Gentle reader,Thanks to eBay, I finally have what I sought way back when I bought that album set of Brahms' 1st Symphony. Remember? I bought that vintage and HEAVY Fisher console from a local eBay seller for $10.
Well, being where it is, in the family room, and until recently, Nancy worked mid-night shift, when could I play 78's down there?
I bid on and won an excellent condition Garrard three-speed changer complete with African wood base, dust cover and all the accessories. Even, and thankfully, the manual!
Using that, I was able to set it up and adjust everything. It doesn't work in automatic, but being over forty years old, this did not surprise me. I transferred the Shure 78 cartridge to it and put an old Shure LP cartridge on the Miracord changer in the Fisher console. To my surprise, it still works.
As you can see, I brought all the 78s up to the den and there they are. I really wish the changer worked on automatic, because listening to a whole album would be less of an ACTIVE activity. Even 12" 78s only play for a few minutes.At first I had it hooked to the big Sansui AU-717 integrated amp. I detected some odd sounds coming from the Sansui (they are known to have some of the capacitors weaken
which degrades the sound).
So, I unpacked the Pioneer set that I did not sell to the crazy man, and hooked the Garrard to it. Much better sound. The Pioneer lacks all the many controls that the Sansui has, but nonetheless, it sounds good. Surprising fidelity to 78s through good equipment, provided they aren't too worn.
SO, come January, I'm going to sell the console. I've made several upgrades to it which improve the sound, and I just don't need it and it takes up a lot of room.
Now, for the Electro-Voice speakers. I found them Wednesday during my weekly trip tp Salvation Army. $24.99 minus 25% made them $18.74. They are model: Interface 1 series II and were made from 1977 to 1986 and sold for $250 a pair. That's $934 today.
There are some that feel stereo equipment peaked in the 1970's and has gotten no better since. Well, that's silly of course. Yet, these E-V's do sound amazing. And very efficient. Here's PDF page of the brochure:
Interface 1,2,3 EDS.pdf (application/pdf Object)
Hmmm, quite interesting, that is. Seems there is quite a following of these speakers. I sure do love when folks donate perfectly good stuff!
Thanks for looking!
Scott
