Cool Old Kit You Never Heard Of

[Alex_UK]

Sansui TA-500DC Receiver:



Power output: 50 watts per channel into 8Ω (stereo)
Speaker load impedance: 8Ω (minimum)
Year - 1979

The grab handles were optional but I think you have to have them - it's not so special looking without.

I'm guessing the rack mount end pieces come with the handle kit? Agreed, it wouldn't look as good without.

By the way, I keep meaning to ask in case anyone knows - I'm on a few Facebook pages for audio gear, and it seems that Americans are a bit obsessed with vintage receivers like this + Marantz, Pioneer etc. from back in the day - it seems to be receivers specifically, hardly any real interest in standalone integrated amps. Was that always a thing in the US?

[Macca]

I'm guessing the rack mount end pieces come with the handle kit? Agreed, it wouldn't look as good without.

By the way, I keep meaning to ask in case anyone knows - I'm on a few Facebook pages for audio gear, and it seems that Americans are a bit obsessed with vintage receivers like this + Marantz, Pioneer etc. from back in the day - it seems to be receivers specifically, hardly any real interest in standalone integrated amps. Was that always a thing in the US?

Yes - they liked their receivers (and their pre-powers) but not so much integrated amps. Maybe since they had so many AM and FM stations back in the day? Loads more than we did. And out there you could be living 250 miles from the nearest record shop so you needed a tuner for a bit of variety if nothing else.

Also which you probably know, they had The Receiver Wars which was a bit like The Clone Wars only with receivers. More here https://thevintagehifishack.com/the-...ars-1974-1979/

[Alex_UK]

That makes sense - also, I guess backlit tuning scales, signal/alignment meters, plus VU meters and an awful lot of switches and knobs = hifi porn!

[Macca]

That makes sense - also, I guess backlit tuning scales, signal/alignment meters, plus VU meters and an awful lot of switches and knobs = hifi porn!

As a youngster I was always torn between the 'porno' Japanese hi-fi and the minimalist British kit. Liked the look of the former, but the mags all said that minimalist had better sound. Not that I could afford anything much of either I was reduced to whatever was on offer in the local paper's classifieds.

Don't know which I would have gone for if I'd had the money back then. I mean, something like this is hard to resist:

[Alex_UK]

Yes, that’s a cracker, would have to be full on “Razzle” for me!

[Barry]

Nah - I always preferred the 'minimalist' look of the Quad Series 3 gear, or the sexy low-profile look of the Cambridge P series amplifiers and matching T55 tuner.

[Firebottle]

Canbridge P series appealed to me also.

[gninnam]

Cambridge stuff above looks to 'industrial' for my taste.
Was never into receivers myself, always preferred separate tuners and amps.

[Macca]

Sony 'Precise' series, 1980:



Retrospective review of the turntable here - https://www.hifinews.com/content/sony-ps-p7x-turntable

TL/DR - it's good.

[Barry]

I would find the lid of the turntable very annoying. Otherwise the rest of the kit is not bad looking, but I have no idea of the sound quality.