluminum foil wrapped around the 2 amp tweeter fuse😮😮😮😮
Dude, if I ever were to find myself anywhere near Des Moines a trip to your store would be a must! It would be nostalgia overload for an old stereo salesman from the late 70s and early 80s. I appreciate your content.
Kevin, that was an excellent video. Many people don't understand the relationship between power and the 3dB rule. Also, most amplifiers have a higher power rating at 4 ohms vs. 8 ohms. You cannot hear specs, let your ears be the judge! Keep up the good work! Happy Holidays!
Thanks for the share and your opinions Kevin. I think my best combo was an Onkyo P304/M504, Yamaha EQ, Teac cassettes deck (can’t remember the model) on a set of Klipsch Chorus in my barracks room in Germany 1987. We always swapped gear around to see what we liked. Again, thanks for the share!
What a great video. You teach us every time you release a new video. I couldn’t agree more about the quest to match pieces of gear to find synergy. And like you I’ve been surprised more than once with what plays well with what. I found a good match with my own Infinity RSlllb and my Kenwood KR8050 particularly with jazz. Sadly my Kenwood has stopped playing (certain switch configurations) and I’m going to get it fixed along with replacing the 45 year old capacitors if I could ever find a place to fix it. It’s a dying art as you know. I ended up selling the infinitys so it is just sitting till I find someone who knows what they’re doing. Meanwhile I’m listening to a Yamaha as3200 with Paradigm 95f speakers. This comment is too long already so I really just wanted to say thanks for putting these videos up for us and say hi to your mom.
Yep! Another good video Kevin. Damn man you do work hard. The main thing with listening to music is your own ears, in the end it's what YOU hear that matters...
There was a shop in my town that convinced me to purchase some Infinity POS-1's way back in 1972? At the time I had a 2230 and a small room to play them. I now have an inkling of why that was a difficult system to match as my square footage increased. As usual, very informative. Thank you and Merry Christmas
Great video! I can remember scrutinizing amplifier/receiver specs in the 70's and then I read an article that hit me right between the eyes, lol. In essence it was about THD specs and talking about how it really didn't matter what the spec was as most of the THD came from the music source material rather than from the electronics. A lot of those specs were more about marketing than anything useful to the buyer. It was a good lesson and taught me to use my ears to figure out what I liked! By the way it was somewhere around 1972 when I was 11 that Dad came home with a Sansui Au9500 and various other components that the love began :] I still have and use that AU9500 to this day. Thanks for what you do, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you, your family and crew.
"pairing" is a participation sport! :) I only watched the video because I saw Infinity on the title, hoping to catch a glimpse of emit tweeters. And I did! Thanks!
I older i get the less I need loundness, my Onkyo 2500mk2 and Marantz 2216b drive my 3 sets of speakers I alternate get different soundstage effect depending on mood, this vintage stereo is so mind blowing at times in a good way. Merry Christmas and best wishes to your family.
You brought back fond memories from my youth back in the 70's. My first receiver was a Marantz 2220B circa 1974. I sold it after hearing my friends Sansui 9090 in 1976 and bought a Concept 5.5. It was so much better than the Marantz 2220B. Years later, I replaced the Concept 5.5 with a Pioneer SX-60 in the early 1980s. Bad mistake. The Pioneer just looked so much more futuristic and was theoretically more powerful, but the Concept sounded better in my mind. I really missed that Concept. I paired it with Advent Utilities, then BIC Venturi Formula 4s, then finally with Cerwin Vega HED 15s. Talk about too loud! Sadly, our immediate neighbors were forced to call the police on me numerous times. Now At 63, I get it. As a teenager, not so much.
Wow what a great really kool video Kevin, I'm a loudness Guy also when I use my Sansui AU 717 which I just love had it since 1977 it just doesn't sound right until I flip the loudness switch so I get it, anyway keep on pumping out your awesome and very informative Video's as usual!!❤
Great video as always, me too I love loudness in the Realistic STA 2000 and 2000 D and the 2100 D has an awful loudness way too muddy. However, the 2300 and the 2100 has a perfect clear loudness. Hopefully one day you get to try those. FYI my technician installed a potentiometer on the back panel on those two said receivers and now I have adjustable loudness, which makes a huge difference now I can tone down the loudness a little bit.
Well, that was definitely fun! Love to see you do that with a couple other speakers. All the best of the Season to you and your Family and, by the way, answering the phone when your mom called, what can I say? That was sweet.
interesting video. with those RS 1.5 impedance drops coupled with 90 db listening levels its really testing how much current the power supply can deliver. Not to expand your scope or add more work but would be an interesting repeat with some larger integrated amps from the same era such as the AU-717, SA-9500.
