• 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

Sherwood S-8900A DynaQuad Receiver

Rhubarb

Rhubarb

a spinnin' an' a grinnin'
My latest acquisition.

Sherwood043.jpg


Sherwood040.jpg


I know the Sherwood name isn't necessarily synonymous with quality gear, but I am quite pleased with this guy. There were a couple of bulbs out, but other than that it's in near pristine condition.

I haven't hooked up an antenna to it yet, but the tuner section seems quite picky.

I really like the phono sensitivity switch, but haven't hooked a turntable up to test it out.

It also came with the owners manual, a color brochure, the receipt, the schematic, and the plans for custom installation into a cabinet.

I wish it had came with the optional wooden case, I might have to keep an eye on the bay.

It sounds very nice, no scratchiness in any of the pots, I don't really get any "tubiness" from it though. Might just be me.

All in all, I'm quite pleased for $35.
 
Last edited:
Register to hide this ad
Rhubarb said:
I know the Sherwood name isn't necessarily synonymous with quality gear, but I am quite please with this guy.
Click to expand...

In their day, they were.

That model is my desert island SS receiver. It has a stellar FM section. It took me years to find one, and I'll not part with it.

Enjoy!:music:
 
You will like the S-8900A; I have several Sherwood amps, tuners & receivers from tubes through the solid state equipment from the late 70's. They have been very reliable and sound very good. I'm listening to the Byrds 5D through a Sherwood HP2000 amp driving Pioneer HPM-100s. Sounds very good. I have the S-8900A driving KLH speakers - great sound. Hope you enjoy your find!
 
I've read that deoxit will ruin the power switch on these. Anyone know for sure?

One would need an excellent FM tuner on a desert island, me thinks,
 
Great find and even more valuable with the manual.

I've got four Sherwoods (a couple thanks to AK member JohnVF). The longer you collect gear the greater the likelihood you begin to specialize. I have the three in my signature below and a S-8800 that a guy is allegedly fixing for me (it's been over 2 years).

I like them because they have very "workmanlike" designs and a "house sound" that is on the warmer/richer end of the spectrum, IMO. They sound much more powerful than they really are. My daily driver is a S-7200, and they all really do have very nice tuning sections.

The very early SS S-8800 was from '68 or so. It and the later S-8900A were made in Chicago, too. Most others from the same time period as the S-8900A were made in Japan. The S-8900A was Sherwood's TOTL receiver at the time and it's internal layout is quite different than others from the same time period. Quite a bit more segregated and simple looking inside.

A couple of links you may find interesting are listed below. They are often cited in threads on Sherwoods.

http://www.adayandalife.com/sherwoods.htm
http://www.geocities.com/frleand/ClassicAudio/Pages/Sherwood.html

If you could post the specs for the S-8900A I'd appreciate it as there seems to be some disagreement about how powerful they really are. I have relied on the specs in the advertisement in the first link.
 
That 48 wpc Sherwood S-8900A was my first "real" receiver.
I bought it from a stereo store in New Jersey, as a demo, after I got out of the Army (Fort Monmouth) in 1974.
I gave it to a friend in 1981.....who still has it to this day..............

Steve
 
Rhubarb said:
My latest acquisition.

Sherwood043.jpg


Sherwood040.jpg


I know the Sherwood name isn't necessarily synonymous with quality gear, but I am quite pleased with this guy. There were a couple of bulbs out, but other than that it's in near pristine condition.

I haven't hooked up an antenna to it yet, but the tuner section seems quite picky.

I really like the phono sensitivity switch, but haven't hooked a turntable up to test it out.

It also came with the owners manual, a color brochure, the receipt, the schematic, and the plans for custom installation into a cabinet.

I wish it had came with the optional wooden case, I might have to keep an eye on the bay.

It sounds very nice, no scratchiness in any of the pots, I don't really get any "tubiness" from it though. Might just be me.

All in all, I'm quite pleased for $35.
Click to expand...


She's pretty. I'd date her.
 
I love the groupings of the knobs and switches. Super clean looking and the cool blue, does vintage get any better? :thmbsp:

Great stuff, enjoy, and thanks for posting.
 
Very nice. I love the Sherwood gear of that vintage, got an amp and tuner out for refurbishing right now.
 
I have the Sherwood S 7210 Dynaquad and S7110--haven't played them for a while but I enjoyed their nice warm sound. You'll enjoy the S 8900A--nice find. :yes:
 
Hi There,
I too have a S-8900A and a S-8900 and a S-7100. All are wonderful sounding. Currently using the "A" ( recently gone through by Terry DeWick) with
Klipsch Hereseys'.
Very magical combination.
Good Holidays,
"nikkofan"
 
The s-8900A was the last of the sherwood receivers made in America - and the first to use that particular styling (prior to that was the ivory face). Shortly thereafter they were manufactured in Japan for sherwood. I don't recall the manufacturer but I don't believe it was any of the common major brands.
 
I had hoped that photobucket wouldn't resize these, but I think they are still readable.

Specs anyone?
HPIM1756.jpg


A bit more than 48 wpc according to this manual.

HPIM1743.jpg



I think this is pretty cool, it's the receipt from the original owner. 1/24/1975 - $371.00

HPIM1741.jpg


There are a few more photos located here.

I like them because they have very "workmanlike" designs and a "house sound" that is on the warmer/richer end of the spectrum, IMO.
Click to expand...

Robie, I like the way you say that...
 
Not synonomous with quality? Not sure where you got that idea. If you sit back and think long and hard about each series from the beginnign of the company through the early '80s I think you'll find they were very consistent with offering a very consistent well respected lineup series after series. In fact they showed almost no falloff of the tube era quality until the mid '70s after the SEL series and that was long after almost all the other makers had lost their glamore if the quality of their tube days. I can only think of Mc as the other US company to do this.

I used to think as you until I started getting into the marque a little deeper starting with their tube units.

The Dynaquad circuit is well worth spending some time to try as it was the one "quad" system that could come close to simulating the instrumant placement and sonic presentation of a live classical presentation if set up with with the correct speakers. While quad was a system where the technology was before its time, it had to wait until HT to form the basis of surround sound the Dynaquad system worked well with the then current 2-channel systems.
 
Ah, Pacific Stereo~ I think I bought my first hi-fi from them, a 12wpc JVC quad integrated amp and a pair of ESS bookshelf speakers.
 
Thanks for the posts of pics and specs, Rhubarb. While it is evidently rated at 60W/ch I think the 8900A can sound even more powerful with the right speakers. My 8900A really begins to sing with fairly "forward" sounding speakers like my Genesis Model 10s.

I do remember listening to a friend's "lowly" 7100A and Dynaco A25s in a concrete block dorm room in the early '70s and thinking it might actually sound better than my "higher end" system at the time.

A small audio chain called MusicCraft (now defunct) here in the Chicago area sure sold a ton of Sherwoods.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom