AIWA SYSTEM 22 - Micro HiFi from 1979

Micro systems were mass-consumer HiFi's last stand.
But they were around a lot longer than some might think.
I look at an early Micro HiFi and explain why it might be wise to pick something else.
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[@sw6188]

I'm an electronics technician and I've been working on units like this since the late 1970s - around the time these systems were brand new! Consequently I have a lot of experience working on them and I'd be able to sort out all the little issues these have in short order. I also have access to a wide range of parts, the likes of what were used in these machines so repairs generally aren't a problem. It would be unusual to get a system like this today which didn't have some kind of fault. By now, most of these units are 30+ years old and things wear out, belts perish or harden, capacitors and other parts need replacing and anything mechanical will need some cleaning, alignment and lubrication. The beauty however is that these machines were made to be repaired by human hands, unlike most of the modern stuff which is now made by robots in factories and designed in such a way that they're not able to be worked on, even if you can get the parts.

[@mikemidulster]

I'm also an electronics technician since the 70s and worked on this stuff too. As Technomoan says, unless you can work on one of these yourself it's really not economically viable to buy one, as the amount of hours required to make a system like this work like it should, would make it a very expensive purchase in the end. I was never attracted to these micro systems as the small speakers let down the rest of the system.

[@BrennanYoung]

set up a youtube channel!

[@sw6188]

@@BrennanYoung I've thought about it but it doesn't interest me. I prefer just to focus on repairing people's equipment and bringing things back to life.

[@artsimannisto5659]

Way cool answer. That is a fact. Human hand. Human design,human overhaul. It is like Art,even. When push play,▶ we hear sweet hifisound from friends audiogear,we know instantly,he loves thy deck,player. Something To maintain,keep clean,demag, aligment and so on. To discuss about,compare. Analog world is a world on its own.

[@a.vanwijk2268]

In the early nineties I was given a non-functioning Uher microsystem. It featured a power supply that worked at 25 kHz. I tried, put some new components in, but it was over my repairing skills, unfortunately. It wasn't the one shown, though.

[@mIRChele]

That tape player wasn't broken. It was a feature to play copyrighted material without getting a strike on KZbin

[@jamesbennettmusic]

KZbin Cassette Shorts

[@alexeveryman5080]

Aiwa was way ahead of their time.

[@ulischmidt03]

yeah, that was a big problem in the 80s, fortunately we don’t have to worry about that nowadays

[@Mizai]

lmao

[@dtracy03ss]

Guarantee the Cassette belts are Bad!

[@tyrgoossens]

"These things are getting on in years and might not work reliably." As someone born in 79, I really felt that.

[@life5161]

I hear ya!! 😂 Born in 80

[@paulperry7091]

Born in 1947. This stuff looks unimaginably futuristic to me.

[@dougodyssey50]

Me too. My legs hurt.

[@grumpyoldwizard]

I miss the era of the stereo. Walking into one of the stores that specialized in audio and checking out the systems was a real treat. You could almost be hypnotized by all the flashing lights! Thanks for the memories.

[@PapiDoesIt]

When I was a young Army private I used to go to the shops to daydream about the latest stereo offerings from Japan, back in the early 80s. As I didn't make much money, it took me about 18 months to save up for a proper stereo system. Things were definitely built with looks in mind as well as sound output back then.

[@Gadgetonomy]

Nothing says Techmoan like a 'wow and flutter' test! Enjoyed this video and now looking forward to the next in the series.

[@MisterAnderson91]

Maybe Mat should play the "ohhhh yeeaahhhh" music whenever the wow and flutter meter makes and appearance.

[@skylined5534]

"Wow, flutter!"

[@andreasu.3546]

Wowed and flattered.

[@Safetytrousers]

You don't get a wow and flutter machine not to use it.

[@LastofAvari]

Wow and Flutter sounds like a codename for some secret military operation.

[@ciaronbourkendy]

What a gorgeous looking system. The Japanese hifi designers really deserve all the pints for the stuff they came up with in the 60s/70s/80s. !

[@benitomgomez3290]

Indeed so.! 😎

[@AWLor0]

The speakers don't look gorgeous at all. And those grab handles take up space without being of much utility.

[@madcrowmaxwell]

The speakers look fine to me. And the grab handles are essential because it was intended as a rack mount system. They really don't do consumer electronics this nice anymore. Honestly, I think that there's room for a high-end discrete component micro system like this even today, but it would cost a LOT of money.

[@herrkampf473]

​@@AWLor0 The handles are very important for rack mounted units like this.

[@edc1569]

🍻 enjoy your pints guys 🍺

[@ueiku-kobo]

This AIWA Microsystem power amplifier S-P22 (Japanese original version) has a BTL function. My channel uses two S-P22 BTL settings to test a number of AIWA speakers. Please take a look if you like.

[@ColorraII]

AIWA S-P22 Dual Monaural is Powerful, Clear, Small, and Beautiful!!

[@madgebishop5409]

the sight of a TDK D90 tape always fills me with late 90's nostalgia

[@garyt.8745]

And myself with early 80's nostalgia 😂

[@Tim091]

SA90s for me all the way!

[@madgebishop5409]

@@Tim091 fancy pants!

[@pseudotasuki]

The 22 probably refers to the spacing on the rack bolts, as that's ultimately what determines compatibility.

[@discopants68]

Good call. Will probably induce a headslapper moment for Mat.

[@garyt.8745]

You get like for the idea, but I just measured mine and its 23.6cm from the outside of each 'handle' to 'handle'. They don't actually have bolt holes, just a removable rack handle. Distance from the centre of each handle is about 22.8cm

[@Stoney3K]

Makes me wonder if AIWA also provided 'flat' rack ears which accepted screws, for mounting in the flight-case style of cabinet.

[@herbertweixelbaum]

22 might be the depth of the unit(s).

[@garyt.8745]

@herbert weixelbaum Height is 71-72mm. The Power amp is a tad taller at 72mm. Depth is _very_ variable, again the Power amp in the deepest, at 24cm, the Preamp is only 17.5cm. The Radio, without the AM antenna is about 17cm.

[@alexjohnward]

AIWA made solid equipment, and LOUD!

[@paulrandall7939]

Agreed, I Remember My nan brought an Aiwa mini separates. Around 1991 . the sound quality was amazing.

[@Bob.martens]

Best walkman I ever owned was Aiwa.

[@john_barnett]

this screams "good coffee, and HOT" vibes

[@thesushifiend]

Aiwa. That means “yes” in Arabic!

[@user-hk8jr1ml3m]

私、所有してました。40年以上前に大阪日本橋で安く売ってもらいました。ギターの練習するのにカセットデッキ、止めたり、巻き戻したり、先送りしたりガチャガチャしてたらつぶれてしまいましたが、すごく良い出来のコンポでした。懐かしい。

[@wbfaulk]

As for the "22", it's designed like rack-mount equipment, and racks are often specified by a non-obvious dimension. While the setup you have doesn't hold the units in place with screws, that flight case at 3:18 makes me think it was an option, so it might be that the 22 is the distance between screw holes, maybe on-center?

[@rolfs2165]

Yup, that might very well be the case. The width from the left edge of the left ear to the right edge of the case looks to be 22cm, so if the screws are centered on the ears, that'd be it.

[@osgeld]

every real rack system I have ever worked on is 19 inches wide and height is specified in units, 1U = 1.75 inches, 4U = (1.75*4) 7 inches

[@caddelworth]

@@osgeld Yes, for pro- or semi-pro units designed to fit a standard rack in a studio or flight case, 19" and the "U" system for heights is standard. But here, we're talking a consumer-grade hi-fi system that was designed to _look like_ a set of pro-grade rack-mount units. Many home hi-fi systems of that era (and later) were designed that way, but in fact most of them weren't really separate units at all. Sony were particularly guilty of making systems that were actualy a good old "single unit" internally, but disguised to look like separates.

[@tad2021]

22 might be the rack width. If the ears had mounting holes, they would likely be 22cm on centers.

[@alasdair4161]

I thought the same. I made a set of rack ears for my first CD player that were oversized to fit (19") and it looked factory original as I used similar anodised aluminium.

[@pseudotasuki]

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. The distance between the bolts is what determines compatibility.

[@patricklepoutre]

Standard professional rack hardware for music synth and even server computer is 19 inches. 22 cm is a nice width to put 2 of them side to side (half rack)

[@wbfaulk]

​@@patricklepoutre19" racks have 17¾" of free space between the rails. Mat said that these cases are 20.5cm wide, which would put two of these at 41cm, or slightly more than 16⅛", which feels like an awkward gap to fill. I really like your thinking, but I'm not sure it works, and it still doesn't explain the "22". Maybe a 22cm-spaced sub-rack that can be mounted in a 19" rack?

[@mal2ksc]

@@wbfaulk You have to add a rail down the middle for support, that's where the extra couple centimeters goes.

[@DJNickYouTube]

Only a note: the radio unit isn't a "digital tuner" but an analog tuner with a digital frequency indicator...

[@JoeJ-8282]

Yes; you are correct about that being only an analog tuner with a "digital" frequency readout, as I have seen a few other components like this also, (usually either very old tuners like this one, OR very cheap quality if new), and this specific tuner in this video sounds like it has gotten out of alignment because of bad capacitors over the decades, so it could definitely benefit from a rebuild in that respect, by someone who knows how to adjust and align analog tuners correctly!

[@DJNickYouTube]

I'm sorry but for me, electronic technician since 1985, a "digital tuner" is a PLL synthesised tuner, not an analogic tuner with a "digital readout" of the frequency. You are free to think as you like, but electronically speaking, my definition is the exact one (and only).

[@RCAvhstape]

And nowadays we have digital tuners with analog dials.