Have you ever done a video on Infinity home stereo speakers ? i stumbled across a couple pair of infinitys and was quite impressed with their sound. back when they were privately owned, they were one of the most innovative brands made. then they got bought out and now only sell car audio. How tragic that such a great brand died.
Another issue that some don't understand in pairing gear is that you can more easily damage a speaker by under-driving it than over-driving it, ie blasting a 20wpc receiver into 200wpc speakers can wreck a driver due to distortion, whereas it's typically OK to use a 200wpc receiver/amp on speakers only rated for 100wpc, provided you're not trying to fill a dance hall with sound. At moderate volumes, that pairing is fine.
Way back in the day, I bought a pair of the Infinity Reference Studio Monitor, which is very similar to the Reference Standard 1.5 except the 12" woofer is conventional instead of Watkins Dual Drive. If I had kept them instead of doing upgrades, I would have been happy to this day. The receiver that drove them nicely was a Realistic STA-2080. They were too revealing for Pioneer (which the Realistic replaced). I had been searching for another pair, or the RS 1.5 when a pair of RS 2.5's came up at auction in my area... and I got them. refoamed the woofers and replaced 2 of the EMIM diagrams (they don't always age well), they are keepers until I die. While they deserve good separates, the original Carver receiver drives them with ease.
Worked in a mid fi store in the 80's and the Infinity 2.5's were true real hi fi. Give them enough power and they SING. 200 WPC with a high current amp and lawd have mercy. I have the 1.5's and imho the EMIMS are the real reason for the amazing clarity difference.
I have an Onkyo Integra 504 amp and 502 preamp, paired with Inifinity concerto speakers. the highest output I've ever pushed my amp was 5 watts, and it sounded fantastic, though the neighbors, who I share a wall with, didn't care for their pictures rattling on their walls.. Normally, I run the amp on 1-2 watts, and still have a great listening experience..
I got my first amp in 1996. A JVC RX-662V. It's still kicking ass right now. Yeah, it's not a holy grail, but It's never let me down and even the remote control still works 😂
Im listening to Infinity Kappa RS 7 with a Bryston 4BSST. Even with 500 watts a side at 4 ohms at like 100 db I can hear the Bryston start to crack a bit. I also have Infinity RS 8 powered by Bryston 7BSST2. Those at 105 db happy as 2 peas in a pod. Power is what the Infinity need. Sure I used to play a Yamaha CR70 ala your 801 and while it never exploded not the Bryston effect.
On some receivers the loudness only activates at lower volume. So if the Samsung was cranked up, the loudness affect may be minimal until you lower the volume.
I have an SX727 in my living room. It's really my first forey in '70s 2 channel coolness. I have a stack of others that I've inherited that I'll be refurbishing, including a Marantz 2220b that is up next. Eventually, they'll all cycle through, but the 727 will be hard to beat. I listen to mostly 80s and 90s Alternative and Rap, so the low-end punch is welcome. That being said, it does really well with Classical and now Christmas classics. I'm super happy with it, but we'll see what the others bring.
Another excellent video Kevin. Due to room constraint I listen nearfield. My speakers are very efficient at 99db/1 watt/ 1 meter. So it takes very little to get them singing. I doubt I ever get above using 2 watts from my 40 watts mono tube amps. And while my speakers are rated at 60 watts max, it really doesn’t make any difference for my application. Plus using only 2 watts makes it very easy on the amps, tubes and the speakers. Anyway, hard to drive speakers never made sense to me.
I have started collecting some baby receivers and they have been surprising me. I have had a SX-450 for a couple years and it is great for the hobby room. I would love the monster receivers but I missed the affordability and am finding out I don't need anywhere near 160wpc. I now love these low watt ones, I have the SX-450, Marantz 2010, Yamaha CR-240, Sansui 221 and a Kenwood KR-1400. I have a bunch of smaller speakers and some sound so good in the audio/hobby room. Boston CR6 speakers are really small but sound great and are affordable, I got 4 thrown in with a little lot of audio equipment I purchased. He just said it was old stuff but Pioneer Elite, Yamaha rx-v2095, boston cr6/cr400 speakers with a b&w cc3 center are still quality pieces! The spec that gets me excited now is a power rating under 20wpc, makes me ask how much they want for it lol If you don't answer a phone call from your mom then there is something terribly wrong! Thanks for another great video, Happy Holidays!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family! Hoping your dad is doing well. Thank you for all the videos and great information throughout this year. Looking forward to next year. Be well and take care! Dave in Sinking Spring, Pa. 😎☠️🏴☠️👍
The RS 1.5 are the predecessors to the RSM. In 1983 I bought a pair of RSMs with lawn mowing money, and they were the most expensive things I had ever bought up to that point. But I knew that speakers were possibly the most important part of an audio system, because they have the critical task of converting electrical signals into audible sound. I wasn't disappointed with them - I had never heard sound reproduced at that level of fidelity before. I still enjoy those RSMs today, but now they have 12 other pairs of companions throughout my house and garages.
Hey Kevin, I haven’t had loudness control on any of my recent equipment until I bought the Advance Paris MC 250 from you a while back. It’s at the bottom of the tone control menu and it’s worth the menu journey to turn it on at lower levels. Ken
Synergy can be remarkable when you find it. A pairing of a 12.5 watt per channel tube amp sounded good with a $10,000 pair of speakers in my system. But with a $1000 pair it sounded extraordinary. The reason ? The $1000 speakers were high efficiency single drivers. They matched the amp way better than the less efficient multi driver speakers.
For me I don't have a problem with loud (I am a survivor of AC/DC, Molly Hatchet, and Montrose at Vet's Auditorium) I like loud but it must not be so loud it takes the listening pleasure away and the sound must be crisp with instrumentation detail. Love the videos and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Interesting about the throw on the Marantz volume pots, I’m running a 2265 through Linton 85s and can’t get the knob past ten o’clock and I’m deep in the 80db range using the phono stage which is plenty for me in this room. Plenty! I’d love a more gradual gain on the unit. I have it artificially through a Wiim Ultra as a pre amp, but I’d still like it on the unit itself. Would have loved to buy some merch, but it looks like it was turned off for Canadians? There was nothing available when I last checked in November.
I have a Marantz 2225 hooked up to the Lintons 85th Anniversary- it’s an amazing pairing. On paper it shouldn’t work. Only 25 watts but others that have the 2225 report the same. Seems like it’s one to get. And you are right about the specs. They can help but they are definitely not the last word on how something will have the elusive synergy.
I fully appreciate the "little guys" and would like to try something right around 10 Wpc or even less with the speakers that I have. I've seen a Harman Kardon 230 pop up in my area and was sold almost immediately. Sansui 221 and 331 are just too pricey and I bought a 661 for less money. That KR-2120 would probably be the first one I'd check out on that wall.
What were the receivers that actually had a Loudness Volume Knob? You'd lower the Master Volume, then use the Loudness knob to increase the volume, adding more "Loudness" as you increased the volume. I loved that design.
Some Infinity trivia for you. All Infinity speakers in the '70s and '80s were voiced/tested using Audio Research & Marantz. In those days, Infinity and Marantz were walking distance from each other.
The term 'system synergy' bugs me, but 40 years of hifi tells me that it really IS a thing. Am fortunate to have several sound systems in my household, from 35 watt per channel to 360 watt per channel with additional watts to the subs " pro" gear that I used in a cover band. Thank you Skylabs for another Sunday vid with a creative topic . My son and I wear the shirts
Merry Christmas Kevin. In this video you said the 780 was completely different. What were you saying about the 780? I have one and love it so far. I always look forward to your videos.
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
A different take from everyone else. Your advice about your Mom was spot on. Great advice. Enjoy your parents while you have them. I lost my Mom 5 years ago but I was smart enough to secretly turn on the voice recorder on my phone when I visited her. I made sure I asked a lot of questions. Now I can listen to her on my audio system down at my shop while I'm working on my old cars.
Great video. You are so right about the whole specs thing. My whole life I always went for specs when I bought amps or receivers. When my son gave me a Marantz 2220b about 10 years ago, I was blown away by the sound. It's 20 WPC is enough to drive my main system with power to spare. I restored it cosmetically and it now looks like new too. Merry Christmas to you and your family!
I never went by specs..I just trusted my ears Nothing wrong with that ! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year..to your family and co-workers and love ones ! Love your channel !!!! Keep up the great work !
What better place to seek "shelter from the storm" on a dark gray, freezing, sloppy day than a vintage stereo shop with glowing tuner dials, VU meters and midcentury modern light fixtures? You are a fortunate man. Frankly, I don't want any speakers that can't be driven by my 38 wpc Sansui AU-4900 -- or my 8 wpc Boyuurange A50 MKIII 300B tube amp (with point-to-point wiring). That's all I need to keep me warm...
