Build A Vintage Stereo | Components & What Every Stereo Buyer Should Know

In this series we’ll be building, assembling and restoring a 1960s/1970s era component stereo system. Before we begin, let’s review what the basic components of a typical component stereo are, and some important things to consider if you’re planning on putting together your own vintage system.
Much of this info will also help if you’re putting together a modern system. Modern components often have video or surround processing you won’t find in antique equipment, but the principles are the same. And believe it or not, much of the most esoteric, expensive audio equipment made today is designed for basic two-channel stereo using vacuum tubes in lieu of transistors. That’s just like the old stuff and, in fact, you’d be hard-pressed to hear any improvements in a modern system compared to a comparable antique one.
If you saw the first video in this series, you’ll recall that I first fell in love with high-fidelity stereo sound listening to my father’s stereo in the early 70s. Let’s use the components in his stereo as an example.
I told you my dad had a pair of Nova Pro headphones. Those ‘phones plugged into a Realistic SA-700 solid state, integrated amplifier. Solid state means it used more modern transistors and diodes instead of tubes. Integrated amplifier means it includes an amplifier and preamplifier in one chassis.
Preamplifiers are commonly referred to as preamps for short and are sometimes called control amplifiers because they serve as the main controller for the system. The record player, tape decks, radio tuner and other “source” components all plug into the preamp and it allows you to select which one you want to listen to. A preamp also gives you volume control. Without it, the amplifier would always play at full blast. Many preamps also include bass and treble tone controls to help shape the sound of the music.
Another common feature of a preamp is a phono stage which allows you to plug in a record player. A high fidelity record player is called a turntable and it should only be plugged into a phono input. If you plug it into a regular CD, tape or tuner input, it’s not gonna work. That’s because the signal coming from the turntable’s needle and cartridge are not only tiny, but also a little weird. It’s weird because the low frequencies have been reduced, and the high frequencies have been increased. Almost all records have been made to play this way since the mid-fifties because it’s the only way to squeeze high-fidelity sound into the microscopic vinyl grooves.
Commonly referred to as the RIAA curve, this type of pre-emphasis equalization is somewhat similar to Dolby noise-reduction which is used in tape players to reduce background hiss. Tape players have built-in circuitry to equalize the signal correctly for playback though, while turntables generally do not. So, in addition to boosting the tiny signal from the turntable cartridge, a preamp’s phono stage also properly re-equalizes the RIAA curve.
In addition to a preamplifier, an integrated amplifier, like my dad’s, includes an amplifier. An amplifier, or amp for short, takes the volume adjusted, tone-equalized signal from the preamp and amplifies it to power the speakers.
An amplifier’s output power is measured in watts and sometimes the model number will hint at how many watts it’s rated for. My dad’s SA-700 could deliver 70 total watts of low-distortion power. I say total watts, because it could actually only produce 35 watts per channel. That means it could deliver 35 watts to the left speaker and 35 to the right for a total of 70. Before the mid 70s, some amps were rated by their total power, while others were rated by watts-per-channel. By the mid-70s, rating amps by watts-per-channel thankfully started to become standard.
Amplifier output wattage is an important consideration, because more watts allows the system to play at higher volumes with less distortion. In a small room, 35 watts per channel is usually plenty to power most speakers to room-filling sound without distortion.
In a larger room, or for party-level volumes, though, many speakers will need 50, 80 or 100 watts or more per channel to play without distortion. So, how big your room is and how loudly you want your system to play are big factors to consider when choosing amplifier wattage. Another important consideration is speaker sensitivity which I’ll tell you about a bit later.
So an integrated amp is a component that integrates a preamp and amp in one chassis. But what happens if a radio tuner is added to integrated amp? Well, it becomes what’s known as a receiver.
The video continues to discuss amplifier power, biamplification, monoblocks, speaker power handling, frequency response, impedance and sensitivity.
#speakers #electronicsrepair #stereo #stereorepair

[@FluxCondenser]

Check out my other video about the first stereo cassette deck ever made! kzbin.info/www/bejne/rnfPeGejZdqki9E

[@yvesboutin5604]

Bravo! In about 16 minutes you give a crash course in audio know-how! For beginners that might still be a lot to take in but it is certainly fun to watch with the pictures and graphics! Thanks!

[@stanbrown915]

All my life I have just thrown components in a system and didn't know really how they worked together. Guess I got lucky with my original Frankenstein system. GREAT EXPLANATION for us old knuckleheads

[@budandbean1]

This was a lot of fun! Thanks for going so into depth, lots of folks have no idea about this. Very nice video, thank you for your time. Buddy

[@ABC-rh7zc]

Damn, I remember that Radio Shack ad! I used to think that that image was depicting the highest lifestyle I could aspire to, lol.

[@FluxCondenser]

That guy was living the life, baby!

