Tag Archives: photos

What’s On Your Workbench?

Posted on December 20, 2015 by jwk

People ask me what kind of gear I use at Retrovoltage and at Rain City Audio for projects. So, here we go: While it’s by no means the best-equipped workbench out there, it has a good mix of lab- and service-grade … Continue reading →

Posted in Collections, Commentary, Test Equipment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Harman/Kardon Control Amplifier A-401 Restoration

Posted on November 19, 2014 by jwk

This little Harman/Kardon Control Amplifier, model A-401, just came through the shop for a full overhaul. It was in a pretty sorry state to begin with – one channel distorted, one barely gasping for air, and a world of scratchy … Continue reading →

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

Bose 901 Series II Active Equalizer #67402 Repair

Posted on August 25, 2014 by jwk

This equalizer got a full overhaul with new 1% precision resistors, electrolytic capacitors, audiophile-grade output capacitors, transistors, gold-plated RCA jacks, 4% silver solder for all connections, a thorough switch cleaning, and computerized frequency response testing and a listening burn-in to verify proper operation. It sounds just fantastic with a very dynamic and life-like presence that really draws you into the experience of the source material, just like the Bose 901 should.

Read More


Check it out at Rain City Audio Continue reading →

Posted in Audio, Bose, Electronics, Stereo, Vintage | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Close-Up of a Magic Eye

Posted on August 7, 2014 by jwk
Posted in Photos, Vintage | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

1962 Coronet 6 Transistor Shirt-Pocket Radio TRN-6

Posted on June 23, 2014 by jwk

This rare early shirt-pocket transistor radio, the Coronet TRN-6, needed a few new capacitors to sound its best. It delivers surprising performance from such a small package! Plenty of tear-down photos in this article.

Read More


Check it out at Rain City Audio Continue reading →

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

The Speaker Spotter – Speakers of Craigslist – March 7th, 2014

Posted on March 7, 2014 by jwk

There’s always something interesting for sale on Craigslist, especially in Seattle. Here’s a selection of especially notable vintage speakers and other audio products for sale on the local Craigslist. I’m not affiliated with any of these sales, but if you’re interested, you … Continue reading →

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

Modern Caps Can Fail Too [Farnsworth K-262P]

Posted on June 5, 2012 by jwk

I’m working on a radio for a client, and it’s nearing completion, but I ran into a rather unexpected issue that was worth sharing on here. The radio itself is a Farnsworth K-262P, a radio/phono combination from 1951. The radio … Continue reading →

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

Huge and Powerful: The 1937 GE F-135 Repair Complete

Posted on January 27, 2012 by jwk

I’ve finally had the time to finish one of my long-running projects repairing GE’s most powerful radio offering from 1937, the GE F-135. I picked it up from Craigslist back in November but other responsibilities kept me from getting much … Continue reading →

Posted in Photos, Projects, Radios and Tubes, Vintage | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments