Fisher 160-T 'Tune-O-Matic'

sydsfloyd67

sydsfloyd67

Contributor
Thought some of you guys might like this one. :) As may be becoming apparent, I have a thing for 'less than monster' receivers, for some unknown reason. This one is the "160-T", from the sellers description, but I'd imagine it would be the 160-TX given the naming convention of the 500-T/500-TX pair for example. Anyway, does anyone know if this is the second generation solid state Fisher or the third? Would it have germainium transistors like the wonderful sounding 200-T I have with the bad channel? Cheers, -sf

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Does the grotesque AM antenna seen on the back of some of these early Fisher SS indicate perhaps that they are from the 2nd or 3rd generation of these designs? Here one is on something called the "Fisher 660". Brian?

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I have not been aboe to figure out the generations of the Fisher SS gear. Seems simple and then new variations pop up. The 160 is from the TX era. The TX was the nominclature for the receivers that used the varactor front end and preset stations. The interesting thing about the 160 is the lack of a conventional dial plate keeping it low profile. From what I can figure the TX series is a 3rd or 4th gen ss unit depending on how you class the 600 that has the ss amp and hybrid tuner. Then there is the numbered series with no letter then the T series and then the TX series. What gets confusing is the model numbers don't quite follow this pattern all the time, there are at least 4 different versions of some: 1) silver and champagne (tu-tone), 2) wood grain on the upper section, 3) wood grain on the upper and lower sections and 4) a black upper portion of the faceplate. Also, there are versions still marked "President" that during the tube era was used in consoles but in the SS era was not dedicated to consoles.

I have not found any site that has attempted to catalog the Fisher US ss days and Fisher Doc will not go near the units nor would Buzzy Bee. Jimmydee on AA started with I think a 440 that he dug into since he could not find local talent and has expanded into repairing and restoring the SS units but not sure how deep he is into this having only spoken to him to the extent of possibly sending my units to him. He does need faceplates for the 600 receivers since the cast plates tend to get destroyed on shipping from bad packing. He does have apparently a small inventory of rebuilt units or untis to rebuld since he had in-stock a TX300 TFM300 pair he was willing to do an exchange plus charge against mine rather than having mine tied up for repair.
 
Cool B., thanks for the insights. I haven't had a chance to do any serious A/B with this one, but a cripple-channel 200-T I have was very good indeed sounding on headphones despite that issue. I do like the FM-only designs -there seem to be a lot of them still alive out there. -sf
 
Yes. Each has a litle window that shows the entire freq spectrum. The outer knob is turned and moves the pointer and you tune the desired station as you would with an analog tuner. After it is set. The when you want the station you push on the center of the button. Older car radios used a mechanical system to move the tuning condenser so though the end result was the same the technology was mechanical versus electrical on the Fisher. It lasted only on the gen of Fishers and then I think only reappears with the introduction of digital tuner. Do not remember anything in between or with the digital readout analog tuners except the McIntosh MR80.
 
B. Does the Tune-O-Matic use an electrical motor(s) rather than a "mechanical system" to move the needles to the desired positions on those analog station indicators? -sf
 
No motors. It is an all electronic system. You preset each "needle" and it stays there. Push the button and the tuner uses that setting electrically. Operationally it is like the presets in a digital tuner. This was allowed by the use of the varactor front end.
 
Fisher 160

Nice looking unit you have there. I think that the Fisher gear from that era had the best styling of any manufacturer with the possible exception of McIntosh.
 
Well this thing arrived and it is "the shits". :) Among the 50 or so vintage items I've put my hands on in the last year this is clearly the coolest. It is a solid heavy little box with a smart copper-like finish that tcdriver likely knows, and this one is just beautiful. Compared to the lack of substance in say even an HK230e, much less the black plague units, this is what the attraction here is all about.

If that wasn't good enough, it came with all, and I mean all, the original paperwork and manual circa 1967. That was a self-promotional manual with a young looking Avery on the back, a warantee card, Tune-O-Matic settings record card, the other dangling tags, a reprint of an article on Fisher from the NewYorker, all in a plastic bag with warning to send in the card in 10 days or else. Promotional material had really stepped up compared to the '64 manual I have for the 400.

Best of all perhaps, the Tune-O-Matic is dynamite for my exact usage, which is bedside on a lower stand shelf, with just AKG K271 headphones. Those tiny dials are on some very low ratio gears as they allow for super fine tuning, and the stereo beacon light is a strong amber illumination, the only light other than power. The AFC pulls in tremendously if the Tune-O-Matic dials are not centered. Also has a Dist/Local FM filter for crowded bandwith. The buttons themselves are very satifying, snappy, light but with certainty, and are a technology that like the rest of the damn thing seems to have been lost basically forever. Finally sound with those headphones is full, accurate, warm and deep. Audiokarma (Audionirvana) indeed. -sf
 
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Oh, oh! Another Fisher SS convert. It can happen; 1 button at a time. Welcome on board and really happy you like it.
 
sydsfloyd67 said:
If that wasn't good enough, it came with all, and I mean all, the original paperwork and manual circa 1967. That was a self-promotional manual with a young looking Avery on the back, a warantee card, Tune-O-Matic settings record card, the other dangling tags, a reprint of an article on Fisher from the NewYorker, all in a plastic bag with warning to send in the card in 10 days or else. Promotional material had really stepped up compared to the '64 manual I have for the 400.-sf
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Wow! It is really great to find a vintage unit with all the "extras". Congratulations. :thmbsp:
 
I have seen many ads for the 160. It was Fisher's entry-level unit in 1967 and dispensed with the tuning dial to save costs. The MSRP was $169.99. Sound like you've found a little treasure there. I'm still waiting to get my hands on a decent 500-TX, which should be all that the 160 is, just mo, mo, mo! :banana:
 
VS., Yes the "entry level" for Fisher in 1967 indeed. It has my eye on varients as well, but shouldn't go there....... -sf :D
 
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