What's the oldest piece of hi-fi you own?

Wugged Woy posted:

Quad 33 posted:

These beautiful mid 70s objects of desire..

Again technically not at my place any more, but still being used by my daughter.

All I can say is WOW ! They look tremendous, no matter how they sound !!!!

Gale 401's, only pair that i ever heard were being used in a pub in surrey with an LP 12 front end!

Garrard 301(63815 from about 63/4) with Goldring 2500 and Linn Basik LVX bought in late 70's wih SME Shure for about £20 and still going strong

My ears...

Quad 44/405 Pre/Power - not sure of year but think it's 80's

SMC AS40 Loudspeakers - 1978 Need new midrange drivers

DrMark posted:

My ears...

It seems that you and TonyM share the same dealer!

Richard Dane posted:

Darran H posted:

For now it is a rare old combination.  Nac-12SP / Snaps DR / bolt down Nap-250. Perhaps Richard can shine some light on the pre and Snaps as it is they are the only ones I have seen with this spec.. They were Salt Lane dual railed from new.

Darran, do you have any pictures you could post?  Filling in a comprehensive history on the really early kit is tricky because just as I think I've got it nailed own, something new crops up!  The original NAC12DR used a pair of SNAPS supplies s yours sounds interesting...

Hi Richard, send me an e-mail I have some pictures for you....

Darran H posted:

Richard Dane posted:

Darran H posted:

For now it is a rare old combination.  Nac-12SP / Snaps DR / bolt down Nap-250. Perhaps Richard can shine some light on the pre and Snaps as it is they are the only ones I have seen with this spec.. They were Salt Lane dual railed from new.

Darran, do you have any pictures you could post?  Filling in a comprehensive history on the really early kit is tricky because just as I think I've got it nailed own, something new crops up!  The original NAC12DR used a pair of SNAPS supplies s yours sounds interesting...

Hi Richard, send me an e-mail I have some pictures for you....

HI Darran, how about sharing them with us mere mortals as well?

Tannoy 603's from the (very) early 90's on the end of a NAIT5i/CD5i in the bedroom system. Used most days. Brilliant little speakers.

Not so old but my oldest item(S) are my 1999 SBL's 

Patthebag posted:

Wugged Woy posted:

Quad 33 posted:

These beautiful mid 70s objects of desire..

Again technically not at my place any more, but still being used by my daughter.

All I can say is WOW ! They look tremendous, no matter how they sound !!!!

Gale 401's, only pair that i ever heard were being used in a pub in surrey with an LP 12 front end!

 

I have a friend who has several pairs that he has done some serious alterations to. I have always loved their look but not their sound and you have to play them far too loud to get them to perform their best. A very difficult speaker to run , even a pair of 135's would over heat and his best sound came with a Gamut power amp which never struggles with them but like I said the volume needed is not what I like. 

oldest is under a year old..  N272 from April 16

if you had asked me that question at anytime in the last few decades it would have had items from 80s & 90s


Oh nearly forgot about the JP Labs Kaptivator power cable from around 2005

Ariston RD40 turntable, bought in 1983.  Only ever changed the drive belt.  Now fitted with a Jelco 750D and Ortofon Cadenza Red cartridge.  

Keep thinking I should upgrade it and it seems ridiculous, but it works so well I can't bring myself to do so.

Wiltshireman posted:

Patthebag posted:

Wugged Woy posted:

Quad 33 posted:

These beautiful mid 70s objects of desire..

Again technically not at my place any more, but still being used by my daughter.

All I can say is WOW ! They look tremendous, no matter how they sound !!!!

Gale 401's, only pair that i ever heard were being used in a pub in surrey with an LP 12 front end!

 

I have a friend who has several pairs that he has done some serious alterations to. I have always loved their look but not their sound and you have to play them far too loud to get them to perform their best. A very difficult speaker to run , even a pair of 135's would over heat and his best sound came with a Gamut power amp which never struggles with them but like I said the volume needed is not what I like. 

Something is badly wrong there, possibly indicating partially shorted voice coils in some drivers. It's caused by driving them 'far too loud' for too long. They stay remarkably clean sounding and composed at very high SPL and so can easily end up being driven way beyond the capability of the VCs to handle the sustained power (and therefore heat).  Here's a NAP110  driving 401s while playing Abraxas to realistic levels in a 4 x 3 M room. The 110s case is barely warm to the touch - a good sign of a healthy set of drivers in these particular 401s; 

Mr Tibbs

Mr.Tibbs posted:

Wiltshireman posted:

I have a friend who has several pairs that he has done some serious alterations to. I have always loved their look but not their sound and you have to play them far too loud to get them to perform their best. A very difficult speaker to run , even a pair of 135's would over heat and his best sound came with a Gamut power amp which never struggles with them but like I said the volume needed is not what I like. 

