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Vintage Gear in TV Shows

vinylviola

vinylviola

Well-Known Member
I've noticed since my addiction began that I'm aware any time I spy a piece of vintage gear somewhere. It's like a magnet - my eyes are drawn to the stereo cabinet or the speaker cabs sitting in the corner - trying to figure out what type of equipment people are using.

Here's what's been fun:

I've been noticing a lot of TV programs actually feature some vintage gear. An obvious example is That 70's Show - the Foreman's basement is littered with a very prominent pair of white-woofered speakers and a couple of different receiver/turntable combos throughout the seasons.

Seinfeld's earlier seasons had some monster wood cabinet speakers sitting against the walls of his apartment.

Malcolm in the Middle had an entire stereo set-up in their living room that was silver-faced (including a turntable)

Early seasons on Friends also featured a component stereo system in the far corner of the living room that was (for a while) hooked up to a pair of Cerwin Vegas (D series, I think)

Also, in the film High Fidelity John Cusack has a great vintage set up. It's been a while since I watched this movie, but he also had a great system that I remember noting.

A fun game for anyone that maybe has these shows on DVD and could peruse more thoroughly. The only thing I recognized definitely was the Friends' CV speakers - aside from that, I don't know what they were using in these different TV shows, but I'd be curious to know if anyone can identify the equipment used for set dressing.
 

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Heh, it's good to see someone else has the same addiction!

Have you seen A Clockwork Orange? The main character has a Transcriptors Hydraulic Reference turntable, and what looks like a B&O system.
 
MunkeyQ said:
Have you seen A Clockwork Orange? The main character has a Transcriptors Hydraulic Reference turntable, and what looks like a B&O system.
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I :drool: every time I watch that movie.

I not only spot vintage gear on TV but I have become like a hawk spotting it elsewhere. 50mph, through a gap in some bushes I spotted some vintage speakers at a yard sale, they were KLH 6's. Another big charity yard sale, I spotted a vintage receiver from 40 feet away by only an inch or so if its back right corner sticking above the other stuff there. :thmbsp:
 
Thanks for the John Cusack shot! Looks just like me the weekend I scored 3 different 500LP collections, including the WTF look, half excited ass all get out, the other half how am I gonna get through all this?
 
I just watched an early episode of 'Seinfeld' and was trying to figure out what Jerry's speakers are - the one that sits right by the front door gets a lot of screen time by default - I can't discern much beyond the woofer, but I'm wondering if it isn't an Infinity. Any help?
 
vinylviola said:
I've been noticing a lot of TV programs actually feature some vintage gear......................................

A fun game for anyone that maybe has these shows on DVD and could peruse more thoroughly...................
Click to expand...

On The Bob Newhart Show (Bob the psychologist) there is a compact stereo on a counter, with speakers higher up on a bookshelf..... looks to me like an Electrophonic or some such.
On the later Newhart show (Bob the innkeeper) there is a vintage radio on a shelf in his study.
 
I watch 'Catch Me If You Can' this past weekend, and noticed in Frank Abagnale's Atlanta apartment he has a gorgeous KLH Model 20 that gets a few glimpses during the party scene. I would love to get one of these systems...
 
In Red & Kitty's basement on that "70's Show", there are a set of vintage JBL's. I don't know the model#, but they are 3 ways with what appear to be 12" woofers.
 
Seinfeld's earlier seasons had some monster wood cabinet speakers sitting against the walls of his apartment."

i can't be sure , but does it look like a Realistic Mach 1 ?
 
Anybody know what the wall of speakers in the movie Mannequin are? It was during the 80's movie montage sequence where they are trying on all of the different outfits and dancing. They look familiar but I couldn't place them. I'm pretty sure there were 2 different kinds. Maybe 2 different models from the same brand.
 
The film 9 1/2 Weeks - Mickey Rourke's character's apartment has an impressive system, with a Nakamich RX series cassette deck, that flips the tape as the camera pans past it.

Friends - Joey and Chandler had Martin Logan hybrids in their apartment for a while, and Monica had a B&O Beosystem 2500 in hers, in the later shows.
 
karlo said:
Seinfeld's earlier seasons had some monster wood cabinet speakers sitting against the walls of his apartment."

i can't be sure , but does it look like a Realistic Mach 1 ?
Click to expand...


These are the speakers that started this whole thread! I couldn't ID them, but I knew they were some beasts. In later seasons they were just black cabinets, but I always like the oiled walnut cabs.
 
Its interesting that in TV and movies set in the present day the appearance of vintage (i.e. 'old' stereo equipment) helps to establish the 'poor' characters, usually in more run-down homes/apartments.

If only they knew...
 
Some of the systems and/or components I've noted were the monster speakers in the 1st season of Seinfeld. Not the bland giant boxes with the grills on either. I'm talking about the big ones on low rise, tilted stands. They had no grill so you could see the oversized woofer surround. I found a pic on line one time to show someone, I'll see if I can locate it again and post it. I saw a quick camera pan across what looked like an old silver faced receiver on a shelving unit in the main room of the iCarly set. Now, I know what your thinking and it's true, she's HOT! Just kidding, I have a 5 year old daughter that likes the show. And I'm sure you are all aware of the monster system in Peter Griffin's living room on Family Guy. Although not "real" it has all of the parts of a classic 70-80's system, big speakers, double tape deck, tuner, turntable on top. I'll look for that Seinfeld pic.
 
In The Wonder Years, the dad was getting rid of the same station-wagon that we had when I was that age. A 68' Dodge Polara, same color...


........oh.....sorry......wrong vintage gear..

But the show did play "Long may you run" from Neil Young as they were towing it away.
 
Okay, found it. Well sort of. The episode is "The Stakeout" (season 1, episode 2 first episode after the pilot). It's a Youtube clip, just after the half way point, you'll see them. Jerry walks right between them and pauses while talking to Krammer. I'm sure there are more pics but this one came up first. Here is the link...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4K1xX3zlvcM

Anybody have any idea of the make?
 
Cant ID stereo but remember DEATH BY STEREO? lost boys 1986 where the vamp gets electrocuted by the stereo when sam fires an arrow at him, even better with INXS blasting out eh!
 
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I'm glad someone started this thread cause I have noticed the same behavior in myself. In fact it was just the other day that I was watching Hi Fidelity and trying to figure out what gear he was running.

Billysan said:
I saw a quick camera pan across what looked like an old silver faced receiver on a shelving unit in the main room of the iCarly set. Now, I know what your thinking and it's true, she's HOT! Just kidding, I have a 5 year old daughter that likes the show.
Click to expand...

When I'm at my parents house sometimes I catch this show when my sisters are watching it and I saw a quick frame with this receiver in it too, so you're not alone :thmbsp:.
 
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