[@JoeJ-8282]

@@DJNickKZbin Did you not even read the original poster's comment entirely? He was/is saying the same exact thing as you are, so no need to act like you're in "disagreement" with him. And pretty much everyone else here in this thread, including me, are all saying this same basic thing too.

[@JoeJ-8282]

@@RCAvhstape IKR? Modern crap digital tuners from China trying to profit from the "retro" or "vintage" fad nowadays, lol!... Only REAL vintage gear actually deserves recognition for that IMO, because most modern gear, especially if cheap and flimsy and geared towards the younger "retro fad" crowd, is nothing more than an insult to the quality levels of REAL vintage gear, especially if it's still working properly and/or been serviced to be like new again! There's really NO modern equivalent to most of the better quality TRUE vintage gear from the 60's, 70's, 80's, and 90's! All of the modern gear, unless it's extremely high-end, (AND expensive!), is all just made in China and usually total crap quality!

[@dazl7954]

That setup still looks sleek and smart today, and is better looking than some of the units available now. always loved the individual units. great vid as always.

[@TheRestartPoint]

I always liked Aiwa, since I was a kid, they made a lot of compact and innovative stuff with good features at fair prices

[@EvenTheDogAgrees]

Hey, Matt, a neat trick to temporarily shrink the loose belt is to dunk it in hot water for a minute or so. It won't hold up, but in a pinch, it'll get you going while you wait for a replacement belt to arrive. It doesn't matter in this case, as you're only missing out on the tape counter, but it's a good trick to have in your mental toolbox.

[@RealEpikCartfrenYT]

i boil the heck out of my belts, like 10-15 minutes. they shrink but i've boiled one out of my Philips boombox, that I play tapes in a lot, and its been months and the belt is still good. wow and flutter is also relatively low

[@EvenTheDogAgrees]

@@RealEpikCartfrenYT yeah, it can last a couple of months, but eventually they fail again. I learned this trick when the CD tray of my XBox 360 failed to open back in 2015 or so. Boiled the belt, worked like a charm. But it didn't last. So best get a new spare for when the old belt eventually fails on you again.

[@Liofa73]

Always loved AIWA. Their walkmans were great, had about 3-4 of them over the years. Loads of features.

[@SvenEnterlein]

Same here!

[@1dolar1note1]

I do hifi repairs for a living, exactly the stuff you show around on your channel is the stuff I get my hands on pretty much daily. We get stuff from all over Europe and have found a lot of trust within the German Tape deck enthusiasts communities, so it's good to know that despite the age of cassettes and tape decks we are one to get them to work even in this current year. Unfortunately it's a dying industry, almost nobody wants to repair old hifi anymore. The lack of schematics makes it difficult, and even if you get schematics and can make use of them with your electrical knowledge.. where do you get parts like for example the tape deck? There are of course sources to get alternatives that can provide parts that will make a repair work, but its again a very niche industry, we at my job are lucky we get the parts we do. I could self promote the shop I work at but unless you want to ship stuff to Germany (we have partners in the UK, nobody likes shipping in and out of Europe..), I wouldnt know what to suggest. Depending on where that VU meter on the tape deck is getting the levels from it could be a transistor in or near the output stage. I'm sure you've packed it away already, but next time try recording a cassette in stereo and check with another deck if both channels are present. Not what I'd do if I were repairing it but I don't think you'll want to poke around a circuit with an oscilloscope while the mains power is on lol.

[@juandenz2008]

How do you even get parts ? I'm sure there are some replacements that could be used for things like capacitors, but I was thinking a lot of parts would be impossible to source.

[@StealthCampADL]

@@juandenz2008 Most of the parts would be available, just some wouldn't be in quite the same package. The tricky bit, as mentioned, would be the things like the tape mechanism. Caps. diodes, resistors and the like are all much the same as they were though. Getting some values exact on some parts might be tricky, depends on the parts.

[@StealthCampADL]

I've taught myself board level repairs for PC stuff over the years and the most common failure is capacitors. There have been some dreadfully cheap makers over the years, but I've seen even good ones fail in similar boards. I've replaced other IC's, like RAM, but a couple of capacitors usually does the trick. And then, if I'm doing one or two, I might as well do them all and avoid trouble down the road. The other common problem is battery leakage.. This is where I learnt to keep my bodge wires as close to original length as possible when doing a track repair.

[@bloxyman22]

When it comes to repair centers, this has always been my experience even way back when such businesses were common. Somtimes they fixed things but whenever they did they also broke something if it was repaired at all.

[@SvDKILLSWITCH]

2:45 Missed opportunity to call this a "micro" series

[@PhilWare1]

We had a AIWA mini system that was a "Boots" badged product from the early 80s. Great system that lasted over 30years. Infact it was very similar to this, so probably a later evolution.

[@jameshodgson1609]

I have a Boots hi-fi receiver of the same era which was a rebadged Awia product. I recognised many of the switches, LED style and text font. Nice amp and still going in my shed system but the tuner had poor sensitivity from new.

[@iawarenow658]

brilliant and far better than paying every month for a wifi connection..

[@nkt1]

@@iawarenow658 How are you accessing KZbin?

[@stevecoatesdotnet]

My Aiwa 22 was originally purchased at Boots and the speakers are Boots badged Keesonics (and are very high quality; they are a delight to listen to, and are in regular use).

[@pi6706]

A lot of Boots badged consumer electronics products were surprisingly good

[@eliedelorme9945]

hi Techmoan, I'm watching your video because I was lucky enough to recently acquire by chance while looking for a power amplifier the 4 elements of this Aiwa chain: tuner R22 stereo cassette deck L22 prealplifier C22 and amplifier P22 for the price of a song. only the K7 turntable was out of order I opened it, removed the insect nests and rat droppings, changed the out of order motor and the 4 belts and oh happiness this system works wonderfully connected to my Boston Acoustic Lynfield VR40 floor-standing speakers which are reborn and have never experienced such deep bass, dynamic and pure midrange and precise, chiselled and crystalline treble. a real pleasure for my eardrums without ever any fatigue even at high volume. Mini chain but what an incredible punch even my Victor 2020 was driving them not so quickly. This mini Aiwa composition is pure joy and what's more it is ultra rare on the world market. I understand that their owners guard them jealously. I'm thinking of making a listening video. with good headphones you can hear the KZbin sound and you can appreciate the quality. Play an Ellen Meryl CD and you'll be glued to your couch...go listen and stay as you are. strength and honor. Aiwa!

[@andyrobsonMakes]

Wow, came across the video by chance and couldn’t believe it was all about the exact same system that I still have. Mine was also bought in 1979 just as it came out. Watching the video as now inspired me to get it out of storage and get it working again, so many thanks for the inspiration.

[@peterlarkin762]

Always best to turn on the power amp last, after the sources and preamp. Some older gear wont have an output signal delay circuit and results in a loud pop which can be ard on speakers.

[@ronaldyardley8965]

I Have A 1977 Leek Amp 3400 And Have Always Turned Volume Down To 0 When I Turn It On To Save Speaker Damage, Its A Very High volume Amp..👍

[@garyt.8745]

Not really a problem with the order. The manual for the Aiwa (and my old Rotel) advises turning the volume down to 0 when switching off (and it would, presumably, stay at 0 when you switch on, kids and grandkids permitting, of course, so always worth checking before switching on). The Rotel has fuses, which did blow that one time back in 1992 when I forgot to turn the volume down. The Aiwa (neither the P22 or C22) doesn't, which makes me think it does have a protection circuit. However, mine has been working for 45 years now, and I'm not going to test it to see if it does, and if it works 😂.

[@antman5474]

I never switch mine off.

[@kodek1234]

Looks so much better then todays systems. Even without the VU meters.

[@thesteelrodent1796]

not a big fan of the tape deck, but otherwise, yes

[@Kumimono]

I wonder if VU might have been on a separate module...

[@MrSlipstreem]

FYI: 'hi-blend' doesn't make it mono. It reduces the channel separation at high audio frequencies. The vast majority of additional hiss from an FM stereo decoder is at high audio frequencies, so this provides noise reduction without defeating the stereo decoder altogether. It was very easy and cheap to implement as it often only required connecting a low value capacitor between identical points on the left and right audio channel circuits internally with a switch in series to disconnect it when not engaged.

[@Pyjamarama11]

Compared to the Denon you feature at the end of this series, the Aiwa is a thing of beauty So much for progress

[@derekporter7658]

Loved Aiwa kit, the best were Akai, Aiwa, Sharp, Pioneer, Technics, SAE and Trio. Loved all that separates stuff as well as their other stereo systems.

[@twocvbloke]

As someone who loves repairing things myself, I'd probably buy something like this, because stuff back then was built in a manner where it could be repaired, whereas later stuff was all single-PCB everything-on-a-chip that was mediocre at best and utterly pointless to repair, so there's that aspect, the tinkerer's choice... :P

[@matambale]

Absolutely - some of them were clearly designed with repair in mind (and I don't mean that repair was inevitable :^)

[@burner8959]

Matt, you sure know how to make my Saturday. The AIWA system looks beautiful. Can't wait for the rest of the series. Thanks for all you do man!

[@0venchip]

I purchased one of those new in 1979. That then was one of the classiest hi fi’s on the market, maybe the first mini hi fi. As regards to the speakers, they were sold as bookshelf speakers, a new concept then, which were sold along with the hi fi. I can tell you the loudness you could get from those little heavy speakers without blowing them was awesome.

[@BeeDotEee]

The amp nicely warming the tape deck

[@AdamsBrew78]

The P22 amp uses a toroidal power transformer like high quality amps still use today.

[@chrismayer3919]

My Dad had a HUMONGOUS rack system years ago with all that plus a stereo equalizer, a dynamic turntable, a ‘ski-slope’ reverse cassette deck, a reel/reel tape player and 4 bass-horn speakers with 16” woofers; it was a hell of a setup!

