Hello hello

[Vintage Unit]

Hello! I'm a Vintage Unit from the 60s. I've been searching for underpriced vintage silvery receivers for a while because a I'm poor to broke and can't afford a new anything, and b) I hate black units because I need to stick my face right next to them and get out a %$# flashlight to read the faint gray print so I can tell which knob I'm fiddlin with , and c) I tried and failed to get my old yamaha RX-330 working but got stuck on finding some other, better old unit that isn't black.

I'm electrically inept, if not dangerously so, so I'll never be a restore guy. But hopefully I'll learn to do some basic things that old units need, whatever those may be. Perhaps wiping it down with a nice safe cloth. I can't claim to have a highly refined external auditory meatus, but I do know I generally prefer analog sounds.

As I scour around looking at stuff I might want to snag, google keeps sending me back here to get the information I'm looking for. So far I've been skunked on attempts to snag high quality receivers on my non-existent budget.

But I will be pickin up an MCS 3249 next week that I gather from this site should be at least decent or better, if it works. I only paid $12 and it does look like its been dinged up a bit so I'll just hold my breath that its functional. Once I get it I will hope to get some help in how to evaluate it, because I know little more than squat.

 

[Hyperion]

Welcome to AK! - nice intro.

 

[savatage1973]

Welcome Aboard!!!--enjoy the ride

Once I get it I will hope to get some help in how to evaluate it, because I know little more than squat.

Your next (fairly inexpensive) investment should be in a DMM (digital multi-meter)--that will tell you if an amp/receiver is going to kill your speakers, if your speakers are working properly and lots of other things (eventually)--that and invest in a can of DeOxit. Lots of threads on both topics, and they will save you a lot of headaches.

Good Luck!!!

 

[Marine0811]

Welcome to AK! I second what Savatage1973 just said!

 

[goat67]

Welcome

 

[Rome]

Greetings to ya!

Rome

 

[electronjohn]

Welcome!

 

[Vintage Unit]

Thanks to all. Will any multi-tester work? I have a non-digital already...and have even used it once or twice without anyone getting hurt.

 

[Awesomeaudio]

Thanks to all. Will any multi-tester work? I have a non-digital already...and have even used it once or twice without anyone getting hurt.

Hey there fella. Don't despair too much. You will find what you're looking for eventually and if you have the inclination and patience you can delve into some basic test and repair of these vintage gems. As for meters, I'd invest in a digital meter for simplicity and the extra functionality. You can get a fairly decent one for not too much money. I'm sure others will chime in with suggestions for one.
Oh, and Welcome aboard

 

[Vintage Unit]

I've read good things about deoxit here. I already have some Max Pro contact cleaner from my failed attempt to revive my RX-330 pot. Is deoxit definitely the one to have over Max Pro?

 

[Dave_1962]

Welcome! Post questions in appropriate forums for better results_

 

[savatage1973]

Will any multi-tester work? I have a non-digital already...

An analogue tester will work for the basics (which is what you need right now), but an inexpensive digital is so much easier to read and will offer more functions that you may find useful in the future.

Is deoxit definitely the one to have over Max Pro?

This is a debatable topic. I would have to say that DeOxit is kind of "the standard", but there are lots of folks that prefer/use other products. It is a matter of opinion, and a lot of that is driven by the price of DeOxit vs some other cleaners--it's not necessarily cheap, but IMO well worth it--it's all I use, and its not like I am using a gallon a month and need to search for cheaper alternatives.
,
Basic things to search for--"DC offset", "speaker impedance", "speaker DCR" and DeOxit-related threads--hope this helps!!!

 

[kryten79]

Greetings and Salutations.
I too suffer from a severe bias against black on black which has increased with the all to human and unavoidable decrease in visual acuity and light collection efficiency:

b) I hate black units because I need to stick my face right next to them and get out a %$# flashlight to read the faint gray print so I can tell which knob I'm fiddlin with

I still have a stash of the good stuff banned by the EPA long ago for cleaning electronics. I use DeOxit for the most part but after working as a mechanic for a decade have learned to not get locked into any one thing. Best advice, use sparingly, inconspicuous place, test prior, etc.... If it works safely and relatively effectively (oh yeah, another unsolicited piece of advice, sometimes it doesn't matter how long it takes as long as it eventually works). Have fun.

 

[cnyel1967]

Welcome to AK!

 

[harman/kardon]

Welcome to AudioKarma!