You guys have become one of the highlights of my Sunday mornings. Love to come downstairs, make my americano, and sip it while watching your latest upload! Thank you, and keep up the good work!
Sunday night walks for me.😉
Thanks for the video I really enjoy them I learn a lot I recently serviced my Pioneer SX 6000 wow I'm impressed way overbuilt high quality capacitors man it sounds fantastic have a Merry Christmas I'll keep watching keeps me inspired keeps me pushing to fix all my junk got to get as much repair as I can I'm a geezer Merry Christmas have a great day
Happy Holidays 🎉. SKYLAB family
Relaxing, informative, fun as usual. Thanks so much & Happy Holidays!
Great info Kevin. I have a pair of Infinity RS IIb speakers that I bought used. I initially thought they had an issue because almost every receiver or amp I tried them with shut off or kicked into protection mode when getting enthusiastic with the volume knob. Ran into a review in a German Stereo magazine and their testing showed an impedance of 1.6 to 14 ohms across the frequency range. I now have them bi-amped on Carver TFM-15cb amps and absolutely love the setup.
Great video, glad to hear Skylabs is having a good Christmas season!
Thanks for all the Sunday mornings together! Merry Christmas to all at Skylabs.
I used to sell audio in the late 80s till the mid 90s, and the number of people who were so hung up on specs during that time was mind blowing. Some would get it after very detailed explanations and demos... for example, between a 40 watt Harman Kardon vs a 100 watt Pioneer, but you could tell others ended up buying the higher power (on specs) amplifier or speakers only because they were afraid of what their friends might think. A great video as usual. Merry Christmas to everyone at Skylab!
Hey there I love your channel. The worst Infinity was the Kappa 9. I worked at Federated Group, and my buddy who worked in our West L.A. store said they actually caused one out of a pair of largest (at the time) Denon mono amps to catch fire.
Have you ever listened to a Sansui 1000A tube receiver? Fantastic and would make a great comparison to the 9090. Back in 1974 we compared them and it was no contest. The 50wpc 1000A rocked it. Could have been the weed, too. Cheers Kevin Deal
What a well executed video!
These ideas are the things that I think about a lot when considering the pieces I buy and have bought. Especially Loudness! I’m a loudness person. ( So many people tell me loudness should not be engaged at medium to high volumes- I never turn it off!).
Two suggestions for future videos:
1-I’d love to know about all the gear (cams, mics, lights) you useto make videos, past and present.
2-What gear you use at your bench, test gear, safety gear (fume extractor?) and tools.
Thanks Kevin!
As a 16yo back in '77 buying my first receiver, I went with a Technics SA-5270. Still have one today. I did because I felt the Pioneers were "over boosted" in the bottom end and didn't sound natural. To me the Technics were similar to Yamaha in sound. Two years ago, I got back into this hobby of buying and repair/restore of vintage. The SX-727 was my very first Pioneer. And I fell in love. I now understood the "warmth" that they have. In 2 years I've had every x2x and x3x as well as a few x50 and x80 units. I still prefer the x2x. Well built and amazing sound. I think they are better sounding than any of the Marantz from the same time. And don't carry a "tax" like the Marantz tax. Always enjoy your videos. You are well known in the Eastern PA area. And I got my Skylabs t-shirt :)
Bought my SX-828 in 1972 when I was 17. Wouldn't trade it for anything.
@@adamsanders9171 I've had 3 838's. They are my favorite Pioneer
I appreciate that you showed a KR 4070 I purchased one new back in 1977. Its a very good receiver at it's price point with more that enough power home or apartment use. And as I recall, the loudness button really made a difference. I would engage it and then turn the bass control down to 10 or 11 o'clock and the treble up to 1 o'clock. Listened to a lot of Pink Floyd, Alan Parsons, Boston and Kansas that way!
I have a Kenwood KR 7050 and the loudness function really boosts the bass a lot!
One of the first things I do is turn on the loudness switch and leave it on forever... That's just the way I like it..lol
Great video Kev, it takes time and experimentation to find the right speaker to go with the right amp/ stereo receiver, especially when you're on a budget.
Merry Christmas ❤🎄🎁🎉
I have a concept 5.5. I love it. Never letting go of it!!!!
Kevin, ALWAYS a joy to watch your channel. You’re a great guy. Happy New Years.
Kevin, you like the 'loudness' option on and I like my DBX 3BX Series II w/ Impact Restoration on. Merry Christmas to you and all the staff at Skylabs Audio!
YES! I got my hoodie order on December 22th, just in time! Their Christmas presents for my son-in-law and daughter. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone!
Great video and great topic, Kevin! I think the aspect of system synergy when it comes to vintage gear is fascinating. Add phono cartridges into the mix and you could spend a lifetime comparing different combinations.
Hope you and your family have very Merry Christmas!
Interesting as always. Merry Christmas to all mom too!😊
I'm sitting here on a Friday evening in New Zealand, watching a few of your videos. I thought that I recognised a few pieces of equipment you have including the Pioneer SX-727. I have one of those. It was my fathers. It needs a total refurbishment and I will get that done in 2025. Sentimental value. Love the blackout display too.
Nice audio topic to examine, Kevin. You are right on about finding the right meshing of components to get the best sound. I was also pleasantly surprised to see my Kenwood KR-4070 receiver make a brief appearance. And yes, it has a very pronounced loudness circuit curve, vs some others. It's my current daily driver receiver, with excellent tuning section, and decent aux/CD and phono section performance. I drive some 1958-era KLH Model Six speakers to very hefty volumes, that probably are not very efficient speakers. I still like the Kenwood a little better than my former SX450 & SX650 receivers, for various reasons. Love the amber backlit tuning scale too. Great video as always! Have a very Merry Christmas!🌲
I had several of those vintage receivers before I moved to separates.
With regard to Loudness compensation, I like what Yamaha does on their contemporary Integrated amps. Set the volume to the level you want, then turn the variable loudness control to get the desired amount of compensation.
Maybe I'm not doing this right but on my CR620 unless I have the loudness cranked all the way clockwise it sounds anemic. It may be that they have a linear rather than logarithmic volume pot.
@@CTinNorthvilleAt the risk of stating the obvious, there’s a lot of variables in the chain between turning any of those knobs and the sensory images created in your brain. The combination of volume control and loudness compensation curves and speaker impedance & sensitivity can just as easily work against you.
I absolutely loved how the Yammy’s variable loudness contour worked, and was frankly never a fan of the much warmer tonality of the Marantz and Pioneers of the time - mid ‘70s to late ‘80s.
I worked for a lady I met through my dad years ago. I repaired er garage dorr and seen a Pioneer SX-1980 sitting up ontop of a shelving untit under a old roof of the garage. No climate comtrol. Getting dusty. Some time after the job.... I felt man.... that thing is going to weather out there beyond repair. I ask my dad to ask her if i could work around the house for it, but I never got an answer in return. That thing was beautful even lonley and dusty in that old garage. This video caused me to remeber that. I never heard the audio quality of one but sure is nice looking.
One of your Best Video discussions about different gear this year. Very nicely done. I always drool over the wall of great receivers in your shop (RUclips). Especially the amazing Receiver colors and controls. So many to choose from. I really enjoyed this one. Thanks for sharing Kevin. Merry Christmas!
Yippieeeee, got to be the first to open your video… I love your videos… Hello from Tonawanda NY😎
@ good Morning Canada 😎
Another good one, Kevin. Spec sheets can only tell you so much. You need to spend time listening to find components that meet your expectations.
Happy Holidays to Skylabs Audio!
Loudness controls (volume) pots are different depending on design. The standard pots are called audio taper. With these, you turn the control up to about 9:30, and there is a big jump in sound loudness. However, the other type of control is the linear taper type. This is probably what is in the Marantz. These types of pots are very common in Radio station control consoles. The change in loudness is linear and steady.
Great vid that really soeaks to me. While stationed in the UK in the mid 80's I and many others bought RS II infinity speakers. All of the sets my fellow airmen owned had aluminum foil wrapped around the 2 amp tweeter fuse😮😮😮😮
I love to hear people loving their music! I think I'll go back to listening to my Christmas music now that I've watched your video. Mele Kalikimaka!
Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!
Merry Christmas to you, Sir!
Dude, if I ever were to find myself anywhere near Des Moines a trip to your store would be a must! It would be nostalgia overload for an old stereo salesman from the late 70s and early 80s. I appreciate your content.
Kevin, that was an excellent video. Many people don't understand the relationship between power and the 3dB rule. Also, most amplifiers have a higher power rating at 4 ohms vs. 8 ohms. You cannot hear specs, let your ears be the judge! Keep up the good work! Happy Holidays!
Thanks for the share and your opinions Kevin. I think my best combo was an Onkyo P304/M504, Yamaha EQ, Teac cassettes deck (can’t remember the model) on a set of Klipsch Chorus in my barracks room in Germany 1987. We always swapped gear around to see what we liked. Again, thanks for the share!
What a great video. You teach us every time you release a new video. I couldn’t agree more about the quest to match pieces of gear to find synergy. And like you I’ve been surprised more than once with what plays well with what. I found a good match with my own Infinity RSlllb and my Kenwood KR8050 particularly with jazz. Sadly my Kenwood has stopped playing (certain switch configurations) and I’m going to get it fixed along with replacing the 45 year old capacitors if I could ever find a place to fix it. It’s a dying art as you know. I ended up selling the infinitys so it is just sitting till I find someone who knows what they’re doing. Meanwhile I’m listening to a Yamaha as3200 with Paradigm 95f speakers. This comment is too long already so I really just wanted to say thanks for putting these videos up for us and say hi to your mom.
I have the Concept 16.5 and it is a killer. Fabulous sound!
Yep! Another good video Kevin. Damn man you do work hard. The main thing with listening to music is your own ears, in the end it's what YOU hear that matters...
There was a shop in my town that convinced me to purchase some Infinity POS-1's way back in 1972? At the time I had a 2230 and a small room to play them. I now have an inkling of why that was a difficult system to match as my square footage increased. As usual, very informative. Thank you and Merry Christmas
Great video! I can remember scrutinizing amplifier/receiver specs in the 70's and then I read an article that hit me right between the eyes, lol. In essence it was about THD specs and talking about how it really didn't matter what the spec was as most of the THD came from the music source material rather than from the electronics. A lot of those specs were more about marketing than anything useful to the buyer. It was a good lesson and taught me to use my ears to figure out what I liked! By the way it was somewhere around 1972 when I was 11 that Dad came home with a Sansui Au9500 and various other components that the love began :] I still have and use that AU9500 to this day. Thanks for what you do, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you, your family and crew.
"pairing" is a participation sport! :) I only watched the video because I saw Infinity on the title, hoping to catch a glimpse of emit tweeters. And I did! Thanks!
I older i get the less I need loundness, my Onkyo 2500mk2 and Marantz 2216b drive my 3 sets of speakers I alternate get different soundstage effect depending on mood, this vintage stereo is so mind blowing at times in a good way. Merry Christmas and best wishes to your family.
You brought back fond memories from my youth back in the 70's. My first receiver was a Marantz 2220B circa 1974. I sold it after hearing my friends Sansui 9090 in 1976 and bought a Concept 5.5. It was so much better than the Marantz 2220B. Years later, I replaced the Concept 5.5 with a Pioneer SX-60 in the early 1980s. Bad mistake. The Pioneer just looked so much more futuristic and was theoretically more powerful, but the Concept sounded better in my mind. I really missed that Concept. I paired it with Advent Utilities, then BIC Venturi Formula 4s, then finally with Cerwin Vega HED 15s. Talk about too loud! Sadly, our immediate neighbors were forced to call the police on me numerous times. Now At 63, I get it. As a teenager, not so much.
Wow what a great really kool video Kevin, I'm a loudness Guy also when I use my Sansui AU 717 which I just love had it since 1977 it just doesn't sound right until I flip the loudness switch so I get it, anyway keep on pumping out your awesome and very informative Video's as usual!!❤
Great video as always, me too I love loudness in the Realistic STA 2000 and 2000 D and the 2100 D has an awful loudness way too muddy. However, the 2300 and the 2100 has a perfect clear loudness. Hopefully one day you get to try those. FYI my technician installed a potentiometer on the back panel on those two said receivers and now I have adjustable loudness, which makes a huge difference now I can tone down the loudness a little bit.
Excellent video so much fun . Merry Christmas !! .
You can always do a short follow-up video on the H/K 730 twin when one becomes available.
I've always been interested in those.
Well, that was definitely fun! Love to see you do that with a couple other speakers. All the best of the Season to you and your Family and, by the way, answering the phone when your mom called, what can I say? That was sweet.
interesting video. with those RS 1.5 impedance drops coupled with 90 db listening levels its really testing how much current the power supply can deliver. Not to expand your scope or add more work but would be an interesting repeat with some larger integrated amps from the same era such as the AU-717, SA-9500.
Great video
Thanks, and Happy Holidays
Have you ever done a video on Infinity home stereo speakers ? i stumbled across a couple pair of infinitys and was quite impressed with their sound. back when they were privately owned, they were one of the most innovative brands made. then they got bought out and now only sell car audio. How tragic that such a great brand died.
Merry Christmas!
Thank you! Merry Christmas.
Another issue that some don't understand in pairing gear is that you can more easily damage a speaker by under-driving it than over-driving it, ie blasting a 20wpc receiver into 200wpc speakers can wreck a driver due to distortion, whereas it's typically OK to use a 200wpc receiver/amp on speakers only rated for 100wpc, provided you're not trying to fill a dance hall with sound. At moderate volumes, that pairing is fine.
Season's Greetings, Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to you!
Another great video 😊
Kevin I love your videos and can’t wait to make it out to your area and visit your store and make some purchases.
Very helpful, thank you!
I always hv the loudness on! Kenwood/klipsch/bose. Great video
My synergy epiphany was AR3a with a 9090db with a Kenwood 5060 Turntable source, it is the best synergy I ever heard.
Way back in the day, I bought a pair of the Infinity Reference Studio Monitor, which is very similar to the Reference Standard 1.5 except the 12" woofer is conventional instead of Watkins Dual Drive. If I had kept them instead of doing upgrades, I would have been happy to this day. The receiver that drove them nicely was a Realistic STA-2080. They were too revealing for Pioneer (which the Realistic replaced). I had been searching for another pair, or the RS 1.5 when a pair of RS 2.5's came up at auction in my area... and I got them. refoamed the woofers and replaced 2 of the EMIM diagrams (they don't always age well), they are keepers until I die. While they deserve good separates, the original Carver receiver drives them with ease.
Worked in a mid fi store in the 80's and the Infinity 2.5's were true real hi fi. Give them enough power and they SING. 200 WPC with a high current amp and lawd have mercy. I have the 1.5's and imho the EMIMS are the real reason for the amazing clarity difference.
I have an Onkyo Integra 504 amp and 502 preamp, paired with Inifinity concerto speakers. the highest output I've ever pushed my amp was 5 watts, and it sounded fantastic, though the neighbors, who I share a wall with, didn't care for their pictures rattling on their walls.. Normally, I run the amp on 1-2 watts, and still have a great listening experience..
The kappa 9 (v1) are true amp killers. They dip really low (2ohm) at 45hz.
I have 7s and 8s never 9s they apparently dont sound as good as the 8s but I could be wrong there.
I got my first amp in 1996. A JVC RX-662V. It's still kicking ass right now. Yeah, it's not a holy grail, but It's never let me down and even the remote control still works 😂
Im listening to Infinity Kappa RS 7 with a Bryston 4BSST. Even with 500 watts a side at 4 ohms at like 100 db I can hear the Bryston start to crack a bit. I also have Infinity RS 8 powered by Bryston 7BSST2. Those at 105 db happy as 2 peas in a pod. Power is what the Infinity need. Sure I used to play a Yamaha CR70 ala your 801 and while it never exploded not the Bryston effect.
On some receivers the loudness only activates at lower volume. So if the Samsung was cranked up, the loudness affect may be minimal until you lower the volume.
I have an SX727 in my living room. It's really my first forey in '70s 2 channel coolness. I have a stack of others that I've inherited that I'll be refurbishing, including a Marantz 2220b that is up next. Eventually, they'll all cycle through, but the 727 will be hard to beat. I listen to mostly 80s and 90s Alternative and Rap, so the low-end punch is welcome. That being said, it does really well with Classical and now Christmas classics. I'm super happy with it, but we'll see what the others bring.
Another excellent video Kevin. Due to room constraint I listen nearfield. My speakers are very efficient at 99db/1 watt/ 1 meter. So it takes very little to get them singing. I doubt I ever get above using 2 watts from my 40 watts mono tube amps. And while my speakers are rated at 60 watts max, it really doesn’t make any difference for my application. Plus using only 2 watts makes it very easy on the amps, tubes and the speakers. Anyway, hard to drive speakers never made sense to me.
Merry Christmas to all! Kevin I hope your dad is doing well.
I have started collecting some baby receivers and they have been surprising me. I have had a SX-450 for a couple years and it is great for the hobby room. I would love the monster receivers but I missed the affordability and am finding out I don't need anywhere near 160wpc. I now love these low watt ones, I have the SX-450, Marantz 2010, Yamaha CR-240, Sansui 221 and a Kenwood KR-1400. I have a bunch of smaller speakers and some sound so good in the audio/hobby room. Boston CR6 speakers are really small but sound great and are affordable, I got 4 thrown in with a little lot of audio equipment I purchased. He just said it was old stuff but Pioneer Elite, Yamaha rx-v2095, boston cr6/cr400 speakers with a b&w cc3 center are still quality pieces! The spec that gets me excited now is a power rating under 20wpc, makes me ask how much they want for it lol
If you don't answer a phone call from your mom then there is something terribly wrong!
Thanks for another great video, Happy Holidays!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family! Hoping your dad is doing well. Thank you for all the videos and great information throughout this year. Looking forward to next year. Be well and take care!
Dave in Sinking Spring, Pa.
😎☠️🏴☠️👍
Merry Christmas to Kevin and the crew!
The RS 1.5 are the predecessors to the RSM. In 1983 I bought a pair of RSMs with lawn mowing money, and they were the most expensive things I had ever bought up to that point. But I knew that speakers were possibly the most important part of an audio system, because they have the critical task of converting electrical signals into audible sound. I wasn't disappointed with them - I had never heard sound reproduced at that level of fidelity before. I still enjoy those RSMs today, but now they have 12 other pairs of companions throughout my house and garages.
I bought a new pair of RSM’s in 1979. Nicely driven by a Marantz 2240b and really came alive with a Yamaha 250w/ channel power amp was added.
Best audio advice ever!
happy new year to you and yours
I love my loudness controls. I really like the 2 stage on my Kenwood KA-9100
Hey Kevin, I haven’t had loudness control on any of my recent equipment until I bought the Advance Paris MC 250 from you a while back. It’s at the bottom of the tone control menu and it’s worth the menu journey to turn it on at lower levels.
Ken
Wish I could have a conversation with you about that Loudness button and how it’s employed on a McIntosh C26 and an Audio Research SP3.
love your channel
Great video Kevin!
Hey Kevin Merry Christmas to you and your's give Dad a High Five!
Synergy can be remarkable when you find it. A pairing of a 12.5 watt per channel tube amp sounded good with a $10,000 pair of speakers in my system. But with a $1000 pair it sounded extraordinary. The reason ? The $1000 speakers were high efficiency single drivers. They matched the amp way better than the less efficient multi driver speakers.
For me I don't have a problem with loud (I am a survivor of AC/DC, Molly Hatchet, and Montrose at Vet's Auditorium) I like loud but it must not be so loud it takes the listening pleasure away and the sound must be crisp with instrumentation detail. Love the videos and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Interesting about the throw on the Marantz volume pots, I’m running a 2265 through Linton 85s and can’t get the knob past ten o’clock and I’m deep in the 80db range using the phono stage which is plenty for me in this room. Plenty! I’d love a more gradual gain on the unit. I have it artificially through a Wiim Ultra as a pre amp, but I’d still like it on the unit itself.
Would have loved to buy some merch, but it looks like it was turned off for Canadians? There was nothing available when I last checked in November.
I have a Marantz 2225 hooked up to the Lintons 85th Anniversary- it’s an amazing pairing. On paper it shouldn’t work. Only 25 watts but others that have the 2225 report the same. Seems like it’s one to get. And you are right about the specs. They can help but they are definitely not the last word on how something will have the elusive synergy.
I fully appreciate the "little guys" and would like to try something right around 10 Wpc or even less with the speakers that I have. I've seen a Harman Kardon 230 pop up in my area and was sold almost immediately. Sansui 221 and 331 are just too pricey and I bought a 661 for less money. That KR-2120 would probably be the first one I'd check out on that wall.
The wall is looking so good
When you do listening tests and comparisons, do you clean out earwax beforehand? Any tips for that? Hydrogen peroxide, baby oil...?
Loved the "What About Bob" reference! :>)
Happy holidays!
What were the receivers that actually had a Loudness Volume Knob? You'd lower the Master Volume, then use the Loudness knob to increase the volume, adding more "Loudness" as you increased the volume. I loved that design.
Yamaha tend to include the loudness dial feature.
Any recommendations on where to shipman Onkyo M-504 for recapping and speaker terminal check??
Some Infinity trivia for you. All Infinity speakers in the '70s and '80s were voiced/tested using Audio Research & Marantz. In those days, Infinity and Marantz were walking distance from each other.
The term 'system synergy' bugs me, but 40 years of hifi tells me that it really IS a thing. Am fortunate to have several sound systems in my household, from 35 watt per channel to 360 watt per channel with additional watts to the subs " pro" gear that I used in a cover band. Thank you Skylabs for another Sunday vid with a creative topic . My son and I wear the shirts
BTW - this was a fun one 😊
How sweet would it be to have a “wall” of amplifiers and receivers? It’s good you do so you can nail it down for us.
Merry Christmas Kevin. In this video you said the 780 was completely different. What were you saying about the 780? I have one and love it so far. I always look forward to your videos.