• The move to the new server is done. There are some software and database maintenance updates in process. This has us passing the hat around to help out. We appreciate any donations. Seriously, even a dollar helps. The payment page may be found here - https://www.audiokarma.org/support.html

Newby, having fun again with a modest system

Harley Fan

Harley Fan

Member
First, may I say what a terrific site this place is! I'm "Medicare card" age, have been around motorcycle and firearm forums for years, and know how rowdy things can get. Since even before I signed on here, I've done some serious reading/looking, and found this place to be terrific.

I'm blessed. I've been around loud machinery all my adult working life, and also screaming guitars, and motorcycles for about that long, too, and I still have darned decent hearing. Now, what brought me here was happenstance. I'm a hobbyist woodworker, and I was asked by an old classmate friend of mine, thru a FB connection, if I would take on a cabinet restoration of an old Phillips 1950's era console record player radio setup. This had been my friends' hobby for years, and as he was dying of stage IV cancer, he couldn't finish it. As a result, I spent some pleasant afternoons with him listening to, and marveling at his massive vintage audio system(s). Bruce was an audiophile, indeed.

Of course, this brought back memories of my system I had in '77, based on a Yahama CR-420, and unknown "everything else". No idea what happened to all that stuff... I sold it, I guess. Too many moves, too much life between now, and then.

Sorry for the novel. Anyway, I was given some components around 2002 by my grown daughter, having acquired it from some boyfriend. She was moving, and dumped it with me. I was grateful, and hooked it up in my cave/garage/woodworking shop, for listening to CD's and ballgames. Unrelated, my son has started to listen to vinyl, and I got the bug. Again.

I thought I'd start looking around for a modest system, and got the go-ahead for this from the boss. Then I got to taking a fresh look at the sawdust covered stuff in the garage. Danged if I didn't have a modest set of components already... I picked up a Technics turntable w/ new belt and cartridge, and I'm in business.

So, here's my modest little system. I'm having an absolute ball with this. I now have a listening chair, and I'm pleased with the overall audio quality.

20181201_201923_resized.jpg

Kenwood JL-620W speakers.
Technics SL-BD22 TT
Kenwood KR-A3070 rec.
Pioneer CT-W404R dual deck
Magnavox 6 disc CD player
 
Last edited:
Register to hide this ad
Harley Fan said:
A word about the table.

I designed and built this several years back for a flatscreen TV stand, It's based on the designs of Greene & Greene style Arts and Crafts, and is made from quarter-sawn white oak. It's 60" wide, and was just perfect for "re-purposing".

View attachment 1345283

View attachment 1345284
Click to expand...

Nice gear but my eyes were immediately drawn to the table. Many nice G&G design elements,the tenons,the dark plugs and the ‘cloud lifts’.
Replace that lamp with something copper and mica. The table deserves it!
Enjoy
 
Last edited:
Great stuff Harley Fan and welcome. It's a fun hobby. I would for sure be looking to combine your woodworking passion with this stuff. Turntable plinths, speaker cabinets etc are awesome when done at a high personal touch level.

Nightwisher, does that Japanese have a little Low Country smooth twang to it?
 
What have you folks done to me? :rflmao:

I've thoroughly enjoyed moving my "garage system" into the friendlier confines of the living room, and delving into vinyl again with adding a turntable. My son had expressed some interest, having caught some of my enthusiasm, so I poked around in the shop where I got the turntable. And found this.

20181215_164932_resized (1).jpg


Yamaha CR-1040. All original except a service and lamp retrofit.

Impulse buy? Perhaps. I listened to it in the shop. Read furiously, shrugged my shoulders. Haggled a little. But really, my mind cast back to 40 years ago, and the wonderful Yamaha CR-420 I had. This bigger brother shared the spare, elegant face, and... well, I brought it home.