[@MrPabsUk]

I have a 22 system, which I did use till about 5 years ago, mainly from my PC (via a phono to headphone lead), the tape deck never worked as the belts were all knackered (I had a 90`s Sony micro system tape deck on it instead), then the power amp lost a channel (after many years of daily use), so I replaced it with an early 2000`s Philips micro system (which has also subsequently lost a channel!). I must get round to re-capping the power amp on both! I have them going into some mid 90`s (large, 6" bass drivers) Wharfdale speakers, & I must say, the quality is perfectly adequate, & the bass is more than enough to distort the Wharfdales & disturb your neighbours 2 doors down! I have recently added the C22 pre-amp to my KAM record deck (which needs one), into an 80`s Hitachi ghetto blaster which has a phono in, & it still works nicely! If you look on eBay, Japanese & American spec ones do have a power lead daisy-chain setup (mine doesn't either). Its also worth noting the 2 channel LED on the tape deck, which changes from green to red in record mode, that was VERY advanced for the period! I`d also say clean the tape deck, with your Allsopp 3, or a few alcohol soaked cotton buds! I would also like a later Aiwa micro system, ideally with a graphic (there was one, cant remember what series, maybe 24?)

[@psychesoap]

Aiwa was as hi-caliber as they come and they were beeeeeeautiful!!!

[@brianhoskins1979]

When I was a kid I lusted after their mini HIFIs with the coloured buttons to select the source.

[@jessihawkins9116]

what happened

[@Cheordig]

​@@jessihawkins9116Sony

[@jessihawkins9116]

@@Cheordig ok….what about them…

[@Cheordig]

@@jessihawkins9116 They bought Aiwa and Aiwa went downhill.

[@richardkelsch3640]

For the belt, boil it in water for ten minutes. This usually renews old belts if all they are is expanded.

[@pedrodaniellopesferreira2916]

It's a band-aid. Over time, it will stretch again, I've tried it with variou belts before. Better of just getting a new one.

[@RealEpikCartfrenYT]

it definitely fixed the speed issues in my philips boombox, been months and the belt is still good so yeah boiling it does work

[@Charlesb88]

That’s just a temporary fix which might be fine for just showing it off on a KZbin video but A better long term fix is just to buy a new belt of the right size as they are easy to source these days cheaply.

[@richardkelsch3640]

@@pedrodaniellopesferreira2916 Actually, ALL belts do that. This is a solution if no alternate can be found. The better the condition of the belt, the better the results.

[@pedrodaniellopesferreira2916]

@@richardkelsch3640 good luck finding a "good condition" belt on a pioneer ct300 that still has the original belts from 1981. Great advice! But you are better of buying new ones. Am I wrong, or do want your argument to win?

[@kuchenblechmafiagmbh1381]

3:40 According to Wikipedia, Sony began to acquire Aiwa stocks in 1967 and was the major shareholder with ~54% in 1982, so they already had a significant connection in the late 70s

[@computer_toucher]

Before getting proper studio monitors I used a pair of 3" one-way speakers pilfed from an old JVC micro system. The speakers were wood! Proper wood! And they sounded fantastic for what they were, on a late-70's Kenwood amp.

[@hoilst265]

Sony and Panasonic mad some *fantastic* microsystems. I'm looking for to this month! Some of the speakers that came with them were incredible - heavy cabinets, excellent drivers, and amazing sound - that's what impressed me.

[@thesteelrodent1796]

IIRC Denon micros were also fairly well reviewed, but never seen one outside a hi-fi store

[@grayrabbit2211]

I just lost my Panasonic micro system when Hurricane Ian hit my home. Salt water and electronics don't mix. Sadly there really isn't a modern replacement for them. The new stuff is cheap and has poor sound.

[@Bobby_Snoof]

Great, it's the weekend and we get a long video from Techmoan! At least the rain won't spoil my weekend :)

[@owengriffith7672]

Takes me back to my childhood. That would have been an expensive system in the late 70’s. Love the look and finish of this era of hifi. Great video as always Matt.

[@stevejennings3960]

Still have my aiwa hifi and speakers from the 90s - the sound of the speakers are completely amazing still!

[@markboz3366]

I'd have gone for that pedestal too, would have looked great with a funky orange and brown wallpaper backdrop

[@NickyG_vz]

Damn my grandpa was obsessed with his hifi sytem. He always had to have one

[@jeremyfine1464]

I'm not your grandpa.!

[@unknownorigin5153]

Tape really comes flyin out at ya, nice catch lol

[@alexzovic5799]

I got recently this Aiwa 22 mini rack. Pair this little guys to serious speakers to feel the real punch. I have them connected to CANTON GLE-50 (same age as Aiwa 22). Simply amazing sound (without Loudness on). For me this is a holly grail among the vintage mini systems. Fun fact: it looks so vintage that always appear black & white, even on pictures taken in color. :)

[@RogueTrader-]

Same but i have them running some 200 watt Rogers LS7's which it drives effortlessly. Btw the loudness button- These are meant for listening at very low night time volume levels as it brings up the level of high and low frequencies. If you use it at normal listening levels it usually makes everything sound too harsh.

