My tuner finally died along with most everything else stereo wise

Zeke · 02-11-2012, 05:17 PM

Non use. I got things cleaned up a bit today in my back room and decided to play some old music. By old I mean cassette tapes and vinyl. I knew the CD player was dead, so I pulled the leads and tossed it. Next was the Pioneer tape deck. It would rewind but not play. I could fix it but I had another off brand.

After listening to that for awhile I thought I'd get some vinyl out. I selected a very well preserved Judy Collins album and got huge static. Wonderful full sound besides the static. The old analog knobs had been giving me problems for quite awhile before I stopped using the system. Seems like it all is just about gone.

At one time I was quite the audiophile but many years of construction and other abuse to the ears has left me with a good case of tinnitus. Nevertheless, cranking it up now and then is fun.

I hate to see my old Viet Nam era tuner go. It's one of those old power houses with 100 watts each side. Got the speakers to match, but they are long in the tooth as well.

I don't want to put much money out to replace this stuff as I can't really appreciate it that much any more. Having said that, I haven't heard things coming out of an iPod dock or a table top Bose gizmo like I heard out of this old timer a few minutes ago. When it was working well the sound was as rich and full as it comes.

Advice?

Got something you want to send down the line?

slodave · slodave's Garage

Try changing the tubes.... Ducking now..

Zeke · 02-11-2012, 05:31 PM

Viet Nam era stuff was solid state with analog knobs. Not sure how that worked but it was the standard for many years. One could spray contact cleaner in the potentiometers for awhile but I guess eventually the stuff is just OLD.

BTW, I'd love to hear the tube amps you guys are building/

Jared at Pelican Parts · 02-11-2012, 06:18 PM

I have a Marantz 2275b from that era that still works as good as new. Look into having the caps changed, cleaning out the pots and re-biasing it. Stuff from back then was just built better.

You can also have speakers re-coned.

dennis in se pa · dennis in se pa's Garage

Time to go digital Mon. MP3 et al.

Joe Bob · Joe Bob's Garage

I have a huge hard drive full of music.....I load up a 4 gig ipod and just run that. FInd a cheap POS radio that has an Ipod jack and buy it.

Woody's on ebay makes period correct radios with modern guts. If'n ya need some muzak....lemme know. I gots crap from old fogie eras.....%^B

slodave · slodave's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zeke

BTW, I'd love to hear the tube amps you guys are building/

I plan on building a stereo tube amp for my stereo. That project won't happen for a while though.

Rot 911 · 02-11-2012, 07:02 PM

You can still find plenty of the old amps, tuners and receivers on ebay at garage sale prices. I still have the same Sansui amp and tuner that I bought in Germany back in 1976. They still sound great.

LeeH · 08:15 PM

A friend of mine is selling this Sansui QRX-7500... I can probably get you a deal.

Sansui QRX-7500A 4 Channel Classic Receiver

Around here, if you targeted the parts of town where older folks live, something similar could eventually be had for $20 or so.

Joeaksa · 02-11-2012, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe Bob

I have a huge hard drive full of music.....I load up a 4 gig ipod and just run that. FInd a cheap POS radio that has an Ipod jack and buy it.

Woody's on ebay makes period correct radios with modern guts. If'n ya need some muzak....lemme know. I gots crap from old fogie eras.....%^B

Hope you have backed it up!!!!

sprio · 02-12-2012, 06:35 AM

Try cleaning the pots with DeOxit. There are a number of good audio forums out there that can provide how-to information.

Zeke · 02-12-2012, 07:19 AM

I think it has to do with the input jacks. Some functions are OK like the tuner, but the phono input is all messed up. I might try to put the leads in another set of jacks.

However, starting over appeals to me. I don't listen to radio much, so an amp would be fine.

And you're right, CL has a ton of this stuff and cheap. I think I'll just pick up someone's whole system – plug and play (literally

)

Joe Bob · Joe Bob's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joeaksa

Hope you have backed it up!!!!

It's an external drive and I have given out copies to many people......

jhynesrockmtn · 02-12-2012, 07:54 AM

I have an old pioneer receiver I paid $10 for at a garage sale. I had that repaired for $125 when it died. The speakers I had re coned. Don't know if your stuff is worth repairing but it sounds so much better than the little new systems with tiny speakers. The receiver will play pandora or my Ipod/computer through a set of RCA style jacks with the right plug on the other end plugged in to the aux jack.

Zeke · 02-12-2012, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jhynesrockmtn

I have an old pioneer receiver I paid $10 for at a garage sale. I had that repaired for $125 when it died. The speakers I had re coned. Don't know if your stuff is worth repairing but it sounds so much better than the little new systems with tiny speakers. The receiver will play pandora or my Ipod/computer through a set of RCA style jacks with the right plug on the other end plugged in to the aux jack.

I do that.

duncan1437 · 02-12-2012, 09:20 AM

about a year ago, i was shopping for a marantz 2215 receiver/amplifier (circa 1973) , and looked at ebay, kijiji, ebay classifieds, etc, and ended up buying one here:

Innovative Audio

Zeke · 02-12-2012, 06:11 PM

I've never had a system with a pre amp. What' s the history behind the pre amp and having it all in one unit? Back to the days of tubes and keeping 2 chassis cool vs. one?

What would be an advantage of having a modern pre amp?

RWebb · RWebb's Garage

it keeps RF signals far away from the audio circuitry

provides its own power supply optimized for what it does vs. what the amp needs

enzo1 · 02-12-2012, 07:20 PM

iphone, headphones, pandora....

ramonesfreak · ramonesfreak's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zeke

I've never had a system with a pre amp. What' s the history behind the pre amp and having it all in one unit? Back to the days of tubes and keeping 2 chassis cool vs. one?

What would be an advantage of having a modern pre amp?

i think you do have a system with a pre-amp. the distinction is that in an "integrated" amp, you have a pre-amp and amplifier in one unit like your "tuner". the other option is to have separates...a pre-amp unit (volume and sometimes tone controls but no power) connected to a separate unit that is just a power amp. as a layperson, thats the only way i can describe it.

cooling would be one of the issues. another might be your ability to swap out components...you love the amp, but hate the pre-amp so you get a different pre-amp,etc...