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Sherwood S-8900A DynaQuad Receiver

After having a nice long listening session today, I have to say I was wrong about thinking that Sherwood is not quality gear.

It sounds soooo nice. :thmbsp:

Is it safe to use normal deoxit all the other pots and switches, just avoid the loudness/power pot/switch. I suppose the solvents in deoxit gold would have the same ill effect on the plastic.

Could I use this on that power switch?
 
FWIW, when RS was up here I bought its tv tuner cleaner lubricant that specificed it was safe on plastic and never had a problem. Deoxit just is not available here on a Saturday outing. Since RS left I've been using several cleaners. Each specifies it is safe on plastic. The first applications I do with one that has no lubricant as it seems to cleaned the controls faster and easier. The depending on the type of control I spray a cleaner with lubricant or a cleaner with silicone lubricant. The latter I picked up for a unit with sliders and it seemed to do better than the former but since I've found there is a specific Deoxit for sliders and sometime will get it. The silicone I have been using on switches such as speaker, input etc. with good results. I had a recurring problem with one selector that seemed to not respond to the regular lubricant and was hard to turn but is fine with the silicone. I also have been using the silicone cleaner on shafts to dissolve and push out old oil and grease and foregoing trying to regrease and this has resulted in good success.

I think it is just a matter of personal experiences.
 
I think I'm just going leave her as she is. I don't want to take any chances, the pots aren't making any noise and my power switch is working just fine. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. I am placing this Sherwood in it's permanent spot in my main listening area.

If I start to get noisy pots/switches, I'll go to guitar center and get some faderlube, me thinks.

Thanks for all the input everyone.
 
Sherwood receiver s-7110b power off problem

Nice upgrade for 20 bucks.... replacing the Sansui 2000a .....
Problem is the 7110 volume control show power off in writing below.... hmmmm
Someone mentioned a cleaner disolving material inside a control.... maybe thats what happened here.
wont push pull or click off to the left.... has a ALPS control... just dont know jack about the switch control....
I dont suppose anyone would know about this control out there... would they?
Fantastic receiver ... would like to shut her down without unplugging the unit.
Then again could always put it in phono mode I suppose.
 

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That is one thing about the Sherwood's that I love. The fact that you have to turn the volume knob to turn it on and now end up with a ultra loud blast that blows out your speakers on accident! I am going to get me an S-8900!!! I think it would go perfect with my AR4x's.

I wanted an S-8800 Ivory face but I think this is more powerful.
 
Flamm, I use my Sherwood (on a rolling cart) and 4xs (on stools) on my patio as an outside stereo when I entertain. It's a great combo that seems to work well in the open too.
 
I have an s-8600 that just isn't powerful enough for the AR's. I am running them through my Sherwood R 4109 but that is a modern receiver (real good one IMO btw) but I really want a US made TOTL Sherwood with enough headroom.
 
Audio58 -

I had a Sherwood 7200 that had a power switch that would not click off. AKer Dennydog disassembled the ALPS potentiometer and managed to repair it. Maybe yours is repairable as well? :scratch2: Send him a PM to inquire about the details as I don't recall exactly what was broken internally. Good luck! :thmbsp:
 
I still own a Sherwood 8900-A I bought new in 1974. My rig was this receiver, (4) AR-2AX setup in Dynaquad, and a AR-XA turntable. Still a hard setup to beat. The only repair was to replace the panel bulbs. Tha ARs actually sound better than new since I refoamed them. The system can really crank. I have always found Dynaquad to be more ear pleasing than new multi-speaker designs.
 
If you like your receiver as it is, a recapped S-8900A will really impress you. I have had my S-5000 restored and the difference is astounding. I am waiting to have a 80WPC SEL-400 amp done after which I may just sell off my original condition collection of Sherwood SS receivers. The SELs were the pinnacle models of the late 60's USA production. Other models were the 65WPC SEL-200 receiver(Imo the only USA Sherwood model that looks better in wood), and the SEL-300 analog tuner with digital display.
 
I can't say that I've had the pleasure to listen to vintage Sherwood, but they are well known to be quality gear.
Sherwood is largely an OEM manufacturer to quite a few well known names in the industry, and unfortunately had it's own BPC period, something they have grown out of, fortunately. Their higher up models and especially anything with the Newcastle badge is really good, and in some cases truly excellent - surely a best buy considering the money. I've recently acquired one of their stereo amps, a 44# beast with two transformers and quality parts, also very well made. I've also had the pleasure to experience their 871 multi-format player - fairly typical as a DVD player, but amazing for audio (it does have a separate stereo output and an audio-only mode), considering it's an older model which can now be had for silly money. It's also eminently moddable, although most who do this leave the audio section alone, as it really works well.
Finally, they had a 5.1 pre-ceiver - power amp combo some years ago. The pre is a bit dated by todays standards, but the power amp is amazing, nearly 70# with 3 transformers and all discrete power stages - no cutting corners, well dimensioned heatsinks, full poewer into all channels simultaneously.
All in all, there is a lot of quality behind that name, it's a pity that their OEM business actually ties them down regarding their own gear as you don't want to lose contracts by your own gear being competition for the people you also make gear for.
 
Rhubarb said:
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,
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Absolutely YES - IT WILL. I know from experience. Or ignorance, would be more appropriate. However, now (October 2021), there is a guy on ebay who manufactures and sells new volume potentiometers for this model, and a few other Sherwoods. Like $90. They are fantastic receivers. There wasn't a damn thing wrong with mine, I just decided to it clean while I had everything out and had finished with a couple others. Old thread, I know, just putting this here for informational purposes, as I've found lots of information here, doing the same thing. Hopefully, this will help someone avoid disaster in the future. Almost cost me a nice pair of speakers as well - when I fired it up after cleaning, the volume went straight to max after turning it on.
 
Doesn't that model use darlington outputs. I remember they were well regarded receivers. All Sherwoods back then looked and sounded good.
 
Sherwood of that era were considered a cut above many others. Stores that carried McIntosh gear often carried Sherwood as well.

I have an 8900a. It's a quality piece and sounds great. Last model made in Illinois I believe.
 
Go Giants said:
Sherwood of that era were considered a cut above many others. Stores that carried McIntosh gear often carried Sherwood as well.

I have an 8900a. It's a quality piece and sounds great. Last model made in Illinois I believe.
Click to expand...

That and the 7900A, which is identical to the 8900A except for the addition of an AM section in the tuner. I have a 7900A I was going to recap, but it sounded so good stock (appears to have never been worked on inside) that I left it original.

The Sherwood plant was at 4300 N. California in Chicago, near Montrose on the north side. My last summer in high school I worked for a company which designed industrial electronic devices. They outsourced most of their manufacturing to that plant.
 
bobschneider said:
That and the 7900A, which is identical to the 8900A except for the addition of an AM section in the tuner. I have a 7900A I was going to recap, but it sounded so good stock (appears to have never been worked on inside) that I left it original.

The Sherwood plant was at 4300 N. California in Chicago, near Montrose on the north side. My last summer in high school I worked for a company which designed industrial electronic devices. They outsourced most of their manufacturing to that plant.
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Bought mine from Craigslist.

The owner had it restored a few years ago. It came with the original owner's manual and a list of what was done to restore it.

I have tons of other equipment, but this sounds so good that I can't get rid of it. I believe it's a cap coupled design...so very "tube like" in sound. I think that's why I like it.

If it sounds good to you, I'd leave it alone. "if it aint broke - dont fix it"
 
I picked up a S-8900A in a bundle purchase. Sold the other components and I am now into this for $5. I cleaned the controls, not using Deoxit on the volume pot, and the sound is very distorted. Sounds like a AR AU I did last year before a restoration. My plan is to get a bill of material together and restore this next winter. Some of the transistors will be a chore to cross reference I am sure.
 
2526 said:
Can anyone recommend someone to do a restoration of an 8900a?
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Magnetic Taperecorider in Louisville Kentucky did mine a few years ago. They have been in continuous operation since the late 50’s and are on their third owner. He’s a younger guy, but knows what he’s doing, and has experieced techs on staff.

They have done most of my restoration work. Off hand I have had them do a Kenwood KR9600, Sherwood s-8900a, Sherwood S5000II, S5000, S5500, 2000HP, a university loudspeaker recap, Large Adven refoam and recap. Probably more that I don’t recall. Never had a single issue with them, and Joseph is not going to price gouge you.
His philosophy is to only change what needed though. He will check things instead of doing a blanket recap. For example, everything in my S5500 was within spec except for a couple of resistors. He left everything that was in spec, and I have an S5500 that sounds like it did in 1961. That was 4 years ago and still going strong.

Taking a G.A,S Thalia and Grandson plus a Heathkit AA-1640 to them tomorrow.

They do take mail in work, but you do need to call. Google magnetic tape recorder for contact. I have no affiliation except as a satisfied customer.
 
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