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!