I have always treasured analog audio. I think maybe this mentality comes down from my mother. She buys most of the furniture and appliances once and uses it forever. However, in order to do this she buys it right the first time.
Buying it right doesn't always mean to buy the most expensive item listed but she calculates it by incrementing 10 years. Will this last more than 10 years? Will the value of it increase as it ages? Will the brand still be available in 10 years? She really does consider a lot of this into the purchase and till this day most of my parents furniture at their home is still the same ones since I was born. The fabric they replace it with new ones but the stucture itself is still the same. The applies the same way with her audio equipment... :)
This is her audio system (below pics)... the core. McIntosh Audio....
I didn't even know what it was until I was in high school... and then I was like....daaayyyym momma!!~~~
The Pre-Amp for input - Turn tables, CD players, Tape Players...ect
The Main Amp for the speakers
The entire rack... the very top is a radio tuner
After I was born she was looking for an audio system during the mid 80's. Since my mother is a music major she was an audiophile. I didn't know till I got older but all this time she was using a McIntosh Audio System. The best stuff was right under my nose but I never realized how valuable this brand was.
She gave me the pre-amp when I was moving to Taiwan and with my Vinyls I was ready to have some good quality sound at home. Thanks momma! :) This pre-amp is just as old as I am and while it worked well back in the states. I was having some issues with it when I brought it to Taiwan. The left and right speaker volumes dont match as it should and when I turn the knob it creates a static scratchy sound from the speakers as the volume is going up or down.
I looked it up online and there were a lot of factors on why it can happen.. one of the main I think was because of the humidity. Taiwan is much more humid than Georgia and I have been playing my music here in a humid environment. And the biggest reason for this is because its just OLD. It has never been serviced at all.... that is just amazing. For 30+ years it has been working without a hiccup.
It was time to clean the terminals and since this is an analog system I really wanted to see what was inside of this shell. So here is my post on analog audio system galore.
I wasn't able to find the pictures of the cleaning process however I was able to get a hold of disassembly of the whole unit.
Model : McIntosh C34V Audio/Video Control Center
Online Review : https://www.audioaficionado.org/showthread.php?t=7049
Ebay Resale Value : https://www.ebay.com/p/1808120198
To my surprise this preamp still held its value. It has become vintage now however the cost still is considered pretty high end for how old it is... from 1986.
To think about it I should have placed the turn tables on the bottom for stability. Looking at it now it sure looks unstable. However, since each device is so heavy it was actually more stable than it looked... .still I should change it.
The legendary Technics 1200, This one is an MK5 made at the year I believe 2000... they just never break. Keeps going and going. Made for DJ'ing but perfect for listening to Vinyl as well.
So the quest begins... I have read through the web on disassembly and excited to see what is inside. Keep in mind this is an analog system so I am expecting some steam punk like visuals... ultra complex wiring. :)
Looking at the condition my mom really took great care of this. The knobs and surface are still considered how old it is... its practically scratch free. Nice.
First need to take out all the knobs to clean them after 30+ years of operation. The all metal with a brushed spin finish in the center really makes it look premium.
Time for the main top cover to come off to see the beauty of it all.
Alright top cover removed.. that was pretty easy.
Now that's what I am talking about.... I am about to discover the wired brain maze. :) But before that I need to take out the front face board.
By looking at the reflection it is really well taken care of... I am absolutely surprised cause it was used a lot!
So since the front facia is off time to carefully wrap it up ready it for cleaning and polishing.
Power is everything in audio and the bold print label is the only thing legible here inside the casing.
I have no idea how this was mass produced. It looks like it was all done by hand! To the very circuit boards as well. I can see that the solder is not done by a machine.... which mean every component in there... every wiring layout was all assembled by hand. This is some ultra complex electrical machinery for just audio... Its amazing how now we can put all this into a chip the size of a penny or smaller.
Look at all those transistors, resistors, and capacitors~ Really brings me back to the old days where we can buy these kits to solder them ourselves and create a radio. I wonder if they still exist... it must be a dying art by now.
I can see some handwriting and maybe its was a lot number for passing inspection on these handmade circuit boards. Its so cool to see all those resistors soldered in place.
I have no idea how people will be able to fix this if any of the resistors or practically if any component busts. Not ever sure where to start with when there is a major problem. I would like to have a professional fix it but I also heard that with vintage being so rare, some evil minded people will swap components and try to make it legit. Hearing this I rather take my time to find the right guy for the job. In the meantime I can do some circuit board cleaning myself since I worked with a lot of PC building.
Not really sure if the circuit board cleaning will do any good but I have sprayed and cleaned every bit of rust or oxidation that were around the plugs and every electrical terminal available. It took several days but I didn't have a chance to take pics of those due to the fact that there were so much chemicals being sprayed everywhere.
The sound of contact with the audio cables seemed more connected however the static sound still remained. I think I will try and find an authorized repairman to get the rest of it done... if there is any even left.
I always wanted to share this to our community cause I thought the old analog audio days were so complex yet till this day analog audio is still the best sounding and probably will hold its ground. On the contrary, I have to admit the convenience of digital is just.... the winner when wanting to listen to music on the fly. :)
The best is to have both. hehehe...
Thanks for checking out my post. I will always try to find interesting things that crosses my path and share them with you guys to inspire one another.
Set the Tone!!!!
Cheers!
I came here expecting to find a MacIntosh!?
Why did I think that someone would actually ask that exact question~ lolz!! and its gona be ma good ol bud @mypathtofire. hahahahaha
I knew it!!!!~ Therefore you get my bonus upvote. hahahahahaha. Happy holidays bud.
Thanks & Happy Holidays Whangster!! ♥️👍👍
🤣😂🤣😊😋
Very cool, love Macintosh equipment, I just posted my Tannoy Arden build, my vision is to power them with a Mac in the future. Thanks for posting this, inspirational!
Thank you for your comments. I love it when people understand and appreciate equipment we know. It inspires me to post more for viewers like yourself. Much appreciated!!
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Sure thing~ This is gonna be interesting. :)
Hey Bud, happy to see you!
NGL, just an Asian thing - it's same in my case.
McIntosh but it's Classic version. Haha! I thought something else at first place.
Ah here we Go another so Asian thing. Haha.
Bruh, used to do disassemble everything in range when I was kid and this reminded me off those days.
Well, Good thing about old stuff is it lasts long and built so strong... Can see those wiring and circuit board in almost new condition ain't surprising tbh.
We have similar analog audio system in grandma place and still used too play it takes anyone to old nostalgic days.
LOLZ! This is the first time I heard that this is an Asian thing. hahahahaha! I wonder if the way how we grew up were similar family conditions, but I highly doubt it since every household is unique. But I would like to understand more about it. Bro~ you need to post something similar around your household and I would like to see any similarities~ "an Asian Thing" hahahahaha.
Maybe... however isnt this quite universal as well? It can't be just an Asian thing. My German friends parents are just as much or even more hardcore when it comes to maintaining household stuff to last a lifetime. 🤣 Nevertheless, very interesting comment man.
In Asian family it's like parent's are strict and they maintain household furniture at it's best conditions even after years.
My mom is kind of like that and she had kept everything in house in it's shape when I was kid and now still same furniture... I will do post it someday.
True, I agree... Didn't meant it's juuust asian thing. I know some Nigerian friends who relate with it. Hah, Glad you found it interesting mate.
Wish you a Great day ahead.
Hi @whangster79 pass by your profile because I could see a vote of yours in my publication and I was curious, but I thought you were a curator of publications on cannabis, and passed to see your plants, but already I realized that you talk about various topics, I also like to expand and write a little about everything more interesting that we do.
I am a musician and I called my attention to this analog equipment, the truth is the sound is very different from the digital, I bought it because I have an old turntable and occasionally enjoy the vyniles that have another sound different from the digital, this equipment you have looks great, and I imagine that the sound should also be the best.
I admire this outlook. I try to approach things this way as well. Pay extra for quality such as my Dyson hoover, my Sony television or my DeWalt drill. They're all on the more expensive side of the scale, but are built to last and they have done exactly that.
McIntosh Audio.... Damn Mama is right!! She sounds like one cool Mama 😎 🎶 🤟
Yea man ~ I am in total sync with you when it comes to buying stuff that is economically best case senario. I see so many of my friends or colleagues who keep buying cheap stuff he ends up buying it again and again. and when you add up those numbers he actually could have gotten the highend product in the first place.
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i never heard of the the brand Mc Intosh for audio before, i used to have sony and kenwood sets , now i only have a yamaha receiver and a NAS filled with flac and mp3 files.
As for the build it your own radio there are plenty of options on amazon , but how long until fm radio is gone 🤣
https://www.amazon.com/AIMELIAE-Radio-CF210SP-Electronic-Assemble/dp/B075FR788C/ref=sr_1_12?keywords=build+a+radio+kit&qid=1671166330&sr=8-12
Oh yea!!! Its that one!!! from Amazon! Those kits where you can build a radio... and I think I bought like 5 of those and they all failed. 🤣
The brand McIntosh I knew it from my mother... I didn't know this brand until I looked it up and I was like holy shit wow. The amps are so crazy heavy its hard for me to lift it even. I have no idea why good audio gear has to be so damn heavy. 😅
sure blame it on the kits ... 🤣🤣
i just looked ity up and they are really expensive here .. 😮
https://www.hansaudio.nl/merken/mcintosh/
i've never paid more then € 1000,- for a receiver although my speakers were also € 1000,- each
Yea they are crazy expensive... its something maybe my mom can buy... but I will for sure think like a gazilion times before I can even afford a chunck of cash. But I can gladly inherit it and maintain it, and clean it. :) lolz
Nice, it still looks new, you took good care of that equipment. Greetings from the Philippines!
Hey @afterglow~ greetings!! and happy holidays!! Equipment I always like to take care of and that I own. many times I tend to take care of it too much and I get attached to them emotionally. lolz
Indeed, maybe that's how boys like us behave, we tend to have emotional attachments on our equipment.
Analog audio is the best, you can feel it that is alive and your entire body is reverberating t the sounds.
Exactly my friend. You know whats up with analog audio~ There is a saying that when they record the master vinyl at the recording studio the analog recorder doesn't just pick up the sounds but it also records the emotional vibe as well.... and when you play it... you feel it the way how they felt at the time. Ultra cool~~ major goosebumps cause it sounds so good.
You feel me? :)
Yeah, that's crazy.
I love the vintage rack systems. McIntosh is no joke and the MK1200 turntable. Mom had impeccable taste! I could just imagine how this sounds!
Hey dood~ :)
Thanks for the comment. and yes I love vintage rack systems too. Isn't it amazing how people used to hand build these??? The craftsmanship. The part that really gets me is that it just works... even after 40+ years of use. An iphone will never last that long. Lolz
That's funny but so true. I was visiting a friend from high school not to long ago (I'm in my 50s) when I sat down in his living room he had my old rack system from when I was a teenager. Everything still worked great! He was so proud of it too. It might be the old man in me, but those old sound systems just sounded great. I still have some vintage components in my living room too that I use almost daily.
Maybe not, but they are convenient with bluetooth and speaker systems. I would have never imagined paying $9 a month and having access to almost every song ever written.
I'm actually considering a new stereo receiver and seen a few with built in bluetooth connectivity. So I guess you get the luxury of a rack system, with the convenience of an iPhone or Android device. Best of both worlds!
Still, McIntosh, is like the Cadillac of sound systems, and the MK1200s were the lambos of turntables! 🤣
True dat. The convenience of what digital music and wireless bluetooth technology provided today was unimaginable back then.
I (mid 40's) still remember... listening to music needed focus. Vinyl practically had 3-5 tracks on one side so always needed to be on que to know when it was playing the last track and get ready to raise the needle.
Tape.... ahhh brings me back to those times when I used a pencil to rewind the tape as fast I could holding the tape between my knees and acting like I was making a camp fire. :)
Still... funny thing about that time is... in that time... it was still ok. It was still convenient. The pencil. lolz
LMAO, just brought back a huge flood of memories! I always had a chair right next to the turntable. I'd sit there flipping albums all day! 🤣 The pencil! Good times.
I'm with you man~ hehehehe