We Used To Love Them! What Changed?
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- Опубликовано: 23 сен 2024
- This week, we’re diving into some vintage stereo pieces that we once adored but might want to rethink today.
In a world filled with disposable electronics, finding someone to repair your cherished gear can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. Have you considered the challenges you might face with these nostalgic relics?
In this video, we’ll cover some pitfalls that could change your perspective on those vintage pieces. Whether you’re eager to relive your childhood memories or curious about that cool thing you’ve always wanted to try, we’ve got insights that might surprise you!
What’s changed in the world of vintage audio? Tune in and find out!
We’d love to hear from you in the comments: have you faced any struggles with these classic music makers? Is there a particular piece we missed?
Enjoy!
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Put a smile to my face seeing DAD walk in and look at the familiar surroundings. Its no fun being hospitalized 🙏🏼
Glad to see DAD is back !!!
Thank you!
Kevin, I'm so happy to your dad back. Enjoy every moment! WELCOME BACK DAD 😊
Thank you!!
We lost our dad in 2016 and it still isn’t the same. Awesome to see you dad is healthy and back to doing what he likes! ❤️🤗🙏
Your Dad is an inspiration. Futzing with these old pieces of history just gets in you blood and I'm glad to see he's back at the bench!
Thank you, me too!
DAD'S BACK! THAT MADE ME HAPPY.
Thank you, me too!
I am happy to say that this old man has avoided owning every single item on your list.
Welcome back, DAD!
Thanks
In 1971 I was apprenticing with an Electronic Technician's Guild member. Cambridge MA had a customer base that you would expect and is comprised of many walk up older buildings with limited parking. I grimace, even now, thinking of the number of Consoles we loaded/unloaded into the International Harvester and many included 25 inch CRT color sets along with different audio quality levels built in. Glad to see the voice of experience has returned!
I found it interesting how people spent huge $$$ on these devices back in the 60's but then Kevin mentions how 10 years later parents didn't have the money to buy anything except those all in one units for the kids. 😂
When I owned a small business I learned that there were some customers that I could not afford. I learned it the hard way.
Great to see your Father back. God Bless Him.
Thanks!
Your Dad being Back just made My Day!!!!!!
Thank you, mine too!
Very happy to see your dad in the shop again. You're lucky to have such a relationship with him. I'm sure there's a few viewers out there, like myself, that wish we had that with our own fathers. 😊
Couldn't agree more!
Our job as audiophiles is to take what's obsolete and "LOVE IT FOREVER!!!!!"
How can you not!? Thanks
I have my parents 61 Magnavox console. That's the year my Dad said he bought it. It's a record player unit only, and shows the wear from being moved many, many times. I installed a new needle years ago, and it functions perfectly with big warm sound! An absolutely amazing machine. Stacking 45's (yes l have a lot) on it is especially fun!
Dad looks happy to be back! So glad he is doing well :) Thanks for the video!
Thank you!
I own a linear tracking TT. The Revox B-790 I purchased in the summer of 1978. "Tone arm", is 1.75 inches long and the beast still works.
My Technics SL-7 from a dumpster is a little beast that thing is nearly as heavy as my SL-1200 mkII with it's foot print the same as an album jacket. I believe the. tone arm and cartridge is about 9 grams. The Stanton L747S cartridge is 6 grams it self. It's been the daily driver now and my Philips 212 electric that I used for decades as a daily driver. Is 😢. That 1200 also trash picked has the lower bearing in the tone arm missing when I found it...hopefully something from the vast world of cartridge bearings will fit . Yep the full manual and semi auto are waiting for time at the bench. While the full automatic linear tracking close"n"play that automatically cleans the record it the daily driver. Fortunately the tone arm slide bearing hasn't been greased and is in good shape..It will need the belt for the servo motor for the tone arm drive eventually . That is simple and minimal disassembly to do so. Hopefully the platter bearing is a bronze oil bushings and the cup for the ball is like wise. It's was made in 82 . The late seventies to the mid eighties the higher end stuff was very well made with high quality longer lasting durable prarts were well engineered without being over engineered. My JVC DD-7 is a beast of a cassette deck. Nothing extravagant but every thing to get the job done well.
@@stevengagnon4777 I like the cost of your TT. I caught a transport hop on a C 141 and bought mine at PX in Germany. Still the cost was substantial. I've built my speakers and electronics since 1980. From Class A, MOSFET output, multiered power supplies, where the output transistors operate at 90 C. To what I'm listening through now. I'm done chasing after hardware.(2) valve OTL amps from kits, one a monobloc Class AB (american designation) Soviet military avionics, voltage regulator, the 6C19PI. Bought extra valves from the factory at Ulyanovsk, pre war. 2 bucks a piece for 320. The monoblocs run 16/channel. The other amp an SET OTL employing JJ Electronics EL 509, (3)/channel. The cost of these since the war, has only gone up.I've built two different speakers systems. One based on the Speakerlab Auricle, planar magnetic, push pull, line source, dipole, the RD 57. Xovered to (2) Morel 6 inch woofers/channel. Each loaded into schedule 40 PVC pipe and (4) 90 degree elbows/channel, so that the 12 ft long lines', physical terminus aligns with each woofer. Stack them one line on top of another, place them next to a side wall in the listening room with the planar magnetic off to the side, into the room. Meets my requirements that my speakers sound like my Stax MK III's. I'm hopelessly addicted to the gear, also into the notes, play a left handed strat, since '76.
Excellent to see dad! So valuable, I took my dad to work once, turns out this was short before his passing and I have such fond memories of that. I wish you many great years with yours, cherish every moment!
I appreciate your take on the don'ts in vintage hiifi. Have said this I do like the more private repair guys that "keep them running", be it consols, be it r2r, quad stuff, turntables etc. It's all such a nice heritage to conserve where possible.
Nowadays you can get many quad recordings in 4-channel digital format and just play them out via a multichannel DAC, perhaps using 2 amps and 4 speakers, just to enjoy those great (usually Pink Floyd) recordings
Thanks!
Having lost my Dad last year it makes me so happy to see you and your Dad together again, working side by side. Treasure every day you get together.
Thank you and very sorry for the loss of yours.
It's so awesome to see your Dad back. I can tell his happy to be back at the shop working on equipment and having his son with him. Cherish the father & Son connection. I truly miss my Dad doing things together. Sending love & respect and happy tunes to you.👍😊🍁🤝🇺🇸👍😊
Thank you so much
Woohoo! Go dad! Still helping his boy : ) Continued prayers for growing strength in all areas!
Thank you!
And being aroud his age, great to see your dad doing well!
Good to See Dad Back & Smiling. Us older tube radio guys call the consoles Aircraft Carriers lol Huge enough to land a plane on.
lol, true!
Expected all that were on your list. Congrats on your Dad being back and healthy.
Thank you!
I have a Teac X-1000r. Totally flawless, not a single scratch. Starts to play the tape then stops. Needs service. I like just looking at it. Someday I will see about getting it serviced. If that does not work out I will keep it as part of my equipment regardless. The sound of Reel-to-Reel is awesome.
And...your Dad coming back is awesome!
Great news about your Dad! I own two of the no go items. I have a Magnovox Console for nostalgic reasons. It reminds me of my Dad's Maggie. It sounds and works fine. If it bellys up, I won't repair it. That beast weighs a ton. I also own a Teac Reel to Reel that I bought recently. It wasn't expensive and after a little cleaning and fiddling, it's working good for a machine from 1972. If it craps out, I'm fine with ditching it. It was a curiosity that has been satisfied. It's fun to use and sounds really good hooked up to my system.
Doggy meds! 😅
Great seeing your dad back, Kevin ✌🏻
Thanks!
When I was a kid a long, long time ago my mom hired a British guy to build and awesome console with fine cabinetry and a Garrard turntable. It was her pride and joy, until she came home from work one night and it was gone. My father who had a huge gambling problem had pawned it to place a ''sure thing'' bet on the ponies. We never saw it again and my mom who divorced shortly after never really got over it.
Man, that is one sad story. Sorry- what a bummer
Glad to see your dad is back. Family is everything. This is by far my favorite RUclips channel
I appreciate that! Thank you
DAD is Back !!!!! 😄😄😄😄😄😄 This is GREAT to see Kevin , And Thank you for what you do !!!
Thank you so much!
Yay!! Dad is back!!🎉 Been praying for him!! This is awesome news!! And hope you don't get any ill affects from taking Moo's meds!! 🤭 Have a great day!
You too! Thanks!
Welcome back Dad! We missed you. God bless. Here’s to many more years of music! Wyoming sends love and peace!
Thank you!
So happy to see DAD is back and smiling. Please extend my very best regards and thank you for this presentation.
Thank you, I will
I totally get all of those. I think the thing people are missing out on is the old low end reel to reel game. Some friends and I have reliable and easy to service akai gx decks and have found tubs of old tapes that play well and have had so much fun making recordings for each other and mix tapes. They are so much less difficult to get right than cassette (and I have done a ton of great decks) and are so tactile and fun. Really a great way for us to share recording of our records. I even use them for parties.
