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Electronics Hoard [MI Estate Sale]

Hi guys,

Here's my visual rundown, took me 3-4 hours, sorta using my old Vintage Spotter's guide in my head plus the internet for detail and model IDs. IMO, there are some very nice pieces in there depending on your interests. He REALLY REALLY like PIoneer decks (2 particular Fluroscan models) and Nakamichi tape decks, including one DRAGON. I'll assume he was a tech or at least an electrical engineer. I wonder if he worked for a repair facility or was an authorized repair shop? Quite a bit of Soundcraftsmen gear too which is nice, plus Nikko gear too.

Here we go:
I spy: Skipping pic 1 sign

Pic 2
4-8 Silver Fluroscan Pioneer cassette decks
Possibly 2-3 black BX series Nakamichi cassette decks

Pic 3
SAE parametric equalizer model E102 Korean made
Nak BX300 casette
Low power Marantz 2015 receiver
Nikko Beta II Preamp
Nakamichi TA receiver
Nikko or Kenwood preamp
Vintage Silver Kenwood Int. amp
What looks like a Phase Linear Pre

Pic 4 different view of pic 2
2 Fluroscan Pioneer cassette decks
Nakamichi reciever, possibly a Stasis model and Nikko preamps

Pic 5
Phase Linear preamp confirmed
Another Nak BX series tape deck.
2 Carver power amps with round meters
A Sony integrated amp
A Nakamichi tuner

Pic 6
as above Marantz 2015
Kenwood Int amp, x 2
Phase Linear preamp, Nak deck, Carver amps with round meters

pic 7
end rackmount unit on its back is vaguely familiiar

Pic 8
bronze colored unit is an SAE P102 preamplifier
Just below is another Nikko or Yamaha preamp
Below that is a silver faced likely Pioneer Fluroscan Int. amp
6 turntables, likely Japanese although the one at top left with multiple buttons could be the BSR Accutrak
Side view of the pic 1 tape decks.
Intriguing is the square handled rack mount silver unit, possibly a Rotel RT-2000 or RT-2100 Tuner (see below)

Pic 9
Confirms BSR Accutrak table and SAE P102 preamp

Pic 10 closer looks
Stack of 2 Nakamichi BX tape decks, one silver (BX125 or 150), one black BX100
Mitsubishi BPC receiver
2x Nakamichi TA-3 and 3A Stasis receivers

Pic 11
A bagged Pioneer Fluroscan cassette deck
Wedged between on bottom shelf is a Soundcraftsmen Equalizer Preamp SP4002

Pic 12
Older Rotel integrated amp
The aforementioned rack handled Rotel Tuner, analog so RT-2000
Gem! Nakamichi T100 Audio Analyzer
Niko Beta Preamp
Kenwood Preamp
Misc 1 unit Carver unit

Pic 13 - ah, better look at the Nak decks
2 x Nakamichi RX202 Unidirectional Auto-Reverse cassette decks
Nakamichi DR-2 or DR-3 2 head cassette deck
Nakamichi BX100 deck (2 slider controls) and BX300 discrete head deck
Nakamichi CD player and likely two different Nakamichi Recievers

Pic 14
Kenwood and Sony silver faced integrated amps
Bottom shelf - maybe Sony and other Nak Integrated amps or recievers?

Pic 15
top black casette deck or tuner, computer keyboard input controlled
the 8 Pioneer Fluroscan cassette decks

Pic 16 bottom rack
Soundcraftsmen SP4000 2 rack unit preamp
Soundcraftsmen CX4200 PREAMP/EQUALIZER
Below that maybe a Crown 1 unit preamp (SL1?)

Pic 17 side rack view of 4 Pioneer Fluroscan cassette decks

Pic 18
Flat screen TV with bunch of remotes

Pic 19 Fuzzy
Likely a black Soundcraftsmen equalizer top, and Soundcraftsmen Equalizer Preamp bottom of pic
Another RX202 Nakamichi deck
Can't clearly make out the rest

Pic 20 better view
Soundcraftsmen PE2217-R Preamp/equalizer
Soundcraftsmen MA5002 rackmount Power amp

Pic 21
Maybe Citation tuner and preamp?
SAE R102 receiver
Another Nikko preamp Beta II

Pic 22
Rotel Analog receiver older
2x Rotel RB-2000 Power amps rack mount

Pic 23
Later silver marantz solenoid cassette
unclear black casette deck
Another Rotel rack tuner like previous

Pic 24
Lots of test gear including Tektronix
I do see an HP 8903 or similar Audio Analyzer and a different unit above it

Pic 25
Those two unknown rack power amps, similar rack style to Rotel, but plain fronts

Pic 26
More test gear, guy was a tech?

