A Thrift Store Stereo Shoppers Test Kit

Five Things to Carry When Shopping for A Thrift Store Stereo

There is one thing that every price tag at my local Goodwill store carries:  a disclaimer!  It reads:

This is a used appliance.  It is sold "AS-IS" with no Guarantee or Warranty Implied. 

The appliance disclaimer is why you should make every possible attempt to test out any appliance you buy before you buy it and walk out of the store.  Even when the price tag says "Tested," there is no guarantee that the appliance will work properly.  Commonly, I see that tested stereo equipment powers on and plays music.  But, there may be additional issues like Left-Right balance that don't quite work right.  It's enough to drive a guy to buy a brand new stereo receiver!

Still the bargain stereos in thrift stores draw me in like a moth to a flame.  Some of the old stereo equipment is just too cool.  Most of the time, I'm just browsing and--officially--I have sworn off buying any more old stereo receivers.  However, if I were to go to the thrift store for stereo buying purposes, I would like to bring a few useful things along.  This would be a thrift store stereo test kit:

1. Speaker Wire.  Two short 2-foot lengths of stereo speaker wire would allow me to hook up any available stereo speakers to a potential purchase.  Something like AmazonBasics Speaker Wire would suffice.

2. Headphone Jack Adapter.  A 6.35mm (1/4 inch) Male to 3.5mm(1/8 inch) Female Stereo Jack Adapter would allow me to plug a regular pair of earbuds into a stereo.

3. Earbuds.  A pair of earbuds (like these Sharper Image PIXIS earbuds) would allow me to listen to a stereo receiver using the aforementioned adapter.  They would also be small enough to fit in my pocket.

4. AUX Input Cable.  A 3.5 mm Male to RCA Male Stereo Y-plug adapter would allow me to pump music reliably from my smartphone into a stereo receiver.

5. FM Dipole Antenna.  Finally, it might be worth it to carry an FM dipole antenna.  However, that would add quite a bit of unwieldy bulk to the kit.

I would also recommend putting all of your gear into a pouch that is labeled with your name and even marking each piece of your gear with your initials in some manner.  That would minimize the risk that someone might think you were shoplifting.

Vintage Allegro Sound System by Zenith

Here's an interesting vintage sound system that I discovered in a local thrift store, but did not buy.  It's an Zenith Allegro Sound System.  It has everything a smooth operator from the 1970s might need including a record player, an 8-track player, and an AM/FM receiver.

As I've read up on this unit, I've found plenty of folks who actually have had pretty good luck with the Zenith Allegro.  It's not "high end" and it's not "audiophile" equipment, but it was made to sound nice in the living rooms of everyday Americans. If you are interested in the restoring speakers for a Zenith Allegro sound system, you'll find this blog post very informative.

For some reason, the logos and labels on this system remind me of Ricardo Montalban and the Chrysler Cordova with rich Corinthian leather.  But, perhaps, that is just a font thing.

Here are the state of the art controls.  The toggle power switch on this unit (far right above the equalizer) appears to be broken in the on position.

The turntable has an arm to allow for the stacking of multiple vinyl records.  I'm sure that the serious audiophiles never did this, but for kids in the 1970s, this was the multi-disc player.

Why I'm Giving Up On Thrift Store Stereo Receivers

I've had a lot of fun tinkering with cheap stereos from the thrift store.  I enjoy the electronics section of Goodwill Stores in my area.  It's fun to find new to me stereos and see if they work.  It's cool to get a stereo that once costs hundreds of dollars for a song.  However, I'm officially giving up on thrift store stereo receivers.

Why?  About half of the thrift store stereo receivers that I've bought have turned out to have hidden flaws or be short-lived in my custody.  I'll post breathlessly about my latest thrift store stereo receiver find, extol their virtues for all the internet to see, and then a few weeks later, I'll notice that one channel fades out intermittently or that one channel is weaker than the other.  It's very frustrating.  Just two weeks ago, I was really stoked about my Marantz receiver and now the balance is completely kaput with only one speaker working.  It happens and these electronics are old.

But...But...  I kow that right about now, an electronics hobbyist is getting ready to comment that these issues can be fixed.  If you visit audiokarma.org, you'll read of people who open up their stereos, deep clean circuit boards, test and replace resistors, and spray circuit boards with electrical contact spray to get better electrical connections.  I'm not in a position to do any of that stuff.  I don't have a workbench, a garage, a basement, or a convenient balcony to do that kind of work.  I haven't messed around with electronics since I had a Radio Shack 101 project kit in the early 1980s.  I do know that AC Power Supplies and capacitors can shock the crap out of you or even kill you.  Thus, I don't muck around under the hood of my electronics.

Here are a few of the items that have died since I've been doing this blog:

• Marantz PM-70/ST-70 - Left / Right Balance, Intermittent Channel
• Technics SA-222 - Broken Quartz Lock Feature
• Miida Vintage Reciever - Intermittent Channel
•  Panasonic RE-777 - Background Buzz
• Sony Boombox - Faint Buzz 

My New Sony STRDH-130 Stereo Receiver

What did I do to stop this endless processions of flawed stereo gear from getting to my home?  I bought a Sony Stereo Receiver.  It's the STRDH-130 2 channel stereo receiver and it retails for around $150 with smart shoppers paying quite a bit less.  I paid $99 at Best Buy.  Then I paid an extra $20 or so for a four year protection plan just in case I have ANY problems.  The latest receivers offer bluetooth connectivity as well.

Holiday Gift Ideas: The Onkyo TX-8020 A Great Basic Stereo

If giving the gift of a basic stereo this Christmas, I would consider the Onkyo TX-8020.  It's a 2-channel system capable of about 50 watts per channel which provides nice room-filling sound for most spaces.  Unlike some inexpensive systems, this one gets consistently great reviews.  I also know someone who was very happy using his in a backyard gazebo.  While it was sheltered from the elements in the rafters of the gazebo, the Gazebo Stereo survived changes in temperature and humidity.

Onkyo TX-8220 Stereo Receiver with Bluetooth

Compared to similar systems from Sherwood, Insignia, and Sony, this Onkyo model gets higher reviews on Amazon and simply seems much less problematic. While it's not a surround sound model, the Onkyo TX-8020 would be the perfect gift for a teenager or someone who simply wants a nice sounding receiver for music.

[As of 2024, the choice would be an Onkyo TX-8220 is available on Amazon.]

Holiday Gift Ideas: The Sangean WR-11 - A High Quality Radio

The basic AM/FM radio comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes.  Radios are also available at a variety of different price points.  When you have a cheap radio, you can really hear the poor quality.  It's reflected in the speakers, in the reception, in the ease of tuning.  Almost everyone listens to the radio, but radios are so commonplace that no one wants to pay the price for premium radio.  That's one reason premium radios make excellent gifts.  Premium radios are the kind of luxury that many people won't buy for themselves, but can really hear and feel when they receive a premium luxury radio as a gift.

Sangean WR-11 AM/FM Radio - Photo by Precog (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Sangean WR-11:  When it comes to premium radios, one name comes to mind for radio enthusiasts:  Sangean.  The Sangean WR-11 AM/FM table top radio is a deceptively simple mono radio set.  It has three knobs.  The first controls the volume.  The second selects the band or turns the radio off.  A final large knob is used for analog tuning of the radio.  The speaker is a 3-inch 7 watt speaker that provides excellent sound.  You can plug in headphones or a using an output jack or plug in an external source such as an MP3 player or Smartphone via an AUX input.

The Sangean WR-11 is an excellent radio for older adults as well due to the simple controls that are instantly familiar and easy to understand.  If you've ever made the mistake of buying a sophisticated piece of consumer electronics for a grandparent or older relative, you know how disappointing it can be to see it go unused.

While there are other premium radios in the market, I chose to highlight this one because of its quality.  The Sangean WR-11 is a premium radio that gets 5-star reviews from 70% of Amazon buyers.  People seem very satisfied with the sound, the reception, and the simplicity of the Sangean. You can find the 40th Anniversary Sangean WR-11 here on Amazon.

Sangean 40th Anniversary WR-11 (photo from Amazon)

Vintage Sears Solid-State Stereo for Less than $10

I recently ran across a very cool little stereo at my local Goodwill.  It was a vintage solid state stereo from Sears.  It had an all in one AM/FM receiver and turntable and two vintage speakers.  In truth, it isn't much of a stereo.  It's just a little bedroom stereo that kids from the early to mid-1970s probably had for entertainment.  However, in testament to this cheap little stereo, I hooked it up and the radio receiver worked just fine.

Vintage Sears Stereo

Of course, this stereo was pretty old school in its execution.  You have to manually dial in the station and a red light will glow if you are locked in.  But, the sound was okay from both speakers and the balance knob seemed to work just fine.  You had to play with the speaker wires to make sure that you had a good connection when plugging them in.  However, once it was plugged in the speakers put out decent enough sound.  Best of all, this little stereo was priced at just under $7.

Of course, I let this treasure remain on the shelf.  I don't have the room and it's not that great of a stereo.  However, it might be a find for a collector or for someone with a kid or a garage that needs music.  If you like the look of this system, but want something that is more modern in 2024, you might check out this retro system from Victrola.

Victrola 50s Retro Bluetooth Phonograph, CD, AM/FM Media Center

Why You Should Buy an Amazon Echo for Christmas

While everyone is rushing around hither and yon in search of awesome audio deals for Black Friday and Christmas, here is something that might be a truly great buy:  the Amazon Echo.

Amazon Echo Audio Capabilities

It can connect to all of your favorite music streaming services like Spotify, Pandora, iHeartRadio, Tunein, and the Amazon Music Streaming Service.  It has a 2.5-inch subwoofer with a reflex port and a 2-inch tweeter.  It has a dual antenna wi-fi connection for faster and smoother streaming.  It is controlled via voice command and it is managed via Smartphone App.  The Amazon Echo can hear commands and reply via an internal assistant named Alexa.

Amazon Echo - photo Frmorrison at English Wikipedia [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Amazon Echo Advantages

As much as I love my old stereo gear, if I was truly trying to be dirt cheap with audio, the Amazon Echo coupled with a variety of free or low cost music streaming services would be a winner.  Plus, there is only a single power cord to worry about.  If your spouse has ever fussed about stereo cables and speaker sizes and the general look of stereo equipment, the Amazon Echo might be a real peacekeeper in your household.

The advantages of an Amazon Echo include -

• Small footprint
• Access to multiple streaming services
• Lack of messy cords
• Ability to fit into any room decor
• Ability to work with home automation systems
• Ability to answer internet questions

While the Amazon Alexa will never have the sound quality demanded by audiophiles and will never provide the thrill of big ass basement shaking speakers, it has it's own unique features that are a revolutionary approach to the way we use the Internet and listen to music.  It can supplement or replace a wide variety of old school devices.  The internet of things is coming into your home and the Amazon Echo might just lead the way.  I think that the Amazon Echo might make a great Christmas gift. You can find Amazon Echo devices here.

Thrift Store Stereos: A Marantz Stereo for Less than $10

Today, the Marantz brand is synonymous with upper end of the home audio pack.  However, that has not always been the case.  When Marantz was making a name for itself, the brand was not always the top of the line.  Perhaps, that is why this tuner-amplifier combination was only $7.97 at my local Goodwill store.  I gave it a quick test with the speakers and wires on hand at the store and it didn't seem to have any obvious problems so it came home with me.  Today the Marantz brand is one of the most respected and priciest consumer electronics bands.