You're so blessed to have your dad working with you on a labor of love. ❤❤
Thank you! I 👍
I agree 100% with all these choices, life is too short to be spending time working on these. Welcome back Dad, good to see you on this side of the grass.
Thanks Craig!
Great walk down memory lane. The many new generations will never fully understand what they missed..
This might be one of the most useful video's for people with minimal audio experience ever.
Thank you so much!
One other thing. It's great to see your dad back again. Be well❗
Thanks 👍
Shocked to hear about the R to R's. Also shocked to see that Dad's back so soon. Congrat's.
Thank you!
Good on your dad. Enjoy every minute you have with him. ❤
Thanks, I will.
Good to see your dad back. Enjoy your time together.
Thank you. I will
I inherited my dad's R2R when he passed and after years of intentions, I finally gave up on it and said good bye to it. He didn't use it much and didn't have a large reel collection. I couldn't see myself getting into it with the cost and lack of availability of tapes and with no live music recording intentions, but I always loved the look of those things.
So good to see your dad back.....I miss mine as he lives a long way from where I do, and I don't get back much.
How wonderful having your dad there..!❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️👍🏻
It really is!
Yay !! So happy to see Dad is back!! Thank God he looks great !
Thank you!
Welcome back to your Dad. Great news! On the other hand, I am a why-did-I-do-that? owner of a pair of Bose 901s from 1974. Ya live and ya learn. Another great video (despite being drugged up). Thanks!
Thank you! Hopefully that wont happen again ;)
My grandpa we called “pops” would go to estate sales, garage sales, auctions and would buy vintage audio. He would fix them and give them away to people that wanted or needed a stereo. He gave me my first unit which was a magnavox all in one. Receiver, 8 track and turntable. Thank goodness it had rca inputs so I could connect my cassette player to it. It had almost no power but still annoyed the crap out of my dad. Thanks pops for getting me into audio at age 9!
Rca plugs been around for like 100 years
@@stevieg2755 and what is your point?
It's great to see your dad, he's looking pretty good. I'm happy for the both of you. That put a big smile on my face. 🙂🙏
😊 thank you
So happy to see your dad is back. All the very best to him.
Thanks!
Kevin, it's good to see your dad is back! Wonderful news. No shockers on this list.
Thank you
I had the Marantz 4300... awesome piece of kit, and due to the design and manufacture, had the best stereo reproduction, as each channel was separate. With a switchable output between 40wRMS, and 100wRMS it could properly kick ass...
Very happy to know your fathers is back!
Thank you!
Wow! Your dad's back!!!! That all that really matters.
Greatly enjoying your channel. Most illuminating.
Thanks so much
Glad to see your Dad is back at the store. Best wishes to him.
Thank you!
Great to see your dad is back. Looks quite healthy, let's hope this continues for a long time.
I hope so too! Thanks
I recall that back in the ‘80’s while serving overseas, most guys were all excited about the Bose 901’s. I did not like the sound, but mostly as an electronics guy, I read the specs and realized that a whole lot of power would be needed to properly drive them. Instead I went with Klipsch Heresy and never regretted it..
Same situation with me overseas with the AF. I went with Klipsch over 901's in the 80's. Still have and use my stereo components.
1) I was... very briefly... a Magnavox sales rep in the early 1980's. By that time we were obviously getting killed by component audio in the marketplace. The only thing we could promote was the quality of our all-wood cabinetry, worth far more than the crappy components inside it. There's a problem when you're trying to sell furniture to audio stores. Nowadays they make excellent home cocktail bars 2) Like you I'm sad to see reel-to-reels on this list. I owned premiere models by Teac, Akai and Pioneer. Back then few people bought commercially recorded tapes; most people copied music from borrowed records or FM broadcasts-- radio DJ's (KSHE95 Real Rock Radio) would announce what was coming up and cue the listener with "Start your machines NOW." 3) The only time I ever seriously considered quadrophonic as a viable format was in a hazy college dorm room listening to Edgar Winter's "Frankenstein" at maximum volume from a Sansui QRX9001. But then I sobered up. 4) Welcome back Dad!
Very interesting salesman's point of view on console sales. Thank you for sharing!
As a tech for over 40+ years who had a shop for 30 years in a rehearsal studio that was literally 6 foot (if that !) by 25 feet with shared storage also in there . Did a lot of mixing consoles on their sides LOL BUT every one of those you picked ? I wouldn't go near even then . Back in the mid 70s a place I started out at did receivers , tuners, pre amps and such and even then we'd argue over who was going to work on the reel to reels !!! Some things are just time wasters . Glad to see your Pop is back enjoying himself !!
Thank you!
Nope, I'm not surprised at any of those items on your list and totally understand.
It's so great to see your dad back🎉
Thank you, Kara. Glad he is back :)
Got a zenith all-in-one when I was a kid that was retired from someone else. First thing I did was hack the turntable off of it. Used a jewelry box. Removed the drawer, made a receiver out of part of it and made a separate turntable cabinet for the turntable my first stereo
18:32 Kevin, I'm so glad that your dad, Ken, is much better now and is back working at your shop. :)
Thank you!
Reel to reel is a labor of love. I have had many over the years and if I did not have the desire to work on them myself as much as I could, I never would have had any. Oddy enough, the Revox A77 and B77 are still well known and popular the world over, and still have a decent amount of parts available on line. So even though they are expensive, they can be a better bet since they were built to be serviced, practically for life, and if one were to dive in and learn how they work and how to service one safely, having one is a treat like no other.
The Revox decks are kind of another league IMO. Thanks!
Happy to see your dad back home😃
Thanks!
I have 4 Pioneer RT 707 Reel to Reel Deck's and I've had no problem getting them repaired as according to my tech's they are more simple and straight forward to repair. A lot of AKAI reel to reel tape decks are more complex. The earlier reel to reels can be monsters that break easily and are crazy hard to repair. Reel to Reels are money pits in general. However some exotic Pioneer CT-XXX blue flouro-meter cassette decks are breasts to repair. Sansui's oval capacitor cases or Marantz 2330B odd ball cap's aren't tech friendly if replacing main filter cap's. Kevin, I love seeing your Dad's back. ❤🩹Enjoy every moment with him. Make as many special memories as you both can! You're both TOTALLY Worth It!❤ May God be with you!
Thank you!
Agreed about reel to reel- the recordings are very costly. And fabulous that dad is back
Thank you!
I just love seeing that your dad is back. It makes me feel good for you!
Now about those linear tracking turntables...😂
Love this post. As the middle child of 10 growing up poor in the 50s-60s-70s, I was fascinated by how electronics worked. Aunts & uncles would give me their vintage furniture or clock radios to fix or use for parts. The primo project was my aunt's Wurlitzer juke box I got running again for her for another year before I got drafted. Summer Saturdays found me tube testing at Walgreens. My first job was working in a Cadillac parts department when the in-dash quad players were the top audio option. What a sound! Still, I feel your pain that the pieces you highlighted no longer cost-effective to repair. I'd love to do a mind meld with your dad!
So glad to see that your dad is back!! I'm happy for both of you to be able to continue working together and helping keep this hobby going forward. Oh yeah.....I agree with your list of equipment you no longer service especially the linear tracking tables. Thanks again and it's great knowing your dad is well and working!!
Thanks!
So glad your dad is back and doing well! Biggest shocker to me is no open reel. I love open reel decks (except Tandbergs). Love using them, love working on them, love everything about ‘em. Automatic tables too - love my Miracords and Duals, but then again I work on them and I don’t have to run a business depending on them.
Thanks! Everything is more fun when your livelihood doesn't depend on it. At least for me anyway.
Glad your father made it back to work. Enjoy his company. I miss my father.
Thank you
I own an UHER Royale DeLuxe reel to reel. I have no illusions about the difficulty in restoring it - it's a hobby for me. My main purpose for having it is to show friends and family. It looks awesome (real wood teak veneer and sparkly clean aluminum everywhere. It's fun to make a mix tape and wow people with the sound quality. (Great to see DAD back)
Thanks
Not surprised in any of them. I do have a reel to reel that I listen to. When it dies, it’ll just be nice eye candy! Glad to see your dad is doing well! Cherish these days!!!
Thank you! I will :)
Glad Pop is back and doing well, best part of the video!
Thanks!
Kevin, I felt that you were talking straight to me when you were going over the equipment on your list.. LOL. I own several items from your categories. I had purchased these items all brand new back in the day,(Kenwood K-5070, Dual 1019 automatic turntables, Yamaha PX3 linear tracking turntable, TEAC reel to reel) but I have been lucky that everything is still working at least for now, but I’m sure they are on borrowed time. Anything mechanical is bound to wear out someday.
Dad is back, now the shop feels a little more like home.
