The ultimate vintage hi-fi system - Soundesign 5988

[@r.dsvintagetuberadiotvsand3140]

now that is one heck of a land yacht of a stereo

[@F40PH-2CAT]

It's the 76 Chevrolet Caprice Brougham of stereos

[@Zimmy_1981]

Indeed & I'm loving it ❤

[@christo930]

I love it. I would put it in my entertainment center for sure.

[@jonathankleinow2073]

Perfect for your Yacht Rock collection!

[@wdavem]

Install one in a land yacht in the center console.

[@tiobetio9501]

I'm starting to believe your channel is just a conduit to feature all the obscure media you find and I'm all here for it.

[@simonbeasley989]

Love the Pontiac cassette! I thought it was going to be from the 70s, but 1992!

[@TheGreatAtario]

Only part of me is here for it

[@sprint955st]

His and Techmoan’s

[@jimroberts3009]

Gotta love all the dials, switches, knobs, lights and displays, now that's my kind of stereo!

[@PosyMusic]

I love that AM/PM indicator 🥰

[@MisterYeko]

ITS THE SOY SOY GUY

[@inferi312]

I wish they went harder - make it also the AM/FM indicator. Just make the front of the P as another segment and turn it off.

[@ReasonablySane]

I looked at the picture and the title, and I said to myself, this HAS TO BE VWestlife. And sure enough... I love how you review this stuff. I sold hi-fi back in 1976-1983. The first store I worked at sold Soundesign and other similar products in a "separate" area. I refused to sell the stuff and never did. I would always talk to customers in that area and ALWAYS moved them into the "real" hi-fi section, usually selling them a system based on a Pioneer SX434 or similar receiver. EVERY TIME I was the top salesman there the entire time I worked there. This is not a brag. Put simply, I was only a good salesman because I had good people skills and I LOVED hi-fi. But I refused to sell this pap. But I love the stuff as a cultural icon. And your emphasis on such equipment is fascintating and reminiscent. Love it! But GREAT rundown of this thing. 300 years from now, if the Lord waits, this stuff is going to be golden in the world of history reflection, partly with the respect and detail of your videos.

[@j_0076]

I bought this with the pair of stereos at an estate sale for 25$ it works fantastic. I found this video super convenient and helpful to learn more about this 😁

[@nicktheflash1]

I remember in the early 1980's our local WOOLWORTH retail store sold this and other Sound Design models. This unit is cool it has all the features and the sound was decent. The reason for the analog tuning dial and the digital L.E.D. tuning dial is stereo system tuners were slowly switching to all digital tuning displays. I like the multitude of chrome buttons and so many L.E.D indicators it's future retro and again made in Japan awesome!

[@jaygothard7797]

Ah the 80s. Even low end gear was still of very high quality. Nice video. Thanks.

[@nickn6130]

I have one of these units purchased new in 1981 by my mother at Kmart for $259. came with a Magnetic BSR turntable and 4 3way speakers. used as the basement systen for 8 years used almost every day. Has been in my garage since 1989 still used every day still works good and everything still works except dial light amd VU meter lights

[@avtips4779]

With this you can now more than ever look smart in front of your friends and family when you know what (most of) the switches, knobs, buttons and indicators do! Its like flying a plane, in your house!

[@woldemunster9244]

Hey, menu-"jungles" are even worse, imho. Doesn't need power to adjust something. Visible from the sofa because the knob-profile is designed very nice. :D

[@deepblueskyshine]

The more numerous are the manual controls and switches, the simpler the operation. Very few things need understanding, and they were usually learned with the first use in childhood, usually before school. This is a home entertainment unit where there's no need for "muscle memory", but in a car on european roads the days of Tesla's tablet cars with countless nested menus are numbered - the law for safety sake has already passed that large number of regularly used functions, such as AC, or simple ventilation and heating adjustments, sound system volume, radio or other source switches and number of other functions must have fixed ergonomically placed mechanical switches at least for the driver.

[@woldemunster9244]

@@deepblueskyshine Yup, if know how one Mercedes Benz "works", you can drive almost any model and use the console by feel. :D

[@624radicalham]

This is why I love ham radio .. go look at a new $9,000 Kenwood TS-990 lol

[@Markimark151]

The late 70s and early 80s were the peak for these huge hi fi stereo systems! They had lots of features for their audio systems, now we have bare bones audio systems that can’t even play audio internally, no radio, no tape, no CD player!

[@Alcarods]

I was today years old when I realized I need this in my life. It's gorgeous!!

[@briantaylor3031]

That is the star destroyer of stereos.

[@azoriusmage]

You know we love it when you and Techmoan reference each other and crossing the streams doesn't cause disaster

[@semectual]

😮😮😮😮😮😮 Certainly an Awesome Blast from the Past! My parents used to own a separate system version of this, the amplifier's model number 5171 with the matching single tape deck and fully auto record player with speakers. They bought it from a neighbor in the summer of 1988 and had it until early 1999 when it finally gave out. The one you are showing here has all of the features like my parent's the only difference here is the built-in tape and 8 track decks and the redundant VU meters. The system my parents owned only had the red LED VU meter just like this one. It's nice to see one of these in the digital age of 2024 in fully working condition! 👍👍👍👍👍

[@mazda9624]

I teally appreciate how it seems like the designers thought of *EVERYTHING* with this unit. Even the smallest little features have a dedicated button, which ends up giving this unit a highly customizable feel. I finally have my sights set on an ultimate vintage hi-fi system, and I hope I run into one of these one day. I especially love that it held up so well even after 40 years.

[@igorszamaszow171]

I guess they had 'design' in their name for a reason!

[@markanderson350]

Hey a mag phono input is a miracle

[@Moonlightshadow-lq4fr]

If you want to listen to the tuner through a graphic equaliser how will you do it on this?

[@markanderson350]

@@Moonlightshadow-lq4fr this is where you are better to get a receiver rather than an all in one.

[@Moonlightshadow-lq4fr]

@@markanderson350 Yes but this only occurs on a few receivers. I have a Sony STR-DH190 receiver and it also doesn't have this option. Sony of all makes! It's a great receiver 100w/channel but it lacks this option and I am so disappointed. Ended up buying a Tandberg TR 2060 which does this. In fact this sound design is only the second receiver I have come across that lacks this option. So I don't consider the sound design the ultimate system by far.

[@justamannn8674]

Incredible! I never knew Soundesign made such a high quality instrument. My memories of that brand is of low quality K-Mart sales. Ty for your post.

[@fredWaxBeans11111]

This is the greatest thing I have ever seen. It's got an 8-track player!! The only thing it doesn't have (and should) is a built in sphygmomanometer, to check your blood pressure while cranking Van Halen on 8-track!!

[@Blackadder75]

did they use 8 track in Japan or did they just make it for the US market? Here in Europe it was completely unknown by the general public . We only had records, compact cassettes and later on CDs.

[@dansettemajor]

​@Blackadder75 They Were popular in the UK. I liked the fact that you could 'change channel'

[@Jimmyhaflinger]

​@@Blackadder75 here in Italy we used 8 track tapes a lot

[@Daniel-79]

This is Soundesigns attempt at building a quality HiFi stereo system. To be honest, it actually doesn’t seem half bad!

[@markanderson350]

Half bad is better than bad. High end cheap.

[@xaenon]

@@markanderson350 I think this fits comfortably in the midrange category. It's obviously intended for a budget, but not necessarily a 'tight' budget. I've had actual 'cheap' from this era, like my GE AM/FM/8-Track 'receiver' (c1978), and this is much better. Even that GE is better than a lot of modern stuff, tho....

[@JohnZombi88]

@@Hyxtryx You can't perceive the difference.

[@theclearsounds3911]

@@JohnZombi88 At only 10 watts per channel, very bad S/N on the tuner and tape section, bad frequency response in the bass region, and most likely horrible high frequency response in the tape section, I'm going to stick my neck out and say that ANYBODY can hear the difference in a side by side comparison with anything 10x the price as this one. Lots of people won't care though. Soundesign was one of the worst brands in the 70's. Sure, this thing is eye candy and has lots of good features. But everything on it is poor quality, poorly designed, and inferior sounding.