Pic 27, 28, 29
work bench area

pic 30 rack shelving
31, 32, 35-38-43 misc, tools 33 port. dishwasher, Workmate, 34 rolling parts tool box

pic 44
Pioneer Fluroscan tape deck , can't make out others

45 - parts and file boxes,
46 - LP record albums
47-50 Misc
51-52 another work table including panavise with circuit board holder
53-55 two more Pioneer Fluroscan tape decks, variac
56-58 misc
59-Gym equipment
60-66 misc
67-70 Older analog and other test gear, many Sencore
71-95 Misc Garage, tools, stuff

99 - Additional test gear, a packing box listing Oracle, Maybe turntable?
102 5 channel amp, vintage appearing TT on top
103 misc TT and preamps
110 BPC
120 Casette tapes and CDs
124 parts boxes, old console stereo with extra outboard speaker (Tubes?)
128 Carver Amazing speaker x 2 (just see the other peeking out from behind)
130-133 bedroom - maybe another Nak RX deck, more BPC, 2 more Pioneer Fluroscan decks
another Soundcraftsmen Pre-EQ

145 Carver Sonic Holography preamp, Maranz computer controlled deck, another Pioneer deck, Marantz tuner more Nak BX decK
146
Marantz 3600 preamp
Marantz 112 tuner
Another Nak receiver
Nak DR series deck
4 turntables

147
Yet another Pioneer Fluroscan tape deck
box for BX150 Nakamichi deck
another Nak DR series deck below

148
Carver tuner
3 x BX 300 Nakamichi tape decks, 2 with rack mounts, top shelf
1x Nakamichi Dragon TOTL tape deck
Bottom shelf - 2 more BX series Nak decks

149 2x Marantz HD660 speakers

150
Maybe 11-12 turntables
one for sure is a Rabco-modified linear tonearm on an AR turntable
Maybe a Denon

159
Nak 480 series deck
 
These threads are interesting to follow: was he a Tech, an Engineer, warranty service.

He was a hoarder. I think there are some among us who have (or will have) hoards also if we end up widowers and bored enough, ... some are already there.

Ever look at your accumulation and workbench and wonder what people will speculate about you? Were you a tech, work for a dealer, work in the music industry, ...
 
mech986 said:
Hi guys,

Here's my visual rundown, took me 3-4 hours, sorta using my old Vintage Spotter's guide in my head plus the internet for detail and model IDs.

IMO, there are some very nice pieces in there .......
Click to expand...

Visual ID of vintage gear from an estate sale from average photos is always a fun thing on AK.

This is one of the very best posts of that type I have ever seen on AK.

Well done - Mech986.

Snade
 
Rest in Peace unknown vintage collector from Michigan.

Most of us here on AK would be viewed as "hoarders" by outsiders.

I'd like to call this person a vintage collector, tech and fan of good music.

That being said, there is nothing there I would want. (smile)

Cheers,

Snade
 
EastPoint said:
I think the deposit is for early entry only. That’s what the ad makes it sound like. They’re letting people make appointments to buy early, and this is to make sure you’re serious.
Click to expand...

Seems like an unusual way to run an estate sale, I'll want to re-visit this on Thursday to see what's left for the regular sale.

$50 entry fee for appointment-only sales prior to normal sale, if you buy $500 or more it is applied to your purchase, under $500 it is forfeited. "great deals on bulk buying only".
Thursday what remains will be photographed and posted to the site for normal (free?) entry.

Detroit is a pretty big vintage audio market, from my experience anything flippable will go very fast. Just my feeling maybe but unless things are priced too high even for the "great deals on bulk buying" early sales, it should be pretty stripped of quality gear by Thursday's open sale. Not a lot there that interests me but still curious to see how this goes and whether it's worth the time to look around.

My guess from the various brands and items stuffed in the house including tools and other redundant & mis-matched items is that this is/was a person who bought a lot of things from estate, garage, and auction sales to flip and his clock ran out. Probably repaired and sold the nicer stuff first, the mid-grade or difficult repairs might have accumulated.
 
Last edited:
As soon as I saw the test equipment, a thought crossed my mind. Could some of these units be customer units? Are there people somewhere, in another forum, asking why this guy isn't answering their emails, or taking their calls? :idea:
 
We have a huge collection of stereo equipment 70's through Present along with test Equipment we are having a pre Sale of electronics bulk Vendors welcome we will make appointments prior to sale A 50.00 deposit is required to enter property and will be used towards purchase of 500.00 or more All equipment is sold as is and untested if you don't purchase any items you wont receive your deposit back


Yeah, I don’t think so.

