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Realistic STA-2100

Grog

Grog

Loot Galoot
This is the one with the toroidal power supply.

I recently picked this up off an auction site after I borked my Pioneer SX-1080. This was the only other receiver I wanted after the Pioneer.

I worked for Radio Shack as a high school student when we were selling these in 1978-80. Always wanted one then. Now I'm an old fart and found a way to get one! It has a couple of small marks on it but other than that it is like the day it was made.

She works perfectly except the right channel watts meter is a little lazy - but I got the service manual and it shows an adjustment for that. But I won't be doing it - I'll bring it to the local tech to tweak that.

I completely recapped my SX-1080 and it sounded perfect until I slipped with my screwdriver and frapped my right amp board. I got all the parts and after many attempts to fix it I gave up and I brought it to my local tech who said he'd have no problem completing the repair for me. When I get it back I'll test it and then stick it in a box and store it downstairs.

Believe it or not, I prefer the sound of this STA-2100.

Any other STA-2100 fans out there?

Pic of it in my system here in Post 7342 of "Picture of Listening Spaces" http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=247541&d=1293824793
 

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Nice find! Looks it should give many hours of good listening! :music:

What will you do with your SX-1080? (Oh nevermind. :D The answer was RIGHT THERE. Oops.)

Personally, I believe that much of the Realistic/Optimus/RadioShack hi-fi gear is under-appreciated, especially some of the speakers.
 
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Not really sure what I will do with the 1080 honestly. If I find a good home for it ...

I'm scared of saying whether I will be considering parting with it in exchange for currency for fear of offending posting rules ... :para:
 
Beautiful. I have it's little brother the STA-2000 and it has always surprised me. I'm glad to see that for the 2100 they moved the power button to a more sensible location (on the 2000 it's just one of the buttons to the left on the volume knob)
 
Old Realistic Stuff

They are nice aren't they? Nothing like these made anymore. I like the retro stuff. I feel like I own something I can pass down to my kid when I take my dirtnap.

I haven't seen anything made since about 1984 that tweaked my "gotta have that" gland which is very near that "gotta have her" gland ... ooops I digress.

I've been considering collecting all the components in the "Everything" system on page 3 here:

http://www.radioshackcatalogs.com/catalogs/1979/

:music:
 
I have two STA2000's. I have very little invested and find them nice vintage RS gear. I am still looking for my STA2100, but I only buy local and cheap.
 
I'm probably older than you. I worked for a local RS store when I was in high school, around 1965~1967. Spent most of my earnings on kits they sold back in the day (and a properly thrashed Triumph TR-3). The integrated amplifier kits were impressive, to me at least. I would like to eventually find a few examples of those products and see if my memory isn't as thrashed as my first car was!
 
I too got the Realistic bug after picking up a sta-95 in a deal with a buddy....So I hook it up and....... Hmmmmm.....sounds good.....so I find an STA-2000D locally and .....WOW.....sounds great.....so now I'm on a quest to find a 2100...found I did cruzin the Orlando craigslist.....problem was.....I'm in Ohio....made the deal....nice young lady shipped it for me...and after a quick check by a local tech...it shares spotlight duty with my G-7700.....a 2100 drivin..klipsch KLF-20's and a sansui G-7700 pushin Infinity RS4b's in the same room....isn't overkill.....is it???....my wife just shakes her head.......................
 
haha

Nocents that is hilarious! My wife gives me the same look!

Any of those STA-2000 series ( 2000, 2080 etc ) were incredibly underrated and well built pieces.

The more I talk about this the more I think I may make the move and go on a few ummm ... flea market sites and maybe start hunting for some Mach 1's to get me started. LOL they'll sit next to my CV's.

Wait til the wife gives me the hairy eyeball over that one.

I tell her every time she gives me that look ... somewhere in the world a kitten dies.
 
Grog.....is it just me or do you have to crank back a little on the bass with your Vegas????......the KLF's are not lacking in bass response all by themselves...but with 2100 I run the bass a little left of flat and still have plenty.......and if that is true about the kittens....they will become extinct soon....:D
 
I picked up a mint 2000d recently, 75 watts /ch, nice heavy receiver. Only one issue, the speaker protection relay needs to be replaced.

Borrowed picture, mine looks just as good.

attachment.php
 

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The STA-2100 is the reason that I ended up at AudioKarma. I was looking for info on clean unit that I picked up for $25 at our annual town yard sale. It cleaned up great. I don't have it now but your post put a smile on my face. The 2100 is a beautiful receiver. Congrats and enjoy!
 
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Beautiful piece those. As to the everything system it would be a tough call between the Machs and the T-200 on page 18.

mike
 
I'm glad you like your 2100. I'm listening to the 2100D and Mach 1s as I type this. A well matched system for sure. :thmbsp:
 
I have the 2100D and had it fully restored a couple months back and it is just amazing. The quality of that receiver is unreal. It's definitely hard to find a brand new receiver now-a-days for the money I put into mine (425 CAD to be exact) and have it be the same power/build quality.

Lastplace said:
I picked up a mint 2000d recently, 75 watts /ch, nice heavy receiver. Only one issue, the speaker protection relay needs to be replaced.

Borrowed picture, mine looks just as good.

attachment.php
Click to expand...

What's the problem with the relay? My relay in my 2100D just needed to be cleaned (it got changed eventually in the restoration) and it worked fine.
 
Live_Wire said:
What's the problem with the relay? My relay in my 2100D just needed to be cleaned (it got changed eventually in the restoration) and it worked fine.
Click to expand...

The speakers intermittingly (sp?) shut off. From reading past post here the relay needs to be removed and cleaned/replaced. The unit is in perfect condition and being a backyard hacker I don't want to touch it.
 
Bass

Nocents surprisingly I don't touch the bass control. I only swung the treble control a little turn to the right because I have permanent hearing damage and I need the treble boost.

However if I hit the "Loudness" button the house sounds like a boom car LOLZ!!!

I haven't detected much of that bass heaviness I've read about re: these receivers. Actually, the bass is pretty much identical to my Pioneer SX-1080 before and after I recapped it.
 
I have both the STA 2100 and the 2000. I prefer the 2000 since it's not as bass heavy as the 2100. I use an equalizer on the 2100 to tame the bass.
 
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