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Sherwood S-7100A Receiver

js22 said:
I like the Sherwood forum idea a lot.

I've got a little problem with the "desert island" thing though. How would enjoy that warm, spacious FM sound? One thing I especially love about my Sherwood(s) is how good the FM sounds. So maybe "stranded on an island just off the coast of a place with several awesome commercial-free FM stations without pledge drives" would be better. Just sayin'......;)

I haven't worked on a whole lot of gear, but Sherwood does strike me as pretty high up there on the scale for build quality and ease of service.

Since my S-7300 just happens to be lying on my living room floor (Okay, yeah, I'm single ....) here's a little detail as an example....
View attachment 1470664

Check out that hunk of metal just in front of the transformer that looks like a standoff but weighs about 50x more. That thing sits between the (very thick!) metal chassis which I cannot deflect even by pressing on very hard and the metal bottom plate which is mostly protected by the wooden case.

From a modern efficiency/economics perspective that piece is totally ridiculous. Just shove a piece of sticky foam in there and be done with it. But because of that piece (which probably would cost well over a dollar today) you can remove the wooden case from a S-7300, lay it on the ground upside down, and (with the power on and music playing) stand on it. Maybe even give it a gentle bouncy-bounce. I hope you don't, but still, you could.

That's one thing I love about vintage audio in general. People were so proud of their designs and their products that they would go to ridiculous extremes.

I worked on a Sansui AU-G77X (1980‘s) that has a truly wonderful electronic design squished into a flimsy snap-together nightmare of black plastic. You can literally feel it flex when you pick it up. It's a much better amp than the Sherwood, but nowhere near as nice a product. (Not a fair comparison: different decades. Just making a point.)


Pfew. You kind of got me going there. Maybe there should be a separate forum for this kind of stuff.... :)
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I love that you noticed that little build detail, the ridiculously overbuilt standoff post. I can't afford to pay someone to fix my stuff (14 receivers and counting), so the things that stay with me have to be "field maintainable," that is, able to be serviced by a dude with a soldering iron and a DMM. They have to be able to be taken apart and put back together a bunch of times, preferably without weeping jags or foot stomping.

I dunno about the 80's stuff being better necessarily. Go to select45rpm.com and read some of his amp reviews. This guy knows his sh--! He has torn apart, worked on, and modified like, 140 amps and receivers, and he says the late 60s to very early 70s was the true Golden Age of Hi-Fi, not the mid-70s onward. I've bought a few things he liked and have been rewarded by them all: Yamaha CR-800 (best sounding of the Yamaha's? Not cold and clinical--has a pair), JVC 5010 & VR-5521 (Still working when I got them! Easy to work on! Ugly!), Panasonic SA-5800 (I got an abused one, but it sounded great before a TO-3 went south).

I had a Luxman R-117. Sold it several years later as no matter what I paired it with I couldn't wait to turn it off. No life, cardboard sound. Pioneer SX-980: gorgeous, well-made physically, and a total wimp. No bass, no kidding. Spent $200 having it tested and checked over ("There has to be something wrong; this can't be how it was intended to sound!") and yep, this is how it was intended to sound, which is like it was castrated before it left the factory floor. In front of me is a Sony STR-GS80ES receiver. It is 110 watts RMS, with a huge toroidal transformer, two 15,000uF caps, built like a brick outhouse, true 4 ohm drive capability, and it, too, just doesn't have the heart and soul of any of my smaller receivers: Concept 2.0 (20 watts) kicks it ass at all but flat out f--ckin' loud. The two little JVCs I mentioned. A Sansui 800 stomps all over the Sony, oh yes, it really does. I have a Marantz 2230 that is pretty good but it's not what I've been listening to, and it was a royal pain in the ass to recap and work on. It doesn't even have solid aluminum knobs--those are thin metal shells over plastic inserts (really, Marantz? You couldn't give us solid knobs?). I just picked up a Sansui 3000A that, if dropped, would probably go through a hardwood floor and continue going until it reached the earth's core (I exaggerate here) and does, in fact, have solid aluminum knobs, a real glass dial plate, and the thickest face plate I've ever seen--it's like two pounds of aluminum!
 
Is it possible to send messages to the moderator of the Manufacturer's forum. If so, (I got the "if so" from watching too many episodes of Oak Island! :rflmao:) all Sherwood and Harman Kardon fans should bombard him with requests for forums for those brands! :jump:
 
How do we contact the moderators? [picks up a large conch shell and blows into it, the sound echoing in increasing intensity: startled, deer lift their heads from grazing and look up. Children on a see-saw freeze in mid-action. People in Japan duck and cover!]
 