Translation, you won’t buy it when you test it, but we want $50 anyway. Anything good will be gone before the public sale. Honestly, screw these guys. They want to charge $50 to let you get first crack and no mention of prices. I guarantee any real gems have already been picked even before the $50 buy in.
 
The Ohaus Dial-o-Gram scale makes me wonder if the stuff was acquired via trade...:beatnik:
 
Lazarus Long said:
<<snip>>Anything good will be gone before the public sale. Honestly, screw these guys. They want to charge $50 to let you get first crack and no mention of prices. I guarantee any real gems have already been picked even before the $50 buy in.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure why a flipper would pay $50 either without knowing prices first, and as a collector I see very few pieces of significance unless you're a cassette fan. I'm in Michigan this week and could easily attend but based on their rules and the pre-sale it's a hard pass. If the still available photos Thursday reveal lots of good stuff remaining it would of course indicate in that hot Detroit - Toledo market, they're waay overpriced.
 
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Thanks to the mods for editing the title to the correct state. NJ has enough people in it already and an influx of AKers to Trenton would have tilted the state more toward PA and some folks might have spilled across the bridges to PA and we don't need that.
brian222 said:
Can someone change NJ to Mi ?
Click to expand...

If there isn't a mad rush of folks with a fiddy, a few could get in and cull the hoard and pull just the sweet stuff and get the goods. Is 50 gonna make much difference in the cost of a dragon?

Looks like a lot of tape machines, not something that is Hot, hot, hot today but they are warming up just nicely. I don't see enough receivers to go with all those other components. Missing are the speakers and receivers.

Pic 21 is a pair of citation units, the Cit 25 preamp and the Cit 23 tuner.

This may have been a flipper that was able to move the electronics on and was holding the tape gear for the current increase in prices.
 
A fiddy would be cheap fee for the first couple getting in and having run of the place and a desire to buy big. I don't know how they will price all this untested gear but if it is sold at regular untested prices and one picks 50 units and makes a sweet deal on well selected units there could be a nice upside on that pile. Maybe not a lot to make the home rig sing, but there is a lot of chum for the bay. Once tested and cleaned a bit, it might bring some good coin. Not if the sales co doesn't price it to get all that coin, there is some hobby income to be had.
 
SaturationPt said:
These threads are interesting to follow: was he a Tech, an Engineer, warranty service.

He was a hoarder. I think there are some among us who have (or will have) hoards also if we end up widowers and bored enough, ... some are already there.

Ever look at your accumulation and workbench and wonder what people will speculate about you? Were you a tech, work for a dealer, work in the music industry, ...
Click to expand...

Fair point, I’d rather say he was a fanatical or opportunistic collector. He may have done the same thing I did 10 to 12 years ago, taking advantage of Gear selling during the downturn and depression, especially in Michigan and surrounding states. He apparently concentrated on some nice brands and/or specific models.

SaturationPt said:
My guess from the various brands and items stuffed in the house including tools and other redundant & mis-matched items is that this is/was a person who bought a lot of things from estate, garage, and auction sales to flip and his clock ran out. Probably repaired and sold the nicer stuff first, the mid-grade or difficult repairs might have accumulated.
Click to expand...

Agree, strong possibility.

EastPoint said:
I bet the majority of this stuff doesn’t work, and who knows how much it’s been messed with?
Click to expand...

As with any sale, you pays your money, you takes your chances. Depending upon the prices asked you may get a bargain or you may not. Just depends on what you’re looking for.
 
Snade said:
Rest in Peace unknown vintage collector from Michigan.

Most of us here on AK would be viewed as "hoarders" by outsiders.

I'd like to call this person a vintage collector, tech and fan of good music.

That being said, there is nothing there I would want. (smile)

Cheers,

Snade
Click to expand...

Agree, I wonder if he was an AK or Tape Heads member or known to SMAC? Probably would have fit right in. @Grumpy might know.

As for your other statement and for others on this thread, what would need to be in an estate sale that would interest you to at least look assuming decent prices and no onerous cover charges, and was reasonably close to you? Something to have, something to flip, rare to you, desirable, or just plain interesting?

And for those who already have it all together and have no needs, please indulge those of us who still have the hunter-gatherer instincts, no matter how uncontrolled it may be.
 
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