[@frankowalker4662]

It looks great. It's not just the man hours of the repair, It's finding the replacement parts to fix it.

[@andymouse]

Watcha Franko !! RIP Calculon.

[@frankowalker4662]

@@andymouse Hey Andy. 🧀. RIP Calculon, indeed !

[@beverleyhicks2952]

My Saturday night ritual. Missed last week now we get a 35 minute ripper.

[@WalksInCamera]

This reminds me of wandering around Laskeys, Comet and Richer Sounds years ago, although it was fairly impossible to wander around the old Richer Sounds in Bristol (Cotham Hill) due to the limited floorspace!

[@jamesbaker429]

Always the smallest size of store stacked to the ceiling sound rooms an afterthought for later resights of stores.

[@WalksInCamera]

@@jamesbaker429 I still have an Aiwa XC700 CD player from that small Bristol store. When I moved to London found the old London Bridge Walk store was even smaller! The old style catalogues were great.

[@SharpAssKnittingNeedles]

Wow that's a gorgeous set 😍 people throw around the word "timeless" but this is one set of objects that I would call truly that! Thank you for the video, very interesting!

[@diatonicdelirium1743]

Nice! My father used to have a PHILIPS F 009 Super HiFi-minisystem, produced in about 1980. This was a really well made all aluminium system with a cassette, tuner, preamp and power amplifier. A marvel to look at but eventually the cassette system started failing (as they do) and we sold it to an enthusiast collector. We also had a look inside the cassette system but the electronics were packed so tightly that we gave up.

[@FlixTraveler]

That is a fantastic system.

[@diatonicdelirium1743]

@@FlixTraveler Indeed, the power amp was rated 55W and it could easily drive medium sized speakers without distortion - in fact I think my father blew out his old 70s speakers with this before buying a pair of Translator Impact 1 with Seas tweeter and 22cm Peerless woofer, very nice.

[@dougodyssey50]

Check out the Philips FW-17 as well. Philips were masters of value for money. Most things in my childhood home were Philips and we just took the good quality for granted. When we bought some lesser brand, we usually regretted it.

[@drumcorpshistory]

New Techmoan video at 4am? Sleep can wait lol, love the content!

[@cbsolo5628]

In 1982 while living and working on Midway Island I bought an Aiwa Microsystems. I still have a few of the working units!

[@smartin5534]

This video made my day. I have a lot of sentimental feelings for the Aiwa brand as I bought a mini-system in 1991, the Aiwa SX-N350, that lasted as my daily music system until about 2013. In fact, the speakers that came with it are still part of my current system! It was a dual-cassette, three CD changer and tuner and the thing just worked great and sounded great and lasted 22 years with speakers still rocking 32 years later. And I listen to music every day. Cheers!

[@rccc5806]

Nice video. In fact, that the components are completely separate is a plus, as you can use in anywhere you want. Nothing more frustrating than having coming about a this sort of component that only works dependant of other components and special cables. This unit comes even with a seriously good and competent selection of inputs. It's really a gem.

[@sf-dn8rh]

Still have my dads vintage system

[@onefatstratcat]

Pioneer or Sony? :)

[@hugh007]

From the 50's through the 70's people cared how their music sounded. Their small speakers can sound 'not unpleasant' but can't produce the range and dynamics of media available today. OK for waiting rooms and background music but not for intent listening. Thanks. Good videos.

[@ColmGibney]

My father bought this system for my mother in, I think, 1979. We had it stacked in the reverse order to you, from top down: amp, pre-amp, tuner, cassette. It was mated to a more serious set of AIWA speakers, the model I don't remember. People always commented on how well it looked and sounded. It was more than loud enough for a large room in a large house. It served us for twenty-plus years. The cabinet remained solid to the end. It was a pleasure to own, and it is a pleasure to see it again here on your channel - thank you.

[@FatherDDA476]

Always happy to see another Techmoan video

[@CarlosPerezChavez]

AIWA! What a beautiful name that brings back memories from the 80s: inexpensive portable cassette players, reliable and with great sound.

[@markenetube]

Thank you! In 1980, 17 year old me used to go to my local TEMPO store to play on the Atari and work out what o spend my apprentice wages on that month. They had the "AIWA Micro sytem playing all the time. I used to look at it and dream I could have one. All I could afford was the Amstrad stuff or Solovox. I was looking for this recently to see if they were still about. You get lots of results looking for AIWA Micro sytem. Now I know it is AIWA SYSTEM 22. I was always amazed at the quality of the sound and bass from these tiny speakers.

[@resofactor]

Eff me, this is the FIRST time I'm hearing about this system. Looks great! Love the modularity of it!

