Just wondering why vintage solid state Fishers units get no respect. Are they just as good as the the other big name boys but lacked the Pioneer or Japanese name. I came across a Fisher Studio Sound RS 2003 with a graphic eq. and my initial impression is that it is a decent unit. Are these quality units?
Solid State fisher receivers
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Fishers in the late 80's are considered junk. Surely my mother bought rs-852 stereo receiver back in 1987. 100wpc, graphic eq, digital tuning. It does look like a nice receiver. Back in 1988 I bought my Realistic STA-870. 65wpc and no eq just bass and treble, analog tuning. That Realistic blew away the Fisher in sonic clarity. The Fisher of '87 sounded distorted compared to my Realistic of '85 (bought in 88). Fishers of the 60's are good. I have Fisher 500c and 400 and 201 (ss). I love my tube receivers but the 201 need work so I didn't give it enough time to show itself yet.
Here's the pic of Fisher 201 with Criterion 50A speakers. Cost me total of $13 at GoodWill. :thmbsp:
Here's the pic of Fisher 201 with Criterion 50A speakers. Cost me total of $13 at GoodWill. :thmbsp:
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gladiator335
MRTI
It's not bad at all
Got this last year at GW. Near mint condition with the manual for $14.99.
THough it says "Built by Fisher for Sears" I consider it to be a pure Fisher. And it sounds amazing! 55WPC. I used to have a lot of receivers including Pioneer SX-1050, Yamaha CR-620, Sansui 7070 and other, however I should say that this Fisher holds very well against those guys.
Got this last year at GW. Near mint condition with the manual for $14.99.
THough it says "Built by Fisher for Sears" I consider it to be a pure Fisher. And it sounds amazing! 55WPC. I used to have a lot of receivers including Pioneer SX-1050, Yamaha CR-620, Sansui 7070 and other, however I should say that this Fisher holds very well against those guys.
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TAGO MAGO
Super Member
I had a quadraphonic "Sears audio by Fisher" receiver and it sounded great and worked well, but I had some issues with the quality of the unit, especially with the plastic knob internals that would often break. I gave mine away sometime ago and I think it is still in a friend's basement or he passed it on to someone else. I liked it, but only would own another if one presents itself at a low price.
There is a clear distinction between the SS units that Fisher built before Avery sold the company to Emerson, then the early Emerson units, and finally the ones built by Sanyo after Emerson sold out.
The Fisher units, and the early Fisher/Emerson do get respect. And it's growing.
The 700 is probably the most desirable, and is, iirc, the most expensive receiver Fisher ever sold. I'll have to dig out my catalogs and do some inflation calculations.
The Fisher units, and the early Fisher/Emerson do get respect. And it's growing.
The 700 is probably the most desirable, and is, iirc, the most expensive receiver Fisher ever sold. I'll have to dig out my catalogs and do some inflation calculations.
Fisher-Dave
Super Member
Fisher has my respect.It's true,like any other name brand,some models sound better than others.Far as sound goes,I prefer the sound of the RS-1060 even though the RS-1080 has more power.The RS-1080 is 31 years old,only a few bulbs been changed,really nothing more and it's stood the daily test of time. I can't think of anyone that'd demand all they can get out of it the way I have.Junk couldn't hold up to me. :thmbsp:
Fisher 404 2 / 4 channel stereo receiver
Although I have owned very few solid state Fishers, I have liked the ones I have had. Presently, the only solid state Fisher I own is the 404. The 404 is a second generation Fisher four channel receiver that features a built-in SQ decoder. It sounds pretty good.
Although I have owned very few solid state Fishers, I have liked the ones I have had. Presently, the only solid state Fisher I own is the 404. The 404 is a second generation Fisher four channel receiver that features a built-in SQ decoder. It sounds pretty good.
Fisher-Dave
Super Member
tcdriver,,,that is one MINTY quad you have there! :thmbsp:
Fisher-Dave
Super Member
Though my 440T worked good,sounded good when I bought it at goodwill for 6.99, I noticed a while back some fluid had dripped out through the bottom plate. I looked into it and one of the bigger caps leaked some,so I put it away untill I can recap it.
Ol Sparky
Chief Curmudgeon
I have to agree. I bought my 700 in 1968 for $289.95 on sale. That's $1718.87 in 2007 dollars (Consumer Index). I still have it and it still is the next best solid state amp I have heard (for 45 watts or so). Of course I did the IAR mods on the power supply and the coupling caps. The quality of construction has to be seen to be believed. I would take pictures but the Fisher is in Houston and I am in Japan.
