For Maggot

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The "Stereo Wars" of the 70's & 80's. Life was sooo simple back then.
Sansui w/ Cerwin Vega speakers, was the b*mb!
Mac(y)
By then true audio was diluted to a battle for $$$. The reel to reel tape machine in the video was nice though, still the best sound, better than records, but limited as to the available music. Try getting a copy of Iron Butterfly Live on RtR tape.

The best ever made was vacuum tube gear from Western Electric in the 30's 40's. Those my age may remember the little brick building along the highways that telephone lines ran into and out of. Those were repeater stations to boost the signal. When we changed over to solid state most of that gear fot sold to China. When they changed over, most of it went into Chinese landfills. the Japs saved some of it and today its made out of unobanium...meaning pricer than a ZCO or Theta.

After that companies like McIntosh, Eico, Marantz, and others continued building good stuff. Most speakers were horn because they were efficient and suitable for lower powered tube amps. When transistors took over in the late 60's early 70's the sound went to crap. Along with the advent of solid state, came the decline of vacuum tubes. The early 90's saw a rebirth of tube gear but sadly most ro all of the machinery used to buile the old tubes had been destroyed. Additionally, the manufacture of vaccum tubes involves the use of some very polluting minerals, and not permitted in the west. The Russians still produce them, and the Chinese picked them up, but compared to the NOS (new old stock) the suck. I've heard 1.5 million dollar systems I owuldnt have, they're big and punchy, but no soul.

The pair elow are late model, 1988 vintageand sell for 5K for the pair....used!!! The ones from the 40's are never sold, and if they were would be 5 times as much. Even the new productions ones are 3K for a pair. The golden era of audio has come and gone.

But Thanks, @Maser , nice photo and decent system, is that youre?


Western Electric 300B Tube Vacuum STEREO PAIR 8826 1988 Year model USED JAPAN
Western Electric 300B Tube Vacuum STEREO PAIR 8826 1988 Year model USED JAPAN
Pre-Owned
5.0 out of 5 stars.
3 product ratings- Western Electric 300B Tube Vacuum STEREO PAIR 8826 1988 Year model USED JAPAN

$4,999.99
or Best Offer
Free delivery
Located in Japan
Free returns
 
By then true audio was diluted to a battle for $$$. The reel to reel tape machine in the video was nice though, still the best sound, better than records, but limited as to the available music. Try getting a copy of Iron Butterfly Live on RtR tape.

The best ever made was vacuum tube gear from Western Electric in the 30's 40's. Those my age may remember the little brick building along the highways that telephone lines ran into and out of. Those were repeater stations to boost the signal. When we changed over to solid state most of that gear fot sold to China. When they changed over, most of it went into Chinese landfills. the Japs saved some of it and today its made out of unobanium...meaning pricer than a ZCO or Theta.

After that companies like McIntosh, Eico, Marantz, and others continued building good stuff. Most speakers were horn because they were efficient and suitable for lower powered tube amps. When transistors took over in the late 60's early 70's the sound went to crap. Along with the advent of solid state, came the decline of vacuum tubes. The early 90's saw a rebirth of tube gear but sadly most ro all of the machinery used to buile the old tubes had been destroyed. Additionally, the manufacture of vaccum tubes involves the use of some very polluting minerals, and not permitted in the west. The Russians still produce them, and the Chinese picked them up, but compared to the NOS (new old stock) the suck. I've heard 1.5 million dollar systems I owuldnt have, they're big and punchy, but no soul.

The pair elow are late model, 1988 vintageand sell for 5K for the pair....used!!! The ones from the 40's are never sold, and if they were would be 5 times as much. Even the new productions ones are 3K for a pair. The golden era of audio has come and gone.

But Thanks, @Maser , nice photo and decent system, is that youre?


Western Electric 300B Tube Vacuum STEREO PAIR 8826 1988 Year model USED JAPAN
Western Electric 300B Tube Vacuum STEREO PAIR 8826 1988 Year model USED JAPAN
Pre-Owned
5.0 out of 5 stars.
3 product ratings- Western Electric 300B Tube Vacuum STEREO PAIR 8826 1988 Year model USED JAPAN
$4,999.99
or Best Offer
Free delivery
Located in Japan
Free returns
Sounds like you have quite the background in audio. Me... it was the car thing in the states. Then when I went overseas, us dudes living in the barracks, spent $$ on rack systems (some had R-t-R's). Me, I was a turntable/tape guy, with as big of speakers I could fit into my room (had rank, so didn't have to worry about a roomie). Have to admit, it sucked to move all that sh*t, when I moved out into the economy in Germany. Had to have "sound quality" ya know!
Mac;)
 
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Brings back memories of the 70s. My first step-father was bringing stereo stuff back from Japan when he was in the Navy.

Years later, I built my own system of Pioneer stuff. 70 watt tuner. Dual tape deck. Turntable (I still have a large vinyl collection.) CD player with a 6 CD cartridge. KLH liquid-cooled 140 watt speakers.
 
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Sounds like you have quite the background in audio. Me... it was the car thing in the states. Then when I went overseas, us dudes living in the barracks, spent $$ on rack systems (some had R-t-R's). Me, I was a turntable/tape guy, with as big of speakers I could fit into my room (had rank, so didn't have to worry about a roomie). Have to admit, it sucked to move all that sh*t, when I moved out into the economy in Germany. Had to have "sound quality" ya know!
Mac;)
I've posted this before, my last system. The big bass caabinets are 7' long, for reference.
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Bought this Pioneer SX-750 receiver ~1975. Just got it back from the tech last week, and sounds great! It was my first piece of real stereo gear.

View attachment 8771638

Memory is fuzzy, but looks very much like the receiver I bought at Camp Butler in 1980. Can’t believe you don’t have the loudness switch set to on.
 
People in this thread not interested in hi-fidelity.

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lol, no. I just have a cool younger girlfriend who makes sure I dont start with the "back in my day" talk or pull my pants up too high.

but......back in my day, we had one of those 500 lb stereo chests in our house. One snowy winter sunday morning while we were at church, a couple of burglars broke in and stole it. Our house was down a steep hill along a creek, and after we got home and saw the broken window and open door, I remember tottling behind my dad as he somberly followed the crook's tracks up the back hill. There was the stereo sititng in the snow halfway up the hill. My mom always thouught they heard the car, dropped it and ran. I think they just gave up after they popped a couple of hernias and crawled back to their car.
 
lol, no. I just have a cool younger girlfriend who makes sure I dont start with the "back in my day" talk or pull my pants up too high.

but......back in my day, we had one of those 500 lb stereo chests in our house. One snowy winter sunday morning while we were at church, a couple of burglars broke in and stole it. Our house was down a steep hill along a creek, and after we got home and saw the broken window and open door, I remember tottling behind my dad as he somberly followed the crook's tracks up the back hill. There was the stereo sititng in the snow halfway up the hill. My mom always thouught they heard the car, dropped it and ran. I think they just gave up after they popped a couple of hernias and crawled back to their car.
I ain't afraid to say "back in my day." I have been repeating the breathing in and out thing long enough to have earned it.
 
lol, no. I just have a cool younger girlfriend who makes sure I dont start with the "back in my day" talk or pull my pants up too high.

but......back in my day, we had one of those 500 lb stereo chests in our house. One snowy winter sunday morning while we were at church, a couple of burglars broke in and stole it. Our house was down a steep hill along a creek, and after we got home and saw the broken window and open door, I remember tottling behind my dad as he somberly followed the crook's tracks up the back hill. There was the stereo sititng in the snow halfway up the hill. My mom always thouught they heard the car, dropped it and ran. I think they just gave up after they popped a couple of hernias and crawled back to their car.
We had one of those, Magnavox. My father bought it saying : I want something loud enough that I can listen to it while I driving the tractor." It would make your ears bleed.
 
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nakamichi,pioneer,dual,altec. later ad com,thorens,altec.
TD 124? Today people spend a lot rebuilding those old ones and they get very near the $100,000 ones. The best I've heard or owned was a Technics SP 10 Mk II and III. Direct Drive, no belts. Speed is really steady. Hard to beat at ANY price. And a thanks to @Maser for starting the thread.
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Sadly my hearing went to crap after forgetting my ears behind an M82-1. One shot, permanant ringing.
 
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I can relate to the ear ring. My left ear has rung since a Stevie Ray Vaughan concert in 1987 at the Corpus Christi Bayfront Auditorium. That and a duck blind fubar that did more damage.
Damn, I'm not the least bit jelly you got to see the great SRV play live. He's one of the greatest players to ever touch the guitar, IMHO. Huge musical influence in my life.

On a totally different note......

Audio quality went to shit when they stopped using power tubes. Same goes for guitar amplifiers. Prove me wrong 😁 🤜
 
My main rig is a Fisher 500c (tube receiver) driving Klipsch La Scala left and right and a JBL Hartsfield center. Not as fancy as your old rig, but it sounds good to me.
 
My main rig is a Fisher 500c (tube receiver) driving Klipsch La Scala left and right and a JBL Hartsfield center. Not as fancy as your old rig, but it sounds good to me.
I've had both of those. The La Scala's were my first horns. Damn fine speakers, a crossover upgrade often smoothes them out. The 500's were great, very tranpsrent, great soundstage. Youve got a damn fine system, would love to hear it sometime.
 
TD 124? Today people spend a lot rebuilding those old ones and they get very near the $100,000 ones. The best I've heard or owned was a Technics SP 10 Mk II and III. Direct Drive, no belts. Speed is really steady. Hard to beat at ANY price. And a thanks to @Maser for starting the thread.
View attachment 8772403

Sadly my hearing went to crap after forgetting my ears behind an M82-1. One shot, permanant ringing.

Moving coil or moving magnet?