[@telski33]

With the cabling it was probably on purpose to hi-light the fact these were separates which had it's own cachet

[@RegebroRepairs]

Yeah, as a UHER fan, that Uher version wouldn't hurt. :-D But it seems quiet unusual.

[@UK_Lemons]

...and definitely not up to audio quality of UHER manufactured recorders.

[@RegebroRepairs]

@@UK_Lemons Yeah, it would end up as decoration, mostly, which is a bit of a shame.

[@Gappasaurus]

I’ve begun to relate to vintage tech more and more as i get older: everything may work fine today, but faults suddenly appear from nowhere, and even if you get the issue “fixed”, it’s only a matter of time until something else goes haywire 😅

[@d_vibe-swe]

I like how humble Matt is about his knowledge in electronics, although being able to repair all sorts of old tech ;)

[@marcusdamberger]

Well, he's gotten a lot of experience for our benefit for sure.

[@davidwallace785]

My favourite kind of techmoan video!!

[@Bokooda]

Just watched Adam Savage mention you at the start of his video about his Sony TC-510-2 reel-to-reel tape recorder...

[@qwertzasdf352]

I bought an Aiwa back in 97 when I was a teen. NSX999 mkII. Beast of a system!

[@thedarkknight1971]

17:51 - As a TEMPORARY fix, judge how loose the belt is, and splice out a segment out of it, then Superglue the two ends back together, thus making a slightly tighter belt again... 🤔 This trick has worked a couple of times for me in the past. 👍 😎🇬🇧

[@curcapsicum]

Nice! Looking forward to the next 2 in this series! Shame this guy is so run down, it visually looks great. Probably not even worth the cost of getting it repaired (if they could, like you said) for actual use, but for collecting or display, what a beauty!

[@Firkinnel]

What a contrast to that crappy amstrad hifi you showed previously !

[@danekilstrup]

My dad had this system on his boat with Realistic speakers and it was AMAZING! Thanks for bringing back some excellent memories 😌

[@LittleRichard1988]

My Mum and Dad still have seperates systems and music centers and I currently still have a micro all in one from 1998. The 1979 Aiwa components look really cute, it looks similar to studio gear and DJ equipment especially if you went for the flight case cabinet. This is even called a micro system! It still surprises me how some people can listen to music on a tinny smart phone speaker when 30 years ago they would have otherwise owned a midi or a mini system although many people who had seperates back in the day still have a seperates system. For many people the computer or TV also doubles as an audio system with or without a sound bar or powered speakers.

[@andersondamasceno]

Maybe the 22 is just a catch?

[@eidgenossenarkebuse]

Exactly my System, born 1979

[@MMTfan1]

Those speakers look eerily similar to the Realistic Minimus 7 sold by Radio Shack from 1979-1993. They were often paired with receivers like the Realistic STA-7 and STA-700 and together, they were called the "System Seven". The Minimus 7 is one of those vintage speakers that has withstood the test of time and is still very viable for a passive speaker system today. Anyway, always nice to see somebody whose still into keeping these old systems up and running. Just got to replace the belts on the cassette deck and fix anything else that might be broken and you got an amazing system that'll leave most Bluetooth speakers in the dust.

[@bpb235]

I had the A22 system back in the day, got it from my father in law, today I still use the A22's big brother. The C50, P50, R50 combo, great equipment

[@pengiswe]

I'm thinking if 22 refers to the width as the distance between the mounting holes if it would be mounted in a rack with screw mounting. What is the diatance between the screw holes of the "ears"?

[@Rockandrolladventure]

Its as old as me and looks so good.

[@geraldmcmullon2465]

I started my hi-fi set up by buying my parents a set of mixed components in 1974 as an upgrade to my Dansette record player. I then upgraded it far too frequently until in 1982 I got the Uher Miniset to match the Uher CR240 portable cassette deck. The system consisted of Uher EG740 tuner, VG840 preamp, Z140 power amp or Z141 PSU only, CR240 cassette deck. They fitted on a stand with all cables hidden. Power supply came from the power amp with interconnecting leads for signal. The alternatives (late 70s and early 80s) included Toshiba Aurex System 15 micro-components SCM15, SYC15, ST-F15, PCD15. Uher Paco EG705, VG805, LG105, CG305, CG305 (orange front panels) Uher Paco 2 VG 865 EG 765 CG 365 (in black) Aiwa System 22 (as in the video) These are not like the microsystems of the 1980-1990, which look like a stack of components but are all in one box, but full hi-fi separate components in a smaller form factor than the typical large stack units with 50-80% full of air. The microsystems were the update to music centres made to look like hi-fi units. The Toshiba Aurex system got the slightly better reviews back in 1980 when they came out. It also has the stronger following now than the Aiwa or Uher systems. The turntable phono input is for moving magnet. An external phono pre-amp could be used for moving coil cartridge into the aux socket. The Uher VG840 has two phono inputs and two tape inputs. The Uher Z140 power amp used expensive capacitors that were hard to source and blew often. Eventually Uher (UK service centre) gave up and offered an alternative power amplifier along side the Z141 to power the pre amp, tuner and cassette. The EG740 is a very good FM tuner and excellent at picking up weak signals. I used a Z141 powered EG740 in my main hi-fi set up and a good roof aerial. The pre-sets memory feature failed and after many repairs I got a system that remained stable for 30 years. One advantage the Uher has over the other small stack systems is that there are technicians in Germany that fix these. They mainly work on Uher reel to reel but handle all Uher equipment ~ but parts, particularly for the cassette decks is harder to source now. The lack of a CD player is easily solved by using a small DVD player. Streaming services work using a WiiM Mini streamer into the aux or 2nd tape input.

[@rabit818]

Linn used to make small(er) audio gear. Teac has a recent reference line that is quite small. The space you save on the Aiwa mini component, the ac cords take up. I like the rack mount handles.

[@jrewing881188]

"Full automatic stop" 😂

[@RambozoClown]

Time to call "Mend It Mark".

[@funkyuk1]

Yep. I started following Mend it Mark recently on the you tube. this may be a great fix for him 👍🏼

[@fretlessfender]

Absolutely!

[@IljaThomassen]

He can surely Mend it!

[@kennethsooley9938]

I received an AIWA HS-P05 ‘walkman’ for Christmas in ‘84 when I was a teen. I loved it. Was so very well built - full metal body.

[@thebronzetoo]

I've still got my shelf/desktop Aiwa all-in-one mini system from the 90's!!

[@sterst]

14:57 nice catch!

[@pmrsfr]

😋

[@PhilipCockram]

Interesting episode . Trying to repair older stuff and maintain it for regular use really is a passion and hardly ever cost efficient . I've upgraded a few older RC trucks and replacing the electronic components is easy and affordable , but because other wear and tear or breakable parts are unobtainable. it makes using them difficult . I save them for special occasions and my ' daily drivers " are ones that you can get parts for .

[@gabbo182]

I’m never happier then when you have to try and fix something! You’re so informative, entertaining and calming! Please keep up the excellent work sir!

[@andypalm7061]

Sweet! That cabinet has the look of a Dealer display unit. I just love these things. I I have gone nuts finding, restoring, Sony-Denon & technics “mini systems “ fantastic sound!

[@truecrimescotsman]

It's Saturday, a fine May morning, a Techmoan video about an obscure piece of kit that he never really got working. All is well with the world!

[@Lucien86]

That wooden cabinet looks like its suffered classic glue failure. (usually through glue drying out) Should be quite easy to get it as strong and as good as when it was new.

[@USSMariner]

Yeah, just saturating the joints with titebond and clamping everything down should shure it back. Corner clamps ftw

[@bubbles581]

I had an Aiwa bookshelf system with a cd and tape deck. Loooooved the sound

[@titmanfirth]

Matt, If you are looking for repair that picks up where your ability stops then look no further than Dengie Electronics. Having used a coupe of repair services previously that either failed to repair or said would not touch something that I had been attempted before, or they did not have the skill to diagnose correctly - I came across DE who successfully repaired a vintage tape deck for me not only fixing the issues but notifying me of other optional maintenance that would be beneficial. Another time a CD player had issues and one was it needed a new cog which DE supplied plus control panel dial knob / buttons that didn’t work. Not was it fixed but but DE went the extra mile in cleaning and adjusting things all part of the service. Excellent value for money and quicker than expected repair time and more that fair return courier cost. On top of all that the level of expertise and skill and knowledge is 110% impressive. This month I had a 300 disc CD player that had been dropped - as part of the diagnosis I was sent photos of cracked power board, bent chassis, 3 plastic supports that had snapped and a plastic column that held the drive that was broken. All repaired and excellent value for money the same week as sent in.

[@patpopov]

That flight case is sexy AF.

[@richkurtz6053]

Aiwa really had some great designers. Both style and function. I never saw those systems in their day or I would have owned one.

[@beitie]

I'm pretty excited for the next one. I remember the Aiwa systems of the late 1990's and early 2000's, they were in every single one of my friends homes. I always thought they had decent sound to them as well. As far as the repairing of old systems goes, I understand the struggle. I myself cannot solder to save my life, so it really limits my personal abilities. I had a wonderful shop in my hometown called Tomtronix that I used to use for some repairs, but sadly he has retired and moved on. My current hobby is collecting and fixing up Bang & Olufsen audio equipment from the late 1980's through the 1990's. With that hobby, I've been really lucky to meet someone who does not live too far away who can solder really well, so I've been able to keep a lot of equipment alive that would otherwise be tossed out. I would love to see your experience with B&O gear on this channel because I think it's some of the most fascinating hi-fi ever created, and the sound is very good as well.

[@BajaTym]

Thank you for taking the time to make your videos. I always enjoy your work, it’s very entertaining and informative.