I'm stunned. Audiophile, I ain't. Is this thing performing at the level it did 39 years ago? Of course not. Could I tell? No. To neophyte ears, I've sent it all sorts of CD's today, including my only quality cassette I'd recorded eons ago, and a good cross-section of my newly acquired vinyl. This included a 1959 Miles Davis 3-track recording, a digital-to-vinyl record, an old record in fairly good shape of Zep II, and a Queen remaster. The radio receiver is spot-on, too.

I realize the chain is only as strong as the weak link, and that may be speakers now. But due to the fact I'm going to need learn lots more, I'm going to just listen and enjoy.

I remember looking at these higher-end units at the Hi-Fi store back in the day. I learned this unit retailed for $600-ish in '79, which would be well north of $2k nowadays. Unobtainable then. 40 years later, at cents on the dollar? Sure.

Did I do the right thing? Time will tell.

Sure is fun! Photo taken before I tidied things up.

20181215_165034_resized.jpg
 

Attachments

  • 20181215_165034_resized.jpg
    20181215_165034_resized.jpg
    71 KB · Views: 5
Last edited:
Thanks, everyone, for the comments.

ERRORFACE39 said:
Very nice system m8 congrats.
I would put those speakers on some foundation blocks with some hockey pucks toi but it's just me ;) isn't it.
Merry Christmas Lads
Click to expand...

ERRORFACE, I certainly DO have some plans for the speakers. Having woodworking as a hobby, I'm sketching around, and reading about, doing my own elevated cabinets using a nice set of donated speaker components. I originally thought of buying a decent set of upgraded speakers to use as donors for this new cabinetry project. At this writing, I'm listening to the existing Kenwoods I have (JL-620W's) and they sound terrific as a result of the Yam. This opinion may change.

The more I read about DIY cabinets, the more I think I need to learn. Anyone can build a box. In addition to the design appearance in a nice Arts and Crafts style (fairly solid ground for me, to match the table) there's some science and construction considerations I need to learn.

Here's some design points I'd like to shamelessly steal for the cabinets....

DSC2786-copy1-2-1030x1030.jpg


table-solo-12x-1.jpg


As I mentioned before... what have you folks done to me?

:dunno:
 
Harley Fan said:
I'm going to just listen and enjoy
Click to expand...
Just stop right there for a while. When your ears catch up, and you notice something you feel needs to be improved THEN you move ahead. Else abandon all hope of staying sane. ;)

I really like your eye for design regarding the cabinet work.
 
Harley Fan said:
What have you folks done to me? :rflmao:

I've thoroughly enjoyed moving my "garage system" into the friendlier confines of the living room, and delving into vinyl again with adding a turntable. My son had expressed some interest, having caught some of my enthusiasm, so I poked around in the shop where I got the turntable. And found this.

View attachment 1358033

Yamaha CR-1040. All original except a service and lamp retrofit.

Impulse buy? Perhaps. I listened to it in the shop. Read furiously, shrugged my shoulders. Haggled a little. But really, my mind cast back to 40 years ago, and the wonderful Yamaha CR-420 I had. This bigger brother shared the spare, elegant face, and... well, I brought it home.

I'm stunned. Audiophile, I ain't. Is this thing performing at the level it did 39 years ago? Of course not. Could I tell? No. To neophyte ears, I've sent it all sorts of CD's today, including my only quality cassette I'd recorded eons ago, and a good cross-section of my newly acquired vinyl. This included a 1959 Miles Davis 3-track recording, a digital-to-vinyl record, an old record in fairly good shape of Zep II, and a Queen remaster. The radio receiver is spot-on, too.

I realize the chain is only as strong as the weak link, and that may be speakers now. But due to the fact I'm going to need learn lots more, I'm going to just listen and enjoy.

I remember looking at these higher-end units at the Hi-Fi store back in the day. I learned this unit retailed for $600-ish in '79, which would be well north of $2k nowadays. Unobtainable then. 40 years later, at cents on the dollar? Sure.

Did I do the right thing? Time will tell.

Sure is fun! Photo taken before I tidied things up.

View attachment 1358101
Click to expand...
That Yamaha looks pretty cool!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom