Elemental
New Member
By way of introduction, I'm a semi-retired physicist with a long term interest in vintage electronics, especially high-end audio equipment. My introduction to this field was from my father who was a pipe organ builder and hi-fi enthusiast.
During the 1950s, when I was growing up, my father had put together his own system, most of which I still have (all tube/mono, of course): Williamson amplifier from Standard Transformer Corp. (kit, modified with an Acrosound output transformer); University 15 inch woofer, midrange, tweeter, & crossover system housed in self-built folded-horn speaker cabinet; Pilot Radio AF-723 AM/FM tuner-preamp; Rek-O-Kut Rondine L-34 turntable; Weathers W-16 tone-arm with FM-condensor pickup; phono equalizer (I think he built from a magazine article) to adjust between different equalizations (AES, RIAA, etc.); Berlant Concertone 20/20 tape recorder; and a Tru Sonic FM-condensor microphone used for recording organ recitals. He also had an impressive collection of classical music LPs.
I'll never know how he afforded all this, but as I got (much) older I gradually realized this was top-notch equipment. I also realized that my father had an outstanding ear; especially apparent when he tried to teach me to tune pipe organs. He frequently complained that stereo plus solid state spelled the end of hi-fi. In my teenage years I rebelled and built up my own solid state stereo system, but later on came to the opinion that the old tube sets actually sound better.
Based on that I've refurbished much of his system and enjoy it now. This involved some interesting compromises which I'll post separately if sufficient interest. Hope everyone enjoys their Christmas holidays!
During the 1950s, when I was growing up, my father had put together his own system, most of which I still have (all tube/mono, of course): Williamson amplifier from Standard Transformer Corp. (kit, modified with an Acrosound output transformer); University 15 inch woofer, midrange, tweeter, & crossover system housed in self-built folded-horn speaker cabinet; Pilot Radio AF-723 AM/FM tuner-preamp; Rek-O-Kut Rondine L-34 turntable; Weathers W-16 tone-arm with FM-condensor pickup; phono equalizer (I think he built from a magazine article) to adjust between different equalizations (AES, RIAA, etc.); Berlant Concertone 20/20 tape recorder; and a Tru Sonic FM-condensor microphone used for recording organ recitals. He also had an impressive collection of classical music LPs.
I'll never know how he afforded all this, but as I got (much) older I gradually realized this was top-notch equipment. I also realized that my father had an outstanding ear; especially apparent when he tried to teach me to tune pipe organs. He frequently complained that stereo plus solid state spelled the end of hi-fi. In my teenage years I rebelled and built up my own solid state stereo system, but later on came to the opinion that the old tube sets actually sound better.
Based on that I've refurbished much of his system and enjoy it now. This involved some interesting compromises which I'll post separately if sufficient interest. Hope everyone enjoys their Christmas holidays!
