oldviolin wrote: 
If you need any help finding parts I am really good at hunting down parts for these old beasts.

 DaveInVA wrote: 

I'm using a big Akai amp/preamp set up right now, Dave. I have issues with a channel output on the Kenwood. Years ago I replaced some semiconductors including the output amp on one channel, and the same thing is required on the other side I believe. I hope I can find the components online.

 oldviolin wrote: 
Cool! I owned one of those Kenwood 11 receivers years ago. They are very nice. Nice to see you still have your reel to reel also. The Empire 698 in my pics I bought new in '77 and still have the box, manual etc. I also have a Empire 598 I bought around '74 packed up here.

This is my original system bought while in military in the 70's
I have original manuals, boxes and receipts.
I also have several other components and speakers.
Anyhow, I like it...
Sansui SP-20000

 

Kenwood Eleven II
 
Marantz 6300

Teac A6300
 
Teac A640

 DaveInVA wrote:  I've been meaning to ask you about your ebay auctions. I might need some new/old gear.

 DaveInVA wrote: 
I'm currently using a Sansui receiver I bought on fleabay several years ago for $40.  I was amazed when it arrived, it was in perfect condition - not even a light bulb burned out.

Buried in a closet are a Marantz amplifier and another Sansui receiver I just can't bring myself to part with.  They're all massively heavy boat anchors but I dig 'em.

These are the 2 units I am messing with now on my home "office" system. I just sold the Sony TA-1130 I'd been using and now I am trying to decide which one of these 2 units to keep.



Its a Sherwood S5000 tube integrated from 1957. Sounds great and has an excellent phono preamp. Has a whopping 20 wpc RMS but my DCM Time Windows are pretty efficient so its not a problem.



This is whats playing right now. A Sony STR-7055 solid state receiver with FET circuitry in the preamp and amp. This was 2nd down from TOTL and has 55 wpc RMS and has the same amp section as the TA-1130 I just sold. Has a very dynamic and clean sounding phono preamp.

Now that I think about it, none of the inputs work other than tape monitor, which is not on the selector switch. It's obviously the switch. I'll get on that.

Wahoo! I just got authorization to bring it into the house and add it to the rack, replacing a 20 year old Kenwood, for powering the speakers on the back deck and front porch. I haven't seen meters moving in my house in a long time. Out with the black plastic. This is going to be fun! 

 DaveInVA wrote: 
I had an 8080 in the 70's. I loved that thing. My brother had the 9090. I never did get a separate phono-amp for it before life forced me to sell it. The day it left was a very dark day. I always regretted getting rid of it. 

If/when I run some vinyl through the Sherwood I'll be sure to use one of my phono amps. 

 swell_sailor wrote: 
That was their first TOTL receiver after moving overseas. The S-8900 was the last US built Sherwood. It does have a MC Phono input which is nice. I have found however that a lot of pre amps and receivers from this period don't seem to have the best sounding phono pre-amps as if they already felt lp's were on the way out and didn't care anymore. A friend has the big Sansui 9090 receiver from that period and it has one of the worst sounding phono preamps I ever heard in it though the amp section sounds very nice.

 DaveInVA wrote: 
That's what I suspected. I'll have a go at it one of these days. Some day when my wife is away I'm going to swap it out with my amp in my main system and give it a spin. 

This unit was originally purchased by my wife's brother, who gave it to her 20 years ago. She had it plugged into some cheapo bookshelf speakers for years. It really rocks the garage, but the garage speakers don't do it justice and I only have itunes as the source out there. It needs to see some vinyl. 

 DaveInVA wrote:  Right..7.1 my next amp, have the speakers in place already !

 HazzeSwede wrote: 
My Homely Theater is 7.1 but I've never tried playing it there yet. I've just been playing the stereo mix off the DVD-A on my Denon 2910 on my stereo.

 swell_sailor wrote: 
The input problem may be as simple as tarnished contacts on the selector switch and may be fixable with some contact cleaner.

 DaveInVA wrote: 
You have a 5.1 set up ?

Still remember my first listen to it, in 5.1,like old times when one was rushing home with the new Beatles singel and it took 5 straight times playing it, just to get down to regular heart beat ! And the heart beat not acquired from the running.

 DaveInVA wrote: 
I need to move it into the house then. Maybe I can find a place for it in my office, and maybe I can find an inexpensive turntable that I can trust with my vinyl so I can really hear it. 

 swell_sailor wrote: 
Yes like most the other big names they all switched to overseas construction in the 70's unfortunately.

 swell_sailor wrote: 
The S-9910 was their top of the line model conservatively rated at 100 wpc. It has an MSRP of $725 and used they go $300 ish. Very nice sounding receiver and worth fixing.
I have a 1957 Sherwood S5000 tube integrated and after owning dozens of tube integrated amps from the era I think its one of the best sounding and its also a good buy because it doesn't sell for near as much as the equivalent Scotts, Fishers etc that don't sound any better. The Sherwoods were still made in Chicago then and the output transformers where made by Chicago Transformer  and very high quality.

 ptooey wrote: 
They turned to cheap crap eventually, like so many. But I've heard this vintage was pretty nice stuff. It's certainly heavy enough! And it's beautiful to look at.

 HazzeSwede wrote: 
I have the Beatles Love that has a regular CD and a 5.1/stereo DVD-A. The sound quality is kick-ass but I still don't like the way some of the songs are "butchered" but its still very enjoyable.