Author Archives: retrovoltage

For Sale: The KN0CK and KF7LZE RTLSDR for HF Rev. 5!

Posted on January 28, 2014 by retrovoltage

I’m happy to announce that Rev 5 of the KN0CK and KF7LZE RTLSDR for HF is now available for sale in its 5th iteration – now featuring Direct Sampling, while still keeping the familiar wide-band pre-amplifier! On account of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Electronics, Gadgets, Hardware, Radio | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

1977 Yamaha CR-2020 Vintage Stereo Receiver Repair

Posted on January 26, 2014 by retrovoltage

The Yamaha CR-2020 drives 120W/channel into an 8 ohm load and supports 3 pairs of speakers (but only plays 1 or 2 pairs a time), dual phono inputs supporting both moving magnet (MM) and moving coil (MC) pick-ups, tape-copy functionality … Continue reading →

Posted in Audio, Electronics, Hi-Fi, Music, Stereo, Vintage | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 34 Comments

1948 Motorola 99-FM21 Console Radio Back to Life

Posted on December 23, 2013 by retrovoltage

I recently had the chance to work on this beautiful Motorola 99-FM21 from 1948, currently owned by the granddaughter of its original owner. It’s been in the family since its purchase new in 1948 and was lovingly cared for the … Continue reading →

Posted in Electronics, Projects, Radios and Tubes, Vintage | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

JVC XV-S60 DVD Player Repair

Posted on December 17, 2013 by retrovoltage

A local gentleman brought in his JVC DVD player, model XV-S60, for repairs. It’s a high end unit from around 2001 with some sentimental significance and despite it being a fair bit outside my normal interest, I decided to take … Continue reading →

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1936 Zenith 5-S-29 Repair with Dial Face Replacement

Posted on December 12, 2013 by retrovoltage

I recently had the privilege of working on this beautiful 1936 Zenith 5-S-29 tabletop radio. It’s a beautiful 5-tube table radio with a 6-inch speaker and the iconic black Zenith dial and lightning bolt Z pointer. This one is special, … Continue reading →

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Bose 901 Series I Active Equalizer #50911 Repaired

Posted on December 3, 2013 by retrovoltage

I recently had this Bose 901 Series I Active Equalizer, serial number 50911, in the shop for repair. These are a lot of fun to work on and very rewarding for the great sound they produce when they’re working properly. … Continue reading →

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1936 GE Model A-52 Antique Radio Repaired!

Posted on November 22, 2013 by retrovoltage

A change of pace from the Bose equalizers and hi-fi I’ve been working on a lot of lately, I had the pleasure of working on a 1936 GE Model A-52 antique radio. This is a nicely designed and straightforward table … Continue reading →

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1954 Philips 778-2 Canadian Antique Radio Repair

Posted on October 24, 2013 by retrovoltage

I was lucky enough to get to work on a beautiful 1954 Philips 778-2 radio console. It had been moved around and played for a while but eventually ended up giving only buzzing instead of audio output. I’m surprised it … Continue reading →

Posted in Electronics, Projects, Radios and Tubes, Vintage | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Mailbag: Is The Bose 901 Equalizer Really Necessary?

Posted on October 21, 2013 by retrovoltage

I take questions from readers often, but they don’t always make it to a Mailbag segment. I’ve got this one a few times lately, though, so I figured I’d answer this one publicly. Jim from Ohio writes, I bought a … Continue reading →

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Evidence of Past Repairs

Posted on September 16, 2013 by retrovoltage

It’s always interesting to see what’s happened with equipment that’s been worked on previously. It’s often a mixed bag with some great repair jobs, some that have a lot of room for improvement, and some that really just don’t measure … Continue reading →

Posted in Collections, Commentary, DIY, Electronics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment