In article , =A4NoSuchThing
says...
In a round about way, what one is used to, one accepts as normal or=20
desirable. Take cardboard bacon for example. In an attempt to frustrate=
=20
my heirs, I endeavor to live as long as possible. Filling my veins with=
=20
fat and cholesterol is an assured way of prematurely passing my estate to=
=20
my heirs. (This is meant to be funny, especially since I have no estate=
=20
to speak of). Not filling them is a way stave off their possession of my=
=20
property.
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In order not to fill my veins with fat and cholesterol, I eat artificial=
=20
bacon. It's made from vegetable proteins, and, in the case of the sausage=
=20
links and patties, the ingredients state that they use "textured=20
vegetable protein". =20
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When I first began eating this stuff, especially the bacon, I would tell=
=20
my wife that it was like eating cardboard, striped red cardboard. But=20
since then, I have come to like it quite a bit, especially when it is=20
cooked correctly.=20
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This brings us to the topic of modern electronics. Years ago, there was=
=20
Olson's Electronics, Lafayette, Radio Shack, and others. They sometimes=
=20
sold exotic stuff. I have an FM receiver, made in England, a Ferguson=20
3426. It's unique, so unique that I can't even find a picture of it=20
online to show you. I bought it at Olson's, supposedly originally $300,=
=20
but as a close out item, being the nature of many of the items sold=20
there, $99. I have had it for 35 years.=20
=20
During that time, (1970s), there was a plethora of models available. A=20
friend of mine had a Voxxon (spelling?), I believe it was made in Italy,=
=20
and had LW, MW, and SW reception, and FM stereo. My Ferguson is 3.5=20
inches tall, 10 inches deep, and about 20 inches wide. His Voxxon was at=
=20
least as wide as mine, probably 5.5 inches tall, and very shallow in=20
depth. They looked different. Mine has a nice finished wood case, his I=
=20
don't remember.
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During that time, I had owned a variety other receivers, Technics for=20
one. Though it was not remote controlled, it was colorful. The use of LED=
=20
and Fiber Optic type devices were just coming into vogue. The Technics=20
also had a nice wood case. It was as enjoyable to look at as it was to=20
listen to. I still have an Onkyo 3 Head Cassette Deck, nice blue=20
fluorescent display that peaks in red colors. Sometimes I listen to=20
cassette tapes just to look at the display.
=20
I realize that there are a lot of compact style stereos today that put on=
=20
quite a light display, but I have always owned component systems. Today's=
=20
component systems are no fun at all. I hang my head in shame as I admit=
=20
that I own a Sony AV Stereo Receiver, works great, but it looks like an=
=20
aluminum block with controls. The display is minimal, and using it is not=
=20
inspiring at all. The same with my DVD player, methodically counting=20
down, or up, or counting something or other, but nothing to look at.=20
=20
We then come to the most boring thing of all (besides this post), LCD=20
displays. They are the cardboard bacon strips of the electronic world. I=
=20
do wish that they would publicly punish the man/woman that invented this=
=20
display.=20
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Sure, low current consumption is the biggest virtue, as well as high=20
visibility in bright light, but their prevalence in electronic equipment=
=20
is largely due to low costs (yes yes, also low noise for HAM and SLWers)=
=20
Common folks, does the display of the Icom R-75, Yaesu FGR-100, or any=20
other radio get any more boring. The tabletop radios have the ability to=
=20
power more dynamic displays, even color LCDs if they must, but enough is=
=20
enough with the boring electronics of the 21st Century.=20
=20
I wish I could find diversity in electronics, I have scoured the internet=
=20
looking for European models of Stereo and other electronic equipment=20
significantly different from what we have. But no luck, the same boring=
=20
"made in China" stuff that we have been told is so great.=20
=20
Look at the high priced Icom and Yaesu radios, they don't saddle their=20
owners with boring LCD displays, why should we be.=20
=20
http://www.vintagetechnics.com/menu.htm Look at the progression of=20
Technics Stereo designs. From beautiful to the black boxes that they=20
foist on us today.=20
=20
http://www.vintagetechnics.com/receivers/sa616.htm=20
http://www.vintagetechnics.com/receivers/sa505.htm=20
http://www.vintagetechnics.com/receivers.htm=20
=20
http://www.classicaudio.com/
=20
Look at the lights and the Nixie Tube clocks, links available from this=
=20
page:
http://www.redremote.co.uk/electricstuff/
http://www.electricstuff.co.uk/count.html
http://www.electricstuff.co.uk/mikesclocks.html
http://www.electricstuff.co.uk/neonlamp.html see the Neon Flowers.
=20
That's really why I use Ham Radio Deluxe to control my Icom R-75, the=20
colors are customizable, the screen is large, it's fun to use.
=20
Oh, and my Sony and related equipment, the tiniest drop out in the power=
=20
yields a moment of silence from the equipment. But the Ferguson, circa=20
1970 technology, has capacitors the size that you would expect to see on=
=20
some electric motors, cylindrical, manly. You can actually play the=20
radio, at modest volume, through the speakers, grab the plug, pull from=
=20
the receptacle, and the volume doesn't drop for 3 to 5 seconds. You can=
=20
try to do this with the Sony at modest volume, and it cuts out.
=20
My Sony, a high wattage receiver, has the admonition that if the sides of=
=20
the receiver become VERY hot, do not touch it. No kidding!
=20
Dr. Artaud=20
=20

I had this one for almost 25 years, a friend has it now, running the=20
power amp only for the rear surround channels:

Panasonic SA-6500 am/fm receiver (No PIC damnit!)

I bought and then sold a whole bunch more of these. I could get them for=20
$212 each, plus $5 UPS shipping. I sold about a dozen during my freshman=20
year of=20

It was built like a tank, the chassis was almost totally solid aluminum,=20
and what wasn't was sheet steel. It had the Panasonic name on the front,=20
but the whole insides were labeled "Technics, by Panasonic". The only=20
weak thing it had was the sliders for volume, tone, and balance. They=20
started getting scratchy about 1983 when it was 10, and got intolerable=20
a couple years later. I couldn't find those slider pots anywhere.=20

The green "thermometer" tuning indicator was nice to look at too. =20

I bought a very similar model to this tape deck, except it had sliders=20
for the levels and had some primitive mixing controls on it too. It was=20
also labeled "Panasonic", but said Technics all over the inside of it.=20
It was as tough as the 6500 and the only reason I retired it was that=20
the head was worn out on it, and the takeup reel motor was getting tired=20
after 25 years,and finding another one to donate one wasn't possible. An=20
Onkyo auto- reverse with really neat fluorescent display replaced it=20
about 7 years ago. Funny how the sliders on the tape deck never got all=20
scratchy, but the receiver's did.

http://www.vintagetechnics.com/tapedecks/rs279us.htm It was 99 bucks=20
when they closed them out..whata deal!

Had one of these for a while, got zapped by lightning:

http://www.vintagetechnics.com/tapedecks/rs676us.htm Insides appear to=20
be much like the above one.

Still have one of these, sitting right next to me now..still works=20
great:

http://www.vintagetechnics.com/tapedecks/rsm45.htm

Had one of these, got stolen from a friend's house, he gave me the money=20
for the RSM45..

http://www.vintagetechnics.com/tapedecks/rsm24.htm

A friend had one of these monsters:

http://www.vintagetechnics.com/receivers/sa1000.htm

What a tank!

And he got one of these a few years later, in silver though. I only saw=20
black ones except for his:

http://www.vintagetechnics.com/cdplayers/slp1200.htm

Another friend got one of these for xmas, his GF broke up with him soon=20
after, and he gave it back to her, but let her keep the bracelet he=20
bought her:

http://www.vintagetechnics.com/cdplayers/slp2.htm

It ran very very hot.

He still has this reel to reel and it looks brand new:

http://www.vintagetechnics.com/tapedecks/rs1030us.htm

Great page!


BDK