My Grandfather's system restored and reunited

[invalidbuffa]

Thanks for all the comments!

Gramps was also the most influential person for my interest in electronics and audio. I've been looking through old photos to try and find ones of him with the system but sadly couldn't find any. Plenty of him tinkering away in his electronics shop...

Since the recent bout of moves I've been out of the hi-fi game, but I have the itch to once again weild my soldering iron and make my system the best it can be. Currently the Scott and Macs mostly have orange drops in them, with dynamicaps and vishay metal film resistors in the phono section of the 355. It all sounds great on the VOTTs (visitors almost always say it's the best stereo they've ever heard), but I keep wishing there was more micro-detail and three-dimensionality...and thus another journey begins...

 

[Harvestor]

Thanks for all the comments!

Gramps was also the most influential person for my interest in electronics and audio. I've been looking through old photos to try and find ones of him with the system but sadly couldn't find any. Plenty of him tinkering away in his electronics shop...

Since the recent bout of moves I've been out of the hi-fi game, but I have the itch to once again weild my soldering iron and make my system the best it can be. Currently the Scott and Macs mostly have orange drops in them, with dynamicaps and vishay metal film resistors in the phono section of the 355. It all sounds great on the VOTTs (visitors almost always say it's the best stereo they've ever heard), but I keep wishing there was more micro-detail and three-dimensionality...and thus another journey begins...

Love the Room and Everything...wow!
Pass on to your children the Appreciation as well as the Love and keep Grandpa's system in the family...

 

[y2keglide]

Man what a beautiful system he left you! I'd love to hear it,can almost just looking at the pics.
As soon as I saw the trees through the window I just knew you were here in the Pac NW.
I'm an Orygun native living about 45 minutes from Portland in rural SW Wa.

 

[invalidbuffa]

It's nice in this neck of the woods, isn't it...If you ever pass through Corvallis/Albany drop me a line

 

[nj pheonix]

Nice!
All grandad passed down were some old paintbrushes

 

[techguy0192]

First time posting in a while...We recently moved to a home on a farm and amidst the ongoing chaos I finally had some time to set up the Hi-Fi. This was my granddad's system (except for the turntable) he used back in the 60's which I inherited after his passing and restored over several years. Until now I haven't used the components together.

Thorens TD150 mkii - Denon DL110 - Rewired with Cardas, new connectors, cork mat
Scott 355
McIntosh MC30
Altec Lansing A7 - 416A, 802C, rebuilt N800D x-overs

The system makes the music come alive and it's fun to listen to at high volumes (you know, to get that chest punch!) The expedit shelf isn't ideal but it works for now. I plan on building a nicer rack when the wood shop is set up.

--
The room is a little weird in shape and has a 135 deg. bend and an open stairway, but it seems to have good acoustics. I'm leaving it untreated for now
View attachment 1233215

Wow....impressive sir. That was a very well put together system back before people had the internet and forums like this one for guidance. The Macs with the Altec speakers.....

The only thing I might change would be adding a Mac preamp. But I can certainly understand if you want to keep it as it was for sentimental reasons. Have the components checked by a tech to ensure they are good to go as daily drivers and enjoy.

Be sure to spend some time in the McIntosh section of the forum.

 

[heavyrock]

I'd like to hear this setup sometime, I'm just a short drive away.

 

[invalidbuffa]

I'd like to hear this setup sometime, I'm just a short drive away.

I'd enjoy the company

 

[Djcoolray]

Wish my grandpa had it going on....like that !!

 

[saratoga]

INVALIDBUFFA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thorens TD150 mkii - Denon DL110 - Rewired with Cardas, new connectors, cork mat
Scott 355
McIntosh MC30
Altec Lansing A7 - 416A, 802C, rebuilt N800D x-overs

man i love it ,it must sound so sweet and powerful
well done , HOW MANY WATS ARE SPEAKERS??WHAT IS OUTPUT FROM AMP??
THX

 

[techguy0192]

IHOW MANY WATS ARE SPEAKERS??WHAT IS OUTPUT FROM AMP??
THX

Speakers don't "have" watts. The Mac amps are rated at 30 watts each.

 

[Marine0811]

Those Altec’s are great! Pretty awesome that your grandpa left them to you to appreciate

 

[SX550]

Epic system.

 

[Justgotohm]

Love this!

 

[slow_jazz]

Quite a grandfather you had.

 

[Old-School]

Amazing system that stood the test of time.

 

[Nautiker]

Your grandfather was quite the audiophile... Congratulations on a great setup! My grandpa was a cool guy, but not into music/audio... I do have a nice old clock of his, though... Enjoy!

 

[invalidbuffa]

Thank you all-

Small update (but a big improvement)
I wasn't liking the presentation of lower frequencies and I found vocals to be somewhat "boomy." I pulled the system out from the wall a couple feet and stuffed a 12" subwoofer in the corner crossed over at 40hz with the high level inputs connected to the MC30's in parallel with the speakers. Bass is now much more balanced and nuanced, and the vocal boom has been remedied.

 

[highfidelity]

Wow! What a well balanced rig. Your grandpa had excellent taste! Nothing needs changing in this system except as you mentioned maybe the cap upgrades, possibly re-magnetizing the magnets on the Altec's, stuff like that. I would do nothing major to this system.

 

[zebra03]

Grandpa was serious . Nice