What stereo(s) do you listen to? What do you want?

[Rumpelstiltskin]

Just tore into my tape deck for repairs. Glad that there are still parts and schematics for it.

View attachment 1610865

Swapped out some worn out belts and drive tires, and now have to send off this little idler clutch mechanism to the only guy in the country who can rebuild them.

View attachment 1610866

I need to replace the belts in my tape deck. I took it apart a while back and cleaned out the primordial gooey that the previous belts had reverted to but I forgot to order replacements. But I still turn it on, hit record/play/pause and watch the VU meters dance to the music while silently vowing to order belts in the morning.

 

[flipstah]

Thanks. It's my main system. The RT-707 is pretty great. I feel lucky to have found one with the original wood case. I have the system in the living room where I spend most of my time (away from the family). I have a modern mid-fi Pioneer AV surround setup in the den connected to my 18 year old Pioneer plasma TV.

The system keeps growing. I found a guy who makes solid walnut cases for Pioneer components, and he made one for my EQ. Then I added a CT-F9191 tape deck that has issues that I need to fix. Common to that tape deck. There's more to come...

View attachment 1609548

View attachment 1609549

Twinsies! I have that same receiver!

 

[Nader393]

Twinsies! I have that same receiver!

View attachment 1616613

No, you have the later version, the SX-1280. Very nice unit!

 

[Rumpelstiltskin]

Luxman PD-441

I have decided that this will be my next turntable...eventually

 

[chobochobo]

Nice. Does this one 'suck'?

The PD555 has been on my list for a while now.

 

[Rumpelstiltskin]

Nice. Does this one 'suck'?

The PD555 has been on my list for a while now.

No sucking action on this one

Sad.

 

[Rumpelstiltskin]

About to get some facetime with Tiny's pots. This should cure the random dropouts on the left channel

 

[Nader393]

Got my tape deck back together again, and after replacing a bunch of rubber bits, the repaired idler clutch, and a few additional tweaks, it's working great! While the tape deck was down for repairs, I quickly built up a tape collection for cheap through Goodwill. Lot of throwaway cassettes, but there are some gems in there. Got some fresh plastic cases to replace the cracked/scratched ones. Now I'm shopping for cassette storage systems.

Saaaaiiillling!!! (And "Ride Like the Wind")

Also have The Motels (circa 1982) in there. Oh, and I got this period-correct, super rare Pioneer JT-215A timer/flip clock. Was DOA but I took it apart and got it running again. Surprisingly, it keeps great time:

 

[Nader393]

I've been using those cheap-ass Monoprice RCA interconnect cables to get this system up and running. They're probably fine, but I don't like how tightly they fit; you have to wrestle them on, which is never good when dealing with vintage gear. So I started making my own interconnects using some very nice Japanese made Mogami microphone cable and Canare F-09 plugs.

 

[Nader393]

Adding to my system. Made a walnut case for the flip clock/timer. Also added a source switcher to handle all my tape decks, and made a walnut case for it as well. Then upgraded my 10.5" RTR from the Pioneer 1011L to the 1020L, and added the best 8-track Pioneer could offer (not saying much, but there it is).

I've raised that poster once already, and need to raise it again. Hopefully for the last time (unless I add a Pioneer U-24 someday).

 

[Drek Galloche]

After many decades of doing it wrong I realized that no one should ever run INTEGRATED amps if they want decent sound. I don't know why such advise was never available to me, despite years spent reading the audio forums.
Ideally two amps and preamp. Two amps if you have bi-wiring on the speaker terminals available. That way you have perfect tone controls , especially for bass. If vintage speakers and double amp is impossible, use dedicated pre amp so that you can take advantage of full current of the amplifier. What I am talking about is to open amplifier volume pot to a maximum and then regulate its volume via pre-amp. It is night and day what 80W amp can do when aided by preamp pot.
Solves famous problem with inefficient speakers coming alive at medium to high volume ONLY. With preamp even ATC sings at low volume.

 

[R.O. Thornhill]

New turntable. Gold Note Mediterraneo with the ceramic arm. A very meaningful upgrade

ROT

 

[Rumpelstiltskin]

I want to change the crappy spring connectors on Tiny to 5 way binding posts. I'm saying this out loud today so 6 month from now when I post this again you can use my procrastination against me


Seriously though, the shop that Andrew Robinson used in Towson featured a G9700 on their youtube page that they had performed a 5 way binding post conversion so I reached out to them about the cost. Their response was:

1. $60 non-refundable 'diagnostic fee';​

2. 6 weeks before it will be assigned to a tech;​

3. Once the tech goes over the unit they will contact me with an estimate. They do not give estimates before going over any unit even if said unit does not require 'going over'​

So Tiny gone for most of the summer, a $60 evaluation fee (to be applied to the 'repair') but no estimate for a relatively minor surgery that they have performed in the recent past. Sounds like a situation ripe for blinker fluid and muffler bearing surcharges. I'll pass. I'm going to practice til my soldering is a lot prettier, find a plate or 3D print one and do it myself

If this guy can do it himself then so can I dammit!

Spoiler

 

[Nader393]

I want to change the crappy spring connectors on Tiny to 5 way binding posts. I'm saying this out loud today so 6 month from now when I post this again you can use my procrastination against me


Seriously though, the shop that Andrew Robinson used in Towson featured a G9700 on their youtube page that they had performed a 5 way binding post conversion so I reached out to them about the cost. Their response was:

1. $60 non-refundable 'diagnostic fee';​

2. 6 weeks before it will be assigned to a tech;​

3. Once the tech goes over the unit they will contact me with an estimate. They do not give estimates before going over any unit even if said unit does not require 'going over'​

So Tiny gone for most of the summer, a $60 evaluation fee (to be applied to the 'repair') but no estimate for a relatively minor surgery that they have performed in the recent past. Sounds like a situation ripe for blinker fluid and muffler bearing surcharges. I'll pass. I'm going to practice til my soldering is a lot prettier, find a plate or 3D print one and do it myself

If this guy can do it himself then so can I dammit!

Spoiler

View attachment 1630885

View attachment 1630886

View attachment 1630887

View attachment 1630890

Yeah, binding posts would be nice. But I'm leaving the spring clips on my SX-1250. I don't change wires once they're set, and I don't go bigger than 14 gauge. I also prefer the OEM incandescent backlighting over any LED "upgrade."

I was so enamored with my ADS L810 speakers, that I went searching for smaller versions to take to the office. I got a set of L780 (the 3-way speakers) and L420 (2-way, looks like a smaller L810). After A/B testing (the 1250 can run 3 sets of speakers), I'm having a hard time deciding between the smaller two. 780 has more bass, but sounds a little more muffled. The 420 is sharper up high, maybe a little more efficient, and better imaging. Neither touch the 810, though.

 

[Rumpelstiltskin]

Yeah, binding posts would be nice. But I'm leaving the spring clips on my SX-1250. I don't change wires once they're set, and I don't go bigger than 14 gauge. I also prefer the OEM incandescent backlighting over any LED "upgrade."

I was so enamored with my ADS L810 speakers, that I went searching for smaller versions to take to the office. I got a set of L780 (the 3-way speakers) and L420 (2-way, looks like a smaller L810). After A/B testing (the 1250 can run 3 sets of speakers), I'm having a hard time deciding between the smaller two. 780 has more bass, but sounds a little more muffled. The 420 is sharper up high, maybe a little more efficient, and better imaging. Neither touch the 810, though.

View attachment 1630973

View attachment 1630971

View attachment 1630972

I don't change them often either but 2 on each channel are completely fvcked and have to get jimmied open while 2 or 3 more only partially work properly. Switching to banana plugs just makes more sense. And yea I'm at 14 gauge as well but if I connect this sub full time I will probably switch to 12

LEDs usually look worse in pictures than real life plus they run so much cooler, which is something to consider on a 40+ year old reciever