Category Archives: Electronics

Hands On with the FLIR One for Android

Several months ago I ordered a FLIR One for Android, a small attachment which adds infrared thermal vision capabilities to most Android smartphones and tablets. After the backlog of pre-orders finally cleared out, I got my hands on mine today! … Continue reading

Posted in Electronics, Gadgets, Technology, Test Equipment | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Creek 4140 S2 Overhaul and Voltage Conversion

This Creek 4140 S2 amplifier is a bit newer than most through the shop, although it’s getting up there. This particular one was constructed in 1989, and came via eBay from the UK configured for 220V power. The owner wanted … Continue reading

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1963 Fisher FM-100-B Stereo FM Tuner Overhaul

Something a bit unusual came through the shop recently, an old tube-type Fisher FM-100-B Stereo FM tuner. Anyone who knows classic tube audio knows Fisher, and the FM-100-B sure lives up to the name. It’s a 12-tube FM/MPX Only tuner with … Continue reading

Posted in Audio, Electronics, Radios and Tubes, Stereo, Vintage | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Revitalize HP and Tek digital scopes with a NewScope LCD kit

I’ve been trying to figure out if I want to bother repairing my old HP 1222A oscilloscope which I’ve been using as a waveform monitor attached to the scope ports of my Sencore PA81 Stereo Power Amplifier Analyzer. It’s been … Continue reading

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Sony ST-J75 Recap and Alignment

The Sony ST-J75 is a pretty well regarded, great sounding stereo FM tuner from the early ’80s. It’s one of the first forrays into digital tuning, with a frequency read-out, programmable memory, and seek/scan functionality and variable muting driven by … Continue reading

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The Hewlett-Packard 5451A Fourier Analyzer

1972: the year launching the Space Shuttle program, the completion of the monument at Stone Mountain, Watergate, the first female FBI agents to join the force….and the new HP 5451A Fourier Analyzer, bringing unparalleled performance to the worlds of acoustic … Continue reading

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1950s Motorola Modded Standalone Tube Amplifier Measurements

I had an unusual project through the shop recently. It’s a Magnavox tube amp from the late 1950s. The owner brought it in reporting he’d purchased the amplifier, pulled from a damaged console stereo and modified to be a standalone … Continue reading

Posted in Audio, DIY, Electronics, Hi-Fi, Projects, Radios and Tubes, Vintage | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

1974 Sony STR-6200F Receiver Overhaul and Alignment

I recently got to work on a pretty big, fairly rare Sony receiver from 1973-74: the STR-6200F. It’s a powerful receiver featuring 60W per channel of power available, with quite a few inputs and outputs, and a strong FM tuner … Continue reading

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Marantz 2270 Stereophonic Receiver Overhaul and Adjustment

I recently got to work on another iconic piece of hi-fi history, the Marantz 2270 stereo receiver. I’ve had this model through my shop before, as well as a couple of other 22xx receivers and they’re well built and generally … Continue reading

Posted in Audio, Electronics, Hi-Fi, Projects, Stereo, Vintage | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Need 45V batteries for your old radio?

Rayovac has been making batteries for over 100 years, and their batteries were commonly found in use with many types of battery-operated tube radios. Most commonly, radios would operate on 45V batteries with a tap half-way (for 0-22.5-45V). Two in … Continue reading

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