The amplifier / equalizer on my vintage stereo unit is labeled Marantz Stereo Amplifier PM-70.  The top portion is labeled Marantz Quartz Synthesized Stereo Tuner ST-70.  While they look like two separate components, this is actually a one piece integrated system.

About two weeks later, I added this Technics SL-PD847 Compact Disc Changer for only $16.91.  Thrift store CD players are always a crap shoot.  But, I tested this one thoroughly in the store and it seemed to work and it changed discs quietly.  It can hold 5 CDs and all the controls are accessible from the front of the unit. 
 

You'll also see an RCA Y-cable sticking out from beneath the CD player.  It lets me stream music from my phone through the receivers AUX port.  A T-shaped antenna brings in the FM radio signals.  I haven't bothered with an AM antenna yet.  However, I have several packed away in strange parts of my storage closet.  All in all, this humble system lets me get the music out and fills the room with pretty decent sound.  The complete system uses some Pioneer bookshelf speakers that I had on hand.  All together, it's a respectable system that sounds good for an amazingly low price. 

Thrift Store Speaker Encounter: Kenwood JL-870 Floorstanding 3-Way Speakers

Sometimes you find monster speakers in the most humble of settings.  For example, I found a pair of these Kenwood JL-870 Speakers at one of the junkiest Goodwill thrift stores in my area.  Each had a well-worn exterior and stood nearly waist high.  But, when I removed the dusty grills, the speakers themselves appeared to be in perfect condition.

A Vintage Kenwood JL-870 Speaker revealed

 I really wanted to buy these speakers right then and there.  They seemed to be the perfect antidote to rude downstairs neighbors with loud kids and strong, lingering, cooking odors.  But, I had to be mature.  I knew that these speakers would be more at home in a man cave deep in the bowels of a detached house in the country where they could sing at their loudest.  According to the back plate, these Kenwood speakers are 8 ohm units that can handle a maximum input power of a staggering 180 watts!  They'd be able to rumble my building with a low of 35 Hertz and a high of 20 kHz.  JL-870 speakers were also made in America.

Kenwood JL-870 Backplate

 I only found one Kenwood JL-870 review on AudioReview.com.  However, it seems like these speakers are good enough for most people.  Of course, audiophiles recommend spending more money and investing in more modern speakers from more exotic names.
 

Dusty Old Stereo Speakers Waiting for You at Goodwill

The most serious drawback I saw with these units is that they have particle board cabinets.  Unfortunately, that is not a material that stands up to the test of the time.  These speakers had some areas that were banged up and chipped along the back edge.  These cosmetic issues can be repaired, but you have to invest some time and elbow grease.

How to Save Space Storing Stereo Cables & Gear

If you like dorking around with old stereo systems and trying out new speakers and gear, you undoubtedly have a lot of extra stereo cables, speaker wire, and other assorted stereo gear stashed around your home.  But, here is the question:  Why?

Why do you need extra stereo connection cables?

You don't need any extra cables.  Stereo cables take up room in the closet, gearbox, stereo cabinet, or workshop.  You pay for space in your house or apartment every month.  When you get new gear, you can just order a new stereo cable shipped to your house.  For normal people with Amazon Prime, the cables are probably less than $10 and shipping can be free!

If you stash your stereo cables away in some special place in the back corner of your garage under some other stuff you might need, it can take you hours just to remember where you stashed the cables and dig them out.  It's frustrating!  Why do it when you can click, click, click, and get the cables in a day or two!  Even nice cables aren't overly expensive and they can come directly to your house.



Why store extra AM/FM dipole antenna?

You shouldn't store extra antennas.  You don't need extra dipole antennas.  You shouldn't store extra UHF antennas.  They end up in a tangled mess of wire. Antennas can simply come to your house when you need them.

You are much better off being streamlined, smooth, and ordering new cables and antennas when you need them.  The price on this 300 Ohm Dipole Antenna on Amazon is just perfect.

Thrift Store Speaker Encounter: Studio Monitor / Bookshelf Speakers

One of the best types of stereo speakers to find at your local thrift store is the studio monitor or bookshelf speaker.  These are the kinds of speakers that people often start out with when they build a small stereo system or a surround sound system.  After a few months or a few years, they decide to upgrade to bigger and bolder speakers.  As a result, the bookshelf speakers become available at a very low cost.

Polk Audio Monitor Series Speakers

For example, these highly regarded Polk Audio Monitor Series speakers were less than $20 per pair at my local Goodwill. 

$18.91 for two studio monitor series speakers - Wow!

If you look real close at the back of these speakers, they say that they are designed and manufactured right here in the U.S.A.  In this day and age, that's a YUGE plus!

New stereo monitor speakers from JBL run quite a bit more.  But, they are professional equipment!

Dirt Cheap Audio Review: Insignia CD Boombox with AM/FM Radio

This compact radio / CD Player combination from Insignia is the go to sound system in my home office.  According to Best Buy, this is a CD Boombox with AM/FM Radio (Model NS-BBTCD01).  However, it is pretty slick for a boombox.  To me, it looks like a modern table-top radio.  The unit has Bluetooth connectivity, a USB input, and accepts an auxiliary input via a male-to-male 3.5mm AUX connection cable.  The CD player is a top mounted unit that you simply push to open and lay the CD in.  The radio antenna is retractable and easy to access.  Overall, the unit is sleek, provides decent sound, and is a budget-friendly alternative to a Bose radio.

The design of this Insignia product is a strong feature.  It looks like a modern piece of electronics and it fits in with sleek minimalist design principles.  It simply doesn't look like a boombox.  However, it has a carry handle that folds down into the body and is not noticeable for everyday use.  When I flip it over, I see that it has a battery bay for six C-size batteries.  As a "boombox," some Best Buy reviewers find it a little short on bass and boom.  It's really meant for use within a single room or office.  It does have pre-set equalization settings for Flat, Jazz, Pop, Classical, and Rock music.  A sound button on the left just below the bluetooth symbol cycles through them easily.

When considered as a conventional radio, the only drawback to this product is that it isn't designed as a full-fledged alarm clock.  There is no clock functionality.  The LCD display is bright when the unit is turned on and playing a CD and it seems like it would have been a no brainer to add a clock, alarm, and snooze button.

I bought this Insignia radio at a thrift store for about $20.  New, it is still available for $59 at BestBuy online.  Even at that price, I would consider it money well spent.  If you are looking for a nice simple radio and CD player for an older relative, I would also consider this to be a good choice. Another nice Bose alternative might be a bookshelf stereo system. They have been getting smaller and more compact.

Thrift Store Stereo Find: Realistic Clarinette 104 Compact Stereo

I recently came across an interesting find at a local Goodwill.  It's a Realistic Clarinette 104.  It's a portable stereo from 1974.  It has a cassette tape deck, a phonograph, and an AM/FM tuner built in.  It's a pretty simple stereo.

Apparently Realistic (the Radio Shack stereo brand) continued to make various versions of the Clarinette up through the mid-1980s.  Here is a look at the dusty turntable on this thrift store unit.  If you ever need a needle for an old unit like this, check turntableneedles.com.

Ultimately, I didn't buy this old stereo because it stayed powered up even when I turned off the power switch.  When it comes to old electronic gear, you have to be cool about fire safety.  Plus, this has no CD player and it is fairly bulky for an old stereo.  Here is a clip from Youtube from a guy who was putting his grandmother's old stereo through its paces.

Old systems are always intriguing.  With a modern portable stereo, you can connect all sorts of modern devices using bluetooth, but vintage stereos take you away to another time.