Something is badly wrong there, possibly indicating partially shorted voice coils in some drivers. It's caused by driving them 'far too loud' for too long. They stay remarkably clean sounding and composed at very high SPL and so can easily end up being driven way beyond the capability of the VCs to handle the sustained power (and therefore heat).  Here's a NAP110  driving 401s while playing Abraxas to realistic levels in a 4 x 3 M room. The 110s case is barely warm to the touch - a good sign of a healthy set of drivers in these particular 401s; 

Mr Tibbs

Given that the said owner has several pairs, the damaged VC explanation would seem a little unlikely. If that behaviour is abnormal, I wonder what the 'serious alterations' were and whether that may be of significance. Presumably, Wiltshireman, the owner likes the sound or he wouldn't have several pairs - or is it that he likes their looks and is trying to get them to sound as good as they look?

This is an example of how subjective our hobby is, because what to one person is a great sounding speaker, another person simply doesn't like - in my case, it took only a few moments to tell me they were wrong, not presenting the music in a way that could involve me. (But maybe thetpy hadn't been loud enough...) interestingly, I note in the above picture they are in the corners of the room - maybe the bass enhancement from that makes up for the inherent lightness that I noted in the design.

Innocent Bystander posted:

Mr.Tibbs posted:

Wiltshireman posted:

I have a friend who has several pairs that he has done some serious alterations to. I have always loved their look but not their sound and you have to play them far too loud to get them to perform their best. A very difficult speaker to run , even a pair of 135's would over heat and his best sound came with a Gamut power amp which never struggles with them but like I said the volume needed is not what I like. 

Something is badly wrong there, possibly indicating partially shorted voice coils in some drivers. It's caused by driving them 'far too loud' for too long. They stay remarkably clean sounding and composed at very high SPL and so can easily end up being driven way beyond the capability of the VCs to handle the sustained power (and therefore heat).  Here's a NAP110  driving 401s while playing Abraxas to realistic levels in a 4 x 3 M room. The 110s case is barely warm to the touch - a good sign of a healthy set of drivers in these particular 401s; 

Mr Tibbs

Given that the said owner has several pairs, the damaged VC explanation would seem a little unlikely. If that behaviour is abnormal, I wonder what the 'serious alterations' were and whether that may be of significance. Presumably, Wiltshireman, the owner likes the sound or he wouldn't have several pairs - or is it that he likes their looks and is trying to get them to sound as good as they look?

This is an example of how subjective our hobby is, because what to one person is a great sounding speaker, another person simply doesn't like - in my case, it took only a few moments to tell me they were wrong, not presenting the music in a way that could involve me. (But maybe thetpy hadn't been loud enough...) interestingly, I note in the above picture they are in the corners of the room - maybe the bass enhancement from that makes up for the inherent lightness that I noted in the design.

The "has done some serious alterations to" comment means there's no point in further speculation anyway.

They're actually meant to be placed in or near a corner in order to perform correctly.  At the very least they need to be close to the rear wall to get some bass depth.  I think your dealer hadn't a clue how to get the best from them, to be honest. 

Mr Tibbs

Mr.Tibbs posted:

Innocent Bystander posted:

 

This is an example of how subjective our hobby is, because what to one person is a great sounding speaker, another person simply doesn't like - in my case, it took only a few moments to tell me they were wrong, not presenting the music in a way that could involve me. (But maybe thetpy hadn't been loud enough...) interestingly, I note in the above picture they are in the corners of the room - maybe the bass enhancement from that makes up for the inherent lightness that I noted in the design.

They're actually meant to be placed in or near a corner in order to perform correctly.  At the very least they need to be close to the rear wall to get some bass depth.  I think your dealer hadn't a clue how to get the best from them, to be honest. 

Mr Tibbs

That's entirely possible - though if he had told me they needed to go in corners for bass enhancement to sound their best I wouldn't have been impressed given that others I was auditioning didn't need that and I wasn't planning on using them in corners - but great for anyone whose room makes corner placement unavoidable.

OK, I'll add a post.  We have an Edison "Amberola" which is, i suppose, 100 years old or so.  My wife inherited it from her side of the family along with a box of cylinders.  It employs a crank-wound spring motor and the needle mechanically drives horn-loaded diaphragm.  So no electrical power needed.  It works, but is a "conversation piece."  We listen to music on the Naim system.

Charlie

A Zerostat pistol from 1978. Still going strong !

I think interesting ? - My 1978 Revox A77 which has just packed up, nasty burning smell in the room, now needs repaired for the 1st time since 1978. I bought it from Hamish Robertson who I believe designed the LP12 !?  -It all seems so long ago.... ?

The oldest part of my system is my ropey old speakers.