What's your latest audio purchase?

[superdog]

After I put some Feed and Wax on them both my wife and I fell in love with them. We had been thinking about going a bit retro in the front room but the Novas put us over the edge. I was supposed to have it finished by now but the really cool TV stand (Mid Century Modern) that I ordered from Wayfair came missing a parts package so I have to wait for that to arrive. So we still have the old TV stand in between the two Novas. I have played music, video games and movies through them and still cant believe how good they sound. I was sure they were going to need work but until they start sounding bad, I am not touching them.

On a side note, I just picked up some Polk RT25i's in Maple veneer for $35 at EcoThrift and had them in the front room hooked up to the Sansui 881 I re lamped and noticed that they had bass that was comparable to the Novas. New speaker tech (the RT25s are 17 years old) is truly amazing as well. I have two sets of Polk TSx110s for our vintage bedroom systems and really like them as well. The new stuff sounds awesome but the Novas sound great AND they look truly cool.

Those Polks are real nice looking.Wouldn't mind a pair myself.So you have an 881 huh.I have a 331.Nice Sansuis.About the Novas...growing up in the 70s I was one that thought Realistic gear was substandard and never gave it much thought.I picked up some Nova 6 a few years ago and was surprised on how good they sounded.I gave them away because I was swimming in speakers but soon after wished I hadn't.Fast forward to a couple of months ago and I found a real nice set of Nova 8s in a thrift for $20.I'm not a very good descriptor of sound.All I know is what I like.I find the Novas to be a very musical sounding speaker.Not a classic JBL or a KEF but a happy medium of both.

 

[Bodyblue]

Those Polks are real nice looking.Wouldn't mind a pair myself.So you have an 881 huh.I have a 331.Nice Sansuis.About the Novas...growing up in the 70s I was one that thought Realistic gear was substandard and never gave it much thought.I picked up some Nova 6 a few years ago and was surprised on how good they sounded.I gave them away because I was swimming in speakers but soon after wished I hadn't.Fast forward to a couple of months ago and I found a real nice set of Nova 8s in a thrift for $20.I'm not a very good descriptor of sound.All I know is what I like.I find the Novas to be a very musical sounding speaker.Not a classic JBL or a KEF but a happy medium of both.

I always loved Radio Shack as a kid in the 70s but we had a console stereo and later on we had Pioneer so I never really had Realistic stuff. I always knew there was good and bad RS items but when I got back into vintage stuff last year I shied away from the big brands and looked into Realistic kinda first (even though I ended up with two Kenwood units first). RS had receivers with features that were comparable with the big boys for less money. My STA 85 with 35 W RMS was $299 with full walnut veneer cabinet and aluminum knobs in 1978, which was a pretty good deal. I know some of their cheaper and later stuff was marginal but so was a lot of other brands.

The Sansui 881 I have had for a week now, I bought it for $120 off of Facebook Marketplace. I put LED lamps in it and cleaned it up (it was pretty clean actually) and it sounds great but it has a problem with the AUX inputs (it has two). Sometimes when playing, the left channel cuts out. When I jiggle the input cords it comes right back on so it must have a loos connection somewhere. The Phono and Tape inputs work great so I am not too worried about it. It sounds really nice, certainly as powerful as my Sony STR 5800 but the way it "feels" is not as nice as the Sony, or my Kenwood KR 4600 or my Pioneer SX 680 or even my Realistic. The knobs dont feel as nice and the tuning wheel is not counter weighted like the others are. I love the way it looks and sounds but only like the way it feels.......silly huh? I guess I wanted to be blown away by a fairly high end Sansui but I was not.

I dont know any the fancy (douchy) ways of describing how speakers sound either. All I know is that they make Chris Boti's trumpet sound like he is in the room and have enough bass to shake the floor if I want them too. When I listen to Spotify on them I keep the subwoofer off but when I am using them for HT I use the sub but have it turned down pretty low. The fact that they dont need to be re foamed (they have paper/resin surrounds) at around 45 years old is incredible to me. That shows that RS had some superior products back then. The Nova 7Bs have rubber surrounds so I am glad my first vintage speaker had theses. If I find more Novas and the surrounds are good I will probably pick them us as well.

 

[GSS61]

Russian 6N3P tubes from Ukraine for my Little Bear P-3 preamp, and a black Breeze Audio TPA3116 mini amp - both for my desktop computer audio setup

 

[Drugolf]

Marantz Imperial 9 speakers

 

[SoundsAlike]

4412 studio monitors

 

[mrk1509]

I think i Have VU meter addiction. Marantz 5010 and Realistic STA-2080:

 

[Wires!!]

Needs some TLC, bulbs, and meters adjusted.

Oh man, brings back memories. This is the amp I grew up with. Caught on fire when I was about twenty. Just rocking too hard I guess...

 

[Poinzy]

Izotope RX 6

 

[C6Bill]

I may have gotten a little carried away last week, started with a McIntosh MC-402 and then added a Thorens TD-160 Super by Vinyl Nirvana. It will be a long time before I upgrade again, or eat anything other than noodles for dinner lol

 

[Bodyblue]

I think i Have VU meter addiction. Marantz 5010 and Realistic STA-2080:
View attachment 917648

NICE 2080!

 

[mrk1509]

NICE 2080!

Many Thanks. It's in very good shape but needs a good cleaning this weekend. It weights a Ton.

 

[Chrisxo55441]

Picked up a new dress for my 2285B, ripped it right open and put it on, thats how i roll - aint she pretty and she sounds pretty sweet too ( recap last year)

got this NOS WC-122 from one of our own awesome AKer's macyjrm

 

[darkblue94]

Picked up a new dress for my 2285B, ripped it right open and put it on, thats how i roll - aint she pretty and she sounds pretty sweet too ( recap last year)

got this NOS WC-122 from one of our own awesome AKer's macyjrm

View attachment 918367 View attachment 918368

Damn sir, she's a beauty and may I add that she wears that new dress quite well.

 

[Chrisxo55441]

Damn sir, she's a beauty and may I add that she wears that new dress quite well.

Why thank you sir

 

[NH-MAN]

Pair of Mach Ones

 

[mrk1509]

Picked up a Realistic Lab 110 table... A mate of mine took a gander and got it running. Actually surprised at the sound quality...lol

I have the exact same table! got it for $10 and got it running again (automatic return function was siezed). Here she is cleaned up! Curious if it's a candidate for a new arm?

 

[mkane]

Full range speakers, woofers & lot's of wood.

 

[Bodyblue]

Facebook Marketplace is really working out well for me......I got this Marantz 1600 TT today for the princely sum of $25. The seller had it playing when I got there, sounding great with a Stanton cart and original Marantz headshell. Some moron had painted the dustcover black and it needs some feet but I already ordered some nice aluminum ones for it.

 

[markshan]

Some moron had painted the dustcover black and it needs some feet but I already ordered some nice aluminum ones for it.

I suspect Maguires would take the black paint off.

 

[fishondwan]

Marantz CD-94 and CDA-94