Welcome to the Solid State Forum!

Retro Stereo

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Subscriber
Here are some guidlines to use when posting in the Solid State Forum.

We like to use the word “Guidelines” instead of rules. :D

1). We’re here to have fun, talk, and learn about Solid State Equipment!

2). We don’t mind debates, but will not tolerate personal attacks.

3). Promoting of personal gear for the purpose of selling will not be tolerated. If you want to sell something on AudioKarma, use the “Classifieds Forum” or do it here and take the chance of getting banned.

4). Posting of eBay, Craigslist, Audiogon, etc., auction and for sale links should be posted in the "Dollars and Sense" forum only, not in the Solid State forum. Furthermore, ALL valuations of equipment questions should only be asked in the "Dollars and Sense" forum as well.

5). If you are new here, your first posts should NOT be, “does anyone have a manual they can give me?” Or, “can someone tell me what this is worth?” And finally, “does anybody have this part I am missing on my XXXXX Brand Receiver?” How about instead, just introducing yourself, telling everyone you’re new, and getting to know us a little before you start “using” us. :D

6). Spam will not be tolerated and you will be banned immediately.

7). Thread crapping will not be tolerated (Going into an established thread and completely trying to change the intended subject). If you want to change the subject, start a new thread!

8). Remember, our motto here at AK is “All Audio, No Attitude!”

9). If anyone has any kind of issues with this forum at all, please PM or e-mail us and we'll see if we can't get them worked out as soon as possible.

10). And lastly, if anyone is looking for any assistance (either technical or in identification, and hopefully, for just about everything else) in the area of Solid State Electronics, I hope this is the first place they come and get that assistance. I'll be honest, especially in the technical aspect, I'm not going to be able to answer most of the questions being asked, that's where EchoWars and the other AK Site Techs come in, but I'm hoping with all the other regular "Solid State People" here, we'll be able to be one of the best resources for help and information for Solid State Electronics on the WWW!



Your Vintage Solid State Forum Moderators,
hpsenicka & Retro Stereo
 
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Newbie made a Boo Boo...

Greetings,

I am a Newbie and came out like a bull with my first post looking for a manual. I do apologize and do plan on periodically posting.

I've rounded the corner to 50 and still have never let go of my love for vinyl.

Not to lay on the "syrup" but first became hooked on "vintage" per my dad's old school HK tube.

At 80, he's progressed to top-tier Yamaha and a pair of quality BA's.

Vintage solid state has stuck with me hand-in-hand with the vinyl. I'm always on the look out for somthing interesting.

My 18 year old daughter attends SUNY Plattsburgh - right on the Montreal border. Her boyfriend is from Montreal. Long story short, this kid is absolutely obsessed with vintage. At 19 he smokes me in his knowledge of VSS. The stuff he turns up in Montreal is, at times, amazing.

As I have already posted my recent acquisition of a minty HP 610A, I hope to acquire and hopefully give quality discussion per our mutual interest.

Best,

Marc
 
I may have been here before?

I have recently returned to my audio hobby after leaving my prior pasttime due to expense and boredom.

I built a Dynakit Stereo 70 back in 1969, I think, to use with the PAS-3 and FM-3 hooked to the Electro-Voice 12TRXBs in the EV Aristocrat enclosures. I believe I was using an Empire table and arm with a Pickering cartridge?

I still have my Marantz 2245 and AR-2ax speakers from 1973. I went Adcom in the 80s (still in use in the surround system). Multiple record players and CD players over the years, finally arriving at the Rega P3 I've had for about 15 years. Now with one Sony ES SACD player and a "regular" Sony SACD player in the home office.

I had Maggies for a while, but changed to Mirage M5si(s)because I missed bass, but didn't want to give up bi-direction.

I added a Marantz 2270 a couple of years back because that's what I had really wanted when I bought the 2245. It's now the home office receiver with the AR-2axs.

Most recently, I went off the deep end and bought a McIntosh 2100 power amp, followed by a McIntosh C24 preamp, folowed by another McIntosh 2100. The 2100s are bridged and power the Mirages most of the time. (The Mirages also work in the surround system when I change connections) I had always wanted McIntosh equipment but the new stuff has always been out of reach, if I wanted to stay married--same lady for 37 years.

I gotta say the McIntosh equipment has been revelatory. Unlike anything I have experienced in my audio life, and I am one very happy camper:music:, thanks to eBay.

So, I'm looking forward to participating with the forum.

Are you bored?:boring:
 
RetroStereo, please help! How do I start a new thread?

