vinyl collecting ( and surrounding planetary atmosphere )
Moderator: cgarges
- shedshrine
- deaf.
- Posts: 1868
- Joined: Tue Jun 01, 2004 5:47 pm
- Location: sf bay area
Re: vinyl collecting ( and surrounding planetary atmosphere )
Excellent comprehensive article on the advent of hi-fi audio and the eventual 'monster receivers'
Audioholics editorial on stereo gear of the '70's
________________________________________________________
Vintage receivers. They are fun (if not a bit finnicky), and glad I picked a few up before prices went nuts:
A Marantz 2270, a Sansui 9090DB and a McIntosh MAC1500. Two of which are now out of commission due to failed outputs.
Got the Sansui in the shop at the moment. Tech is backed up two months. It was just sitting under the bed anyway. When that comes back I'll be dropping off the Marantz.
The McIntosh MAC1500 is working like a champ, however a qualified champ: after you let the receiver warm up for half an hour the right channel joins the party. (Edit: after running it a couple days both channels fire right up upon start up.) The 1500 is feeding a pair of garage sale obtained Klipsch Epic CF1's out in the living room now instead of crammed into my little listening room. These tower speakers appreciate some room to breathe out from the wall.
Setup here with the Dual 1229 turntable and Border Patrol DAC.
________________________________
Sansui 9090DB
The 9090DB weighs in at 52 pounds with its power section accounting for most of its heft. It hit the market around 1975 and had an MSRP of over $900.00. It features 125 watts per channel into 8 ohms. Accepts three pairs of speakers. Has 2 turntable inputs.
Bass and Treble controls have 2 switchable center frequencies.
Bass: 300Hz, Defeat, 150Hz
Treble: 1.5kHz, Defeat, 3kHz.
Marantz 2270
The Marantz 2270 is rated at 70 watts per channel in to 8 ohms. It measures roughly 17 x 14 x 5 inches and weighs about 41 pounds. Has 2 phono inputs. It was manufactured from 1971 to 1976 and retailed at just under $550.00. The WC-22 wood case was optional.
McIntosh MAC 1500 - Sold from July 1965 - January 1967. (2,634 UNITS)
Size: 5-1/2"H, 16"W and 16"D. Weight: 40 lb. $499.00 new. 30 watts. Tube tuner and output. Solid state pre-amp. Has two turntable inputs.
McIntosh's first receiver.
VP/McIntosh co-founder Gordon Gow knew a growing market when he saw one but had trouble convincing his partner Frank McIntosh to make the move into receiver manufacture.
As the head of sales, Gow pushed for McIntosh to come out with a receiver in the ’60s but “Mr. McIntosh said no,” relates Ken Zelin, historian and director of U.S. sales training at McIntosh. “Receivers involved some degree of compromise, so year after year, he overruled Gordon.”
Finally, the owners came up with a solution they both could live with.
“They would build a receiver in the McIntosh factory but not call it a McIntosh,” Zelin reveals. “They formed a division called MAC Audio Company to market the receiver. It was built in the McIntosh Lab factory and sold through McIntosh Lab dealers but if you look at the receiver and its manual, both say MAC instead of McIntosh.
_______________________________________________
1970's Receivers in the Golden Age of HiFi (Quote by Sansuiman on Audiokarma)
Receivers are generally regarded as being compromises out of necessity (for space, weight, price, etc.) versus their nearest equivalent separates. That said, there were many superlative receivers in the golden era of audio, and Sansui was at the forefront of making them. Owning both receivers and seperates myself, I'll not bash either one; both product formats have their merits.
I may be off base here, but American tastes for hifi in the 70's appear to have been heavily tilted towards receivers for a few reasons. First is cost. While many receivers were obscenely expensive in their own right, seperates cost more still. Then there was the aesthetic angle; receivers were almost always more ostentatious in their appearance, and American sensibilities on style in the 70's were known to be a bit...outrageous.
