September 17, 2019
#333
Gentle reader,
When I am one third of the way through my NEXT article, I will be 1/3rd of the way to my 1000th.
OK, silliness aside, I never imagined people would be interested in reading this. It was just something fun to do.
SO, I want to thank you, dear reader, for reading this and so many other articles I have written since I began this on February 19, 2011.
NOTE: If
you click on any photo, a second window will open OVER this one. The
pictures will be larger and you can either click through them or use < and > arrow keys to look at them.
Here's a weird thing that happens with blogger: Some of my type is black, some is grey. When I highlight what shows as grey, the color it shows (in the choices) is black. My OCD SO wants to fix that!
Here's a weird thing that happens with blogger: Some of my type is black, some is grey. When I highlight what shows as grey, the color it shows (in the choices) is black. My OCD SO wants to fix that!
I thought I'd start with real eye-candy. Mitsubishi's vaunted Dual Mono series. Preamplifier is DA-P20, Tuner is DA-F10, Meter is DA-M10, attached to the hidden power amplifier which is DA-15DC.
I made the mistake of selling all of the pieces in 2007. If only we could see into the future....
I asked if they were tube equipment, and he told me, "No, do you want 'em?" This is what they looked like, covered in decades of nicotine. I had already cleaned the cassette deck:
AIWA's micro system. That case was optional. How cute, they even have little rack handles. Preamplifier is C22, Power amp is P22, tuner is R22 and cassette deck, the only thing that did not work is L22.
Going back to 2005 with these shots. They are all in my "office" at home. I built that cabinet of English Walnut back when I was 19 in 1975. I bought the wood from my girlfriend's father who's tree it was.
My first, and only new, purchase of 1990's Dynaco equipment, the QD1 Series II sits atop the massive 1970's Dynaco ST-400 power amp. Atop the QD1 sits a combination speaker switch and Realistic Audio Power Meters 100 I created.
This stack never happened when they were hooked up. Those fuse holders were done by the previous owner and it was missing one knob when I bought it. These four were WAY less than people wanted for one Dynaco version.
THAT is the PAT-5 that got me started in this hobby when I built it in 1975. Not the silver faceplate and squared off top and bottom edges verses the FM-5 above it.
Both these photos are from the same day in December, 2008. The top system was next to me in the office. The matched sets are the FIVE Denon components.
This was in the living room. I found that HUGE Adcom GFA-585 power amp, one ACE-515 power conditioner and GFP-565 preamplifier ALL for $149 at Salvation Army.
I later bought the GFT-555 tuner and a second ACE-515 via eBay. I still have the two ACES.
A closer look at the huge Mitsubishi units.
Below are photos of the meters and power amp. You might need a napkin to wipe the drool. ;-)
This series of three photos show how the meters mate via screw holes in the amp's rack handles and threaded holes in the back of the meters.
They do not couple electrically.
A pair of RCA cables had to be connected from the power amp, if I remember correctly. It's been a long time.
Massive heat sinks for the 175WPC amp and true dual mono construction as is the preamp. They sort of mimic old tube equipment with the boxes and covers over the circuitry and capacitors.
Mitsubishi components on a smaller scale. Sharing the "DA" model numbers, but I doubt the dual mono architecture.
Sliders and push buttons galore for controls. With the three knobs cleverly hidden. Below:
Now, back in black, a stack of ONKYO components that used to sit next to me.
Granted, the cassette deck does not exactly match the rest of the R1 components. But it too was R1.
Proper 3-way binding/banana speaker terminals. They too used the small mono cables to control everything.
Top to bottom: Cassette is TA-2120, CD player is DX-703, tuner is T-401 and integrated amplifier is A-RV401.
A closer look at the main pair.
They are truly matched by model number: 401. An early A/V amp with composite video (VCR) in and out and monitor output.
Purists might argue that the tuner belongs on top, well perhaps, but the amplifier cooling would be impaired if stacked thus.
Pioneer SA-410 integrated amp and TX-410 tuner.
Below are a pretty pair of SANSUI components called Classique.
T-470 tuner and A-470 integrated amp.
Sadly, some clumsy postal worker dropped the box on it's way to the new owner. It cracked open the amp and the buyer said it smoked when he plugged it in.
Once they came back, I disassembled them and kept the faceplate with all the knobs and switches. I had planned to mount them in a nice wooden frame and call it Audio Art.
I still have them if anyone is interested.
There was a time, in addition to the stereo in here, I decided to ADD a six-channel SACD system to the listening room. SONY STR-DE997 A/V receiver with matching SONY SCD-CE595 SACD/CD changer. I came to my senses.
Now I come to the present. This stack sits where the Onkyo and many others sat, to the right of my PC.
Yamaha AX-500U integrated amplifier with matching TX-500U tuner. The most sophisticated tuner I have ever owned. I love these two.
Atop that sits a FISHER CR-124 (19VAC version of CR-125) the only black cassette decks I have seen with VU meters.
Above that is an OPPO DV-980H universal player for all of my 5" audio disc sources.
At the very top is my JAMO JSS4-HP two-amp/four speakers switch which has proper 3-way binding/banana speaker terminals.
And lastly, the latest photo of my listening room system. Now sporting the new (and apparently controversial) AT-LP120XUSB turntable.
The matching components are the two Adcom ACE-515 power conditioners and 1990's Dynaco PAT-6 Tuner/Preamp and ST-200 power amplifier with the QD-2 sitting between them.
Man, I wish I could change all that grey to black! I just tried highlighting everything and changing to grey, then back to black. No difference. Sigh.
Thank you SO much for taking the time to read my humble blog. I promised you this article would be next.
Scott
September 17, 2019
#333
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