Restore Vintage Boxes? Improve Them?

[lovinthehd]

How about with grills removed? Lots of us are senior citizens

 

[Woody Stemms]

Not certain I can remove the grills without screwing them up.

They are old-school ( surprise ) and not designed to be removed easily.

That "bare-look" caught on later, when ported enclosures became popular.

 

[lovinthehd]

Not certain I can remove the grills without screwing them up.

They are old-school ( surprise ) and not designed to be removed easily.

That "bare-look" caught on later, when ported enclosures became popular.

I'm more thinking your speakers were not well updated when you mention, they're likely more frankenstein speakers (or do you have some details on who did the work and what they did with drivers/crossovers?).

 

[TLS Guy]

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For those with morbid curiosity, here's a dose of senior-citizen Hi-Fi.
Speakers: AR-6
Subwoofer: Cambridge BassCube 10 - ( not connected now )
Turntable - Pioneer PL-514x $10 at a garage sale - Needed a rubber band and a cartridge.
Receiver - Technics SA EX-140 - Basic model - Don't remember where or when it arrived.
CD Player - 5-Disc carousel - Sony CD - CE 275 ... Makes some odd noises, but it still works.
Cassette Dubbing Deck - Sony TC WE 425 - Haven't used it in many years.

Not shown: Sony TCD 5M - For live recordings
( Willie Nelson & Delbert McClinton / Missouri State Penitentiary - 1981 , etc. )

The Technics receiver has A & B speaker inputs, but they can't be used simultaneously, so here's no way to use the sub now that the cheap-ass plastic connectors are bunko. They add insult to injury by shooting that little spring halfway across the room when the plastic tab fractures like a piñata. So very festive.

The next re-shuffle will probably include switching the 5-CD carousel for a BlueRay DVD player that's on hand

Been looking for another receiver, hopefully without all the home theater add-ons. There aren't many of the better 2 channel units with phono input, TV input, CD input, Tape input, and a subwoofer out. "Vintage" units were often pre-CD, and lack dedicated TV inputs. There's probably a narrow widow between the mid 80's and the mid 90's where I'll find one on Craigslist. Most new receivers are intended for multi-speaker surround media, and are even more expensive than the refurbished "golden era" 70 - 80's models.

Those speaker output terminals can be replaced. Since you plan to use a BD player and have a TV, you really should consider an AV receiver. That would simplify your connections and be a lot simpler to hook together. In addition you would have bass management. Not having HDMI connectivity makes for awkward work arounds.

 

[Woody Stemms]

Those speaker output terminals can be replaced. Since you plan to use a BD player and have a TV, you really should consider an AV receiver. That would simplify your connections and be a lot simpler to hook together. In addition you would have bass management. Not having HDMI connectivity makes for awkward work arounds.

It would be a minor miracle to find a straight 2-channel receiver with the input/output combination that's required.
The hope is to find a simple AV unit that's not full of electronic "features" that bit the dust decades ago, ( not to mention dozens of dedicated jacks that became useless when camcorders went extinct. )

As it happens, the speaker out's on the subwoofer aren't fixable without major surgery. When I removed the screws and lifted the "plate" that held the electronics to the back of the cabinet, I found that both input and output terminals outside were directly attached inside to the fiberglass circuit-board. No visible wires or soldered connections to detatch. It does have a line-level input jack, an easy attachment to a receiver with a subwoofer out.

Whether the replacement drivers were "correct" or not will remain an open question. Didn't hear any appreciable difference when the work was done. I've compensated for the removed sub by turning the bass control of the receiver up a notch, and adjusting the speakers controls to below neutral.. It's good enough for TV and FM radio.

 

[Kingnoob]

It would be a minor miracle to find a straight 2-channel receiver with the input/output combination that's required.
The hope is to find a simple AV unit that's not full of electronic "features" that bit the dust decades ago, ( not to mention dozens of dedicated jacks that became useless when camcorders went extinct. )

As it happens, the speaker out's on the subwoofer aren't fixable without major surgery. When I removed the screws and lifted the "plate" that held the electronics to the back of the cabinet, I found that both input and output terminals outside were directly attached inside to the fiberglass circuit-board. The unit does have a line-level input jack, an easy attachment to a receiver with a subwoofer out.

Whether the replacement drivers were "correct" or not will remain an open question. Didn't hear any appreciable difference when the work was done. I've compensated for the removed sub by turning the bass control of the receiver up a notch, and adjusting the speakers control to below neutral.. It's good enough for TV and FM radio.

On my avr you can select pure audio which shuts off all that processing stuff , it also has mono, stereo and many more modes . Mines 11 years obsolete so no 4k hdmi.
So get a pure audio capable avr, direct mode also is the signal I think .

 

[MrBoat]

On my avr you can select pure audio which shuts off all that processing stuff , it also has mono, stereo and many more modes . Mines 11 years obsolete so no 4k hdmi.
So get a pure audio capable avr, direct mode also is the signal I think .

Mine's from around 2003 or so. Denon 3805. I like Denon's take on processing. I have analog gear for the raw stuff but this is fine. I could upgrade but this kind of power for the price I paid is too good to ignore until it dies, as far as I am concerned. It drives absolutely everything I have thrown at it. It's like having a master key for the whole building.

 

[Woody Stemms]

Mine's from around 2003 or so. Denon 3805. I like Denon's take on processing. I have analog gear for the raw stuff but this is fine. I could upgrade but this kind of power for the price I paid is too good to ignore until it dies, as far as I am concerned. It drives absolutely everything I have thrown at it. It's like having a master key for the whole building.

I've been checking the listings for Denon, Yamaha, Sansui, and Harmon-Karden, when they come up locally. Sony isn't out of the running either. E-Bay would be a last resort. Some of the refurbished Marantz and Pioneer receivers have asking prices befitting "cult status".

 

[TLS Guy]

I've been checking the listings for Denon, Yamaha, Sansui, and Harmon-Karden, when they come up locally. Sony isn't out of the running either. E-Bay would be a last resort. Some of the refurbished Marantz and Pioneer receivers have asking prices befitting "cult status".

I would not go looking for those old receivers. They are nowhere nearly as good as enthusiasts of the breed claim they are.

A receiver like this one, would be much more suitable and handy for you. What is your budget? I think a receiver, speaker and sub grade would increase your listening and viewing experience enormously, and you can still use your legacy equipment. Sure equipment is managed through the software, but it is not that hard to make the transition. If you take the plunge, I'm certain you will be glad you did.

 

[Kingnoob]

I would not go looking for those old receivers. They are nowhere nearly as good as enthusiasts of the breed claim they are.

A receiver like this one, would be much more suitable and handy for you. What is your budget? I think a receiver, speaker and sub grade would increase your listening and viewing experience enormously, and you can still use your legacy equipment. Sure equipment is managed through the software, but it is not that hard to make the transition. If you take the plunge, I'm certain you will be glad you did.

Newer avr should totally outclass the older ones, mine doesn’t have a lot of features no Atmos , no audysee curve , no 4k . Maybe a little less power but not a big deal .
Mine is 11-12 years old model , I had it 9-10.
It’s a beast though for the price I paid $1700+ today for a comparable onkyo . Not sure how long the hdmi board will last fingers crossed !

 

[Woody Stemms]

The real question regarding his great work is, when will he be turning out cabinets for purchase

I'll check that option.

Thanks.

 

[Woody Stemms]

In the meantime, a quick workaround was all that was needed.

( At least in the short term. )

Took a solid set of RCA cables and used the "tape out" plugs.

Didn't realize that they were all the line-out that was needed.

Sure enough, everything sounds "good" again.

Slipped in a CD of "Birth of the Cool".

No big rush to improve the system.

Thanks to everyone who responded.

 

[lovinthehd]

In the meantime, a quick workaround was all that was needed.

( At least in the short term. )

Took a solid set of RCA cables and used the "tape out" plugs.

Didn't realize that they were all the line-out that was needed.

Sure enough, everything sounds "good" again.

Slipped in a CD of "Birth of the Cool".

No big rush to improve the system.

Thanks to everyone who responded.

Do you only use the system at one volume? A typical tape line-out is fixed (i.e. no volume adjust).

 

[TLS Guy]

Do you only use the system at one volume? A typical tape line-out is fixed (i.e. no volume adjust).

You are correct that is not a solution, unless he has a volume control ahead of the receiver, but he would need a volume control for each source.

 

[lovinthehd]

You are correct that is not a solution, unless he has a volume control ahead of the receiver, but he would need a volume control for each source.

Then again many with old 2ch gear with a sub added simply vary volume of the sub directly too from what I see posted

 

[Woody Stemms]

The volume control on the receiver seems to work.

Used the BassCube volume adjustment to get a "match".

Also turned the bass control all the way down ( 75 hz. ).

( AR6's are supposed to go down to 40 hz., so there's a gap. )

Last step: throw the phase switch, which had been on zero.

Sounds OK ... so far.