Compare a 9090DB to an AU/TU-717 combo. Both are impressive and stylish, but in entirely different ways, the 9090DB being rather over the top, and the 717's being tastefully understated yet substantial in an almost industrial quality. Receivers got what is now popularly referred to as the "bling factor". I think wife approval factor played into this as well, to some extent. A single unit (receiver), a turntable and maybe a tape deck, was an easier sell for the living room or den than a monolithic stack of imposing black (or silver) boxes eating up 4-5 shelves worth of space near the TV or fireplace. Most ladies of the house didn't see the value or appeal in having a rack full of gear that could've been set dressing in a sci-fi movie.
Also consider that the horsepower wars were focused primarily on receivers.
While integrated and power amps certainly saw increases in power from 1970-1980, the ratings on the biggest receivers easily outstripped them.
This culminated in the 300WPC mark being hit (by Sansui, Marantz, and Technics at least) before the party ended, and then we were left with BPC of far less power only a few short years hence. The best intgrated amps by Sansui generally topped out with (rated) power outputs of 110-125 WPC.
________________________________________
Yamaha's were nice lookin' too..
1977 Yamaha 'Natural Sound' CR-2020 105 wpc 43 lbs.
_____________________________
1974 Pioneer broke the three digit power wattage groundbreaking SX-1010 receiver, the industry’s first-ever 100 WPC receiver.
_________________________________________________
So who won the 70's wattage wars?
The top twelve most powerful vintage receivers of all time.
1. Technics SA-1000 – 330 WPC
2. Marantz 2600 – 300 WPC
3. Sansui G-33000 – 300 WPC
4. Pioneer SX-1980 – 270 WPC
5. Marantz 2500 – 250 WPC
6. Sansui G-22000 – 220 WPC
7. Sansui G-9700 – 200 WPC
8. Kenwood KR-9050 – 200 WPC
9. Hitachi SR-2004 – 200 WPC
10. Marantz 2385 – 185 WPC
11. Pioneer SX-1280 – 185 WPC
12. Technics SA-5770 – 185 WPC
1.Technics SA-1000 – 330 WPC 1977-1979 87 lbs. Retail price $1800.
2. Marantz 2600 – 300 WPC 1978-1980 60.3 lbs Less than 1000 made. Retail price $1600
3. Sansui G-33000 – 300 WPC 1979 Retail price $1900
4. Pioneer SX-1980 – 270 WPC 80 lbs. 20" deep. 1978-1980 Retail price $1295.00
_______________________________________________________
Last edited by shedshrine on Sat Apr 02, 2022 3:28 pm, edited 31 times in total.
- shedshrine
- deaf.
- Posts: 1868
- Joined: Tue Jun 01, 2004 5:47 pm
- Location: sf bay area
Re: vinyl collecting ( and surrounding planetary atmosphere )
Well, the glossy cover looked cool. A cover that winked at you. You don't see many covers with lenticular panels.
(The Rolling Stones "Her Satanic Majesty's Request" comes to mind.)
Subliminal Sounds and Magic in the title were promising.
It wasn't going for much so I took a chance.
First listen I didn't have it up very loud. I noticed field recordings of trains and field crickets, and a few treated-sound experimental sound beds here and there. Wasn't coming across as nearly enough to carry this particular 'easy-listening with harmonica on top' outing to the turntable heavy-rotation bin. Maybe it's a grower.
I turned the receiver up and let it run a second time through. The drummer using brushes on the snare to mimic the backing train recording on the opening cut is fun.There's Hammond(Wurly?) and theremin throughout the album, along with enough accordion to make you think of a French bistro in 1960. Or am I mistaking Leo's custom harmonicas for accordion parts?
You've maybe heard of "prepared piano," Leo Diamond was the master of "prepared harmonica." according to his bio. It doesn't go on to explain exactly how one 'prepares' a harmonica, but i'm guessing maybe cover some of the holes to create different scales or chords?
"He produced a number of recordings on which he played all parts on a variety of harmonicas, most of his own design. He also mixed in sound effects such as jet noise and bird calls, and experimented with tape mixing methods to produce recordings that rank among the most innovative in exotica."
"His best work along these lines can be found on his two ABC-Paramount albums, Subliminal Sounds and Exciting Sounds from Romantic Places. These are chock-full of tape experiments and every kind of harmonica under the sun. Like Ferrante and Teicher's early work, this is music that is anything but easy listening." Maybe by 1960 standards.
"Although his choice of instrument will always condemn Diamond to the musical margins, his best recordings rate up with Esquivel's in his willingness to introduce startling combinations of sounds and take instruments to their logical limits."
'The newest style of sonic progress is "...below the threshold of consciousness or beyond the reach of personal awareness... superior performances rendered by Leo... and his carefully selected sidemen" Instrumental credits not mentioned on record or sleeve. '
____________________________________________
This one's got a strip of pre-ubiquitous plastic wrap potato sack burlap affixed to the cover to elicit the vibe of some tropical island woven fabric. Makes a nice place to set a condensation dripping cold beverage on a hot day.
From the cover i was expecting a 'typical' languid tropicalia-exotica album with the guy making various monkey and bird calls in the background, but this one from 1962 is easy listening big band swing with latin flourishes.(and some actual recorded bird twittering on at least one cut on side two for good measure.)
(The Rolling Stones "Her Satanic Majesty's Request" comes to mind.)
Subliminal Sounds and Magic in the title were promising.
It wasn't going for much so I took a chance.
First listen I didn't have it up very loud. I noticed field recordings of trains and field crickets, and a few treated-sound experimental sound beds here and there. Wasn't coming across as nearly enough to carry this particular 'easy-listening with harmonica on top' outing to the turntable heavy-rotation bin. Maybe it's a grower.
I turned the receiver up and let it run a second time through. The drummer using brushes on the snare to mimic the backing train recording on the opening cut is fun.There's Hammond(Wurly?) and theremin throughout the album, along with enough accordion to make you think of a French bistro in 1960. Or am I mistaking Leo's custom harmonicas for accordion parts?
You've maybe heard of "prepared piano," Leo Diamond was the master of "prepared harmonica." according to his bio. It doesn't go on to explain exactly how one 'prepares' a harmonica, but i'm guessing maybe cover some of the holes to create different scales or chords?
"He produced a number of recordings on which he played all parts on a variety of harmonicas, most of his own design. He also mixed in sound effects such as jet noise and bird calls, and experimented with tape mixing methods to produce recordings that rank among the most innovative in exotica."
"His best work along these lines can be found on his two ABC-Paramount albums, Subliminal Sounds and Exciting Sounds from Romantic Places. These are chock-full of tape experiments and every kind of harmonica under the sun. Like Ferrante and Teicher's early work, this is music that is anything but easy listening." Maybe by 1960 standards.
"Although his choice of instrument will always condemn Diamond to the musical margins, his best recordings rate up with Esquivel's in his willingness to introduce startling combinations of sounds and take instruments to their logical limits."
'The newest style of sonic progress is "...below the threshold of consciousness or beyond the reach of personal awareness... superior performances rendered by Leo... and his carefully selected sidemen" Instrumental credits not mentioned on record or sleeve. '
____________________________________________
This one's got a strip of pre-ubiquitous plastic wrap potato sack burlap affixed to the cover to elicit the vibe of some tropical island woven fabric. Makes a nice place to set a condensation dripping cold beverage on a hot day.
From the cover i was expecting a 'typical' languid tropicalia-exotica album with the guy making various monkey and bird calls in the background, but this one from 1962 is easy listening big band swing with latin flourishes.(and some actual recorded bird twittering on at least one cut on side two for good measure.)
Last edited by shedshrine on Sun Apr 03, 2022 9:57 am, edited 6 times in total.
- digitaldrummer
- cryogenically thawing
- Posts: 3583
- Joined: Wed Nov 23, 2005 9:51 pm
- Location: Austin, Texas
- Contact:
Re: vinyl collecting ( and surrounding planetary atmosphere )
when I think of exotic, I always think of burlap too.
