Realistic flashback

[The Vinyl Adventure]

Popped into cash converters today killing time whilst waiting for some film to be deved ... There was actually quite a lot of interesting gear in there. Rega brio amp, few pairs of nice speakers a rotel power amp ... ...
The most interesting thin for me was this amp

Realistic SA-155

http://i728.photobucket.com/albums/ww282/hamish_gill/e737a2d6.jpg

Cost me £12 ... Probably over the odds to be honest...
I bought it because I used to have one. In fact, it was the first 'separate' amp I owned! I used it along side a shitty Amstrad mini system to power some great big old speakers I found in the garage!
This is a whole area of my hifi past I had basically forgotten...
I'm sure it's not going to be any giant killer, and I'm not sure what I'm even going to use it for ... But it's nice to own one again!

One question though... Centre pin or outside ring to positive for the speakers do we think

http://i728.photobucket.com/albums/ww282/hamish_gill/8bd4b458.jpg

I'm guessing the centre ... But I guess it doesn't matter to much as long as I do the same for both

[keiths]

The manual is here: http://support.radioshack.com/support_audio/8411.htm
but it doesn't really help :doh:

I'd have thought it would be +ve to centre pin myself.

[The Vinyl Adventure]

That would be the logical way round eh...
I saw that manual, funnily enough it actually came in it's original box with original manual!

[colinB]

I had one of them. Bought it from Tandys ( what happened to them )
You can get interesting stuff from Cash converters , old techys, denon home cinemas mission speakers but its not always cheap.

[The Vinyl Adventure]

That's the one Colin ... Realistic is Tandy/radioshack brand I think
Ours is a mobile phone shop now ... Like most shops really, mobile phones and coffee are two things it's very easy to buy in Worcester

My tip for cash converters - never pay full price. By my reconing, on new stock you have at least 25-35% you can get off stuff. I reckon things are labeled with at mininmum 50% margin on them! Not that I think that's unfair really it's the 60 day warranty that costs the money really. Dealing with people's second hand crap is a risky business.

We get good stuff in ours - "real" hifi ... There is rega, nad, focal, marantz, rotel ... Some big Rodgers speakers - no idea if they are any good ... All sorts in ours ... Worcester is pretty posh don't you know, don't you know, like init ;)

[DSJR]

We have a Cash Converters opened up just recently, but it's a small shop and not much choice. The Ipswich one went from a large premises to a small back street shop too in the last year - very little decent stereo gear there either. having said that, my Quad FM3 came from one "up north."

[Effem]

I pop into the Plymouth cash converters whenever I go over there. Last year I saw a Lentek integrated amp for around £350 which was still there 6 months later. Apart from that little gem, most of what they have is very tired and battered Comet/Currys "hi-fi".

[shane]

For Plymouth, Wants have got the second hand market tied up. There's usually some interesting stuff in the Raleigh St branch, but the prices are a bit silly.

On the subject of second hand goodies in Plymouth, pay a visit to the St Luke's Hospice shop on Plymstock Broadway. Someone's given them a massive collection of classical vinyl boxed sets. I got the nine Beethoven symphonies by Otto Klemperer on nine EMI disks from 1960 in pristine condition (the box was a bit scruffy, but didn't look like it had ever been opened), and a three disc set of Bach cello suites on Argo. £7 the lot! There must be getting on for a hundred sets in there. Haven't had time for a good look through yet.

Why am I telling you that...

[WAD62]

I'd rather not support such legalised 'fences'...

[The Vinyl Adventure]

It's not all nicked ... And anyway, at least it gives people a place to look for their stolen gear.

[WAD62]

It's not all nicked ... And anyway, at least it gives people a place to look for their stolen gear.

Mmmm...enough said I think :)

They're springing up everywhere, there's absolutely no justification for them, some serious regulation needs to be imposed...particularly in the light of the past few days.

As I said legalised 'fences'

At least with ebay there's some 'paper trail' to the seller/thief

Next I'll start banging on about the newest fad, high interest loan sharks, eg 'wonga'. How the hell can these people be allowed to operate so blatantly...again regulation is required, we can't carry on in a country where everything is just down to 'market forces'.

Bah humbug...I'm getting more grumpy the older I get ;)

By the way congratulations on your new arrival Hamish :cool:

[The Vinyl Adventure]

Your what we call in my household a 'negative nancy' ;)
Hehe
I agree with you to a certain extent, although sellers do need ID. Mind it would be pretty nieve to think a criminal couldn't get round that one!

Wonga is a disgrace, I love the 3486% apr bit at the bottom - mental! Cash converters offer that service too now you know ... Just to add coal to your fire of distaste ;)

And thank you ... :)

[dantheman91]

Just ordered one on the SA 155's from ebay gonna use it with the 7 & LX5 pro's....:lol::eek:

Interesting....

[rdpx]

... killing time whilst waiting for some film to be deved ...

now you have a
1985 amp.
to go with your
1985 camera.

[emoji1]