Retro HiFi

[MrSpeedy]

Inspired by the 'Valve amp' thread (I would love one, but not got a clue where to start) and in need of a new stereo for the living room, I started scouring the bay of evil.

Whilst trawling I suddenly had thoughts about the huge seperates systems off of the 80's from the likes of Technics, Pioneer etc. And I had the ridiculous thought of looking for some of the proper top end stuff.

Anyhoo, I eventually found a nice old Marantz system, in original 19" rack mount trolley, and only 10 miles away.

Ended up with this littls classic from 1978 I believe;



The tape deck doesn't work, but the motor runs, so I suspect it's just a belt.

After 'borrowing' some suitably old Aiwa speakers and digging out a phono cable from that random stash under the stairs (we all have one) I now have crystal clear MP3's playing at ridiculous levels, with absolutely no distortion.



I can honestly say, this is the best sounding set up I've ever had, and definately the loudest!

TBH, for the money I paid for it, I wouldn't be bothered if it didn't work, cos it looks so damn cool!
I shall definately be watching the bay a little closer

What you got, cos I'm sure I can't be the only one with this kind of stuff ;D

[garra]

I use a 30+ year old NAD 3020 amplifier to listen to music from the computer. Got an external DAC to use when I get around to it.

Mark

[Bolf]

I have a 15 year old sony cinema reciever , and castle kendal speakers (handmade in 1983)

[alistairk]

Thats pretty cool.

I have tons of the old stuff.



hooked up to my computer and currently playing my picks from Spotify Also has a Rega Planar 2 record deck and this is how vinyl gets ripped.



In the hall, so I can hear it all over the house...



Proper old school audio I say! Going to run an iPod input onto this one when I can be arsed to sort it out.



in the back bedroom with the biggest set of vintage Wharfdale speakers like eVaH



In the living room.

I have a B&O Beocentre in the dining room.

[simes]

This is in our spare room

[devilishdesigner]

That last Sony is wicked! I'm running a relatively modern Denon 2806 in the loungeroom at the moment through some 70's Jensen front speakers and 80's random rears with 2 12" woofers in each box.

Project room is running a Sansui from the 80's

[goingfinn]

Wow, that Marantz is lovely. These old systems have such a punchy sound. ;D
I collect this kinda stuff and have plenty of the first gen cd players with those great huge trays.
This is what I was running before I took it apart for replacement

[grizz]

I run a Nad/Technics combo through some very modern Monitor Audio - Silver speakers as my old pair of AR speakers had eventually given up the ghost on the one bass cone that started to tear loose after 20 years.



I am more than happy with the quality of what I get from my setup, prefer the look too.

[dude]

I'd love to find some old high end stuff myself, but as finland was such a poor country there's very little old expensive stuff floating around...

But I'm trying my best ;D

This one has been up loads of times, but now I've installed electroluminescent wire in it! ;D




Today I also got a pair of 90's jamo speakers for next to nothing, as they need new foam rings. As you can get universal rings for 10€ a piece I decided to give them a go.

[skozra]

Some great systems you guys have there, old 70's / 80's HiFi is pure win.

Recently purchased 2x JVC amps (A-X3 and an A-X4), an L-A55 turntable, KD-A11 cassette deck (both JVC) and a pair of Technics SB3030 speakers. My uncle had an almost identical setup to this back in the early 80s and I always remembered how good it sounded. Listening to this old-skool kit some 30 years down the line, the sound quality is just incredible and it's given my vinyl and cassette collection a new lease of life - not to mention blasting out the MP3's

[andye]

Some nice gear here guys. Mine's an Akai Clarity system from the early 80's.



Cheers Andy

[Jonny69]

I've got new speakers on my valve amp unfortunately. I'm going to build them into something retro at some point though, either a transmission line design or a ported box in a Bauhaus style.

[Mystery Machine]

This thread contains too much cool stuff!

Speedy, that Marantz system is one of the most amazing bits of hifi I've ever seen! Massive levels of want from me. If you're ever thinking of selling it on? (not likely, but a man has to ask)

My Dad used to have loads of really cool aluminium fronted seperates and the most amazing turntable ever. The platter was a massive slab of metal with a number of sloid brass cylindrical chunks on top where the record sat. Speed was controlled by a metal rod in a pool of oil (drag) and the whole platter had a really thin but very long belt that went off to a motor spindle. The tonearm mechanism was a work of art with counterbalances and wires to adjust it all. I don't know what happened to it but he wouldn't let me near it!

I think he still might have some of the amps and stuff (along with a load of valve amps he built himself in the 60's)

He also had a set of Leak speakers. Funny looking things with the cloth over the speakers looking more like a 60's upholstery fabric and the cones were made of cardboard and polystyrene, but he swears they were some of the best speakers he ever had. He only got rid of them recently when he moved to a new workshop and needed smaller speakers (they were pretty large!). He got good money for them IIRC?

I'll have to go over there and see what stuff he has left but I think he's thinned it down a lot since moving to a smaller house. He used to have a lot of it stored in his wardrobe at the last house.

This thread has got me wanting some old hi-fi gear back in my life again.

[markbognor]

Nice find MrSpeedy, thats a lovely old set up! I have a pair of huge Marantz speakers of a simmilar vintage in my dads shed. I'll dig em out and get a pic.



Akku, I have a JVC amp like this under my desk at work - though mines got recording inputs on the front panel just under the source selection toggle switches. It runs my classroom audio through a pair of KEF Coda II speakers. The same set up powered the gathering cinema.....and will do again (hopefully).

[alistairk]

That baby is a Pioneer SA5500 Mk2

I have more of this stuff, and TBH I had loads more and then I got married, you know how it is...

Women...

more pics from the collection later if I remember

[MrSpeedy]

There's some lovely stuff coming out the woodwork here peeps.

I'm really feeling the old audio atm. Just got another Marantz amp to run my Bose acoustimass off the TV to save trailing cables all over the place (never a good idea with kids running around )

I'm currently hunting for a half decent turntable to add the the system and an old looking CD player that will play CDR's. Was watching a Marantz one on the bay from the 80's but it made over £350, which is way outa my budget! lol

[Mystery Machine]

I've done some research and found out that my Dads old turntable was a Transcriptor Hydraulic Reference tunrtable. Just like this one:



I'm going to phone him in a mo' in that vain hope that he still has it. I doubt it very much, but it would be awesome if he did! (failing that, I'm hoping he still has some of his other audio stuff that he fancies donating to his adoring son! )

[garra]

Nice turntable, I've got a Pink Triangle (turntable) it's in the living room all connected up, with a Musical Fidelity X-LP phono pre-amp, but hasn't been used for years.

My system a couple of iterations ago...



In fact only the turntable and Muscical Fidelity (phono pre-amp & DAC) remain. Still got the other bits though.

Mark

[skozra]

Wow, that Transcriptor Hydraulic Reference turntable is an absolute work of art !

[garra]

How about this turntable;



It's for sale too £1,374.95...