Harman-Kardon 330i, other 3XXi: Do they Sound Good?? How will I like them
compared to my beloved Sansui 771? Opinions from any and all, pls. What
makes 'em endearing? And what do they lack? They are, of course, the slim,
streamlined S.S. rcvrs. 20W/ch & up.
Thanks for reading! leevanleer
 
Hey leevanleer,
Welcome to AudioKarma!

If you take a look at the top of the Forum, on the left, you'll see a button that says "New Thread", just click on that, put in a title, and start your thread down in the box. Piece of cake, give it a try.




Retro
 
Hi folks..I have a Kenwood KR-9050, a rather rare (and powerful!) receiver. It plays great in all modes, except when the speaker slector is in the Speaker A+SpeakerB postition, there's no audio from either Speaker A or Speaker B terminals, though the indicator lights up. Otherwise the selector works as it should when selecting which outputs are to be used. I have performed a full service on this, and was wondering if I am missing some knowledge here. I studied the schematic, and I can't see how the selector switch could be bad if the indicator light still works. Any ideas? Thanks.. Terry
 
Hi folks..I have a Kenwood KR-9050, a rather rare (and powerful!) receiver. It plays great in all modes, except when the speaker slector is in the Speaker A+SpeakerB postition, there's no audio from either Speaker A or Speaker B terminals, though the indicator lights up. Any ideas?
When you select Speaker A + Speaker B, the speakers are connected in series. If you do not have speakers connected to both the A and B output terminals, you will not get any sound. The solution is to connect two pairs of speakers if you want to use the A + B switch connection. Good listening.
 
Hi all,

I am new around here and quite like the no attitude of this forum. Just picked up an AR amp and am in the process of trying to get it rebuilt.
 
new in town

Ok, Made a mistake too. Tried to get some help for my amp. So now that I'm here let me say hello to everyone. I have been checking AK out now for some time but never subsribed. I like alot of the info and overal convo that goes on on this site. So pleasure being here and hope to enjoy it.
 
sansui 5000a

just picked up a vintage sansui 5000a ,and would like to see if you ladies & gentlemen know anybody interested in rebuilding this . needs some work.
 
Green

I've been on the internet for at least 10 years and have never tried out a forum before. This is my very first attempt. And it couldn't be in a better place I imagine. I have never met anyone with a record collection I didn't like and the vintage electronics thing makes it even better.

I thought I knew a lot about stereo equipment because my girlfriend was afraid to hook it up when we have moved. The jokes on me though. Just because I knew how to plug in a few wires, well, that doesn't mean much.

Getting to my point, I got sick of looking at all the wires hanging out and the mismatched stereo stack, so I sold it all cheaply and purchased a Zenith Solid State in it's place. My girlfriend was thrilled until I opened it up to show her how it works, because it doesn't work well. Now she thinks I'm a moron and a sucker and I can't wait to prove her wrong. But the fear hit me when I opened up my "new" solid state and was face to face with an incredible mystery of wires and gadgets.

I've been all over the internet and have googled just about everything I can think of. Nothing. I've been to the reference desk at my local libraries putting those girls to work on the problem and still nothing. And just before I did the walk of shame to my favorite audio repair shop I figured I would do another intense googling and that set me gently down here. I can't wait to see what comes next.
:tresbon:
 
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Fisher 203 needs an vintage speaker!

Hello fellow enthusiasts!

A few months ago, i got an Fisher 203 reciever(4ohms@70wpc) and im wondrin' what set of speakers to use? I was thinking of Dynaco A-25! would it be a right choice for my Fisher?
 
