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Inheriting old family

S

SVNT442

New Member
stereo and record changer turntable.

My name is Randy and I am inheriting my families stereo system. It's an old Olson RA-290 and a Dual 1219 or 1229 (I'm not 100% sure of the model number). I am also getting 2 Fisher XP 7s speakers and 2 Fisher XP 56s speakers.
These units are 54 or 55 years old and I'm probably going to have some questions on safely bringing them back to life. I know that they have not been stored that well for at least 2 or 3 decades. I have a feeler out to a friend who I think has a variac so I can bring hem up on power slowly. I know at the very least the caps need to be checked before use.
Is there any documentation out there on this receiver? I have looks and have not been able to find anything.

Thanks,
Randy
 
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SVNT442 said:
My name is Randy and I am inheriting my families stereo system. It's an old Olson RA-290.
Is there any documentation out there on this receiver? I have looks and have not been able to find anything.
Click to expand...
Not much info out there on this unit, I did find this though not sure if it's helpful or not.

Screenshot 2026-10-19 at 21.49.45.png
 

175 Watt Stereo FM-AM Receiver RA-290 Radio Olson Radio |Radiomuseum.org

175 Watt Stereo FM-AM Receiver RA-290 Radio Olson Radio Warehouse Inc., Olson Radio, build 1971, 1 pictures, United States of America , schematics, tubes
www.radiomuseum.org www.radiomuseum.org
Ghoulardi

Thread 'Olson RA-290 Receiver'

Hello all...I picked up an Olson RA-290 receiver today and have a couple of questions. I know this unit has been discussed here a time or two. First off, does anyone who has had one of these know exactly what I need to remove to get access to the dial indicator bulb which is out? I can't decide if the whole face needs to come off, or just the metal housing that surrounds the back of the dial. I opened the unit and it is super clean inside and there is a sticker that has repair shop information from a previous service visit. I am wondering if the Olson may have had a recap. The caps look...
 
A little advice as seeing that you're new here.

When creating a thread try to be succinct and to the point with what your trying to ascertain in the title.

Your current thread title is extremely vague and will probably not grab too many peoples attention.

Note the to the point thread title in the post above this.
 
Dswankey said:
A little advice as seeing that you're new here.

When creating a thread try to be succinct and to the point with what your trying to ascertain in the title.

Your current thread title is extremely vague and will probably not grab too many peoples attention.

Note the to the point thread title in the post above this.
Click to expand...
Yeah I screwed that up. I tried to edit it and couldn't, nor could I delete the post and start over. The first line of the post was supposed to be in the title. That was all I could do to try and fix the screw up.
 
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Olson brings back fond memories for me of 1969 when I ordered some things from them to upgrade my little Coronado consolette. A red ADC 220 cartridge to replace the ceramic one, which ended up a failure due to hum pickup from the two pole motor of the VM changer. I still have that cartridge and it sounds great on my present equipment.

ADC 220.webp

Also, one of those little black preamps with the inputs on one side and outputs on the other since the consolette amplifier only worked with a high-output ceramic. Of course, it went unused, at the time, since the magnetic cartridge couldn't be used. I used it later, however.

Olson Cartridge Preamp2.webp

Other incidentals like record-cleaning cloths and a needle brush, etc.

Anyway, your RA-290 looks great.

Doug
 
To the OP

Just throwing this out in case you're unaware Olson was Ohio based electronics chain that also sold via catalogs. I mention this because I'm pretty sure they themselves did not manufacture their own equipment.

My guess is your unit was manufactured by a Japanese entity for Olson and branded as such.

As for schematics I doubt you'll find any info on the unit as there doesn't seem to be any online.
 
Dswankey said:
To the OP

Just throwing this out in case you're unaware Olson was Ohio based electronics chain that also sold via catalogs. I mention this because I'm pretty sure they themselves did not manufacture their own equipment.

My guess is your unit was manufactured by a Japanese entity for Olson and branded as such.

As for schematics I doubt you'll find any info on the unit as there doesn't seem to be any online.
Click to expand...
That is what I have been running into. I'm going to look for any numbers on the board(s) when I get it home and see what I can find. I have read that it may be a Hitachi board in a case built for Olson. We shall see.
 
Dswankey said:
To the OP

Just throwing this out in case you're unaware Olson was Ohio based electronics chain that also sold via catalogs. I mention this because I'm pretty sure they themselves did not manufacture their own equipment.

My guess is your unit was manufactured by a Japanese entity for Olson and branded as such.

As for schematics I doubt you'll find any info on the unit as there doesn't seem to be any online.
Click to expand...
Olson was based in akron long ago. They were rather on a par with Lafayette Radio/Electronics & Allied/Radio Shack back in their days. All are missed, back then one could hit up any of the above's storefronts for about anything needed for building & repairing electronic doodads.
Much easier than today, having to online order everything, needing to pick through page after page of shiite to find what you need, pay shipping which can exceed the cost of the desired product & waiting for it to arrive. Blyat!
 
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Catmanboo said:
Olson was based in akron long ago. They were rather on a par with Lafayette Radio/Electronics & Allied/Radio Shack back in their days. All are missed, back then one could hit up any of the above's storefronts for about anything needed for building & repairing electronic doodads.
Much easier than today, having to online order everything, needing to pick through page after page of shiite to find what you need, pay shipping & waiting for it to arrive. Blyat!
Click to expand...
I remember going to our local Olson Electronics in Chicago on Milwaukee Ave with my dad to test tubes and replace the bad ones from our Zenith B/W TV. I can still see an image in my head of that tester against a column in the middle of the sales floor.
 
I have no experience with the XP 56's but the XP 7's have an unusual tweeter with a rubber spyder that dries out and becomes brittle over time. Some users have had varying degrees of success recreating it with a Playtex glove. Good luck with restricting your new to you system.
 
nbarber said:
I have no experience with the XP 56's but the XP 7's have an unusual tweeter with a rubber spyder that dries out and becomes brittle over time. Some users have had varying degrees of success recreating it with a Playtex glove. Good luck with restricting your new to you system.
Click to expand...
I assume you meant resurrecting.

I'll have to take a close look at those when I have the time. I know the woofers need repair as the surrounds on them have disintegrated. I have a feeling that the 56s' will most likely be in similar condition, but I won't know that until next week.
 
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