D
Deleted member 133
Guest
Why?
That's probably your reaction to this thread's title.
Glad you asked.
As I mentioned somewhere before, I'm in the process of re-creating my first true stereo hi-fi system, that dates from the mid to late '70s. It started its life in my Mom and Dad's living room, replacing a great big early-'60s Electrohome console. It eventually ended up down in the basement when that was refinished.
The complete system consisted of a Pioneer SX-750 receiver, Pioneer PL-510 turntable with Shure M91ED cartridge, Akai GXC-325D cassette deck, Pioneer SE-505 headphones, and Bose 301 speakers.
After we sold the family home, and Mom passed away (predeceased by Dad) my brother got the system - less the headphones (which I lent to a "friend" who has since lost them.) A year or so ago I asked my brother if he ever used it anymore and he said not. So I got back the receiver and the turntable/cartridge. The receiver I had refurbished and is now in like-new condition. The turntable is like-new to begin with but I'll be swapping out the cartridge and its unknown-hours stylus for an ADC XLM MkII Improved with new stylus.
Now the cassette deck was not working so my brother tossed it. A while back I bought a used one and recently had it fully-refurbished.
That leaves the speakers. While I was going to use one of the two pairs of Bose Series III 301s that I already have in storage, I wondered what my brother had done with the original ones. (I assumed that they were tossed with the cassette deck because they also had issues.) Turns out he had them in storage and I got them from him just after Xmas.
They differ from the Series III in that the latter uses two tweeters, firing in different directions, whereas the original version has a single tweeter and a movable "vane" that you use to change the amount of direct versus reflecting (to use Bose terminology) sound.
I was hoping that all I would need do is replace the four original foam grills (there's one over the tweeter section and another over the woofer) which were rotted and crumbling. A more complex job than the Totem grills, but not more challenging - just more time consuming. But on examination it turns out that the woofers' surrounds are also rotting and need to be re-foamed.
Here's some pics.
I'm in no rush to tackle all of this and it could take me a month or so to get it done.
But I guess that still doesn't answer the original "why?"
Because I can - for pure nostalgia sake. I want to set up the complete system somewhere and listen to it - and then likely pack it away. (I really don't have any more rooms in which to house it "permanently.") I imagine it will sound ok - but likely far less ok than I remember it sounding back in my parents' basement rec room.
We'll see.
Jeff
That's probably your reaction to this thread's title.
Glad you asked.
As I mentioned somewhere before, I'm in the process of re-creating my first true stereo hi-fi system, that dates from the mid to late '70s. It started its life in my Mom and Dad's living room, replacing a great big early-'60s Electrohome console. It eventually ended up down in the basement when that was refinished.
The complete system consisted of a Pioneer SX-750 receiver, Pioneer PL-510 turntable with Shure M91ED cartridge, Akai GXC-325D cassette deck, Pioneer SE-505 headphones, and Bose 301 speakers.
After we sold the family home, and Mom passed away (predeceased by Dad) my brother got the system - less the headphones (which I lent to a "friend" who has since lost them.) A year or so ago I asked my brother if he ever used it anymore and he said not. So I got back the receiver and the turntable/cartridge. The receiver I had refurbished and is now in like-new condition. The turntable is like-new to begin with but I'll be swapping out the cartridge and its unknown-hours stylus for an ADC XLM MkII Improved with new stylus.
Now the cassette deck was not working so my brother tossed it. A while back I bought a used one and recently had it fully-refurbished.
That leaves the speakers. While I was going to use one of the two pairs of Bose Series III 301s that I already have in storage, I wondered what my brother had done with the original ones. (I assumed that they were tossed with the cassette deck because they also had issues.) Turns out he had them in storage and I got them from him just after Xmas.
They differ from the Series III in that the latter uses two tweeters, firing in different directions, whereas the original version has a single tweeter and a movable "vane" that you use to change the amount of direct versus reflecting (to use Bose terminology) sound.
I was hoping that all I would need do is replace the four original foam grills (there's one over the tweeter section and another over the woofer) which were rotted and crumbling. A more complex job than the Totem grills, but not more challenging - just more time consuming. But on examination it turns out that the woofers' surrounds are also rotting and need to be re-foamed.
Here's some pics.
I'm in no rush to tackle all of this and it could take me a month or so to get it done.
But I guess that still doesn't answer the original "why?"
Because I can - for pure nostalgia sake. I want to set up the complete system somewhere and listen to it - and then likely pack it away. (I really don't have any more rooms in which to house it "permanently.") I imagine it will sound ok - but likely far less ok than I remember it sounding back in my parents' basement rec room.
We'll see.
Jeff