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New Member

I'm new to AK but have read many of the interesting forums/threads over the last few years -- excellent source of information. I grew up in the 70s. My twin brother and I bought our first system when we were 16 (around 1971) consisting of a Pioneer SX-1000TW, a Kenwood KT-7001, a Pioneer PL-31D turntable, and not sure what kind of speakers...they were huge and were excellent. Solid wood cabinets, huge woofer (3-way design). The receiver was pretty nice, the tuner nothing great, and the turntable was very nice. My twin brother moved out and took the stuff with him, and after a few decades, I finally jumped back in. I currently own a Pioneer SX-980 (completely overhauled by Ken ######## at Stereo Surgeons in CT), a Sansui TU-717 tuner (also overhauled by Ken), a Denon DVD-2900 player, with Decware Radial 1.5 speakers. The system sounds great, and for my worn-out tired ears, see no reason to "upgrade." I still have the turntable and receiver (both work, but need TLC) and a boatload of old vinyl. I'm not going to use the vinyl or the turntable so hopefully I can find a good home for both. I thought about tubes but in the end decided SS is perfectly fine. I think it's hard to say one type of amplifier sounds better than another -- usually it comes down to personal taste. There are some that clearly outperform others in imaging, power and dynamics, but listening at 5-10 watts or less, the differences are so subtle I've decided not to chase my tail any longer. I am excited, however, about the possibility of Blu-Ray CDs, as they are considered to be as good as SACD. I have tried a few SACD and DVD-A discs. The scary part is that I played a redbook CD of Elton John's Peachtree Road in a P.O.S. $49.95 Koss CD player, then put the SACD version of the same disc in my Denon DVD-2900, and honestly, could not tell the difference. I know a lot depends on how well the CD was recorded as all CDs are not created equal, but it seems that I should have been able to hear SOMETHING different. At any rate, just some food for thought. I wanted to be blown away by vinyl and tubes....I'm just not. Happy listening.:D
 
Newbie here too!

Awesome site. I belong to a few Chevelle, Nova and El Camino Forums and most of the folks are great. I have loloked around this forum and love what I see! I do vintage vinyl and equipment when I can find it but it usually has to fall in to my lap. I'm Navy and get to travel a bit and find stuff all over. No real high end stuff that I can afford with the other projects I have going all the time. I have always loved the solid sound of vintage equipment since the folks next door were banging out CCR Green River and Roy Buchanan back in the early 70's through a HK system with no covers and all the tubes showing. Pretty fascinating for a 7 year old. Even burned my fingers on a tube when they weren't looking. They told me not to touch.....yada yada. Anyhow, I went around wishing I could afford some of these beauties and it looks as though I aint alone. Glad I found this site whiole trying to get some info for a Realistic STA 2100D. Thanks for having me here! I'll post my questions on another thread! Thanks all! Awesome site!!!
 
New Member in Roswell, Ga.

Well, in continuing with the thread of my life--anachronistic technology--vintage audio seems to have moved in next door to fountain pens and manual typewriters and may soon venture into the land of British motorcycles.

I've got (so far) a Pioneer SX-650 receiver retrieved from the 'bay and Reynolds Advance two-way speakers and a Technics turntable in an attempt to get enjoyment out of the vinyl I already owned. All of that was followed by a trip to a yard-sale recently where the guy had well over 40,000 vinyl records in LP and 45 and I dropped $66 there on LPs at $1 each! I sense a new hobby emerging in the usual fashion here as I already have well over 300 fountain pens and I'm really trying not to inventory the typewriter side ...

Richard
 
sears solid state

hello,
Im a new dude to the site.
I recently started getting into audio and have been wanting
to have equipment that compliments the music I like to hear.
Ive got an old receiver of my dads that Ive been using for a while now.
Its a Sears solid state with the numbers 2014177-3 on the back.
It has an am/fm, cassette, and a turntable on the top.
I assume it was manufactured some time in the 80s.
Could anyone tell me what Im workin with here?
 
Hi,

I just learned newbie lesson #1: read the "guidelines", look around, search and read before asking!

I stumbled upon AK a few months back via Google as I am just starting my "career" as an audio enthusiast... and quite frankly, I think this community is the reason I unpacked my old vinyls and started hunting for gear.

I have been more or less lucky with my first purchases until last week, when I bought a Yamaha CR-820... boy did it blow away the Technics SA-303 I had found 1 month ago!! :music: For the moment, I have paired up the CR-820 with a Dual CS506 TT and Sony TKII deck (playing through an older set of Cerwin-Vega speakers).

I am re-discovering music I hadn't listened to for years, and feel this could quickly become an addiction... :D Anyway, I just wanted to take a quick moment to introduce myself and say hello!

Cheers,
Ben
 
Another new guy

Hey folks,
Just heard of this site recently when i took an amp for repair to one of the gentleman who advertises on the site Terry DeWick. First post here but longtime Yamaha and Klipsch owner. First site i have come across that seems to have favorable opinions on both. I lusted after the Yamaha separates shortly after i graduated from college in the mid-80's, but didn't have the money then to pursue the interest and had to wait several years later to put the system together. I just recently took the plunge into the tube world in my second system and hooked up a tube preamp with a Yamaha M50 and marvel at the sound with classic jazz stuff. Just wanted to take a moment and say thanks for such a low key environment and all the info i have seen shared in the posts and the attitude which seems to be prevalent here. Look forward to learning much more as i spend more time here.

Mike
Knoxville, TN
 
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