Thrift Store Stereo Review: Sony Boombox Stereo [CFD-Z130]

Since we were planning a move, we paired down the amount of stereo equipment in our apartment.  We packed away our best speakers and sold old speakers that weren't needed.  But, after all that, we renewed our lease after all and found ourselves in a pretty quiet apartment.  I decided to change that by investing all of $8.88 in this little portable stereo boombox.  It's model CFD-Z130 and it comes with a top loading single disc CD player, a manually tuned AM/FM receiver, and detachable speakers.

Sony Boombox Stereo (Model CFD-Z130)

It's a small 20 Watt system that could even run on batteries in a pinch.  But, it makes for a good little bedroom system.  The tape deck doesn't work, but that is no great loss as we no longer have any cassette tapes.  The biggest drawback is that it doesn't have an external input for a phone.  Hence, the $9 price tag.  However, the CD player runs like a champ and the speakers sound good.  Looking through the grills, the speakers appear to be in great shape.

Overall, this system is a typical Goodwill Stereo find.  Since it is a Sony, I expect it to be a basically competent little system. I've got to clean it up a bit, but I generally expect it to last for awhile and provide a basic little stereo for a bedroom.

[Note:  After a few days, I noticed a slight buzz from this unit when the unit was off.  I'm not sure what the buzz was, but I suspect it was some sort of short.  In the interest of fire safety, I disposed of this piece of gear and replaced it with an inexpensive Marantz stereo unit.


For something a little more upscale, I'd consider the Philips Bluetooth Stereo System since it is a 60 Watt system with Bluetooth.

Speaker Encounter: JVC SK-S44 3-Way Speakers

Big Stereo Speakers Lurk in Thrift Stores 

If you are looking for big sound from your stereo system, big stereo speakers are still available at your local thrift store. It may take some hunting and there may not be big stereo speakers every week, but they do surface regularly. I spotted a pair of JVC SK-S44 3-Way Speakers at a North Georgia Goodwill about a week ago. Unfortunately, I'm getting ready to move across town again and adding anything heavy to our load is out of the question.

The lucky buyer will find that these JVC speakers can handle up to 120 watts, are set up for 8-ohms impedance, and have a frequency range of 35hz to 20kHz.  While purists may scoff (and they do in this Audiokarma thread), these bad boys would probably rock in the right basement.
  

JVC SK-S44 3-Way Speakers

The foam surrounds for each speaker looked good and the grills were dirty but otherwise intact.  To me, these JVC speakers looked like a great deal for $25.  For more specs, the folks as HiFiEngine have an SK-S44 spec page and download.

Alternatives to Antique Radios: Crosley Vintage-Style Radios

There is something nice about a radio that looks like furniture and fits into the overall decor of a living room or bedroom.  Many people want music to contribute to a soothing ambience of a living space and find that the typical black plastic stereo with dancing LED lights doesn't fit their tastes.

Old Radio Set at the museum Terug in de Tijd, Horn, The Netherlands - Photo By Alf van Beem (Own work) [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons

Serious radio hobbyists hunt down vintage radios and restore them.  However, that takes a familiarity with electronics and the safe restoration of vintage electronics.  Unfortunately, it's not for the faint of heart.  It's also another hobby that is really best conducted with access to a garage, a work bench, and a well ventilated area.

An alternative to restoring an old radio is to by a new radio with retro styling.  Over the years, I've found that the Crosley company makes some really nice retro radios.  I've listened to many of them at Target and my father has a nice Crosley retro unit with a CD and a record player built in.  Modern users will be glad to note that it does have an auxiliary input jack to allow music streaming devices to be attached.


The Crosley CR31-WA has a traditional cathedral cabinet and a powerful speaker.  It consistently gets 4 out of 5 stars in over 180 Amazon reviews.


The radio stands about 11 inches high and is 9 inches wide.  The cabinet is five inches deep.  That makes it ideal for use on a bookshelf or on top of a dresser or night stand.  However, modern users may be put off by the lack of a external input jack for connections to external devices such as cell phones, tablets, laptops and other streaming music sources.





Either of these radios might make a great Father's Day gift. 

Pioneer SX-60 Computer Controlled Stereo Receiver

Pioneer Thrift Store Find

I recently came across this old Pioneer SX-60 Stereo receiver at a local Goodwill for just $6.  It powered up, but I didn't have speakers, wires, headphones, or any other means of testing it.  One push button for "Subsonic" was missing from the front as well.  That being said, I really should have bought this neat looking little unit.

Pioneer SX-60 Receiver

Pioneer SX-60 Receiver Specs

According to HiFiEngine, this was an 80 watt per channel, 8-ohm speaker, receiver.  According to the backplate, it can handle speakers with impedance from 6 Ohms to 16 Ohms.  The front controls are super simple with buttons for Video, CD/Aux, AM, FM, and Phono.

Pioneer SX-60 Receiver Reviews

While the audiophiles over on AudioKarma.org derisively refer to the SX-60 as an example of "Pioneer Plastic" from the 1980s, there are no complaints about sound quality at all.  Actual owners seem happy with the sound and the super low bargain price. 

Pioneer SX-60 Backplate

If you are looking for an inexpensive entry into dirt cheap audio, a Pioneer SX-60 might be an attractive option. At least, you'd get a nice silver face.

Pioneer SX-60 Receiver Manuals

If you are looking for a Pioneer SX-60 service manual, elektrotanya.com has one here.  The HiFiEngine has the user manual.

Vintage Speaker Encounter: Scott SP1412 Floor Standing Speakers

Once you decide to be a sane human being, a responsible married man, and good neighbor in an apartment complex, huge speakers show up everywhere. For example, I recently ran into these big Scott SP1412 Floor Standing Speakers.

 

They were a tad ratty and would need new surrounds and new grill cloth for sure.  But, they might not have been a bad buy for the $20 or $30 that Goodwill was asking.  Fortunately, speaker grill cloth isn't too expensive for hobbyists to buy on Amazon.



Pardon the dust, but people back the grills we must.  These Scott speakers do look bad ass in a very vintage way.

These speakers also need new surround foam.  Generally speaker refoam kits are also not too expensive on Amazon. It's just a matter of patiently giving the old speakers the TLC that they need.  Since they are 8-ohm impedance speakers, they should easily work with one of my stereo receivers.

My Thrifty Stereo: Evolving A Small Stereo System

With our recent move, my stereo setup has evolved significantly.  It's shrinking.  We're down to just two components:  a receiver and a DVD player.  

 

Stereo Components That Disappeared

 

Where did it all go? We donated the vinyl, the record player, the tape deck, and our super huge speakers before the move.  Our CD player simply  disappeared.  We suspect that our movers stole it.  My Insignia multi-CD changer was one of the few components that I bought new.  My big Technics receiver didn't take the move well and started acting up.  Crazy huh?

 

Current Stereo Configuration

 

But, new technologies and configurations are now in play.  Our stereo now sits in our office between two computers.  We've also discovered streaming audio from Amazon Prime on my smartphone.  My wife prefers to watch music videos on Youtube.  All of this can be piped into the receiver via a simple Y-cable.

The humble Technics SA-160 receiver works very well in a small space.  I have it connected to a pair of JBL N24 Northridge bookshelf speakers.  An aging DVD player serves as a CD player.  Playing CD's one at a time seems sufficient for now.

 

The Future of Our Stereo

 

What's next?  I do want to get a newer CD player at some point.  However, other components can wait.  I don't see getting back into vinyl any time soon.  We're thinking compact.  I would like to get a streamlined compact antenna and avoid the messy wire T antenna.  I would also like to get a component that is dedicated to streaming music well.  It should be an interesting evolution.

Vintage Speaker Encounter: BSR DR-1550R Five-Way Floorstanding Speakers

Do I want to undertake a restoration project?  It's the question I asked myself when I found a set of big BSR DR-1550R Five-Way Floor Standing Stereo Speakers at Goodwill.

These 150 watt monsters needed some new surrounds.  But the cabinets and grills looked good.  With a little TLC, they might turn out to be great speakers, but they aren't particularly practical for apartment life.

According to this thread on Audiokarma.org, these speakers aren't really audiophile models, but they are loud.  With up firing tweeters, they are an interesting design for sure.  While audiophiles might scoff at them, plenty of regular folks have been pleased by these sorts of speakers.  Plus, 15-inch woofers don't grow on trees.

Ultimately, I left these for someone else to find, chrerish and restore.  For those about to rock, we salute you.

Tiny House Home Audio: Stereo Speaker Options for Small Spaces

A tiny house offers some interesting options for home audio. In a traditional house a stereo could be set up in any of several rooms with many different acoustic qualities.  In such a case, the flexibility of floor-standing speakers and a moveable stereo cabinets makes sense.  However, in a tiny house, designers and architects can know exactly which rooms will be listening spaces before the house is built.  Since floor space is at a premium, a traditional stereo cabinet and floor-standing speakers would be intrusive.  Since the stereo will be entertaining in a small space, speakers don't have to be huge or super powerful.

Tiny House in Portland, Oregon. Photo By Tammy (Weekend with Dee) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

In a tiny house, it makes sense to plan for home audio in the design phase of the project.  For example, in a tiny house, it is easy to envision three distinct listening spaces:  the living room, the sleeping loft, and the outside.  Speakers can be built into the tiny house during construction to optimize the listening experience and minimize space requirements.

Inside a Tiny House - Photo By Tammy (Weekend with Dee) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

In-Wall Speakers for Tiny Houses

There are many options for speakers that would work well in a tiny house.  One of the most practical options has to be in-wall speakers. These speakers typically have white grills and are made to be built right into walls.  On Amazon, they range in price with low cost makers like Pyle and Micca leading the way and well-respected higher cost brands like Polk Audio being well represented in the mix.  If you don't have white walls, you may be able to spray paint the speaker grills in a color that is more suitable to your tiny home's pallet.

Bookshelf Speakers for Tiny Houses

Alternatively, many book shelf speakers are also mountable on walls or on beams within a tiny home.   Most bookshelf speakers are actually small enough to fit unobtrusively on bookshelves or even fireplace mantles. The key is to get speakers that provide sound quality that will be pleasant and that will enrich your life. You can almost always find dirt cheap bookshelf speakers at your local thrift store. However, if you want new and dust free, there are some inexpensive options on Amazon.

Outdoor Speakers for Tiny Houses

When you commit to the tiny house lifestyle, you are committing to spending much of your actual living time outside.  When the weather is pleasant, there is no reason not to cook outdoors, enjoy the front porch, or dine at a nearby picnic table.  When you do, there is no reason that music can't be part of your experience.  Weatherproof speakers could be mounted on the exterior of a home to provide music on a porch or adjacent picnic area.  Some varieties of all weather speakers can be pointed to provide the sound stage where outdoor listeners will enjoy it most.

Bluetooth Speakers for Tiny Houses

Finally, don't forget bluetooth wireless stereo speakers While many audiophiles turn their noses up at wireless speakers, they are improving all the time.  In transitioning to a small space, it's quite likely that you will already have digitized your music library into MP3 files or that you will use a streaming audio service.  Records, CDs, and cassettes take up valuable space.  Streaming audio and bluetooth connectivity may be the perfect combination for a tiny home.

Amazon Tap

Finally, when it comes to music, tiny house dwellers may be able to go without a full-sized stereo, without a laptop, and without a tablet.  Intelligent new devices like Amazon Echo combine a nice sounding speaker and a voice-enabled device.  By simply typing the device and asking via voice, listeners can get music from Amazon Prime Music, Pandora, Spotify, iHeartRadio, or TuneIn.  It uses Amazon's Alexa technology in a very small package.

It's fun to imagine how life will change, improve, and simplify in a tiny house.  When you downsize to a small space, lots of big options open up.