[@OlympusHeavyCavalry]

I agree with you about sensitivity, where Amps work harder to drive speakers lower in sensitivity than ones higher in sensitivity. I always aim for speakers with sensitivity levels higher than 90dB. Cheers :-)

[@brainey8]

I enjoyed this, I grew up in the sixties and seventies, and I still have my parents first "Stereo" console from about the early sixties, with gobbs of tubes in it. I am waiting for the excess income available to have it restored. Thanks! keep it up...

[@FluxCondenser]

Thanks, Bruce! Glad you enjoyed the trip down memory lane.

[@len9518]

This is the very best primer for the newbie. Everything explained clearly and succinctly. I grew up in the same era you did. I'm a little older. Never had Heath, but built many Dynacos and Haflers, with Advent and AR speakers. Just found and subscribed to your channel.

[@billsmith2212]

I own a pair of those KLH speakers pictured , from 1967 or 1968 . I believe they are 2 Way , with 10" Woofer . I think Henry Kloss went on to consult at Cambridge Sound Works . And a Fisher Receiver .

[@FluxCondenser]

That’s right, Bill. Designed and built in Cambridge, MA when Boston was a hub for great speaker designs and manufacturers.

[@ericdimson1]

Very good introduction to stereo components as well as a good refresher for more experienced hobbyists. Well done!

[@FluxCondenser]

Thanks, Eric. Appreciate you taking the time to leave some positive feedback.

[@SwanseaTitanFan]

Brilliant video, keep it up.

[@pancudowny]

Pioneer head unit and Sansui speakers... or vice-versa. That was tops in the the day, and still is.

[@FluxCondenser]

Good stuff. I won’t argue about the electronics, but the speakers coming out of America at the time (particularly those from the east coast and especially the Boston area) would likely best almost any Japanese speaker of the era, particularly in accuracy. This holds true to this day.

[@1mctous]

I have to take Flux's side on the US vs. Japanese speaker argument back in the 70's. Japanese audiophiles paid big yen to import JBL and other American speaker brands.

[@spacemissing]

I have a Dual 1019, an H.H. Scott Stereomaster 260 integrated, and a Scott LT112B tuner, all from the mid-1960s. Still looking for a pair of suitable speakers (I had JBL Lancer 66s but lost them in a storage-related disaster).

[@playbackvintagehifihunter9669]

Lol, love your subliminal introduction music!

[@astolatpere11]

Thanks for the pics of old gear. They don't make em like some of that old gear.

[@FluxCondenser]

I’m glad you enjoyed the trip down memory lane, Nick!

[@ezinis]

Great presentation as always

[@FluxCondenser]

Thanks for watching, appreciate the feedback!

[@EddyTeetree]

Really good. An amp rarely needs to put out more than 1w tho.

[@billd9667]

The greatest benefit to more efficient speakers is lower distortion. Generally speaking, more efficient speakers “loaf” along, even at higher levels. A less efficient speaker has to be driven hard to get the same volumes as, say, a Klipsch or JBL horn speaker and that often results in greater distortion. It’s not an issue at normally low listening levels though.

[@FluxCondenser]

There are many factors that contribute to speaker distortion and there are many fine performing low-efficiency speakers that simply need more power to do the job. High efficiency is no guarantee of low distortion. In fact, many PA speakers are very efficient and can play loudly, but distortion is high. The ability to play loudly has been prioritized over low distortion in most PA speakers and the high efficiency is exploited to that end. When a speaker is designed for low distortion, then yes, having high efficiency drivers can be helpful toward that goal and I agree that, yes, a horn loaded midrange or tweeter doesn’t have to be driven as hard to create the same volume levels as non-horn drivers. The greatest reduction in distortion that’s realized from high-efficiency speakers, though, is probably on the amp side, not the speaker side. A high efficiency speaker requires less power, so an amp is less likely to be driven into clipping where harmonic distortion becomes very noticeable.

[@richsmith9063]

Great video !!

[@FluxCondenser]

Thanks, Rich.

[@sah3815]

Lovely video

[@FluxCondenser]

Thanks for watching. Appreciate the feedback.

[@ezinis]

Bravo

[@FluxCondenser]

Thanks, Tung. Much appreciated.

[@1duesy]

I was under the impression that the lower the db sensitivity figure, the more efficient the speaker and less watts required?

[@FluxCondenser]

Oh, gosh no. The lower the number the less efficient.

[@johnnytheg]

I wonder what that Marantz you sold in college is going for now? I bet you didn't get whole lot for it either when you sold it haha.

[@FluxCondenser]

Well, I just checked eBay and there’s one on sale there now for $365 or best offer. That period of Marantz models aren’t particularly collectible as the quality had started to deteriorate and the designs relied heavily on MOSFETs. I think I got $200 for it back in 1984!