Anything you consider a nominal listening level is ALWAYS too loud for a wife. Even with Head-phones on!
Fisher Roll Call: Whatcha' Got ?
- Thread starter rl1856
- Start date
500C in pretty much mint condition, it was the first stereo my family bought in the 60's. I was embarrassed to have that tube amp in college when everyone else had solid state receivers which probably hit the junk pile after a few years. My 500C still delivers awesome sound!!
I've got two pairs of XP-7B's (one nearly mint, but needing a recap and one recapped, but needing a lot of cabinet work), a 500B receiver that needs a total rebuild, a KX-100 amp that needs a total rebuild and a KM-60 tuner that needs a total rebuild. Working on the KX-100 right now.
DOBIEGUY
Well-Known Member
This past weekend went out looking for a period loudspeaker for my mono Scott system. Found a good looker sitting atop what looked like an old TV cabinet with doors. Shop owner says it plays good with the 'stuff' in the cabinet.
He moves a pile of other 'stuff' and inside I find the goods. A slide out Rek-O-Kut, Fisher Ninety tuner and a Fisher Model 90C Master Audio Control. I'm thinking there has to be more for the speaker to play. Take off the back and there it is-A Fisher Model 100 amp. The three Fisher pieces look like they were made yesterday. All tubes marked Fisher except one Amperex in the tuner and Mullard EL-37s in the amp.
And I know this post is worthless without pictures so here they are.
Oh,and about the Electro-Voice Aristocrat lll, a story for another post.
He moves a pile of other 'stuff' and inside I find the goods. A slide out Rek-O-Kut, Fisher Ninety tuner and a Fisher Model 90C Master Audio Control. I'm thinking there has to be more for the speaker to play. Take off the back and there it is-A Fisher Model 100 amp. The three Fisher pieces look like they were made yesterday. All tubes marked Fisher except one Amperex in the tuner and Mullard EL-37s in the amp.
And I know this post is worthless without pictures so here they are.
Oh,and about the Electro-Voice Aristocrat lll, a story for another post.
I'm turning GREEN! That's about as 1958 MONO TOTL as you can get! Is the 100 amp a 100 or a 100az? Outwardly there should be a switch or pot for speaker damping on the AZ.
IT's a 100. That gut shot of the 90-C is just fantastic. 1st thing I'd bypass or get rid of is that selenium rectumfrier. 1kv 3a diode will dp the trick with headroom to spare. (1n5408).
I thought I had posted in this thread, just found that I had not.
So -
Solid State: 200-T, 202 Futura, 432, 440-T, 450-T, 500-T, 600-T, 700-T, 4400
Tubes: TA-600, 400, and my latest acquisition...a birthday present to myself...
Sold as working, did not upon arrival. Long story short...the 500-B has a dummy plug in back. Or, it is supposed to. It was missing on mine. Once I discovered its necessity, I went to my junk parts bin and found a suitable nine-pin plug, with a Bakelite cover. I made the necessary jumper wire connections and voila, the 500-B came back to life.
I had read about the sound of the 500 and 800 series Fishers, but had never experienced it until now. Yes, I get it now. Solid state is OK but the tube Fishers are in a different class.
I'm in the midst of restoring my TA-600. I'll probably restore my 400 next, and then go through the 500-B and, at the very least, replace its electrolytics and rectifier.
So -
Solid State: 200-T, 202 Futura, 432, 440-T, 450-T, 500-T, 600-T, 700-T, 4400
Tubes: TA-600, 400, and my latest acquisition...a birthday present to myself...
Sold as working, did not upon arrival. Long story short...the 500-B has a dummy plug in back. Or, it is supposed to. It was missing on mine. Once I discovered its necessity, I went to my junk parts bin and found a suitable nine-pin plug, with a Bakelite cover. I made the necessary jumper wire connections and voila, the 500-B came back to life.
I had read about the sound of the 500 and 800 series Fishers, but had never experienced it until now. Yes, I get it now. Solid state is OK but the tube Fishers are in a different class.
I'm in the midst of restoring my TA-600. I'll probably restore my 400 next, and then go through the 500-B and, at the very least, replace its electrolytics and rectifier.
Damn Ron, and I thought I had a lot of S.S. FISHER's.
S.S.---160-T, 250-T, 400-T(parts unit), 550-T, 700-T, 500-TX with optional Remote.
Tube--- Early 400, late 400, 800-C, TA-600
Consoles....51 Coronet(R-3), 58 Contemporary(R-20), 1959 510/610(both chassis)(*), 59 560 companion(30-A), 63 Executive (800-C), 64 Custom ElectraVII(590-T,481-A), 65 Custom ElectraVIII(49-T,49-A Hybrid), 65 Futura (59-T,59-A)
(*)The 610 Chassis modified to 1960 Custom Electra III Model 440 (radio) chassis std. to accept mpx.
S.S.---160-T, 250-T, 400-T(parts unit), 550-T, 700-T, 500-TX with optional Remote.
Tube--- Early 400, late 400, 800-C, TA-600
Consoles....51 Coronet(R-3), 58 Contemporary(R-20), 1959 510/610(both chassis)(*), 59 560 companion(30-A), 63 Executive (800-C), 64 Custom ElectraVII(590-T,481-A), 65 Custom ElectraVIII(49-T,49-A Hybrid), 65 Futura (59-T,59-A)
(*)The 610 Chassis modified to 1960 Custom Electra III Model 440 (radio) chassis std. to accept mpx.
AFAIK, there was no 100AZ. Fisher's numbering got weird with those monoblocks. There were the non-Z-matic 50A and 70A, then the 50AZ and 70AZ came along. The 80AZ was next, but I don't think they made a non-Z 80, and then the 100, which had Z-matic but didn't have the Z numbering. I think there was also a 55, but I have no idea how it was numbered.
nasadowsk
Bow:good, hunt:needs work
X-202. Not being used at this time, but being saved. Good condition.
SA-100. Stuck between a Sansui CA-2000 and a pair of Klipsch RP-260Fs. Source right now is a DACmagic 100 and an iMac feeding that @ 192K.
Had: 100T. Gave it to a coworker who's got some homebrew tube amp and vintage JBL speakers. I never used it for anything....
SA-100. Stuck between a Sansui CA-2000 and a pair of Klipsch RP-260Fs. Source right now is a DACmagic 100 and an iMac feeding that @ 192K.
Had: 100T. Gave it to a coworker who's got some homebrew tube amp and vintage JBL speakers. I never used it for anything....
Rob Thomas
Active Member
Beautiful little collection. I gasped out loud when I saw that first picture of the X-202. Stunning!
Too long between posts...Here's my meager "collection", with some other stuff in the works:
This 101-B sounds amazing, both through Cornwalls and AR 2ax's. Very traditional tube presentation, which I love.
Don't think I'll ever acquire anything better looking then this. Not bad sounding either.
This 101-B sounds amazing, both through Cornwalls and AR 2ax's. Very traditional tube presentation, which I love.
Don't think I'll ever acquire anything better looking then this. Not bad sounding either.
Adding to my last. 500-T, (which complete's the "T"'s from the 500 and up.) and a X-101-B very similar looking to Sbergers. Definately less powerful than a 800c with Fixed Bias, even tho I'm running the bias on the matched tubes at 41ma. Tele's in the Phono Section and Yellow lettered Sylvania 12ax7's in the tone amps and Phase Inverters. Output's are Russian Tung-Sol 7591A Re-Issues. I originally put a matched quad (spares I keep handy for the 800c's and the 1000A) of EH7591's but I didn't like how close they were to each other and they just didn't sound right. In the 800c and 1000A they sound great. The Tung-Sols' are a vast improvement. I think if it were Fixed bias it would be somewhat ballsier. With KLH 17's it does quite good, and a bit better on NLA's. On Sansui SP-100's or SP-2500's the very small nuances in the music (fingernails plucking on strings, etc) are highly noticeable. The SP-200's and the SP-2500's are 96 to 98db/1m/1w. They do get fatiguing(blare and lots of distortion) if cranked over 10w but under that they are quite good. I replaced the Horn tweeter on the 2500's with some NOS Calrad Horn Tweeters and it seems to have cut down on the blaring at higher levels.
Today is St. Niklaus Day in Switzerland, and hey, look what the old man brought me....
My dream preamp, a very lovely Fisher 400CX from 1960, expertly restored by the Master himself, Dave Gillespie.
Thanks Dave for the great job!
As this is my first step into separates, I'll be taking my time in 2018 to find the right tube amplifier to go with the 400CX.
So many choices - making a list, checking it twice...
My dream preamp, a very lovely Fisher 400CX from 1960, expertly restored by the Master himself, Dave Gillespie.
Thanks Dave for the great job!
As this is my first step into separates, I'll be taking my time in 2018 to find the right tube amplifier to go with the 400CX.
So many choices - making a list, checking it twice...
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Very nice Litho, I saw that last time I was down at Dave's, a real beaut! He's got my Mac tuner/pre right now.
Thanks Al...you know, of course it's a thrill to find such a rare, well preserved unit like this 400CX, but that's just the first step. A bit like the preservation an old Masters painting, there is a certain pressure and responsibility to make a minimal, yet thorough restoration, in the manner Dave has performed. I can relax now, I believe in the machine, and will enjoy it as long as I'm around. Good luck on your Mac tuner/pre! 110mx? - Tom
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