Monthly Archives: September 2014

New Toy: HP 130C Oscilloscope

Posted on September 29, 2014 by jwk

I’ve been looking for a nice balanced input oscilloscope to use as a bench audio scope for a bit, and I do enjoy some vintage test equipment…so I recently ended up with an HP 130C oscilloscope. This early ’60s tube … Continue reading →

Posted in Electronics, Test Equipment, Toys, Vintage | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Steampunk USB Vacuum Tube Flash Drives

Posted on September 26, 2014 by jwk

I ran across these very cool steampunk-inspired USB flash drives drives built around a vacuum tube while looking for some tube shields. They look like they’re really well built and are a clever use of an old vacuum tube. I … Continue reading →

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Sony TA-4650 VFET Stereo Integrated Amplifier Check-Up

Posted on September 24, 2014 by jwk

This repair cross-posted from Rain City Audio: I recently had this Sony TA-4650 in the shop for a check-up. It was reportedly giving static in one channel. That’s trouble on an amp like this – Sony used an ambitious new technology, the VFET, a … Continue reading →

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NordeMende Globetraveler 7/601 Rebuild

Posted on September 23, 2014 by jwk

This repair is cross-posted from Rain City Audio: This rare and valuable example of late 1960s German engineering came through my shop recently, the NordeMende Globetraveler 7/601. Marketed as the Globetrotter in Europe, RCA already marketed a radio called the … Continue reading →

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Test Equipment Round-Up – September 20th, 2014

Posted on September 20, 2014 by jwk

I always keep an eye on eBay for plug-ins for my HP 143 oscilloscope and even if they don’t turn up, it’s always interesting to see what else is in the category. Some of these are pretty interesting – there’s definitely … Continue reading →

Posted in Collections, Test Equipment | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Marantz 2245 Stereophonic Receiver Rebuild

Posted on September 19, 2014 by jwk

An iconic piece of kit from the golden age of hi fi just came through my shop: the Marantz 2245 Stereophonic Receiver. This fantastic receiver is in pretty good cosmetic shape, but its owner reported that it started acting up – it’d take … Continue reading →

Posted in Audio, Electronics, Hi-Fi, Projects, Stereo, Vintage | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Getting Started With Vintage Radio and Electronics: Basic Tools for the Hobbyist

Posted on September 18, 2014 by jwk

A few people have asked me variations of  “What tools do I need to fix my first radio?”, “What do I need to put together this soldering kit?”, and such. It’s not as simple as you might think. There’s a … Continue reading →

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New Toy: LogiMetrics 921A RF Signal Generator – Refurbished by KISS Electronics

Posted on September 17, 2014 by jwk

I just had an unexpected run-in with Murphy’s Law and found myself needing a modulated signal generator in short order. Bad news when my modulated signal generators decided to die right when I went to perform an alignment! My Leader Standard … Continue reading →

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New Toy: Keithley 2015 THD Multimeter

Posted on September 12, 2014 by jwk

I picked up a new piece of gear for the shop recently, the Keithley 2015 THD Multimeter. It was a fantastic deal – a refurbished and calibrated unit for about 10% of the MSRP. These have been manufactured for about … Continue reading →

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Mailbag: Can An Antique Permanent Magnet Speaker Catch Fire?

Posted on September 11, 2014 by jwk

Here’s a question I received recently that I thought could use a Mailbag post: Can an antique permanent magnet speaker catch fire? Interesting question. Short answer? Maybe. Longer answer? Well: It really depends what the source of the fire is. Pretty … Continue reading →

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