Category Archives: Vintage

Vintage Engineering is Beautiful

Posted on October 30, 2014 by retrovoltage

EL84 output tubes in an EICO HF-81 integrated stereo amplifier.

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Marantz 2270 Stereophonic Receiver Overhaul

Posted on October 26, 2014 by retrovoltage

I just had a great stereo receiver through the shop for repairs, the Marantz 2270. It’s the big brother to the Marantz 2245 I had through the shop a little while ago – mostly the same front-end circuitry, but with … Continue reading →

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Toshiba 11H-540F Tabletop Transistor Radio Overhaul

Posted on October 20, 2014 by retrovoltage

I recently got to work on a little tabletop transistor radio from the late ’60s, maybe 1970 at the latest, from Toshiba: the 11H-540F. Not the catchiest name, but it was near the top of its model line-up featuring 11 … Continue reading →

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HP 143A Wide Screen Oscilloscope Mainframe Restoration – Part 2

Posted on October 15, 2014 by retrovoltage

Part 1 I’m continuing to work on getting my HP 143A ocsilloscope mainframe fixed up as a dual-trace X-Y display. A lot of the time has been spent on reading and researching, but I’ve picked up an important tool that will … Continue reading →

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Harmony H500 Solid State Guitar Amplifier Repair

Posted on October 10, 2014 by retrovoltage

And now for something a little different, this time it’s a vintage guitar amplifier: the Harmony H500. The owner sent it to the shop out of the cabinet to be serviced since it quit putting out any sound. It’s a … Continue reading →

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DIY Replacements for Vintage Couplets and Printed Electric Circuits

Posted on October 9, 2014 by retrovoltage

Starting in the ’50s, they’d figured out how to start miniaturizing components. “Couplets” and “printed electric circuits” started showing up in equipment around then. These components were combinations of several resistors and capacitors in a single package. Like most components … Continue reading →

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Phase Linear 2000 Pre-Amp Overhaul

Posted on October 6, 2014 by retrovoltage

I had a Phase Linear 2000 on the bench for a repair recently. It was running okay, but had some pops and clicks and the controls weren’t all that smooth. Time for an overhaul before anything worse cropped up! This … Continue reading →

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Wherever you go – you’re headed for FUN with Motorola Portables

Posted on October 1, 2014 by retrovoltage

No matter where you’re going, you’re headed for more Fun with a Motorola Portable! They play anywhere – on their own batteries or on house current. You’ll like the dependable performance that comes from the ruggedly built chassis and shock-resistant … Continue reading →

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New Toy: HP 130C Oscilloscope

Posted on September 29, 2014 by retrovoltage

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 →

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NordeMende Globetraveler 7/601 Rebuild

Posted on September 23, 2014 by retrovoltage

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 Globetrotter in the United States and so the … Continue reading →

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