17 November 2015

CLASSIC minis - part 1


AIWA M-501 1981 
Shown units: RC-R300 remote control receiver, SA-C50 preamplifier, SA-P50 power amplifier,  MT-50 audio programtimer, ST-R50 stereo tuner, SD-L50 stereo cassette deck

AIWA M-501 1981
AIWA M-501 1981

AKAI UC-5 1980 
Shown units: SW-N5 loudspeaker, UC-F5 stereo cassette deck, UC-W5 power amplifier, UC-A5 preamplifier, UC -S5 stereo tuner, RC-5 remote control receiver

AKAI UC-5 1980
AKAI UC-5 1980 

Aurex / TOSHIBA system 15 1980
Shown units: SC-M15 power amplifier, SY-C15 preamplifier, ST-f15 stereo tuner, PC-D15 stereo cassette deck

Aurex / TOSHIBA system 15 1980
Aurex / TOSHIBA system 15 1980

MITSUBISHI  micro HiFi 1980
Shown units: M-P01 preamplifier, M-A01 power amplifier, M-F01 stereo tuner, M-T01 stereo cassette deck

MITSUBISHI  micro HiFi 1980
MITSUBISHI  micro HiFi 1980
PHILIPS mini 109 1980
Shown units: N 5581 stereo cassette deck, AH 109 T stereo tuner, 209 SA preamplifier, 309 PA power amplifier

PHILIPS mini 109 1980
PHILIPS mini 109 1980

TELEFUNKEN M 1 1981
Shown units: TELEFUNKEN MT 1 stereo tuner, MA 1 amplifier, MC 1 stereo cassette deck

TELEFUNKEN M 1 1981
TELEFUNKEN M 1 1981

WEGA MODUL 42 1978
Shown units: WEGA ADC-2 acoustic dimension controler, MODUL 42V amplifier, MODUL 42T stereo tuner, MODUL 42C stereo cassette deck, MODUL 42P turntable

WEGA MODUL 42 1978
WEGA MODUL 42 1978









13 November 2015

The VU meter

The VU meter

A volume unit (VU) meter is a device found in analog recording equipment displaying a representation of the signal level. In more modern equipment there were peak meters usually made up of a series of LED or fluorescent displays to indicate the highest output level at any instant.  They are used during recording to an analog tape or cassette to set the maximum recording level without distorting the signal. 

As a general rule you have to set the recording in such a manner that the loudest part of music does not exceed the 0 VU (100%) marking on the meter. That's when it enters the red area where the music might get distorted. There are a few exceptions however where you can push the level into the red zone when using Type II or Type IV tape in a compact cassette. Here are some examples of various VU meters found on some of the recorders found in our collection:

FISHER CR-4150 (aka SANYO RD-880)

TASCAM 112B VU
TASCAM 112B - The Classic

SIEMENS RC 555 display
SIEMENS RC 555

FG PROFI RECORDER 306
FG PROFI RECORDER 306

AIWA AD-F660
AIWA AD-F660 using a Type II cassette

JVC PC-D5L
JVC PC-D5L - basic on a portable unit

WEGA C120
WEGA C120 - a SONY in disguise 

YAMAHA K-540
YAMAHA K-540

Lenco Italia MC 70
Lenco Italia MC 70

GOLDSTAR GSK-1100
GOLDSTAR GSK-1100

TELEFUNKEN HC 750M
TELEFUNKEN HC 750M

PIONEER CT-F850
PIONEER CT-F850

PIONEER CT-S88R
PIONEER CT-S88R - a programable cassette deck 

JVC KD-V35 spectro
JVC KD-V35 - with added spectrum analyzer

You can see detailed description of each presented unit here.














12 November 2015

BRIONVEGA ZER0/1



This project was born out of the desire to combine a classic audio product, the turntable, with all the new technologies to create a Hi-Fi system that can reproduce any audio format.

BRIONVEGA ZER0/1
BRIONVEGA ZER0/1

The result is the BRIONVEGA ZER0/1 a Hi-Fi system that incorporates a tangential turntable and a series of modern digital audio compatible formats such as: CD, DVD, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB. The system can be remote controlled via a front panel integrated touch screen remote control. The BRIONVEGA ZER0/1 is the work of Roberto Strippoli and Francesco Cugusi.

BRIONVEGA ZER0/1
Tangential turntable

BRIONVEGA ZER0/1
Top view

BRIONVEGA ZER0/1
Touchscreen remote

BRIONVEGA ZER0/1
BRIONVEGA ZER0/1

This is however only a prototype. For more TURNTABLE see here and for more CD see here





08 November 2015

Vertical CD player (part 3 TOSHIBA)


Part 3 of our series dedicated to first generation vertical CD players from 1982-1984 continues with the TOSHIBA based models. Originally created by TOSHIBA as model XR-Z90 this player was also available in Japan as Aurex XR-Z90. As a leader in CD audio technology this unit was sold as rebadged units as well. These were the KENWOOD L-03DP, LUXMAN DX-104 and the Alpine AD-7100.

TOSHIBA XR-Z90




TOSHIBA XR-Z90

AUREX XR-Z90
AUREX XR-Z90

KENWOOD L-03DP 1982
KENWOOD L-03DP 1982

LUXMAN DX-104 1983
LUXMAN DX-104 1983

Alpine AD-7100 1984
Alpine AD-7100 1984

Continue reading: Part 1   Part 2   More CD