Brian
An Old Geezer
Fisher like other US companies put out some fantastic US made product. At the time they switched to offshore production, Japan did not have a reputation for quality nor did Korea. Sort of akin to China today. The kids during the time did not want to be associated with their parents so if there was a Fisher in the house, more likely than not it was not on the to-buy list of the kids. The older gen when they looked at the imports it did not have the quality and feel of the US units so they were disappointed and many simply kept what they had. Also, there was still a lot of bad feeling from WWII to deal with.
Lastly, Japan was receiving huge economic advantages compared to the US companies and when the electronic companies invaded the US they overwhelmed the industry with advertising and product as well as distribution. From memory, except for Sony they did not try to control pricing while the US makers still did and hence street prices for imports generally were less expensive than the US counterparts or from the otherside of the coin, the US companies were selling the equiv units for much more and hence less value for the money. In those years the problem was not that the public felt they were poor for the most part but overpriced and hence less value for the money. To the lay person that translated into quality though it was not so. Today, the stigmatism is going away and were the vintage crowd is realizing the value of these is equal to their equiv from Pioneer, Marantz, etc. Value is better now than for most of the big import name brands that so many fantasize over. You can buy the biggest Fisher receiver for instance for probably less than half the price of a comparable Marantz.
Lastly, Japan was receiving huge economic advantages compared to the US companies and when the electronic companies invaded the US they overwhelmed the industry with advertising and product as well as distribution. From memory, except for Sony they did not try to control pricing while the US makers still did and hence street prices for imports generally were less expensive than the US counterparts or from the otherside of the coin, the US companies were selling the equiv units for much more and hence less value for the money. In those years the problem was not that the public felt they were poor for the most part but overpriced and hence less value for the money. To the lay person that translated into quality though it was not so. Today, the stigmatism is going away and were the vintage crowd is realizing the value of these is equal to their equiv from Pioneer, Marantz, etc. Value is better now than for most of the big import name brands that so many fantasize over. You can buy the biggest Fisher receiver for instance for probably less than half the price of a comparable Marantz.
FYI, when Fisher first went offshore, they went to Hong Kong. I am not sure what was the first model made in Hong Kong, that may be worth a thread of its own. I would guess that the Models 601 and 701 circa 1971 were made in Hong Kong. My model 404 pictured above was made there.
KentTeffeteller
Gimpus Stereophilus!
In 1971, Avery Fisher sold Fisher Radio Corporation to Emerson Electric in St. Louis, MO. The Futura Series receivers were the first Fisher receivers made outside of the USA. They were made in Japan by Hitachi. The Futura line began with the 201, the first stereo receiver I ever owned as a 9 year old used mint unit. The Korean units began with the Emerson era.
An old thread but...
My 500T does not sound nearly as good as my X202b tube unit. Condition, I'm sure, plays into this but my 500T sounds completely lifeless. So bad that I'm wondering if a recap would help enough (and not worth it to me to go through with it). It's a good looking receiver, though. Truly 'vintage' in aesthetic, with woodgrain on the faceplate, too.
My 500T does not sound nearly as good as my X202b tube unit. Condition, I'm sure, plays into this but my 500T sounds completely lifeless. So bad that I'm wondering if a recap would help enough (and not worth it to me to go through with it). It's a good looking receiver, though. Truly 'vintage' in aesthetic, with woodgrain on the faceplate, too.
I have a R494 Console with a 23R Receiver. This is a 175 receiver that has been modified to fit in the console and has the molex connector for the phono. They removed the case, took off the heatsink and installed a heatsink cage. It's a 175 in everything but name. Built in 1969. And for 20 Watts, it blows away my SX-535, and my neighbors SX636 using the same speakers. All have been re-capped. It looks very much like the 201 in an earlier post.
As for me, I feel that FISHER RADIO ceased to exist after Emerson sold the Co. to SANYO in 1971-72. Everything after that to me is kludge.
Larry
As for me, I feel that FISHER RADIO ceased to exist after Emerson sold the Co. to SANYO in 1971-72. Everything after that to me is kludge.
Larry
Amen! I have become a Fisher Fan myself lately and have no regrets. I have a new-to-me RS 1080, the flagship of the japanese produced line, and the thing is a beast in every sense. 2 feet wife and almost 70 lbs, nicely laid out lights and controls. I initially picked it up "just because" -- one of their top-of-the-liners and not a common comodity. Fisher Dave and others piqued my interest with their experiences. Now that I think of it my 1st exposure to the Fishers began as a search for a receiver with a strong FM tuner section. If you do a google search of the AK site you'll really get a good introduiction -- it'll make you a believer!