Grandma console system updated (Audio or Stereo Review, mid 1980s)

[13mh13]

Back in (roughly) the mid 1980s, there was a brief article in either Audio or Stereo Review of a custom installation in which an elderly woman asked her local hifi shop to retro-fit her ancient console stereo.
Somehow, the shop managed to nicely snug in a (IIRC) Dual turntable, NAD receiver, and Boston (??) speakers.

Yes I have been to the americanradiohistory.com PDF archive ... and can't locate it. My bad!

I'm guessing the time period was 1983-5. It may have been a "Installation of the Month" or "Systems" department feature.

Anyone with sharp eyes of better memory?

Thx!!!

 

[13mh13]

https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Audio-Magazine.htm
... Is missing some Audio issues from its PDF archive. Notably; July, Dec. 1984 and July 1985.
If anyone has those issues in their private stash and can check for suspect article .... big thx in advance.

 

[13mh13]

Please help settle a bet I have with a local audio friend. He bets that I won't find the article!

I'm betting on Audio, July 1984.

I do have that mag in storage 1800 miles away in the US Midwest (I live on the West coast). But I won't be visiting there for several mos.

BTW: Does anyone have a pic of the covers of Audio July and Dec. 1984?

Thx in advance for any legwork on your part!

 

[orthophonic]

I remember the article but that is about it.

 

[dshoaf]

I retrofitted a number of consoles back in the 70s. Mostly tubed gear with that new-fangled solid state stuff.

They were a pain to do mainly because I was not a wood worker and had no tools for that.

Cheers,

David

 

[13mh13]

I retrofitted a number of consoles back in the 70s. Mostly tubed gear with that new-fangled solid state stuff.

They were a pain to do mainly because I was not a wood worker and had no tools for that.

Cheers,

David

That "installation" or "system" obviously impressed the mag editors.

What made me think of that ancient article is the absurd $20k console from Symbol Audio.
It was featured in a vlog/blog post on AnalogPlanet:
https://www.analogplanet.com/content/analogplanet-visits-symbol-audiofurniture-nyack-ny

I bet you could pick up a nice Magnavox console from CL, dirt cheap. And retrofit it with something similar to what the Audio article featured..Now if only someone at https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Audio-Magazine.htm could hurry up with those PDFs

 

[13mh13]

I was just browsing the net for vintage consoles and came across ....

https://www.audioarchaeology.com/vintage-audio

Wow ... those prices are INSANE!!

 

[DaveVoorhis]

Wow ... those prices are INSANE!!

Yup. A large number preceded by a dollar sign on a Web site does not necessarily have anything to do with actual sale prices.

I can do it too: Brand New Sony ICF-P36 FM Radio. Sounds as good as one of these ever does. -- $11,349.95

 

[13mh13]

Found the article:

Stereo Review, March 1989, p97

https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-HiFI-Stereo/80s/HiFi-Stereo-Review-1989-03.pdf

Nice retrofit by Absolute Sound of Florida.

 

[KentTeffeteller]

Custom furniture is a better way to do it, with attention paid to ventilation. Consoles are intended and designed to function with the audio equipment installed in them from the factory. Also, consoles have low bass filtered to keep acoustic feedback low when a turntable is in such close proximity to loudspeakers.