31 July 2015

Technics G series

Audio excellence from 1991, this is the Technics G series.

HIFI SYSTEM

amplifier

cd player


...more vintage audio here.

26 July 2015

Musicians in audio adverts.

As a music lover I'm sure you like to listen to your favourite artist at home, on the road, in your studio, on the best audio equipment. Let's take a look at some of your favourite artists and their recommendations for audio equipment through this series of vintage audio advertisements.

Loud and clear. That's how you want your music at home. "Baby Jane", all you need is a pair of ALTEC LANSING loudspeakers said Rod Stewart.



rod speaker

"Baby you can drive my car". That's what Ringo Starr (The BEATLES) said in 1978. He also said that you're going to be a star only if you have a CRAIG car stereo.

ringo starr craig car audio

In 1985 Dire Straits teamed up with PHILIPS on a world tour promoting the new PHILIPS Compact Disc. They were like "Brothers in arms".

MORE: 30 years of Compact Disc

dire straits philips compact disc

In 1986 Genesis was recording their hits with SONY Digital equipment. Play them back with the "Invisible touch" of a SONY compact disc player, they recommend.

genesis sony

Choose 7 of your favourite Doors album and place them in a 7 Disc CD changer from Nakamichi, was Ray Manzarek's recommendation in 1993.

MORE: AKAI elevator-style 7-disc CD player 

ray manzarek nakamichi

"Fanfare for the common man" "Works" well with CRAIG car audio, said Emerson Lake and Palmer.

emerson lake palmer craig car audio

"Breakfast in America", and you're on the road again. What better way to take a look back on your favourite concert song then a SPARKOMATIC car audio from 1983.  

supertramp sparkomatic car audio

You're in your studio working on your next hit. AKAI is crucial for "The end of innocence" said Don Henley (Eagles)

don henley akai

Family harmony. Aparently that's why Alice Cooper and his mother choose the FISHER (SANYO) 24 disc CD changer in 1993.

alice cooper fisher

These are all things of a glorious past and they will never return.
Is the future sad ? See what Ray thinks....


19 July 2015

Hi-Fi family photos

Family photographs capture some of the best of memories and looking at a picture can lift up your mood. Let's take a look at some of the most precious of moments, frozen in time by some of the most famous electronic brands from the past.




GRUNDIG Hi-Fi
GRUNDIG Hi-Fi 1981

PHILIPS Hi-Fi
PHILIPS Hi-Fi 1980




Technics Hi-Fi
Technics Hi-Fi lineup 1984

They are old by now but they have a new home here.




04 July 2015

Audio components by famous Italian designers

YAMAHA Designed by Mario Bellini

Mario Bellini is an Italian architect and designer, winner of several prestigious architecture awards. His work includes a remarcable set of Olivetti machines as well as furniture for B&B and Cassina. In 1974 he was commissioned to design a cassette deck and a set of headphones for YAMAHA.

The design of the YAMAHA TC800 (TC800GL and TC800D) cassette deck is extraordinary in the sense that the complete front is angled, adapted to a more ergonomical layout. This deck is unique also because it can run on 12V (car or batteries) making it the first portable cassette deck. To complement this new cassette deck, two orthodynamic headphones were designed in 1974, the HP-1 and HP-2.






YAMAHA ergonomics

Mario Bellini and YAMAHA

YAMAHA TC-800GL and HP-1
YAMAHA HP-1 and HP-2


JVC, SONY and That's Designed by Giugiaro

Giorgetto Giugiario is an Italian automobile designer who's "folded paper" era designs from the 70's include the BMW M1, Lotus Esprit, DeLorean DMC-12 or the popular VOLKSWAGEN Golf Series 1. His more recent work include the design of the FIAT Punto, Grande Punto and Alfa-Romeo Brera. 

It is less known his activity as audio equipment designer. Some of his works include the design of the That's SOUNO audio cassette from 1988, JVC car audio from 1988 and the SONY Celebrity II compact audio range from the 90's.




That's SUONO compact cassette
That's SUONO Metal position
JVC Digifine car audio
SONY Celebrity II MD-7000
SONY Celebrity Design by GIUGIARO

QUAD and Aliante Designed by Pininfarina

Pininfarina is an independent Italian car design firm with long established customers such as Alfa-Romeo, Peugeot, Fiat, Lancia and most notably Ferrari. 

The company has been also involved in loudspeaker design such as the QUAD Moda 2000 / Aliante Moda Pininfarina, Aliante One Pininfarina or the Aliante Linea Pininfarina.

QUAD MODA 2000 Pininfarina
loudspeaker
Aliante Moda Pininfarina
Aliante One Pininfarina
Aliante Linea Pininfarina

You might think that this is the end of the story, but it isn't.