Category Archives: Electronics

Yamaha B-2X Check-Up and Adjustment

I recently had this Yamaha B-2X through the shop. It’s a massive beast of a power amplifier from the late ’80s, delivering up  to 170W per channel with 0.002% THD. Being somewhat more recent, this one just needed a quick … Continue reading

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Extracting Screenshots from the HP 3585A Spectrum Analyzer

I’ve posted a few times about my HP 3585A spectrum analyzers over the past several months, and after chipping away at the problem I’ve finally solved the screenshots issue! It boiled down to a bad GPIB cable for my National … Continue reading

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Telefunken Bajazzo Sport 201 Transistor Radio

I don’t typically service portable transistor radios, but I make an occasional exception for something especially unique or interesting. The Telefunken Bajazzo Sport 201 is no exception – it’s a high end piece of German engineering, a great performer with … Continue reading

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Sony TA-5650 Full Re-Cap and Adjustment

I recently got to work on another of the Sony VFET line of integrated amplifiers, the Sony TA-5650. I’ve had one through the shop previously, and this one came in for the same service. It came in running fine – … Continue reading

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Fun with the HP 3585A Spectrum Analyzer

I spent some time playing around with one of my HP 3585A spectrum analyzers over the weekend to get a feel for its capabilities. While it’s only good from 20 Hz – 40 MHz, it’s a very capable tool within … Continue reading

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Bose® 901 Series VI Active Equalizer #199732 Repaired

A first for my shop, I recently worked on a Bose® 901 Series VI Active Equalizer! These are considerably newer than the Series I-IV that typically come through the shop, although they’re still getting to be 25+ years old at … Continue reading

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Vintage Engineering is Beautiful [’70s TV]

’70s Industrial Modern Television in Custom Enclosure

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Screenshots from HP 3585A Spectrum Analyzer via GPIB?

I’m wondering if anyone reading this might have some experience and could chime in. I’m trying to make my HP 3585A spectrum analyzer talk to my Windows XP laptop over GPIB (488.1) with a National Instruments PCMCIA-GPIB card. I’ve been … Continue reading

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Philco 39-45 Retrofit to 40-201 Cabinet Vintage Radio Repair

A neighbor approached me with his family’s Philco 40-201 vintage radio to be restored back to working condition. It had sat for several decades, very well preserved, but ultimately needed some service after the years. Very unfortunately, however, the original … Continue reading

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Harman-Kardon Citation 12 Deluxe Professional Power Amplifier Refurbishment

Matching the Harman-Kardon Citation 17S professional pre-amplifier shown previously, this Citation 12 Deluxe power amplifier is its 120W per channel companion. It came to the shop for a preventive rebuild after serving for quite a few years. The owner had the … Continue reading

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