Unusual HiFi products from the past.

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  • Posts: 4,186
    Anybody remember when The Sharper Image was around?
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  • Posts: 11,470
    edited March 2022
    I remember the products were cutting edge and I couldn't afford them. The cassette or Cd rotating upright storage thingy caught my eye. B)

    I would get a massage from the 3K massage chair near the opening of their store to the mall whenever I went through the mall. I must've been 20 or more years old. :p

    I did get their catalogues for a long time too. I couldn't afford a thing. :#
    Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.

    “Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured.”
    --Mark Twain.
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  • Posts: 34,549
    edited March 2022
    Tony M wrote: »
    show previous quotes

    Looks like an open-air Goodwill store.

    yes, but free... and with an extremely generous return policy.
    Not that I'd return finds like, e.g., this...

    oqy3tv47m2lb.jpg

    or...


    11083737235_9d2e713d04_c.jpg

    Actually the EICO ST-40 immediately above was a scrap metal pile find, with all tubes present and intact (including British small signal tubes and that British-made 5AR4). It worked as found. :)

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  • Posts: 7,758
    What's the receiver? Scott's - Sansui ??? looks pretty clean
    Randy-Maine
    2ch-RTA15tl crossover upgrade
    by David WMG
    Yamaha cr1000 cr2040
    HT-Yamaha Parasound Acurus
    MIT BJC Cs1000p Polk Rotation
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  • Posts: 7,758
    The dial caps look like Fisher
    Randy-Maine
    2ch-RTA15tl crossover upgrade
    by David WMG
    Yamaha cr1000 cr2040
    HT-Yamaha Parasound Acurus
    MIT BJC Cs1000p Polk Rotation
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  • Posts: 34,549
    edited March 2022
    HH Scott 312-D soiled solid state FM stereo tuner.
    Pristine and in its original packaging with docs. :p

    27772152253_6720e3f30c_c.jpg

    (I broke one of the pieces of foam packing whilst unboxing it :p )

    28309369561_6a68e053cd_c.jpg
    (with the top popped)
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  • Posts: 7,758
    Even clean on the inside. Very nice
    Randy-Maine
    2ch-RTA15tl crossover upgrade
    by David WMG
    Yamaha cr1000 cr2040
    HT-Yamaha Parasound Acurus
    MIT BJC Cs1000p Polk Rotation
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  • Posts: 4,186
    huaovjpdpco8.png
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  • Posts: 34,549
    SeleniumFalcon wrote: »
    huaovjpdpco8.png

    That reads so much better than the first version of that product blurb's headline:
    Paisley Speaker PR Photo Printed Upside-Down
    :#
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  • Posts: 4,186
    edited March 2022
    "Alagash birch" is missing an "l", but "Passive Electronic Suspension" is different. Maybe the guy at the end of the assembly line put the four rubber feet on the top instead of the bottom and the marketing guy said, "wait a minute, maybe we've got something there, eh?".
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  • Posts: 2,590
    dq5jwcxz8rwz.jpg
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  • Posts: 4,186
    unbrsl34yygm.png
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  • Posts: 34,549
    SeleniumFalcon wrote: »
    unbrsl34yygm.png

    I remember those -- I know someone whose ex-spouse had one. :#
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  • Posts: 11,470
    edited March 2022
    Here's something similar I've kept since who knows when.

    I thought it looked cool too. Center and up a bit. The one with the silver knobs.

    Right click and then open in new tab to see bigger picture.
    la1becsnf8cz.jpg
    Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.

    “Anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured.”
    --Mark Twain.
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  • Posts: 1,141
    OleBoot wrote: »
    Sansui Eddie Van Halen edition.