Re: vinyl collecting ( and surrounding planetary atmosphere )
Going up to the top of the page, I monitor through a Technics SA500.
My bedpost Optimus 5's are powered by a Advent 450S.
My bedpost Optimus 5's are powered by a Advent 450S.
- shedshrine
- deaf.
- Posts: 1868
- Joined: Tue Jun 01, 2004 5:47 pm
- Location: sf bay area
Re: vinyl collecting ( and surrounding planetary atmosphere )
Apparently the bar was set pretty low in '62. However, the front cover where the burlap tiki-mat 'coaster' is affixed folds open on a separate panel to reveal this further 'exotic' scene experience on the back cover.digitaldrummer wrote: ↑Sun Apr 03, 2022 6:52 amwhen I think of exotic, I always think of burlap too.
___________________________
Random:Billy Gibbons Bo Diddley vinyl clock guitar...just looks like heartache waiting to happen.
Last edited by shedshrine on Mon May 16, 2022 6:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- shedshrine
- deaf.
- Posts: 1868
- Joined: Tue Jun 01, 2004 5:47 pm
- Location: sf bay area
Re: vinyl collecting ( and surrounding planetary atmosphere )
Saw this photo of a wall covered with 'floating' framed album covers and thought it looked pretty cool.
Having a brick wall like that definitely helps out in that regard, but I liked how they popped out from the wall and weren't covered in glass or plastic or borders that block parts of the cover:
So I got some too, came out pretty cool!
I went with more off the beaten path covers, rather than the more usual suspects.
Ease of swapping them out is a plus with these as well.
Having a brick wall like that definitely helps out in that regard, but I liked how they popped out from the wall and weren't covered in glass or plastic or borders that block parts of the cover:
So I got some too, came out pretty cool!
I went with more off the beaten path covers, rather than the more usual suspects.
Ease of swapping them out is a plus with these as well.
- shedshrine
- deaf.
- Posts: 1868
- Joined: Tue Jun 01, 2004 5:47 pm
- Location: sf bay area
Re: vinyl collecting ( and surrounding planetary atmosphere )
..and the opposite wall as well. A wall soon to be painted something a shade darker than white. (so this is what that third lense on the camera is for..)
These were some of the album covers I pulled as possibilities. Ended up swapping a bunch out. When you start putting them up next to each other on the walls you start seeing the juxtaposition of the colors, lines and content and how they work together as a whole.
In other words it was fun.
__________________
..and the dining room wall.
_________________
The cats enjoying tube output stage ..warmth
These were some of the album covers I pulled as possibilities. Ended up swapping a bunch out. When you start putting them up next to each other on the walls you start seeing the juxtaposition of the colors, lines and content and how they work together as a whole.
In other words it was fun.
__________________
..and the dining room wall.
_________________
The cats enjoying tube output stage ..warmth
- digitaldrummer
- cryogenically thawing
- Posts: 3583
- Joined: Wed Nov 23, 2005 9:51 pm
- Location: Austin, Texas
- Contact:
Re: vinyl collecting ( and surrounding planetary atmosphere )
Cats... that is exactly why I sold my vinyl collection (back in the 90's) and my turntable. My cat would sleep on top of the turntable. Of course it had the cover on it, but it was still just "inconvenient" to use and if I did use it I was never sure if the cat was going to try to leap up there while it was playing. so i just played CDs and never looked back... until a few years ago. Now I'm even more lazy, so I pull out my phone and fire up the Sonos app (connected to some Sonos Play1 systems) and stream some crappy sounding streamy music.
- shedshrine
- deaf.
- Posts: 1868
- Joined: Tue Jun 01, 2004 5:47 pm
- Location: sf bay area
Re: vinyl collecting ( and surrounding planetary atmosphere )
You aren't doing the cat thing right. I'm half joking, I get that all cats are different, and I don't claim to be a cat whisperer, but I think it's fair to say they seek out comfort. And they tend to like to be by their humans, if not directly on them. Regardless, if your cat takes a liking to hopping up on top of the player, you need to put something there that makes it an inconvenient, inaccessible location for awhile until they get the message and find another place to sleep. At least that has worked for us.digitaldrummer wrote: ↑Thu Apr 14, 2022 6:12 amCats... that is exactly why I sold my vinyl collection (back in the 90's) and my turntable. My cat would sleep on top of the turntable. Of course it had the cover on it, but it was still just "inconvenient" to use and if I did use it I was never sure if the cat was going to try to leap up there while it was playing. so i just played CDs and never looked back... until a few years ago. Now I'm even more lazy, so I pull out my phone and fire up the Sonos app (connected to some Sonos Play1 systems) and stream some crappy sounding streamy music.
fyi, today's word is 'preferably'
RE: streaming and Sonos: I like records sure, but I'm all for (preferably lossless) streaming (preferably through a good sounding DAC) too.
Got to have both worlds. And (preferably) well-trained cats as well.
- markjazzbassist
- tinnitus
- Posts: 1052
- Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2011 11:33 am
- Location: Cleveland
Re: vinyl collecting ( and surrounding planetary atmosphere )
nice to see donald fagen's "the nightfly" made the wall
- shedshrine
- deaf.
- Posts: 1868
- Joined: Tue Jun 01, 2004 5:47 pm
- Location: sf bay area
Re: vinyl collecting ( and surrounding planetary atmosphere )
Damn cats..
Late night dj playing what he feels like spinning. Cool shot for sure.markjazzbassist wrote: ↑Fri Apr 15, 2022 6:43 amnice to see donald fagen's "the nightfly" made the wall
Re: vinyl collecting ( and surrounding planetary atmosphere )
Just, eh, lemme know when ya need a house-sitter.
I'm in Chi and allergic to cats but, lemme know, I'll be there ...
I'm in Chi and allergic to cats but, lemme know, I'll be there ...
- shedshrine
- deaf.
- Posts: 1868
- Joined: Tue Jun 01, 2004 5:47 pm
- Location: sf bay area
Re: vinyl collecting ( and surrounding planetary atmosphere )
Early Devo was a trip when it came out. Just freaking bizarre. What were these guys going on about? Bowie wanted to work with them and get them out to the world, had no time so got Eno to produce their first. Three years of basement experiments to cull from. Question authority Dada meets cro-magnon. And who would have guessed they were right about de-evolution. extra credit
While at the store yesterday, took some pics of this bootleg. Done with obvious love for the band, it has a totally unique cover and gate fold. This is a 1981 album the group did of Muzac/ez listening versions of their biggest songs up through the Freedom of Choice/ New Traditionalists era, called funnily enough EZ Listening Muzac
Didn't end up picking it up, but IIRC they'd play this pre-show over the pa before they came on. The recordings were made available through the group's fan club in two volumes of the "E-Z Listening Muzak Cassette".
On a somewhat related note,
Great having Chappelle, Bill Maher, Rogan, Jordan Peterson, Sam Harris, Bill Burr et al around to comment/help make sense of current world events. Keep the faith. Can't help wishing Frank Zappa and George Carlin were still around. Would love to hear what they'd have to say. I'm sure they'd have some articulate insights.
Last edited by shedshrine on Tue Jun 04, 2024 7:48 pm, edited 2 times in total.
- digitaldrummer
- cryogenically thawing
- Posts: 3583
- Joined: Wed Nov 23, 2005 9:51 pm
- Location: Austin, Texas
- Contact:
Re: vinyl collecting ( and surrounding planetary atmosphere )
now that's an album cover...
I was cleaning out my brother's house to get ready to sell it (he passed away back in January) and ran across a box of vinyl. Close to 100 records. but since I was in the Detroit area, and home is not even close, I had to put them up for sale. Mostly 80's metal, but here's a few photos I took...
I was cleaning out my brother's house to get ready to sell it (he passed away back in January) and ran across a box of vinyl. Close to 100 records. but since I was in the Detroit area, and home is not even close, I had to put them up for sale. Mostly 80's metal, but here's a few photos I took...
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 28 guests