Old Gear

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by John Purkey on February 15, 2010 at 4:21am

This thread just reminded me that I have an old Fisher receiver in a closet deep down in the basement. I checked, its still there. Must be at least 35 years old and weighs a ton. I think it was rated @ 40wpc stereo of course. Nice chrome grill and wood cabinet. I have no idea if it still works. I tried to lift it to get the model number but it was too heavy and dark down there. I wonder what else is in that closet.

Permalink Reply by Bill Steele on March 11, 2010 at 7:53am

I am new to this site and I am not sure what the program is. I am curious about your stating that you have two "additional" Onkyo TX 8500 MK II's "waiting in the wings". I had one back in the late 70's. I had it bi amped to two B&W 801's (A model) and a Sherwood(Draco) Micro CPU 100 FM tuner, all of which was destroyed in a house fire in 1984. I cried like a baby when I saw the burned skeletons after the fire. Of course my entire LP collection and all of my 1950's Doo Wop 45's were ashes too and added to my agony. I worked as much o.t. as I could get and saved for almost a year so that I could buy one; a thousand bucks was a bit much for someone making $3.00 an hour.(My $750 Draco was a little over a month old). Just like a little kid looking at his dream bike or red wagon in a toy store window, I used to go by the store every so often to look at "mine" that was in the show room. I was able to finally score one for only $629.00! Then the fire. I was never able to locate another MK II and here you come sounding as though they are as common as rabbits...or are you just rubbing it in to us poor misfits who are MK II challenged? (Please sir, I'd like some more.)Were you ever able to obtain one of the cherry wood cases that were optional equipment? I thought sure that the MK II's were long gone from the scene, sacrificed on the remote controlled bells and whistles laden solid state/digital alter. Do you sell equipment and are either of your "extra" units for sale? Anyway, thanks for keeping them going; it's good to reminisce about something that was so much part of my younger days. Good luck. Bill

Permalink Reply by Niko Coromelas on March 17, 2010 at 10:42pm

The oldest equipment I have are some CV D-9 speakers. I got them around 1981. If anyone remembers them they had 18" bass drivers.

I also have 4 of the old 4 ohm Spica 6.5 drivers that I used in a homemade speaker set for about 4 months. Since then, they have been covered with plastic wrap and stored in a box.

Permalink Reply by Jim Milton on April 5, 2010 at 12:53pm

Jim Milton said:

Yeah, I thought the same thing. Fisher Price makes baby toys....Fisher made electronics. But hey, maybe Fisher Price made a big, bright yellow and red plastic receiver with bright blue, big push buttons, what do I know?

;)

Permalink Reply by Gary Walker on April 5, 2010 at 5:37pm

II read a review of this unit in" Young Monophiles Journal". I understand that if you mate this with a Nordstrom solid platnium powercord and a PS power supply, it's as though several layers af blankets had been removed from your speakers, er excuse me, speaker. This could be the next best thing to a Heath Kit. ( What ever happened to Heath Kit ?)

Jim Milton said:

Jim Milton said:

Yeah, I thought the same thing. Fisher Price makes baby toys....Fisher made electronics. But hey, maybe Fisher Price made a big, bright yellow and red plastic receiver with bright blue, big push buttons, what do I know?

;)

Permalink Reply by Tim Patchett on April 5, 2010 at 9:58pm

I've got nothing like that in my modest arsenal, but a friend brought over a Marantz 2320 (?) and that brought back memories from my youth. When I first connected the speaker terminals (with everything turned off) there was enough power left in the Marantz that my speaker cones mover a good inch and a half, accompanied with a thump,scaring me for a moment. But everything was okay and the sound that came out of it was that good old '70s sound: lush, full, not realy accurate, but easy on the ears. If I had a garage or second room, I seriously consider getting one.

Permalink Reply by Andrew S. Franks on June 19, 2010 at 6:53pm

Bill Steele said:

I am new to this site and I am not sure what the program is. I am curious about your stating that you have two "additional" Onkyo TX 8500 MK II's "waiting in the wings". I had one back in the late 70's. I had it bi amped to two B&W 801's (A model) and a Sherwood(Draco) Micro CPU 100 FM tuner, all of which was destroyed in a house fire in 1984. I cried like a baby when I saw the burned skeletons after the fire. Of course my entire LP collection and all of my 1950's Doo Wop 45's were ashes too and added to my agony. I worked as much o.t. as I could get and saved for almost a year so that I could buy one; a thousand bucks was a bit much for someone making $3.00 an hour.(My $750 Draco was a little over a month old). Just like a little kid looking at his dream bike or red wagon in a toy store window, I used to go by the store every so often to look at "mine" that was in the show room. I was able to finally score one for only $629.00! Then the fire. I was never able to locate another MK II and here you come sounding as though they are as common as rabbits...or are you just rubbing it in to us poor misfits who are MK II challenged? (Please sir, I'd like some more.)Were you ever able to obtain one of the cherry wood cases that were optional equipment? I thought sure that the MK II's were long gone from the scene, sacrificed on the remote controlled bells and whistles laden solid state/digital alter. Do you sell equipment and are either of your "extra" units for sale? Anyway, thanks for keeping them going; it's good to reminisce about something that was so much part of my younger days. Good luck. Bill

Bill,
I did not mean to "rub it in." The Onkyo Mk II line of receivers in its various incarnations can be found if one is persistent and __very__ patient.

Sorry, none of my stuff is for sale. I buy only those things that I hope to pass on to my children.

Slowly, as my budget allows, I am working my way through the process of cleaning, checking, and recapping my equipment. The cabinets are vinyl-covered plywood. They look nice but are not solid cherry-wood.

Since the time I posted that bit, I have moved my 8500 Mk IIs into front-line duty, alongside one of my 4500 Mk IIs.

Each 8500 Mk II drives one pair of New Large Advent loudspeakers. (All NLAs recently re-foamed.) The 4500 Mk II drives my Infinity SM 112s. (Mainly because the SM-112s are more efficient than the NLAs.) My other 4500 Mk II is being re-capped, as is my 2500 Mk II.

The three currently active receivers are running off an Onky Integra EQ 35 equalizer. The equalizer helps with my strange room acoustics.

All my Onkyo receivers have run at "loud-as-you-can-stand-it" volume levels for hours on end with no sign of strain or overheating. Turn them past twelve o'clock at your ears' peril. I have never dared to turn them all the way up. I know it would just be pain, unless I had a ___MUCH___ bigger room.



Good luck on your search for the Onkyo "Big Dog." 8)
--- Andy

Permalink Reply by Tim Patchett on June 19, 2010 at 7:36pm

I still have Stan Warren's 1st attempt at separates: his Superphon amp and pre amp. I tried them out
a while back and they still sound okay. I've always had the itch to upgrade some of the parts. The toroid,
for example, looks like spaghetti with some clear goo over it and I'm told it sounds great with upgraded
caps. Someday I'll get around to it.

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