Category Archives: Vintage

What do we have here?

Posted on December 1, 2015 by retrovoltage

I was reading about how to build a capacitor checker from the December 1959 issue of Popular Electronics and stumbled across something that looked very familiar. I know that shape. Nearly identical to a Bose® 901 Series I/II cabinet, and even … Continue reading →

Posted in Audio, Bose, Collections, Commentary, DIY, Electronics, Vintage | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Service Shortcuts – November 1932

Posted on November 24, 2015 by retrovoltage

Radio Retailing brings you some helpful service shortcuts: Tube Numbering That Means Something The RMA is seriously considering a new three-character system of marking radio receiving tubes which may shortly come into general use in place of the present meaningless … Continue reading →

Posted in Collections, Vintage | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Harman-Kardon Festival D-1000 Tube Receiver Repair

Posted on November 17, 2015 by retrovoltage

All vintage gear has a story to tell, but something really rare and interesting recently came across the bench: the Harman-Kardon Festival D-1000. While it looks somewhat unassuming, a fairly straightforward 15-tube receiver with push-pull 6L6GC outputs and an AM … Continue reading →

Posted in Audio, Electronics, Hi-Fi, Vintage | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Harman-Kardon Citation 11 Pre-Amp Overhaul

Posted on November 11, 2015 by retrovoltage

A neighbor brought me his brother’s Citation 11 for a full overhaul. After a few decades of faithful stereo reproduction, then a number of years in storage, it was time for an overhaul to get it working good as new again! Of … Continue reading →

Posted in Audio, Electronics, Projects, Stereo, Vintage | Tagged , , , , | 16 Comments

1963 Fisher FM-100-B Stereo FM Tuner Overhaul

Posted on August 9, 2015 by retrovoltage

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

The Hewlett-Packard 5451A Fourier Analyzer

Posted on July 27, 2015 by retrovoltage

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 →

Posted in Electronics, Photos, Test Equipment, Vintage | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

1950s Motorola Modded Standalone Tube Amplifier Measurements

Posted on July 6, 2015 by retrovoltage

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

The Speaker Spotter – Speakers of Craigslist: June 3rd, 2015

Posted on June 3, 2015 by retrovoltage

It’s back – the Speakers of Craigslist, a periodic round-up of what’s interesting on my local Craigslist these days. Sorry for the hiatus, putting these together is a bit of work! As always, I am not affiliated with any of … Continue reading →

Posted in Audio, Collections, Commentary, Speakers, Vintage | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Marantz 2270 Stereophonic Receiver Overhaul and Adjustment

Posted on May 26, 2015 by retrovoltage

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 , , , , , | 4 Comments

ANOTHER fine achievement in radio set design

Posted on May 23, 2015 by retrovoltage

Radio Retailing, Apr. 1929

Posted in Collections, Vintage | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment