Topic: Who knows vintage stereo equipment?

[Scott S]

 A friend is doing some remodeling and hooked me up with some vintage (circa 1992) stereo equipment. This stuff was high-end, high dollar stuff when new. I'd like to get some info and a current market value, if I could.

 I have two sets of Cerwin Vega speakers. VS series; VS120 and VS150. Both are in above average condition, with some mild chipping on the bottom of one of the VS150 cabinets from the vacuum cleaner.

 One set of Klipsch speakers, marked KG 1.5 in oak cabinets, with stands. Also very good condition with a ring on the top of one where a plant sat.

 One Klipsch sub woofer, powered. (No model No. yet...I'll see if I can find one) Two speakers, front and rear facing. The cover is there, just off for the pics.

 One Onkyo amplifier, model M-504, excellent condition.

 Is this stuff worth anything? It's all big, heavy, solidly constructed and it sounded AWESOME in his living room.

[Scott S]

 Oh yeah, and a whole bunch of thick gauge, heavy duty wiring for all this stuff.

[Retro Rocket]

There are a couple of guys here that know lots about vintage stereo stuff, I'll see if i can find them...

[Killer Canary]

I don't know about worth, but Vegas were about the most efficient speakers on the planet. Even a fairly small amp would be loud as hell.  Nice find.

[BobbyR]

I used to deal this stuff a few years ago. The Onkyo in Mint with owners manual and original packaging would be over $500. Yours need a cleaning and polish. You are looking at around $300 plus but probably minus.

The CV speakers maybe $100.

The Klipsch speakers are a decent model bookshelf speaker. In the $100 range maybe more.

90's stuff is not highly regarded unless it is Carver, Bang, and some others. The 70's and early 80's when they used heavy transformers is more desirable.

The market is fickle, something may be very good but not desirable by the "elite". 

 

[CycleRanger]

The Klipsch are worth something for sure, if the cones are in good shape.
I had a set of those CV's. The rubber around the woofers disintegrated. 
I took them to GoodWill.
Wish I hadn't. I could have used them in the shop.
I bought Klipsch to replace them.

[Scott S]

 Except for some minor cosmetic issues, as listed, such as some small chips on one cabinet from the vacuum, water ring from the plant, and the sub is missing one rubber boot on one leg. It just has the spike. Other than that, this stuff is in excellent condition good foam, cones, etc. and was in recent use.

 My friend thinks he has the owners manuals and paperwork somewhere....just has to find it.

[Duke McDukiedook]

I used to deal this stuff a few years ago. The Onkyo in Mint with owners manual and original packaging would be over $500. Yours need a cleaning and polish. You are looking at around $300 plus but probably minus.

The CV speakers maybe $100.

The Klipsch speakers are a decent model bookshelf speaker. In the $100 range maybe more.

90's stuff is not highly regarded unless it is Carver, Bang, and some others. The 70's and early 80's when they used heavy transformers is more desirable.

The market is fickle, something may be very good but not desirable by the "elite". 

 

+1. Bobby knows hifi. The klipsch sub looks like an SW12 model, decent. The Cerwins are your run of the mill big three way, not really too special. The amp and sub are the best in the bunch of what you have.

[RAFster122s]

If you have the room that can use the equipment and give you a good sound stage for listening then, then while the components may not be perfect to others they may be fine for your needs. Depending on the kind of misic you listen to. Some people listen to music with the bass turned up too high muddying the lows and adding just noise to the mix.  Other want it shrill with the highs cranked. 
Tuning the sound to the room and having an even sound stage can be fun.  The response of the speakers adds another dynamic to the reproduction of the music.

Are you looking to keep or sell the stuff?


A friend is into tube amps with magnaplanar and high end Martin Logan speakers from the 70s-80s

[madmtnmotors]

I stumbled across some vintage components a while back:

*Carver TX-8 tuner
*Nakamichi CA5 II controller amp
*Nakamichi PA5 power amplifier (this thing has some heft, 100 watt I think)
*Nakamichi RX202 cassete player (needs new belts, anybody got a good source?)
*Nakamichi OMS-4 CD player (loads but won't recognize disk, probably beyond reasonable repair)
*Pair of Nakamichi Forte' WO speakers (about 36" tall, has 12" equalizer cone on the back of the enclosure)

This setup will still shake the windows!  (unless you're trying to play a CD  )

[CycleRanger]

I stumbled across some vintage components a while back:
*Nakamichi RX202 cassette player (needs new belts, anybody got a good source?)

http://www.vintage-electronics.cc/nakamichikits.html  $17

The CD player may just need the lens cleaned if the disk still spins.

[madmtnmotors]

http://www.vintage-electronics.cc/nakamichikits.html  $17

The CD player may just need the lens cleaned if the disk still spins.

CR,
    Thanks for the link, belts ordered! The casette deck is pretty cool, it will play both sides of the tape, but it ejects and flips the casette tape on a carousel-like platform to play side two.

    The CD player will spin up, it just won't read a disk, and may even display some sort of disk error. A lot of information I've found online about these indicate alot of units eventually succomb to circuit-level failure. I'll probably try a lens cleaning before I give up on it completely, but I would probably replace (or supplement) it with an mp3 player.

[CycleRanger]

http://www.vintage-electronics.cc/nakamichikits.html  $17

The CD player may just need the lens cleaned if the disk still spins.

CR,
    Thanks for the link, belts ordered! The cassette deck is pretty cool, it will play both sides of the tape, but it ejects and flips the cassette tape on a carousel-like platform to play side two.

Yeah, I remember those. Needlessly complicated but cool. Glad I could help.
You can't buy a good cassette deck anymore. I don't know if they'll ever make a comeback like turntables have.

You're probably right about the CD player but CD's are just bits.

[BobbyR]

http://www.vintage-electronics.cc/nakamichikits.html  $17

The CD player may just need the lens cleaned if the disk still spins.

CR,
    Thanks for the link, belts ordered! The casette deck is pretty cool, it will play both sides of the tape, but it ejects and flips the casette tape on a carousel-like platform to play side two.

    The CD player will spin up, it just won't read a disk, and may even display some sort of disk error. A lot of information I've found online about these indicate alot of units eventually succomb to circuit-level failure. I'll probably try a lens cleaning before I give up on it completely, but I would probably replace (or supplement) it with an mp3 player.

Dirty little secret, any CD player will sound the same on your system. The difference is all features. A CD player will sound a bit better than am MP3 due to compression. Nice gear BTW.

[scottly]

Shoot, I thought this thread was going to be about vintage stuff; brands like Fisher, J. B. Lansing, Weathers, Marantz, Akai, Empire...

[scottly]

Tuning the sound to the room and having an even sound stage can be fun.  The response of the speakers adds another dynamic to the reproduction of the music.

1+ My favorite album (or now CD) for evaluating music systems is Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon. Lots of dynamic range, from heart-beats to shrill bells.

[Duke McDukiedook]

Shoot, I thought this thread was going to be about vintage stuff; brands like Fisher, J. B. Lansing, Weathers, Marantz, Akai, Empire...

Nah, that's classic gear, op was talking about vintage, although I am not sure 90's is considered vintage.

[Scott S]

I'm considering hanging onto the Klipsch speakers and sub and the amp and putting something together, but I have a few questions as to how to wire it all up.

 The sub is powered and my friend told me it was "to receiver". He used the amp to drive the VS-150's.
 What if I wanted to get a receiver (or use a laptop or something...would that be heresy?), could I run the two Klipsch monitors with the amp? How would I wire all that up to use the sub as well?

 Back of amp...



 ...and back of sub.

[CycleRanger]

I'm considering hanging onto the Klipsch speakers and sub and the amp and putting something together, but I have a few questions as to how to wire it all up.

 The sub is powered and my friend told me it was "to receiver". He used the amp to drive the VS-150's.
 What if I wanted to get a receiver (or use a laptop or something...would that be heresy?), could I run the two Klipsch monitors with the amp? How would I wire all that up to use the sub as well?

 Back of amp...
 ...and back of sub.

Yeah pretty sure the Klipsch powered sub is meant to drive the smaller speakers as well.
I have no doubt you can pop over to http://www.klipsch.com/ and plug in the model number and download the user manuals.

[Duke McDukiedook]

If the receiver has preamp or low frequency (subwoofer) line outs you could just run the RCA out to the sub or you can just run speaker cord to the sub (hi level) and then there will be output high level to the regular speakers (this will send only the higher than XX hertz signal after it has gone through the crossover- depending on what you set the low frequency crossover  point at- usually set by a control knob on the back usually runs from 30hz-120hz).

[Scott S]

 I'm finding out that I need a pre-amp and/or tuner with pre-amp outs to run the amplifier.

 Maybe I can figure out a way to use the sub and monitors with another input?

[Duke McDukiedook]

I did not get a look at the last pic because I was at work. No, you would not need a preamp if you had just a receiver to hook up to the sub and speakers, you would go with the second option I wrote above. Hook in the speaker wire from the receiver to where it says FROM AMP. Then hook up speaker wire to TO SPEAKERS to the speakers and voila, set levels accordingly.

[goldarrow]

A friend is doing some remodeling and hooked me up with some vintage (circa 1992) stereo equipment. This stuff was high-end, high dollar stuff when new. I'd like to get some info and a current market value, if I could.

 I have two sets of Cerwin Vega speakers. VS series; VS120 and VS150. Both are in above average condition, with some mild chipping on the bottom of one of the VS150 cabinets from the vacuum cleaner.

 One set of Klipsch speakers, marked KG 1.5 in oak cabinets, with stands. Also very good condition with a ring on the top of one where a plant sat.

 One Klipsch sub woofer, powered. (No model No. yet...I'll see if I can find one) Two speakers, front and rear facing. The cover is there, just off for the pics.

 One Onkyo amplifier, model M-504, excellent condition.

 Is this stuff worth anything? It's all big, heavy, solidly constructed and it sounded AWESOME in his living room.

the onkyo 504 amp is good, klipsch speakers are ok, don't bother with cervin vega.  if you can find, most of 80's JBL L-Series and Professional Series speakers are good to keep.  even better investment than our bikes, IMHO

you will also need other components to hook up your system.  pre-amp, am/fm unit if you listen to radio, cd player if you listen to pink floyd - don't get too stoned while working on bikes!!    get a few pairs of RCA cables with red/white male connectors on both ends, some nice decent gauge speakers cables and you're set.  hooking them up should be fairly simple - think input, then output. 

by the way, once the system is hooked up, don't turn up volume too loud as the onkyo integra m-504 is quite powerful for those speakers you have there. 

[goldarrow]

I did not get a look at the last pic because I was at work. No, you would not need a preamp if you had just a receiver to hook up to the sub and speakers, you would go with the second option I wrote above. Hook in the speaker wire from the receiver to where it says FROM AMP. Then hook up speaker wire to TO SPEAKERS to the speakers and voila, set levels accordingly.

yes, you can use pre-am function from a receiver.  a stereo system sounds better if you use separate components.  subwoofer is meant to be used in Home Theater system.  if you only listening to music, 2 channels left and right speakers should be plenty.

[Duke McDukiedook]

I'm finding out that I need a pre-amp and/or tuner with pre-amp outs to run the amplifier.

 Maybe I can figure out a way to use the sub and monitors with another input?

Sorry I read that wrong the first time, yes you would need a preamp or a receiver with preamp output to run that Onkyo amplifier. You can run that sub fine for music with smaller main speakers with no problem, the sub is only good for home theater remark is not true at all, it would be fine for low end fill for smaller speakers for music reproduction.

[754]

scottly you forgot the awesome sansui (sansoooweet) amps, they are as cool as our Webers...

[scottly]

Yeah Frank, I also forgot about Mackintosh.   Speaking of Sansui, I have a Sansui Six receiver down at my shop, that is connected to a Kenwood KR-5600 receiver, to give me independent volume controls for the machine area and the main area. I bought the Six at a yard sale for $20 bucks or so, and it came with the manual, which included schematics! I also have a Sansui 5000A, but I'm not currently using it.
In the early '70's, a Sansui amp came into my dad's shop for repair. The right channel would intermittently fade out, sometimes blowing a speaker fuse. One time, with the unit cooking on the bench with a low wattage test speaker, we were finally able to catch the failure in action: the sound faded out, as the speaker cone slowly retracted, then the voice coil melted!
These amps were directly coupled to the speakers, with a +/- 34V DC supply. The drivers would fail, and force the output transistors into full conduction, which fried our test speaker. It turned out that Sansui had already corrected the problem with improved driver boards, but the replacements cost something like $50 each. 

[Duke McDukiedook]

If you are running anything that old scottly at the bare minimum you would need to recap the power supply capacitors and probably the power supply diodes to be on the safe side.

[scottly]

You know you need to replace the power supply caps when you can hear the 60 cycle hum. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. 

[madmtnmotors]

My Sansui reciever has been delegated to doling out tunes in the garage while I work on SOHC's!

[johnny]

You can always check the classifieds section of ww.audiogon.com for prices on stereo equipment. Often times, I find them to more accurate than eBay pricing.

[Scott S]

 So, I thought I could run the wires from the "to speakers" connections to the Klipsch monitors and use them with the sub, since it has it's own amplifier. But, when I do that I only get the bass.



 Is there a way to keep and use those three (with input from my phone/laptop/Sirius boombox) and get music? Or do I need an external amp or receiver?
 I know the Onkyo amp needs a pre-amp and/or receiver with pre-amp outputs.

[Duke McDukiedook]

Like I said before you should be able to run the speaker wire from a receiver to the from amp and get bass through the sub (looks like the level controls are on the front) and the higher frequency signals will be passed on to the satellite speakers (the small klipsch) from the to speakers.

It sounds like you tried to hook your laptop directly to the sub, it won't work that way. You would have to hook the laptop (source) up to the receiver via an RCA input.
 

[CycleRanger]

So, I thought I could run the wires from the "to speakers" connections to the Klipsch monitors and use them with the sub, since it has it's own amplifier. But, when I do that I only get the bass.

 Is there a way to keep and use those three (with input from my phone/laptop/Sirius boombox) and get music? Or do I need an external amp or receiver?
 I know the Onkyo amp needs a pre-amp and/or receiver with pre-amp outputs.

Google up the user manual. It will explain how to hook it up.