Thanks, it does :)
As any son to a father, father to a child… friggin’ awesome!
Best part of this vid is seeing your dad back in the shop. Thanks for posting, Kevin.
Thanks you!
Great to See Dad Back, Your comments on Consoles brought back some memories. We had over time 2 or 3 consoles we got free, we used in a 30 X 60 garage when we work working on equipment on the farm. I am not a expect on radio equipment, but the ones we had really sounded good (I have no idea what brand they were), they were very clear when the volume got turned up, we only played the radio KGGO 94.9 FM back in the day (this would have been 45 or so years ago). OK, we switched over to WHO AM 1040 radio to listen to Paul Harvey News around lunch also. About 30 miles south of you. Really enjoy your show. I also have an old Marantz 4300 Stereo 2+ Quad radial 4 sitting on a shelf in my basement and a 2230 also, haven't plug them in for years.
Thanks. I grew up on KGGO- Noontime Nuggets!
Need to dust those Marantz off and enjoy them.
Brings back many memories, I worked for United Audio Centers for almost 25 years, repaired Dual Turntables, Revox, AR, Garrard,
Benjamin, Grundig, Teac, Pioneer, Magnavox and many more. I remember when Sony sent out bulletins stating when internal pullies and
belts were no longer available. I became an expert on Dual Turntables. Panasonic seemed to become the standard for high-end TT .
Pioneer did the best job of making a tuner that was as good as the McIntosh Line. Enough great video.
You were in the trenches for sure. Thanks!
I'm so glad you're dad is back that is fantastic
Thanks!
Really enjoy your channel. Now that my kids are older, almost off to college, I've started to collect the gear I grew up with and your advice takes some of the head scratching out of picking out that vintage gear. I'm sadden to see the Mid-Century consoles on your list, but I'm glad to have seen this video because I've been trying to pick one up for a long time. The prices shot up during Covid and have only recently started to settle down. This time around I'll approach my search knowing getting one repaired will be a difficult task so buying a broken one, gutting it and putting in my own sys sounds like a better option. Great to see your dad back! Cheers!
Thank you!
How wonderful you Dad is back!!
Thank you!
I love seeing your Dad back in the shop.
Thanks! Me too
I've had three consoles move through my hands these last years as family passes. Walked into an estate last month and BAM! There's a RCA console still filling the house with great sound. Breaks my heart to not grab, fix and show these off. Same with my dad's TEAC reel to reel from KU back in 1965. So happy to see your Dad back in the show. Best audio brand on the net. Keep up the good sounds and the great work. As the kids say; "You are a VIBE."
Thank you!
Yay! Dad is back! ❤
Thanks!
Great video, Kevin, and I'm not too surprised about various audio gear being on your list due to their complexities, rarity of parts, time consumed to repair them with no guarantees possible a year or two after the repairs that other issues won't arise, etc.
As part of my own audio gear collection, I have a closet full of examples of items not fully functioning while I realized how costly they would be to repair (certain cassette decks, reel-to-reel decks, 8-track players, linear tracking turntables, etc.) and I also avoided buying stereo consoles due their size, weight, and multiple possible issues.
Thanks for the very thorough video to warn others, especially any of the newbies out there just entering the hobby, of the various pitfalls.
Glad your dad is back ❤
Thank you!
Great to hear your dad is back and doing well. Great content as always.
Much appreciated!
Really happy to see you dads back all the best for you and family cheers from British Columbia Canada
Thanks 👍
Loved the video, but the icing on the cake is having Dad back. Fantastic!
Thank you!
Kevin, Great seeing Ken back. My son works with me, so I know it;s nice working together. Jeff
Thanks 👍
It's great to see your dad back! My dad is the one who got me into HiFi. We had very different musical tastes but were in lock step agreement on what equipment sounded good.
Thank you.
Welcome back Pops, so glad you’re feeling better.
Thank you!
Really happy to see your dad back in the shop.
Me too! Thanks!
Nice to see your dad back! TYJ! Awesome!
ThAnks!
Glad you're dad is doing better and back at it!
Thanks! Me too!
Glad to hear your Dad is back at the shop!
Me too! Thanks!
That list really narrows down what a lot of shops are willing to work on. Unfortunately I have a reel to reel, and two jukeboxes. My jukeboxes are in the basement, but I do have a jukebox tech that makes house calls. I would love to be able to work on these myself but find them to intricate for my patient level. And I am so happy your dad is back to work and feeling good.
Thank you!
The consoles you designed look beautiful... You have gift for design.
Thank you!