What old stuff do you still use?

[Paul DS]

We had an old Packard Bell console stereo (from the 50's) with a record player that had the 16 RPM setting. It included a large B&W television, AM/FM mono radio and a stereo record player. Each section of the console deployed vacuum tubes.

That must have been one fine console!

The Motorola Hi-Fi has a 7 tube amplifier. I have a lot of old 78 and 45 rmp records that sound amazing good on this machine. Also have about 4 or 5 16 2/3 rpm records. These are hard to come by.

 

[crazyfingers]

The best looking sci-fi spaceship IMO

Which spaceship?

ETA: mine are NCC-1701 original and the Jupiter 2.

 

[isolar8001]

I have a 24 inch Eagle thats glorious...mine is very "dirty" Took me a month to build and detail.
Don't have a good enough camera for a good pic of it though.

 

[davidscott]

I sold my Atari 800XL system a couple of years ago. Passed it along to a collector as it sat in storage for too long. I had the complete system with computer, disk drive, printer, 2600 style controllers, a track ball, and even the modem interface. I had loads of cartridge games on disk including Pitfall. Really loved Joust and Boulder Dash and the track ball was great for Missile Command and Centipede.

I actually went from my 2600 to a 400xl so I could have a "real" computer. Finally, purchased an IBM XT a couple of years later.

 

[crazyfingers]

I have a 24 inch Eagle thats glorious...mine is very "dirty" Took me a month to build and detail.
Don't have a good enough camera for a good pic of it though.
View attachment 69071

Great ship. When I was young I loved that show. We started to watch it again recently and it was SO STUPID we couldn't continue. Then we discovered Stargate.

I've always wanted to build the Discovery from 2001 a Space Odyssey but haven't gotten to it. I made a lot of models before the kids arrived. Had to quit in 2004. When my wife gets her poop out of the basement I plan to start up again. I have a large USS Voyager to make. I'd also like to finish this.

The kids arrived and I had to put the sharp tools away. 20 years ago.

 

[KenM10759]

The oldest piece I still use among all the used and dealer demo stock gear in my music listening room is my 1975-1978 vintage direct drive Luxman PD-121U turntable, with its SME 3009R tonearm. I like it but may sell it in the future to get a newer Luxman PD-151 Mk2 or PD-191A, which both have 78 rpm that neither of my turntables currently do.

 

[TLS Guy]

The oldest piece I still use among all the used and dealer demo stock gear in my music listening room is my 1975-1978 vintage direct drive Luxman PD-121U turntable, with its SME 3009R tonearm. I like it but may sell it in the future to get a newer Luxman PD-151 Mk2 or PD-191A, which both have 78 rpm that neither of my turntables currently do.
View attachment 69103

The trouble with playing 78s is that you have to change the cartridge. Older vintage gear was geared for that, like my Garrard Decca rig. The other issue is that you need the correct Eq curves. Only a few vintage preamps allow for that. It is not the RIAA curve and different labels require different Eq curves.

That is a really nice turntable you have there and SME tone arms are the best ever. I would keep that rig for sure.

 

[Bobby Bass]

Which spaceship?

ETA: mine are NCC-1701 original and the Jupiter 2.

NCC-1701 original is awesome

 

[davidscott]

NCC-1701 original is awesome

Agreed. Best model spaceship I have ever had.

 

[crazyfingers]

NCC-1701 original is awesome

The genuine model from the TV show in the Smithsonian Air and Space museum. I hear they have further fixed it up since I took this photo I think in the late 1970's.

 

[KenM10759]

The trouble with playing 78s is that you have to change the cartridge. Older vintage gear was geared for that, like my Garrard Decca rig. The other issue is that you need the correct Eq curves. Only a few vintage preamps allow for that. It is not the RIAA curve and different labels require different Eq curves.

That is a really nice turntable you have there and SME tone arms are the best ever. I would keep that rig for sure.

I'm well aware about the cartridges. Both the turntables I have now, that one and the 2011 build date belt-drive Luxman PD-171 which I've upgraded the stock Jelco SA-250 tonearm with a new old-stock Jelco TS-550S, have the SME style interchangeable headshells.

I routinely change among the 5 cartridges I have, and will soon add an Audio Technica AT33 Mono to replace a Grado M+E that I just couldn't "come to terms with." Adding a similar dedicated cartridge for 78's wouldn't bother me a bit. I've got a milk crate half-packed with 78's that I've never been able to play.

Still on the fence, because I know I'd have to pickup another phono stage with the Decca and other curves to get the best from the records, and I *love* the. Luxman EQ-500 I have. I'd have to start stacking, and not a fan of that.

 

[isolar8001]

I'm well aware about the cartridges. Both the turntables I have now, that one and the 2011 build date belt-drive Luxman PD-171 which I've upgraded the stock Jelco SA-250 tonearm with a new old-stock Jelco TS-550S, have the SME style interchangeable headshells.

I routinely change among the 5 cartridges I have, and will soon add an Audio Technica AT33 Mono to replace a Grado M+E that I just couldn't "come to terms with." Adding a similar dedicated cartridge for 78's wouldn't bother me a bit. I've got a milk crate half-packed with 78's that I've never been able to play.

Still on the fence, because I know I'd have to pickup another phono stage with the Decca and other curves to get the best from the records, and I *love* the. Luxman EQ-500 I have. I'd have to start stacking, and not a fan of that.

Luxman is my dream equipment.
If there was a museum for everything Luxman has ever made, I would go.
I sold Luxman and owned one of their receivers in the late eighties...R117. The GOAT of 2 channel receivers.

Hell, I wouldn't mind some Luxman bath towels, disposable razors, dish liquid, etc. etc.

 

[KenM10759]

Luxman is my dream equipment.
If there was a museum for everything Luxman has ever made, I would go.
I sold Luxman and owned one of their receivers in the late eighties...R117. The GOAT of 2 channel receivers.

Hell, I wouldn't mind some Luxman bath towels, disposable razors, dish liquid, etc. etc.

That R-117 was indeed an incredible piece! It was a R-351 that I got gifted to me that made me say "Whoa, how come I didn't know about this stuff?"

Now I'm really into it. The PD-121U top left, the PD-171 top right, EQ-500 tube based phono amp second shelf left, L-509X integrated amp to its right, and DA-06 dac bottom shelf right.

 

[crazyfingers]

In the OP I showed a photo of my 1980 dorm room. In it was this turntable. A Technics semi-automatic SL-3200. I got it in the late 1970's. It probably cost about $200 at the time.

It still works like new except for the clear plastic cover that now needs a back-scratcher to keep it up when I want the cover to stay up.

I'm sure that some here might rightly call it a hunk of junk by audiophile standards today but I love the thing - at least to the extent that I ever play LPs. Being direct drive I'm fascinated that the whole platter is the other half of the motor.

Maybe it is junk but when I'm in the mood to play an LP the cueing lever still slowly places the arm down after I've carefully put it over where I want to place it. Being semi-automatic it the hone arm lifts and goes back to its place when the LP is done.

It had been in storage for 20 years. When I retired in 2022 I got it out along with my old LPs. I knew that I wouldn't use it much but I wanted it connected again. I got a new Ortofon 2M Blue premounted cartridge for it.

For me playing an LP is not about the digital vs analog debate. It's about Nostalgia 100% and when I'm in the mood, it takes me back in time 45 years. LPs have a unique smell. And playing them is an old ritual that you can't forget even after 45 years.

 

[isolar8001]

That R-117 was indeed an incredible piece! It was a R-351 that I got gifted to me that made me say "Whoa, how come I didn't know about this stuff?"

Now I'm really into it. The PD-121U top left, the PD-171 top right, EQ-500 tube based phono amp second shelf left, L-509X integrated amp to its right, and DA-06 dac bottom shelf right.

View attachment 69108

I hate you...no wait...I love you. I'm so confused.

My second wife did away with my R-117....then I did away with her.

Luxman R-117 | Classic Receivers

At 160 watts per channel the Luxman R-117 is a monster receiver and it has the power and features to make it arguably the best receiver Luxman ever made.

classicreceivers.com

 

[davidscott]

In the OP I showed a photo of my 1980 dorm room. In it was this turntable. A Technics semi-automatic SL-3200. I got it in the late 1970's. It probably cost about $200 at the time.

It still works like new except for the clear plastic cover that now needs a back-scratcher to keep it up when I want the cover to stay up.

I'm sure that some here might rightly call it a hunk of junk by audiophile standards today but I love the thing - at least to the extent that I ever play LPs. Being direct drive I'm fascinated that the whole platter is the other half of the motor.

Maybe it is junk but when I'm in the mood to play an LP the cueing lever still slowly places the arm down after I've carefully put it over where I want to place it. Being semi-automatic it the hone arm lifts and goes back to its place when the LP is done.

It had been in storage for 20 years. When I retired in 2022 I got it out along with my old LPs. I knew that I wouldn't use it much but I wanted it connected again. I got a new Ortofon 2M Blue premounted cartridge for it.

For me playing an LP is not about the digital vs analog debate. It's about Nostalgia 100% and when I'm in the mood, it takes me back in time 45 years. LPs have a unique smell. And playing them is an old ritual that you can't forget even after 45 years.

View attachment 69109

I had an entry level Technics DD TT back in the late 70's. Sounded great with a Shure V15 Type 3 cart. I replaced it with an entry level belt drive Dual in 1980 or so. Not so sure that was an upgrade.

 

[Mikado463]

My second wife did away with my R-117....then I did away with her.

LOL, you didn't learn anything the first time around ? !!