    9q37t4ccxfj4.png

    Peppermint Blue Raspberry. 🤢🤮
    CD Players: Sony CDP-211; Sony DVP-S9000ES; Sony UDP-X800M2 (x2); Cambridge Audio CXC

    DACs: Jolida Glass FX Tube DAC III (x2); Denafrips Ares II (x2)

    Streamers: ROKU (x3); Bluesound Node 2i and Node N130 w/LHY LPS // Receivers: Yamaha RX-V775BT; Yamaha RX-V777

    Preamps: B&K Ref 50; B&K Ref 5 S2; Classe CP-800 MkII; Audio Research SP16L (soon)

    Amps: Niles SI-275; B&K ST125.7; B&K ST125.2; Classe CA-2300; Butler Audio TDB-5150

    Speakers: Boston Acoustics CR55; Focal Chorus 705v; Wharfedale Diamond 10.2; Monitor Audio Silver-1; Def Tech Mythos One (x4)/Mythos Three Center (x2)/Mythos Two pr.; Martin Logan Electromotion ESL; Legacy Audio Victoria/Silverscreen Center; Gallo Acoustics Reference 3.1; SVS SB-1000 Pro; REL HT-1003; B&W ASW610; HifiMan HE400i

    Turntable: Dual 721 Direct-Drive w/Audio Technica AT-VM95e cart

    Cables: Tripp-lite 14ga. PCs, Blue Jeans Cable ICs, Philips PXT1000 ICs; Kimber Kable DV30 coaxial ICs; Canare L-4E6S XLR ICs; Kimber Kable 8PR & 8TC speaker cables.
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  • Posts: 4,186
    This is really quite intriguing, it gets placed near an AM radio, nothing connected to the radio and it's supposed to improve reception.

    7x0ufwxvcw46.png
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  • Posts: 34,549
    edited March 2022
    SeleniumFalcon wrote: »
    This is really quite intriguing, it gets placed near an AM radio, nothing connected to the radio and it's supposed to improve reception.

    7x0ufwxvcw46.png
    The Select-A-Tenna
    They can work quite well, too.
    Inductivly coupled loop antenna -- it can be used to peak a weak signal or null out a strong, interfering station (like a Q multiplier).
    They also made one that could be used inductively or hard-wired to a radio/receiver's ext. AM antenna input.
    These were made for quite a while, and not ridiculously priced, either. They are now out of production. Not too hard to find, but not so inexpensive nowadays.

    :)

    Here's mine, picking up the daytime signal from WBZ in Boston (1030 kHz) from about 120 miles away on a surprisingly good Onkyo tuner. Note the signal strength meter -- the signal strength & quality with the Select-A-Tenna was quite good. B)


    13427359495_4e4bb03358_b.jpg

    McKay-Dymek made an amazing active AM antenna (and a radio to go along with it too) in the 70s and 80s.
    The sine qua non of "modern" loop antennas for AM was reputedly the Kiwa Loop -- very expensive and also NLA. :/
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  • Posts: 34,549
    edited March 2022
    EDIT: oops :p
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  • Posts: 4,986
    Funny how eBay sends me oddball speaker interests when I only browse vintage Polk goodies...

    x7lkim6zbot4.png

    pqzey1vr36az.png

    Don't take experimental gene therapies from known eugenicists.
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  • Posts: 4,186
    a1qpekf48pqh.png
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  • Posts: 4,186
    62xjc4oeeibi.png
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  • Posts: 3,272
    7n92ib8r76s9.jpg
    "This may not matter to you, but it does to me for various reasons, many of them illogical or irrational, but the vinyl hobby is not really logical or rational..." - member on Vinyl Engine
    "Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to." - Cicero, in Gladiator
    Regarding collectibles: "It's not who gets it. It's who gets stuck with it." - Jimmy Fallon
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  • Posts: 4,186
    ^. That's terrific a 45 player for your car! I love it.
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  • Posts: 34,549
    edited March 2022
    all the cool dudes had 'em, @SeleniumFalcon ! :)

    9aqnd43l756x.png
    George Harrison & his E-type

    7wdqrm3c7u2z.png
    "Larry" Welk & his DeSoto

    B)

    Speaking of Mr. Welk.
    He had a great vanity license plate, too!

    l142sipalyvr.png
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  • Posts: 10,072
    Get your greasy fingers off the grooves boys!
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  • Posts: 4,186
    920mojb1ya5l.png
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  • Posts: 7,393
    I was trying to figure out the audio advantage to a jacket with removable sleeves. :p
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  • Posts: 4,186
    rdiai58aw1t8.png

    This was a popular amplifier back in its day.
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  • Posts: 2,590
    oldrocker wrote: »
    dq5jwcxz8rwz.jpg

    Old Robie sold for 92 bucks.
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  • Posts: 4,186
    5qoah3tr23he.png
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