Thread Number: 34089  /  Tag: Other Home Products or Autos
Rebuilding component stereo system
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Post# 369407   3/28/2017 at 12:36 (2,557 days old) by jfalberti (Visalia, CA)        

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Hello everyone. One of the greatest loves of my life is music and stereo equipment. For the last several years, I have been without a decent stereo system, and I have dearly missed it. A couple of months ago, I got the urge to build a new system, and since I'm on a tight budget, I figured I could get more bang for my buck if I went with older vintage equipment instead of brand new. I finished putting it together last weekend, and this is what I came up with:

Technics LS-B211U belt drive turntable.
JVC RX-705V stereo surround sound receiver.
JVC three head direct drive cassette deck
JVC 6 disc + 1 CD player
* Klipsch Reference series RF-10 speakers
* Audio component cabinet

* = brand new

I really am enjoying this system, and frankly had forgotten how much I missed having a decent system to play my records. here are a few pictures.


  Photos...       <              >      Photo 1 of 3         View Full Size
Post# 369414 , Reply# 1   3/28/2017 at 14:43 (2,557 days old) by suckolux (Yuba City, CA)        

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Nice work! I would miss it terribly, I understand.

Post# 369419 , Reply# 2   3/28/2017 at 16:18 (2,557 days old) by human (Pines of Carolina)        

human's profile picture
Yeah, I got bitten by that bug a little over a year ago. I updated some components in the living room and ended up setting up one of my spare bedrooms as a library/listening room (no screens). That room got the components that remain from my college era system and I replaced the pieces that had gotten away from me with items that duplicated the originals as closely as possible. The one thing I haven't figured out where to place is a pair of Advent 1 speakers that I snagged from my parents' house last summer when they were packing up to move. That can be a project for after the semester ends. Too many papers to grade right now.

Post# 369431 , Reply# 3   3/28/2017 at 17:29 (2,557 days old) by jmurray01 (Scotland)        

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Looks good! I've got a turntable exactly like that, but I don't think it is branded Technics... I'll have to look it out one of these days and get it working, whatever it is.

Post# 369481 , Reply# 4   3/29/2017 at 09:20 (2,556 days old) by luxkid1980 (Richmond, Virginia)        

Nice job! I love older stereo equipment. I have picked up some good pieces at thrift stores and similar places that just needed a good cleaning to work again.

Post# 369906 , Reply# 5   4/3/2017 at 13:36 (2,551 days old) by kenkart ()        
I Still use

A 62 Zenith Console, a 65 GE console, a 62 Phonola Consolette with reverb and a 64 KLH built Singer component set with a 65 Lafayette tuner.

Post# 369952 , Reply# 6   4/4/2017 at 02:35 (2,550 days old) by tolivac (Greenville,NC)        

I could assemble a second Hi-Fi system with TUBED gear-but don't have the space right now.Filled up with vacuums,lights,appliances.I wished I had BIGGER quarters!Know what other collectors mean when you start with a few things----then they MULTIPLY!!!I am a flashoholic,shutterbug,vacoholic,than applianceholic!!Have a collection of projectors and cameras.

Post# 370167 , Reply# 7   4/6/2017 at 16:46 (2,548 days old) by Real1shep (Walla Walla, WA)        

 I've been collecting and upgrading stereo systems since the 60's. If I had stuck with what I originally wanted once it became used and affordable, I'd been infinitely better off. Now vintage McIntosh separate components bring serious money in excellent condition.

 

So I went in other directions. Wanted an Empire turntable in the worst way and watched them become almost unobtainable as well. But I had a good Thorens TT from the early 70's and had it tweaked...that was one of the better decisions. You can spend a hundred thousand on a TT, but I can't hear any difference past $5,000 and that includes a stellar cartridge.

 

The reality is that I've always been a receiver guy and was seduced by the higher-end ones that claimed they were as good as separates. They're not, but they come close. I presently have a Onkyo TX-8500 that's a great receiver, but it needs a recap and fully restored if I am to continue with it. Which begs the question; why put money into it instead of towards McIntosh? Then there's the elusive Pioneer SX-1980 receiver which when restored properly will fetch upwards of $5,000....monster..... incredible receiver in every way.

 

Which again begs the question; why put that much money toward a receiver when you can put it against McItosh separates? Keep coming full circle to the M stuff. There are audio snobs that have convinced themselves that there are better amps and preamps out there than McIntosh. You can certainly pay more, but I can't hear the difference in A/B/X double blind tests. The build quality of the right models and their provenance in the stereo community is beyond reproach.

 

And then the heart of your system; the speakers. If you tweak the crossovers, replace the tweeters and rebuild the woofer surrounds, a Double Advent system is hard to beat just for a listening experience. But you're in 4ohm territory and you better have the muscle to drive those Advents or you'll be clipping your amp....ask me how I know.  Eventually, I wound up with Boston Acoustics T1000's.

 

There are about ten thousand choice directions in stereo speakers....you could fuss and labor forever over them. And everything changes with the home theater/surround sound systems. Speakers more than anything else, determine the actual sound along with room acoustics. It's well worth the time to labor over the choices...except don't wait so long for the 'ultimate' speaker that you're not enjoying the music.

 

I have four top-end Tandberg R2R's and I swear they are made with Norwegian voodoo. Always heralded as the best sounding pro-summer decks even into the 80's.  On a good day, I'll have two working 100%. Their build quality is anything but robust...how they make the sound they do....well again, its voodoo. I have two top Nakamichi cassette decks that really are amazing for what they do, but I think we're down to about six tech people in NA who are reputable enough to repair them.

 

Would be difficult to write a book on the elusive 'perfect vintage system'......but quite easy to write a book on all the pitfalls to get there and what NOT to do....lol.

 

Here's a quick pic of what isn't in a closet or downstairs. You can't see it, but there's another Tandberg R2R behind the top two....inaccessible for now.

 

Kevin

 

  View Full Size


This post was last edited 04/06/2017 at 17:18

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