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How Good Are 1st/2nd Gen SS Fisher Products??

Do you all suppose that the change in Fisher's model numbering that began in 1971 and was completed in 1973 may have indicated some sort of sea change?

Example:

1970 Models (new models noted with "*"):

500-TX/800-T, 450-T*, 400-T, 250-TX*, 250-T, 210-T*

1971 Models:

701*,500-TX/800-T 450-T, 250-TX, 210-T, 202*, TX-2000*

1972 Models:

801*, 601*, 500-TX/800-T, 401*, 450-T/505, 301*, 390*, 205*, 203*, 202, 201*, 180*, 170*

1973 Models:

801, 304*, 301*, 195*, 205, 203, 180, 170

Note how the three-digit, no letter model numbers appear in 1971 and have taken over by 1973. But what does it mean?
 
I had a 500t and thought it sounded pretty lackluster. Worlds away from my X-202b and SA-300/400c.
 
Carter,

Note how the three-digit, no letter model numbers appear in 1971 and have taken over by 1973. But what does it mean?
Click to expand...

Would be nice to know what was made where (A compendium of models and actual build locations would be helpful). Its possible what you are seeing is a gradual phase out of USA built and designed to Asian built and designed. The models changed to reflect the new build location perhaps ???

Frannie
 
Hiya,

I had a 500t and thought it sounded pretty lackluster. Worlds away from my X-202b and SA-300/400c.
Click to expand...

For posterity.

The 500T.

Restored and tweaked or just off the shelf ???

Same room , same speakers , same music and inputs ???

Were the X202B and SA-300/400C stock or ???

Frannie
 
buglegirl said:
Hiya,



For posterity.

The 500T.

Restored and tweaked or just off the shelf ???

Same room , same speakers , same music and inputs ???

Were the X202B and SA-300/400C stock or ???

Frannie
Click to expand...

Off the shelf, and it hadn't aged well apparently. Same for the 700t I borrowed. It sounded so much worse than other solid state that I've had from the same era (unrestored) that I didn't think it a worthwhile candidate for more work. But the next owner had it recapped, to some extent- he said it sounded better. As for same music/speakers/inputs- honestly, I can tell the worth of a piece of kit without going down that road. When something sounds bad, it just sounds bad, and often putting something on the same speakers/etc, as something else means little, as one amp might shine better on one set of speakers, while falling flat on another.

For the record, I've not heard ANY first generation solid state that I thought sounded good. Sony, McIntosh, Sherwood, Sansui, HK, Fisher-but to be fair, though much of it had seen service, none was totally recapped. But I don't think any amount of work was going to make the Fisher 500t something worth the effort.
 
Hiya,

Hmmmm .. maybe its the outputs being germanium perhaps ???

I have always believed the axiom (Mine loosely based on other observations) that the first generation of something that replaces a previous technology is usually about two iterations away from actually superseding the older technology.

If ever.

But Fisher took their sweet time transitioning.

Frannie
 
With FISHER making Tube AND Solid State at the same time in the mid/late 60's, my impression is to differentiate between them, the "T" was added to denote transistorized vs tube.

It's possible the drop in the suffix (71-73) denoted overseas production vs. domestic production.
 
Hi AK members.
I think this post is a bit out of your time.
But it's not my fault, if in 2012 I was still meeting these Fishers.
After seven long years, I have acquired some The fishers US made (a KX 200, 220T, 250TX, TX100, TX2000, and near to buy a TX 1000), I must agree with Larry.
I've had several pioneers by SX series (828, 434, 1010, 626, 6000). But I've always listened this SS fishers more than any pioneer or sansui. and i like a lot SX1010, that had a wonderful sound to my ear). Pioneers tend to be brighter than fishers, who seem to have warmer, closer to the tubes sound. I am definitely a The Fisher guy.
Even the small 220T, with its mixed germanium and silicon output transistor, sound incredibly well.
Greetings everyone.
 
I love a good zombie thread. I have no complaint listening to the solid state Fishers. I find the few I have had in systems to be decent (TX100 with AR4x's for a bit, a TX1000 with some er... umm, can't remember - probably Heresy? 500-T with my test bench paradigm atoms for a month or two.

I think we can all agree buyers have discovered these SS Fishers since this 2012 thread was established and prices are rivaling the Tube receivers these days for some of them, and for the 800-T/500-TX surpassing them.
 
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I recapped my 700T and it sounds pretty dang good into my KLH Model 5’s and it has the power to drive them pretty well. Great tuner, too.
 
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