Who needs a big receiver to drive big speakers? The old Sansui 2000A has done just fine driving either my Advent Legacy II or Klipsch KG 5.2 in the living room. I think the Klipsch may need some help. Been thinking about those Crites titanium diaphragms for the tweeters.

The mode control fix is working on the S-8900A. Tweaked the bias been listening to it all afternoon with no problems. Swapping it in place of the 3000A not as warm but tighter bass with a good sound stage. Different sound to it but not perceived at all as a step down.

I give Sherwood credit on the alternate channel selectivity on this receiver - much better than the S-7200 and that is definitely not a strength of the 3000A. It has a 4 gang tuner section so that should help the tuner performance.

Enjoying it now the 3000A can go to the living room. Maybe the old Sansui will help the sound of the Klipsch, either that or put the Advents back on the stands. I think its getting time to recap the CR-800 that has been in the living room - its sounding a bit flat and lifeless. Will find out for sure if I put the 3000A there and it brings the speakers to life.

Having the Sherwood on top of the old Sansui it seems small, but it's a heavy little thing. I looked at the picture and realized I did not have the tuning meter or bass and treble controls centered. Happy with it so far now that it is working.
:jump:

Keeping my eye out for a bargain S-7100 or A model for a complete Sherwood Best Buy set since I have the S-8900A and the S-7200.

The old Sansui models you have to be prepared for how heavy they are or you might injure yourself. The 2000A is built like a tank too.
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Jay hartman said:
Are you aware of the 7225B Sherwood? If so, know anything about it?
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I believe that was a model built later in the 1970s, a successor to the S-7200.

Does that unit have Dynaquad? Many of the later models did. In 1974 or so it was only in the top of the line S-7900A (am-fm) and S-8900A (fm only). Do a search here you can probably find some past discussions on it.
 
June 17, 2019 Update: Well, I just did a receiver shoot-out with a pair of ADS L620s, which have sort of become my upstairs reference speakers. This was a completely unscientific test; feel free to laugh at the process. Receivers were graded for reliability & build quality as well as sound; after all, what good is a killer amp if you're always fixing it? Ability to reproduce deep bass (without a subwoofer) was the prime factor in judging sound quality. I sat in the same place in my office and cranked a variety of tunes from my MacBook Pro to each receiver. Scroll to bottom to see winner.

Yamaha CR-800. I call this one Mr. Fancy Pants because everything about it is elegant: the incredible feel of the switches, the superbly balanced tuning knob, the incredible attention to quality and detail inside and out. The Yammy has had a near-complete recap with high end Nichicons, etc., a new relay, and the amp section was calibrated to factory specs. FM still works well. It is on the warm side for a Yamaha product, but never quite takes it's shirt off and boogies. It's not sure what to do with very deep bass, such as in my go-to lows tester, That Old Pair of Jeans by Fatboy Slim. To be fair, rare is the amp that can reproduce the mind-blowing subterranean register in this song without choking, and I would call the CR-800 very behaved and balanced, the girl you take home to meet your parents and definitely have to buy a huge ring for. Superb overall but extremely complicated inside, with poor ventilation. Sound 8/10 Looks 9/10 Build & Materials 10/10 Predicted Reliability: Hard to say. Many scorch marks on PS and Amp boards from overheating, but the thing was still alive and kicking when I first got it.

Hitachi SR-1100. As well-built as the above Yamaha, with solid aluminum knobs set-screwed onto nylon bushings, ostensibly for dielectric purposes. Near-complete recap with Nichicon LGK Super-Throughs for the coupling caps. I had high hopes for this one--rare as hens' teeth and I paid accordingly for a well-preserved specimen from CA. It sounded very good with most of the material and took most of my bass-heavy songs quite deep, although That Old Pair of Jeans (I'll refer to it as Jeans from hereon) proved a bit much for it. The cap-coupled design means DC offset will never be an issue and amp adjustments were quite easy. FM is still working well. Sound: 8/10 Looks: 9/10 Build & Materials: 10/10 Predicted Reliability: Should be excellent. Nowhere near as packed inside as the Yammy and carefully laid out. Dual plug-in amp boards make it oh so easy to work on them. Everything screams quality on this one.

Scott 380R. Massive thing, with analog power meters, triple tone controls, 80 watts. Not as well built as the above two and difficult to work on due to stupid layout. Lots of bells and whistles, which was my thing for nearly 40 years until I discovered the joy of simpler devices (i.e., receivers I can actually keep going without needing the hands of a surgeon). That said, produces very, very good sound---the best way to put it is the 380R sounds big, commanding, massive. It really does sound as good as it looks and plays most bass-intensive songs with quite a bit of authority, although Jeans also choked it. Sound 9/10 Looks 10/10 Build & Materials: 7/10 Predicted Reliability: Hard to say. It's lasted this long, but it's no picnic to work on. Materials and attention to design are subpar; no doubt this was whipped out during the spec wars.

Sansui 800. Compact but heavy thing with a smokin' amp section and a killer tuner to back it up. Tuner is better than the 380R's and while not as sophisticated as the Yamaha's, it seems to sound a touch richer and lifelike. Just my impressions. Completely recapped and drive transistors upgraded. Amp dialed in. Takes Jeans and absolutely runs with it. Sound:10/10 Looks: 6/10 Build & Materials: 8/10 Predicted Reliability: Had to remove from the lineup due to unequal channels in stereo mode. Like the 380R, no picnic to work on and the volume and balance pots seem especially primitive and quirky. Cap-coupled means no DC offset woes.

Toshiba SA-300. Compact and light; a toy compared to the above Sansui but much prettier, with a simpler design. It really wanted to throw down some phat bass but at 12 watts it was sorely outclassed and still needs some filter and coupling caps. Sound: 6/10 Looks: 8/10 Build & Materials: 8/10 Predicted Reliability: Should be excellent given its simplicity but some IC's in amp may be unobtanium if they fail.

Sherwood S-7100A. Was there any doubt? The winner, for several reasons: Handled the bass like nobody's business. Period. Way nicer looking than the Sansui and about as complicated as a can opener in comparison. Cap-coupled. Day-Glo paint on tuning needle instead of tiny bulbs and wires. Came to me virtually 100% stock, working perfectly (controls did end up needing cleaning). I recapped the thing anyway. Has been as reliable as all get-out, but this is the most important thing: I cannot stop listening to it. When it's not on the shelf, I miss it. Tuner is excellent though probably not as sensitive as the Sansui's. Build is so simple and straight forward that it's actually fun to work on. Sound: 10/10 Looks: 9/10* Build & Materials: 8/10 Reliability: Top of the class. It's so damned simple in there. I don't recall any unobtanium parts. Perhaps the most bang for the buck (and wattage) of any amp or receiver I've owned as it has the whole package: incredible sound, lovely wooden case, reliable, easy to work on.

*At first it looked like a 5. But after spending time with it I've come to love it like virtually no other receiver. Obviously, when something gives you zero trouble and loves you right back, you're going to rate it highly. Did I somehow luck out with this particular S-7100A? You tell me.
 
birchoak said:
Did I somehow luck out with this particular S-7100A? You tell me.
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If you lucked out then so did i, i love my Sherwood S-7100A, the sound is incredible and surprises many who hear it the first time .. and then when i tell them i found it for $40 they really are in awe !
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We probably shouldn't be talking them up so much! We don't want them to start costing as much as Marantzs or Sansuis. But what is love if you can't shout it from the rooftops (or at least online)?
 
Okay, I sat here and read 4 pages of love for S-7100s. Now I want one of those too. Thanks a lot! :)
And all the while, wondering how it might compare with my HK 430 and Sansui 661. I really like both of those. While my Marantz sits in the dark.
 
Mantolaman said:
Okay, I sat here and read 4 pages of love for S-7100s. Now I want one of those too. Thanks a lot! :)
And all the while, wondering how it might compare with my HK 430 and Sansui 661. I really like both of those. While my Marantz sits in the dark.
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Don't do it. It's much too easy for addiction to great sounding low watt speakers to take hold. Seems like you are well on the road yourself and the only way to break the cycle of addiction is to give me your HK and Sansui :)
I find myself listening to my monster receivers less and less since I started listening to low powered Sherwoods. They all sound nice. S-7200, S-7225b, and S-7300 are my current low power line up.

Pretty much any early 70's Sherwood sounds decent., but the 7100 and 7100a sound really good. You pretty much can't go wrong at today's prices.
 
Ooh I’ve really gotta chime in here, I’ve got two 7100As and love em. They’re excellent. That’s all,
Cheers!
 
Mantolaman said:
Okay, I sat here and read 4 pages of love for S-7100s. Now I want one of those too. Thanks a lot! :)
And all the while, wondering how it might compare with my HK 430 and Sansui 661. I really like both of those. While my Marantz sits in the dark.
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Get one! Make sure the ON/OFF/VOLUME switch is working properly, and when you get it, clean that particular switch only with FaderLube. It is a fantastic receiver, although I will temper my enthusiasm by admitting I've only paired the 'Woody with a few different set of speakers, so I can't promise it will rock out with every brand or model. It's very happy with 6Ω loads; haven't tried 4Ω loads (I am hesitant to hook any of my older amps up to 4Ω). It's utter simplicity is a refreshing change from most other receivers. If I was rich, instead of buying rounds for everyone in a bar, I'd buy an S-7100A for each of my hi-fi homies.
 
P.S. I don't the 'Woody is a party machine, but the sound it puts out at -30dB more than makes up for the lack of top end. There is so much sound at 'normal' listening levels that it's simply not necessary to push it hard. You can judge for yourself. If you lived closer I'd invite you over for an extending listening session.

P.S.S. Moderators: It's time for a Sherwood forum! "Simply Sherwood"? "Wonderful 'Woodies"? (Eww, maybe not) "Sherwood Forest"? "Sally Sells Shapely Sherwoods by the Seashore"?
 
dly66 said:
Who needs a big receiver to drive big speakers? The old Sansui 2000A has done just fine driving either my Advent Legacy II or Klipsch KG 5.2 in the living room. I think the Klipsch may need some help. Been thinking about those Crites titanium diaphragms for the tweeters.

The mode control fix is working on the S-8900A. Tweaked the bias been listening to it all afternoon with no problems. Swapping it in place of the 3000A not as warm but tighter bass with a good sound stage. Different sound to it but not perceived at all as a step down.

I give Sherwood credit on the alternate channel selectivity on this receiver - much better than the S-7200 and that is definitely not a strength of the 3000A. It has a 4 gang tuner section so that should help the tuner performance.

Enjoying it now the 3000A can go to the living room. Maybe the old Sansui will help the sound of the Klipsch, either that or put the Advents back on the stands. I think its getting time to recap the CR-800 that has been in the living room - its sounding a bit flat and lifeless. Will find out for sure if I put the 3000A there and it brings the speakers to life.

Having the Sherwood on top of the old Sansui it seems small, but it's a heavy little thing. I looked at the picture and realized I did not have the tuning meter or bass and treble controls centered. Happy with it so far now that it is working.
:jump:

Keeping my eye out for a bargain S-7100 or A model for a complete Sherwood Best Buy set since I have the S-8900A and the S-7200.

The old Sansui models you have to be prepared for how heavy they are or you might injure yourself. The 2000A is built like a tank too.
View attachment 1472450
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What's the 2000A like inside? Is it complicated like the Sansui 800? ( which was kind of a nightmare to work on---every component leg left long, then folded over tight to the board). A true test of unsoldering skills. Most of the boards had to be removed from their leads to be worked on and holy crap, so many little resistors and caps and leads running in between the tone/vol/balance pots. I know the 2000A is highly regarded, and from none other than Conrad H.

How is that Sony you scored, dly? Bet it sounds awesome.
 
If you deal with late 60s early 70s Sansui models they had this standard of mashing the component leads flat against the board before soldering. Makes it hard to de-solder and replace without lifting some traces, if you are having a bad day you can lift and maybe rip some. If things go really bad, you may have to add a jumper wire. If you replace components in a spot a couple of times the repeated heating often causes pads and traces to let go.

I would expect the 800 to be like the 2000A and 3000A. Hifiengine lists the 800 as being sold 1968-1971. My 3000A was from 1969 and 2000A from 1970. Many others did not mash the leads against the board so de-soldering is easier. Then again some makes had issues with poor solder joints and often fixing them is finding all the bad solder joints. Always heard that with vintage NAD and have seen it first hand fixing a friend's 7020. One bad solder joint was making one channel intermittent.

Finally found the air nozzle piece for my air compressor so I can blow the Sony out. Misplaced it. I think I need more than canned air. Will take it outside, it has a lot in there. Stored a long time in a dirty place - maybe attic? After that need to do the DeOxit thing this week, I under the impression after cleaning issues will probably be minor. Will see. Volume control definitely needs a good cleaning, lots of dropping out in sections. Get the impression it was being sold for $50 for bad tuner but the reality may be it sat for such a long time never powered up long enough for the capacitors to reform and circuit come back to life. Of course with old caps like that they may not reform, they can short or go pop. Got lucky, someone was ahead of me but did not follow through with the seller.

Hifiengine shows the Sony to be 1972-1974.
 
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Lots of distortion on the Sony. Gets worse as the volume goes up or more bass boom in the source. Looks like something bad happened in the power supply in the area of the rectifier diodes. Noticed it when cleaning the controls. Looks like the power supply and amp board will need some work. Interestingly it looks like Sony put both on the same board. Seems par for the course on equipment this old, or at least the ones I have tended to get relatively cheap.
 
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