What is this Radio Shack EQ Everybody's Talking About?

vvv · Post by **vvv** » Tue Feb 28, 2012 4:09 pm

Well, for shites and giggles, I bought it. (Inna hurry, didn't notice the high shipping charge.

)

I'll crack it when I get it and check for inductors, etc., but prob'ly not, eh?

Otherwise, I'll re-sell it or mebbe try it on the bedroom stereo ... where I have Optimus 77 speakers on a old Advent receiver.

pandemic · Post by **pandemic** » Wed Feb 29, 2012 5:43 pm

...the 31-1986 (I believe) is a stereo, discrete, inductor based 7 band EQ with dual gang slide potentiometers. The 31-1987 is the same circuit (give or take) with individual controls for left and right. These are both the same EQ with a different control scheme. These were made in the 80's (per Radio Shack catalogs). The 7 band EQ I pictured (40-2010) in the thread came out in 1974 (per the catalog) and may be the same as the 31-1986. I have scoured, SCOURED! the Rat Shack catalogs and I cannot find a black enameled 7 band eq.............I really don't think it exists. Chalk it up to Sasquatch, Nessie and other Hoodoo.....

That being said, the 40-2010 is a discrete, inductor based equalizer that is very quiet and so far sounds really good....

Here is a link to vintage Radio Shack catalogs for anyone that wants to research or just look at some neat old stuff....

http://www.radioshackcatalogs.com/catal ... ctory.html

rhythm ranch · Post by **rhythm ranch** » Wed Feb 29, 2012 6:34 pm

pandemic wrote:...the 31-1986 (I believe) is a stereo, discrete, inductor based 7 band EQ with dual gang slide potentiometers. The 31-1987 is the same circuit (give or take) with individual controls for left and right.

http://www.radioshackcatalogs.com/catal ... ctory.html

The 31-1986 and 31-1987 are five band EQs.

pandemic · Post by **pandemic** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 3:45 am

sorry....yes 5 band. This thread even has me discombobulated! The 40-2010 is 5 band as well (dumb mistake as I just bought pots for it).

ubertar · Post by **ubertar** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 9:18 am

I don't think the black face 7 band ever made it into the catalogs-- it may not even have had a model #. I remember some talk back in the day that there were only a few dozen made, which were essentially prototypes, and they were so good the design was bought out by some other company before they were officially released. I think the rumor was Neve, but that seems pretty hard to believe. The existing EQs made it into the hands of major producers, who, to protect their reps with clients, would often re-house the electronics so no one would see the Realistic name on it. So most of these things would be hard to recognize unless you really know what you are looking for.

pandemic · Post by **pandemic** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 10:31 am

This whole damn thing sounds like hooey........God I need a life.

dfuruta · Post by **dfuruta** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 10:53 am

All of the links on the previous page certainly show that RS eqs had some variability in panel colors & design, and that there were a lot of different model numbers flying around.

I mean, radio shack sells a huge number of different products. Is it so surprising that there might not be much information around on a short-lived eq from 30 years ago? A lot of old (intended) consumer-grade audio gear is like that. Try finding information on some of the microphones that pop up on ebay...

pandemic · Post by **pandemic** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 11:07 am

That's true. I try to buy weird stuff on ebay every once in a while (looking for treasure) but is usually junk. The RSEQ that I bought truly does sound good but there is no magic in there....just some transistors, inductors, caps and resistors.

vvv · Post by **vvv** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 11:51 am

That's OK. I was in such a hurry when I bought the 31-1130?

It has a ribbon cable for connection to a receiver.

Further, this unit, sold as "excellent" has a broken faceplate. There was a US$40+ mistake.

I messaged the seller that his description was bad, and he did hide the ribbon-cable end and not disclose it in the text ...

I'll end up eating this tho', as the postage was the same as the price.

germaniac · Post by **germaniac** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 12:19 pm

Facts:
--Realistic/Radio Shack models 31-1986, 31-1987, 31-1988 are five-band, all inductor, class A, single 44-volt rail. Identical circuits can be found in certain ADC/Teac Soundshaper models.

--Realistic/Radio Shack model 31-1989 is seven-band with the top three bands inductor-based, bottom four bands op amp gyrator-based, op amp signal path, +/- 15 volt rails.

Mischievous Fabricated Nonsense:
--Realistic/Radio Shack "black face" seven-band EQ "from the 70s" with "no model number" that "didn't make it to the catalog" because it was a "prototype" with legending from "Neve/API" on the PCB, and which is so rare and must-have that nobody anywhere actually "has one."

Go ahead, prove me wrong.

Joe

pandemic · Post by **pandemic** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 12:19 pm

ouch..... I have always had pretty good luck as far as that went but I am pretty thorough doing the research before I pull the trigger. You may be able to gut that thing, add some rack ears and a face plate and stuff something cool inside.....maybe not a total loss.

pandemic · Post by **pandemic** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 12:23 pm

Mischievous Fabricated Nonsense:
--Realistic/Radio Shack "black face" seven-band EQ "from the 70s" with "no model number" that "didn't make it to the catalog" because it was a "prototype" with legending from "Neve/API" on the PCB, and which is so rare and must-have that nobody anywhere actually has one.

Go ahead, prove me wrong.

Agreed!

Derrick · Post by **Derrick** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 1:35 pm

germaniac wrote:Facts:
--Realistic/Radio Shack models 31-1986, 31-1987, 31-1988 are five-band, all inductor, class A, single 44-volt rail. Identical circuits can be found in certain ADC/Teac Soundshaper models.

--Realistic/Radio Shack model 31-1989 is seven-band with the top three bands inductor-based, bottom four bands op amp gyrator-based, op amp signal path, +/- 15 volt rails.

Mischievous Fabricated Nonsense:
--Realistic/Radio Shack "black face" seven-band EQ "from the 70s" with "no model number" that "didn't make it to the catalog" because it was a "prototype" with legending from "Neve/API" on the PCB, and which is so rare and must-have that nobody anywhere actually has one.

Go ahead, prove me wrong.

Joe

Wow, I bet they call you atheist now too...

germaniac · Post by **germaniac** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 2:13 pm

Derrick wrote:Nope, God I have seen. 16 pages of discussion, still nobody can produce a picture or model number of this EQ.

Listen, the whole was thing started by some smart-alec (on TOMB I think) who joked about giving his tracks some mojo with an imaginary Neve/Realistic EQ. The "best" and supposed "worst" names in quality in one box--get it? Sarcasm, folks.

Then the subject followed two diverging paths, the first of credulity, the second of irony. First, credulity, because some people didn't get the joke and set about trying to find the mythical box (myself among them initially). Second, irony, because it turns out the supposed "worst" name in quality actually does make a few decent and interesting EQs. So the joke is on the jokester.

What needs to happen now is twofold: 1) the credulous need to accept the fact that no such "holy grail" Realistic EQ exists; and 2) the smug gear-snobs need to accept that a few of the Realistic EQs that do exist actually are pretty decent.

Meanwhile, I've got plans to make an Abbey Road-style "Curvebender" out of parts from some of my Realistics. . . .

Joe

ubertar · Post by **ubertar** » Thu Mar 01, 2012 2:30 pm

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What is this Radio Shack EQ Everybody's Talking About?

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