Are cassettes really making a comeback?

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  • Tony M
    Tony M Posts: 11,159
    Here's an older TECHNICS I have that worked but I think it crashed. I still have about 5 other more modern decks. Even a Nak basic deck that needs a belt I think.

    I like the looks of this a lot. Who wouldn't. :p
    y6yt2aauks1k.png
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    Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,895
    That's a very pretty Technics deck.
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,895
    I have weird stuff in my basement...

    26026867181_062a215471_h.jpgDSC_8724 by Mark Hardy, on Flickr
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  • Viking64
    Viking64 Posts: 7,107
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    I have weird stuff in my basement...

    So do I.

    a15cn9ogjjax.jpg
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  • Tony M
    Tony M Posts: 11,159
    I always liked the silver faced cassette decks more than the black Naks. Now I would've loved a Nak. deck back then but I couldn't hardly afford the NICE Fisher one I bought. It's long gone because the solenoid motors gave out and the tech said he couldn't find them anywhere back then. :'(
    Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.
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  • Tony M
    Tony M Posts: 11,159
    I still have this set in the back room.
    9vorchc5utfe.png

    Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.
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  • Tony M
    Tony M Posts: 11,159
    And this deck worked great too. Man I hated to sell this system with it's matching TT and speakers too. I'm sitting here shaking my head in disgust.
    sgv1f1242cml.png
    Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.
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  • mlistens03
    mlistens03 Posts: 2,767
    Tony M wrote: »
    I still have this set in the back room.
    9vorchc5utfe.png

    Are those SX-x or xx model Pioneers? My dad has a later model with buttons in place of the volume. sounds pretty decent, I think a lot is lost in the volume button circuit.
    Sweet systems, all around!
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,895
    edited November 2018
    hmmmm -- those are unfamiliar to me. :p
    Amplifier is evocative of an A-X5, but the dimensions look (??) different.

    9vorchc5utfe.png

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    (image from https://www.hifiengine.com/manual_library/pioneer/a-x5.shtml )

    Tell us more about that little stack, @Tony M (if you would) :)
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  • mlistens03
    mlistens03 Posts: 2,767
    And one more question... WHY IS THE TURNTABLE ON THE BOTTOM!?!? ;):p
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,895
    edited November 2018
    If so, the companion pieces might be CT-X5 cassette deck, F-X5 tuner, and PL-X5 tt.

    coupla borrowed images from teh webz.

    cb0txd5uvhia.png

    piij35u8b6gz.png
    note that this particular stack has, at least, a different amplifier. :p
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  • mlistens03
    mlistens03 Posts: 2,767
    edited November 2018
    Ok, you guys have convinced me. I’m going to do some service to my Scott deck, and see how it sounds afterwards. Not that I have many cassettes to do that with, but whatever. I’ll make some mixtapes. ;)
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  • verb
    verb Posts: 10,176
    mlistens03 wrote: »
    Ok, you guys have convinced me. I’m going to do some service to my Scott deck, and see how it sounds afterwards. Not that I have many cassettes to do that with, but whatever. I’ll make some mixtapes. ;)

    I'm loving my new (old) deck! In fact I'm on the search from some new tapes! Did I say rabbit hole? :smile:
    Basement: Polk SDA SRS 1.2tl's, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,McIntosh MCD301 CD/SACD player, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2, Series2 Digital Cables, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Series2 XLR's, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
    Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, Northstar Designs Intenso DAC, Antique Sound Labs AV8 Monoblocks, Denon UDR-F10 Cassette, Acoustic Technologies Classic FR Speakers, SVS SB12 Plus sub, MIT AVt2 speaker cables, IFI Purifier2, AQ Cinnamon USB cable, Groneberg Quatro Reference IC's
    Spare Room: Dayens Ampino Integrated Amp, Tjoeb 99 tube CD player (modified Marantz CD-38), Analysis Plus Oval 9's, Zu Jumpers, AudioEngine B1 Streamer, Klipsch RB-61 v2, SVS PB1000 sub, Blue Jeans RCA IC's, Shunyata Hydra 8 Power Conditioner
    Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Rotel RCD-1072 CD player, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
    Garage #1: Cambridge Audio 640A Integrated Amp, Project Box-E BT Streamer, Polk Tsi200 Bookies, Douglas Speaker Cables, Shunyata Power Conditioner
    Garage #2: Cambridge Audio EVO150 Integrated Amplifier, Polk L200's, Analysis Plus Silver Oval 2 Speaker Cables, IC's TBD.
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  • verb
    verb Posts: 10,176
    I bought this deck from, DAK industries! Stock pic, as she is long gone! :smile:
    s2nsyhcwaqls.png
    Basement: Polk SDA SRS 1.2tl's, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,McIntosh MCD301 CD/SACD player, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2, Series2 Digital Cables, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Series2 XLR's, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
    Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, Northstar Designs Intenso DAC, Antique Sound Labs AV8 Monoblocks, Denon UDR-F10 Cassette, Acoustic Technologies Classic FR Speakers, SVS SB12 Plus sub, MIT AVt2 speaker cables, IFI Purifier2, AQ Cinnamon USB cable, Groneberg Quatro Reference IC's
    Spare Room: Dayens Ampino Integrated Amp, Tjoeb 99 tube CD player (modified Marantz CD-38), Analysis Plus Oval 9's, Zu Jumpers, AudioEngine B1 Streamer, Klipsch RB-61 v2, SVS PB1000 sub, Blue Jeans RCA IC's, Shunyata Hydra 8 Power Conditioner
    Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Rotel RCD-1072 CD player, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
    Garage #1: Cambridge Audio 640A Integrated Amp, Project Box-E BT Streamer, Polk Tsi200 Bookies, Douglas Speaker Cables, Shunyata Power Conditioner
    Garage #2: Cambridge Audio EVO150 Integrated Amplifier, Polk L200's, Analysis Plus Silver Oval 2 Speaker Cables, IC's TBD.
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,895
    verb wrote: »
    I bought this deck from, DAK industries! Stock pic, as she is long gone! :smile:
    s2nsyhcwaqls.png

    I found one of those at the Harvard dump once! It either didn't work, or it was unremarkable to the point that even I decided to pass it along to someone else... I don't actually remember anymore (?!) :(
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,895
    mlistens03 wrote: »
    And one more question... WHY IS THE TURNTABLE ON THE BOTTOM!?!? ;):p

    It is a front loader... it can go anywhere.
    The amp manual looks like it was "supposed" to be on the bottom of the stack...

    e2m59d2sppdw.png
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,895
    The Pioneer cassette deck I'd like to find would be one of these: CT-3000.

    jsi75kwxiz9z.png
    u7bwnsoytl3g.png
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    (all borrowed images, needless to say)

    I absolutely had no recollection of this deck -- I only saw them on eBAY long, long after they'd have been new.
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  • verb
    verb Posts: 10,176
    This is interesting. DIGITAL noise reduction (what?) on this Pioneer model. Not much out there, as far as I could find. Professor? :smile:
    bz6017u57mqi.png
    Basement: Polk SDA SRS 1.2tl's, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,McIntosh MCD301 CD/SACD player, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2, Series2 Digital Cables, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Series2 XLR's, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
    Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, Northstar Designs Intenso DAC, Antique Sound Labs AV8 Monoblocks, Denon UDR-F10 Cassette, Acoustic Technologies Classic FR Speakers, SVS SB12 Plus sub, MIT AVt2 speaker cables, IFI Purifier2, AQ Cinnamon USB cable, Groneberg Quatro Reference IC's
    Spare Room: Dayens Ampino Integrated Amp, Tjoeb 99 tube CD player (modified Marantz CD-38), Analysis Plus Oval 9's, Zu Jumpers, AudioEngine B1 Streamer, Klipsch RB-61 v2, SVS PB1000 sub, Blue Jeans RCA IC's, Shunyata Hydra 8 Power Conditioner
    Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Rotel RCD-1072 CD player, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
    Garage #1: Cambridge Audio 640A Integrated Amp, Project Box-E BT Streamer, Polk Tsi200 Bookies, Douglas Speaker Cables, Shunyata Power Conditioner
    Garage #2: Cambridge Audio EVO150 Integrated Amplifier, Polk L200's, Analysis Plus Silver Oval 2 Speaker Cables, IC's TBD.
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  • Tony M
    Tony M Posts: 11,159
    edited November 2018
    I just read the inquiries and I'll have to go out and write down the numbers in a minute.

    The TT is SOLID and has a drawer that electronically slide out and you then have to unfold the tone arm to it's extended position and then the TT is ready. It's pretty cool. I think there was something wrong with it when I bought the system and I haven't looked at it since.

    I do like all the computer style lights on this system.

    I just looked. I had a time just finding the system but I spotted it. I had to move some little metal Radio Shack and RCA (exactly the same speakers) to be able to TETRIS the system to the right... :s

    You're good Doc! ;)B)

    Cassette deck CT-X6

    Amp...A-X5

    Tuner...F-X3

    TT...which weighs about the same as all three other pieces combined...PL-X5

    The system still looks brand new except for that little crack in the plastic front of the amp. B)

    I paid 15.00 for this set at a church bazaar. I almost missed it like that older Marantz receiver I almost missed for the same reason. They were both on the floor UNDER the tables that had other stuff on them.

    I'm good at the I SPY scenarios when it comes to audio stuff. Speakers or electronics. I even got my wife hooked on looking for speakers and RECTANGULAR black boxes while doing "drive by's" when yard saleing. LOL. :D:p
    Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.
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  • verb
    verb Posts: 10,176
    verb wrote: »
    This is interesting. DIGITAL noise reduction (what?) on this Pioneer model. Not much out there, as far as I could find. Professor? :smile:
    bz6017u57mqi.png

    And this baby also has an Analog-Digital-Analog converter. Hmmm.
    kxn1bweowngz.png
    Basement: Polk SDA SRS 1.2tl's, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,McIntosh MCD301 CD/SACD player, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2, Series2 Digital Cables, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Series2 XLR's, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
    Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, Northstar Designs Intenso DAC, Antique Sound Labs AV8 Monoblocks, Denon UDR-F10 Cassette, Acoustic Technologies Classic FR Speakers, SVS SB12 Plus sub, MIT AVt2 speaker cables, IFI Purifier2, AQ Cinnamon USB cable, Groneberg Quatro Reference IC's
    Spare Room: Dayens Ampino Integrated Amp, Tjoeb 99 tube CD player (modified Marantz CD-38), Analysis Plus Oval 9's, Zu Jumpers, AudioEngine B1 Streamer, Klipsch RB-61 v2, SVS PB1000 sub, Blue Jeans RCA IC's, Shunyata Hydra 8 Power Conditioner
    Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Rotel RCD-1072 CD player, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
    Garage #1: Cambridge Audio 640A Integrated Amp, Project Box-E BT Streamer, Polk Tsi200 Bookies, Douglas Speaker Cables, Shunyata Power Conditioner
    Garage #2: Cambridge Audio EVO150 Integrated Amplifier, Polk L200's, Analysis Plus Silver Oval 2 Speaker Cables, IC's TBD.
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  • Tony M
    Tony M Posts: 11,159
    edited November 2018
    mlistens03 wrote: »
    And one more question... WHY IS THE TURNTABLE ON THE BOTTOM!?!? ;):p

    I think it's SO heavy and solidly built, they designed it as a base I would think. It's too heavy to place it on top of the cassette deck or tuner and the amp should be on the top I would think for heat dissipation. :|
    Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.
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  • aprazer402
    aprazer402 Posts: 3,149
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    The Pioneer cassette deck I'd like to find would be one of these: CT-3000.

    jsi75kwxiz9z.png
    u7bwnsoytl3g.png
    udh8q6fw3ce9.png

    (all borrowed images, needless to say)

    I absolutely had no recollection of this deck -- I only saw them on eBAY long, long after they'd have been new.

    I've never seen this one either. Is the indicator recessed in the left vu meter to show the amount of tape remaining? The top of it's three lines of marking looks like it increases up to 45, possible minutes on one side of a 90 minute tape.
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  • mlistens03
    mlistens03 Posts: 2,767
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    mlistens03 wrote: »
    And one more question... WHY IS THE TURNTABLE ON THE BOTTOM!?!? ;):p

    It is a front loader... it can go anywhere.
    The amp manual looks like it was "supposed" to be on the bottom of the stack...

    e2m59d2sppdw.png

    Oooooooooooh. That makes sense. Never heard of that before, cool!
    I was thinking, “that thing is gonna get crushed down there! And how do you plan to use it?” :)

    So I just finished cleaning up my Scott and starting to make a tape, and I can say, this sounds surprisingly good. A lot better that it did when I first got the deck. And I know the reason now; I didn’t know what Dolby NR meant, so I left it off, with the reasoning of less being in the signal being better. :) and now it sounds sweet. Just wait till I tell my dad I’ve found a new rabbit hole. :#
    Tony M wrote: »
    mlistens03 wrote: »
    And one more question... WHY IS THE TURNTABLE ON THE BOTTOM!?!? ;):p

    I think it's SO heavy and solidly built, they designed it as a base I would think. It's too heavy to place it on top of the cassette deck or tuner and the amp should be on the top I would think for heat dissipation. :|

    Very cool. Safe bet it sounds good methinks. Is it a linear tracking TT?
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,895
    aprazer402 wrote: »
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    The Pioneer cassette deck I'd like to find would be one of these: CT-3000.

    jsi75kwxiz9z.png
    u7bwnsoytl3g.png
    udh8q6fw3ce9.png

    (all borrowed images, needless to say)

    I absolutely had no recollection of this deck -- I only saw them on eBAY long, long after they'd have been new.

    I've never seen this one either. Is the indicator recessed in the left vu meter to show the amount of tape remaining? The top of it's three lines of marking looks like it increases up to 45, possible minutes on one side of a 90 minute tape.

    Maybe (??) -- I have no idea what that third meter is... but it's cool, no doubt.
    Tape remaining indicator seems perfectly plausible. :)

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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,895
    verb wrote: »
    This is interesting. DIGITAL noise reduction (what?) on this Pioneer model. Not much out there, as far as I could find. Professor? :smile:
    bz6017u57mqi.png

    No idea -- some way to avoid paying Dolby Labs licensing fees, I guess :p

    Speaking of which -- I read somewhere (on the internet, so it must be true, right?) that no one makes the Dolby NR chips any more, so there are no current production decks with Dolby NR of any flavor. I did look at a few current production decks one day (being both a skeptic and an empiricist) and the few I found had DNR (dynamic noise reduction) -- but no Dolby NR. :|
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  • verb
    verb Posts: 10,176
    Yep read the same on recent production decks. Interesting that the Pioneer deck has Dolby and Digital noise reduction. Gimmick maybe? Dunno.
    Basement: Polk SDA SRS 1.2tl's, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,McIntosh MCD301 CD/SACD player, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2, Series2 Digital Cables, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Series2 XLR's, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
    Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, Northstar Designs Intenso DAC, Antique Sound Labs AV8 Monoblocks, Denon UDR-F10 Cassette, Acoustic Technologies Classic FR Speakers, SVS SB12 Plus sub, MIT AVt2 speaker cables, IFI Purifier2, AQ Cinnamon USB cable, Groneberg Quatro Reference IC's
    Spare Room: Dayens Ampino Integrated Amp, Tjoeb 99 tube CD player (modified Marantz CD-38), Analysis Plus Oval 9's, Zu Jumpers, AudioEngine B1 Streamer, Klipsch RB-61 v2, SVS PB1000 sub, Blue Jeans RCA IC's, Shunyata Hydra 8 Power Conditioner
    Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Rotel RCD-1072 CD player, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
    Garage #1: Cambridge Audio 640A Integrated Amp, Project Box-E BT Streamer, Polk Tsi200 Bookies, Douglas Speaker Cables, Shunyata Power Conditioner
    Garage #2: Cambridge Audio EVO150 Integrated Amplifier, Polk L200's, Analysis Plus Silver Oval 2 Speaker Cables, IC's TBD.
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,895
    verb wrote: »
    Yep read the same on recent production decks. Interesting that the Pioneer deck has Dolby and Digital noise reduction. Gimmick maybe? Dunno.

    ... maybe ;)
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  • Tony M
    Tony M Posts: 11,159
    edited November 2018
    mlistens03 wrote: »
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    mlistens03 wrote: »
    And one more question... WHY IS THE TURNTABLE ON THE BOTTOM!?!? ;):p

    It is a front loader... it can go anywhere.
    The amp manual looks like it was "supposed" to be on the bottom of the stack...

    Very cool. Safe bet it sounds good methinks. Is it a linear tracking TT?

    It's been so long but I think you hit it on the head. I believe 99% it is linear.
    God that TT is HEAVY. LOL.

    Thanks for that image of the stacking order Micha. (sp.)
    Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.
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  • nooshinjohn
    nooshinjohn Posts: 25,445
    Viking64 wrote: »
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    I have weird stuff in my basement...

    So do I.

    a15cn9ogjjax.jpg

    Storage facility for Tonyb's cement business perhaps?
    The Gear... Carver "Statement" Mono-blocks, Mcintosh C2300 Arcam AVR20, Oppo UDP-203 4K Blu-ray player, Sony XBR70x850B 4k, Polk Audio Legend L800 with height modules, L400 Center Channel Polk audio AB800 "in-wall" surrounds. Marantz MM7025 stereo amp. Simaudio Moon 680d DSD

    “When once a Republic is corrupted, there is no possibility of remedying any of the growing evils but by removing the corruption and restoring its lost principles; every other correction is either useless or a new evil.”— Thomas Jefferson
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  • Viking64
    Viking64 Posts: 7,107
    nooshinjohn wrote: »
    Storage facility for Tonyb's cement business perhaps?

    HAHAHA Either that or verb's Monoprice amps. :p
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