[@theclearsounds3911]

@@JohnZombi88 No, I'm actually disagreeing with you, and pointing out a lot of reasons why. Almost anybody can hear the difference between this receiver and one that costs 10x more, especially in a side-by-side comparison. At that price point, you're putting it up against the better receivers of the day, and the Soundesign doesn't stand a chance. If you want to compare it to a similar receiver of that day at the SAME price, then most people won't hear any difference.

[@DanielNunes-p3j]

OMG! This stereo system is really huge!!!! I love big stereos

[@UpLateGeek]

Way better than those mid-late 80s cabinets that are designed to look like separate audio components when they're all one plastic front panel covering up a few small circuit boards in a big box.

[@djijspeakerguy4628]

Those stereos continued to be made in the 1990s and into the early 2000s, but the “component” look slowly went away and turned into a cheap silver plastic mess. Some of the higher end ones from companies like JVC and Aiwa were not actually too bad, though none were truly “high end” equipment.

[@fhwolthuis]

Whoah, that's a fantastic machine! And it all works! Nice cameo from Techmoan 👍😄

[@mikes-wv3em]

i love when youtubers give each other shoutouts and/or reacharounds!

[@jimdayton8837]

@@mikes-wv3em Um.....What? 😆

[@Jimmyhaflinger]

i like soundesign stuff, most of it is cheap but well made, and still works great after 40-50 years

[@TorontoJon]

How could any vintage electronics collector not love a gorgeous audio battleship like that Soundesign 5988 unit? Amazing! Thanks for another excellent, very in-depth video, VWestlife. :)

[@Zimmy_1981]

I love how he just sprung this on us! No hints, previews, shorts etc. Pleasant surprise ❤

[@michaelfolino8414]

Mother and Child Reunion reminds me of being a kid hearing it on AM radio while driving out to our camp on Lake Superior in the early to mid 70s...great times. Great video too by the way.

[@excrono]

Paul Simon was an integral part to many of our lives.

[@TheDanno210]

Holy heck I think that’s the best-sounding 8T I’ve heard in my life. And I’m old.

[@esmerylan]

That "Blue Book of Quality Merchandise" looks like something out of a Simpsons gag, love how their idea of conveying "quality" visually is "an enormous diamond and text in the Disney font".

[@vwestlife]

The Bennett Bros. did primarily sell jewelry. I'm not sure why they went with such a goofy-looking font for the cover of their 1983 catalog.

[@douglasallen9428]

It’s the Buick Electra 225 of stereo systems… and I absolutely love it! As always, thanks for the informative and entertaining video!!!

[@rizzlerazzleuno4733]

and add the record changer and it becomes the Cadillac Eldorado system.

[@traxonwax]

WTOP on AM sounds fantastic. Also, 106.3 uses a ton of compression. Almost too much. This unit was a snapshot of tech in the early 80s. I’d love to have something like this. Great video as always.

[@Boswd]

oh man SounDesign haven't heard that brand in yeaars. That was our home stereo system growing up an all in one turntable, am/fm receiver and 8-track players as kid I just loved sitting in front of that with my headphones on

[@STR82DVD]

Soundesign was always a brand associated with absolute crap in audio reproduction. Great video lad. Brings back to the 70's and early 80's.

[@briandeeley1599]

This was a budget hifi system that you would find at a Bradlees or Caldor budget department store if you lived on the east coast.

[@STR82DVD]

@@briandeeley1599 In Canada, I'm pretty sure Kmart was selling this POS.

[@sidecarcn]

If you go back and watch Seinfeld. And shots in Newman’s apartment. Newman had a Soundesign.

[@robertdavis5714]

Really, will look for this.

[@JohnZombi88]

NEWMAN!

[@cuttinchops]

I got this at the GW in the 90’s, I was 10 and felt like a serious upgrade from my other crap, I thought “wow, real speaker terminals!” from the RCA’s commonly found lol great video as always! I could only imagine what your storage situation is like, thank you for your sacrifice!

[@edwardbianchi192]

I have said this before. It always amazes me when the junk or low quality stereos work while higher end stuff that cost way more usually needs some kind of repairs before use.

[@raymondleggs5508]

Because they used rugged no nonsense parts.

[@ogami1972]

I love it! Ebay saved search intiated, beginning "honey, do you think I could...?" routine.

[@dansettemajor]

A MARVELLOUS video showcasing an AMAZING machine. Woodgrain, aaahhhh, chrome, drool. What a delight that is and would have been even more so back in 1981. Thank you. You even managed to include a joke at no extra cost. Lol. Brilliant videos. Keep 'em coming.

[@sonyajones]

I have one of these in awesome condition with all original knobs. These are excellent units. Great review of this system!

[@spacemissing]

I think the best touch here is the interstitial music stabs that are Absolutely period-perfect!

[@AudioGuyBrian]

Amazing that a low-fi system like this have a better transport system and sound than any of the brand new released portable cassette systems like "We are Rewind" and the FiiO.

[@KneppaH]

Yeah with tape mechanisms it is. Back then the crappiest of the crappiest cassette decks were better than they manage to do nowadays.

[@AudioGuyBrian]

@@KneppaH Yep. Everyone buys their motors, heads and mechs from the same Chinesium companies. Plastic flywheels, and pinch rollers recycled from used tires.

[@windwaterwave]

​@@AudioGuyBrian , from recycled condoms;)

[@renakunisaki]

Absolutely beautiful machine. I miss these designs.

[@Kane26510]

I don't believe a more "VWestlife" unit exits. This one checks all the boxes. Great Video.

[@ToothlessInKentucky]

Wow, memories! When I was a teenager, I really thought SoundDesign was a kick ass brand name stereo. ' Not see one in a while.

[@thomasbecker5313]

I had one of these back in the early '80s! Unfortunately, my apartment was burgled and ... I replaced it with a rather nice Fisher 30 watt rack system which I still use to this day. At that time, I was guy with the really cool stereo.

[@eddiem5220]

I remember playing with this at my local Woolco store when I was a kid. Was mesmerized by all the buttons and knobs and especially the VU and LED meters! Great throwback!

[@jaminova_1969]

So now I know what the Loudness & Mute buttons do! Cool! The thing I miss about being a child of the 70's & 80's is hanging out at the record store at the mall!

[@TheGreatAtario]

…You didn't know what Mute did?

[@duprie37]

As a budding young musician I was stoked to come across an 8-track recorder in 1990 for $10 in a second hand shop. I'd never encountered these players before & mistakenly thought I'd come across a multitrack recording device of some sort. Couldn't believe my luck! Which soon enough turned into annoyed disappointment lol. At least I learned about the existence of 8-tracks.

[@johnstone7697]

"Made in Japan" usually meant at least some semblance of decent quality. Even though this is pretty clearly a "low end" piece by component audio standards of the day, it still had some of the hallmarks of Japanese craftsmanship. Analyzing the schematic, I see that the overall design is pretty decent. The tuner wasn't terrible...it used an FET RF amp, ceramic filters, and chips that would be found in some of the better receivers. The audio amp is fully discrete, not those terrible power IC's. The power supply is "single ended", meaning there's large coupling caps between those output transistors and the speakers. And my guess is that the output wattage isn't very much. But, given the brand's overall reputation, this unit indeed seems to be one of their better efforts.

[@kaohsiung99]

10 watts per channel

[@xaenon]

@@kaohsiung99 Perfectly respectable for most folks.

[@CotyRiddle]

@@xaenon you would be suprised how loud 10 watts can be.

[@CotyRiddle]

Had a zenith floor console unit when I was a kid. 10 watts per channel. sucker thumped and was loud enough for the neighbors to complain. But then again with 2 12 inch drivers 2 5 inch mid range and 2 tweeters in a rather large and heavy wooden cabenet yeah it got loud.

[@xaenon]

@@CotyRiddle Actually, not so surprised. I play with chipamps a lot, like the ones you find in computer speakers and those little Crosley record players. Typically 1W/ch or less. Give 'em some reasonably efficient speakers, and even they can get fairly loud. Pretty damned decent sound quality, too, especially for the cost. Not gonna call it 'hi-fi', but it's seriously better than a lot of people think.

[@andrewinnj]

Mother and Child Reunion has a very special place in my heart. Another great video, featuring a Brave Little Toaster-worthy device. Edit: the Pontiac Transport tape is fantastic. It's a shame they're now a dead brand - they were the US's most fun and least serious car company.

[@ChristopherSobieniak]

You understand.

[@niek024]

Paul Simon's music got me through my teenage years in the 80s. Yeah, I was a weird kid.

[@ChristopherSobieniak]

@@niek024 Mama, don't take my Kodachrome away! 😎

[@raymondleggs5508]

And it still works perfectly.

[@RockyP77]

So amazingly cool! I'd LOVE to play with all those buttons and knobs

[@brianknoblock8873]

7:47 Got a little sentimental when you passed 95.5 on the dial. Can't believe PLJ lasted as it was until 2019.

[@01chippe]

I recorded the last hour of WPLJ on the air onto a CD using my TEAC LP-660R USB. 😊

[@brianknoblock8873]

@@01chippe I live in Minneapolis now and listened to the last hour while on the light rail. People looked at me funny when I sang along with the final top of the hour jingle.

[@tonymanzo3766]

@@01chippeplj changed their format to religious inspirational long gone from the rock’n stereo days, rip Tony pigg.

[@01chippe]

@@tonymanzo3766 Yes, they are now K-LOVE, but their official call letters are still WPLJ.

[@5roundsrapid263]

My older brother had one like this, but with a built-in turntable. It was a beast! He gave it to me when he moved out. It was lo-fi by today’s standards, but I loved it.

[@traxonwax]

This is one beautiful piece of kit. I could just sit there and turn those heavy knobs, flip those rocker switches for hours.

[@johnrenteria75]

I was giving this Soundesign system about 10 years ago from a guy that said it didn't work. It did work it was just set on the timer mode. all works well. sounds good with some good speakers. only issues is the scratchy volume knobs, I spray the pot cleaner and it will good for a while. but once I don't use the stereo for a few weeks to a month. it will do the same. i mostly use it for the 8tracks. i like that it has the auto eject. so when i need to repair the tape Splice. mine also had the crack 8track head bracket. I had put the gorilla glue and its still holding up so far. thanks for posting the video. I figured it was a late 70s or early 80s model. as I had a 1982 Sears stereo when i was a kid it had a digital tuner with 8track, dual cassette and turntable.

[@jasonwilliams6005]

I don't care how good or bad it is. It's awesome.

[@Ni5ei]

Holy moly, that thing is HUGE. I love it, have no use for it but need it!

[@Nomad-Rogers]

This is the best product soundesign I have seen they could make Good products when they wanted to.

[@waterup380]

glad you one of a few who show what old audio equipment is really like thanks

[@Drmcclung]

OMG! Is it weird that I immediately recognized Vivaldi's Concerto for Two Trumpets playing on FM radio?? That piece... NEVER gets played anywhere, and almost nobody knows it! But wait, it gets even dorkier; That particular recording comes off a very particular Pachelbel's Cannon in D cassette tape, originally released on one of those fly by night record labels that used to release classical on cassette. I don't know who exactly performed the piece, but it's the only recording of Two Trumpets I know of. Honestly this kinda made my day! Anyway, that's the piece that made me a lifelong baroque fan

[@ramonortiz5651]

What a beast of a stereo system everything you need in one unit.

[@Blackadder75]

Everything except a dual cassette deck? That was the only thing I needed as a teenager, to copy tapes from schoolmates (no kids had CDs yet, so we couldn't copy CD's to a tape, that came a few years later )

[@ramonortiz5651]

@@Blackadder75 yup exactly

[@Musicradio77Network]

This was compared to the current year Crosley and Victrola branded stereo system that has a CD player, slot loading cassette player, an FM only tuner and a cheap turntable which was a Crosley clone.

[@P3SS3SSOd]

This is the Rolls Royce of all in one hifis. I don't think anything else other than the Conion C-100F has LED and VU needle meters, thoroughly impressive.

[@carltonleboss]

Really cool. You've got to love all those buttons.

[@TheOriginalCollectorA1303]

I wasn’t expecting much, but this is built better than I thought! Sure it’s not a high end system, but for an all in one deal, it looks like it works well. The 8 Track is a nice bonus, also cool that it’s a recorder. Something like this is still better than the “modern” tape decks, even if it needs some basic maintenance. Great video!

[@EgoChip]

This thing looks amazing. It's a testament to 80's engineering that this thing is still going strong now. Sure I expect it has had services over the years, but even the cheaper stuff from back then will outlast the modern stuff.

[@marktubeie07]

I would have loved this as a teenager back in the day if my parents purchased it for my birthday. Even 'budget' back then was reasonable !

[@hicknopunk]

You might want to use it first

[@stepheng8779]

It wasn't budget 'back then' though 🤦

[@hicknopunk]

@@stepheng8779 soundesign was ever good?

[@TravisTev]

Fascinating. It reminds me of the Soundesign 8-track/cassette/radio we had as a kid growing up, albeit a much lower-end unit than this beast. This also confirms something I never could figure out as a kid. I didn't have the manual and it was a mystery how to get the 8-track recording. There always seemed to be a lockout mechanism, like the one to prevent recording on a compact cassette with the write-protect tab broken out, but 8-tracks did not have such a thing. It was only later in life that it occurred to me that maybe you were supposed to hold down the record button *as* you insert the cartridge, but by that time the unit was long gone and I was never able to test my theory. Also nice to see the inside since as a kid I never had the chance to see the inside of our own unit. Thanks!

[@gordonmacqueen8694]

I had friends with either this exact machine or a very similar model. It sounded really good! They were not fond of the way it looked (it was the 1990s) but it really did sound great, better than you'd expect an all-in-one device like that to sound.

[@pigeonkillblah5373]

Holy crap, it seems like it is as awesome as it looks. Fantastic video, too!

[@scottgfx]

My family had a SoundDesign stereo of this vintage that lived in the garage. It was smaller, but had the 8-Track. We were in Southwest Florida. In the mid 1980s, there was an afternoon where the atmosphere was just perfect for radio signals to skip. I spent some time listening to radio stations from the Ozarks in the Florida sun… all on a SoundDesign stereo. SoundDesign later became "iHome"

[@Compact-Disc_700mb]

I like those cheaper stereo systems like that, not bottom of the barrel but still affordable. And it shows considering how well it works this many tears later.

[@steelers6titles]

Size, weight, and chrome looks are probably the only things this thing had in common with the Pioneer SX-1980 lol

[@Mrshoujo]

My mom bought a Soundesign record / radio / 8-track recorder deck in the late 70s. I learned a lot about 8-track tapes.

[@PurpKing4377]

im impressed with your deadication V, was'nt expecting you to open it up till you REALLY had too lol

[@branhicks]

I always go into these videos knowing you'll answer all of my questions. Never disappoint.

[@jamesslick4790]

THIS ticks ALL of the boxes for me! Digital clock, yet analog tuning! 🎶We got disco...and 8 tracks and cassettes in STEREO!🎶 I don't even CARE what it sounds like, I Want one! It's SO late '70s it DEFINES my teenhood! 👍😊👍 And it pulls my favorite "Right Wing" talk stations!

[@CaptainDarrick]

Love me some right wing radio

[@mdavid1955]

Looks cool! I serviced Soundesign equipment in that era.

[@themaritimegirl]

That is so cool! I've always thought of Soundesign as being bottom-tier stuff, but clearly they could pull a decent system out of their sleeves once in a while.

[@tommyapocalypse6096]

I’m almost certain that I had this system when I was a teenager. Played a lot of music through it. Good times. 😁

[@dimebagdave77]

Thanks for cruising through that one✌️ i love the old visable CD players.i had a smaller model Soundesign as a kid.believe me, when i got that for Christmas I thought I was BIG time! It came with a rack

[@Choralone422]

That would have been a sweet system to own back in the 80s! I realize that a lot of Soundesign gear is not well regarded I still think this unit would be a gem to own even today. Heck, I still wish I had my crappy Yorx all in one system from 1990 as it contained the first CD player I ever owned as a kid. It wasn't a good system but my nostalgia for it is still strong these days.

[@DennisSantos]

My folks had a Yorx system obviously inspired by this thing, except for the 8-track. Although i've since seen variants with an 8-track instead of the fluorescent clock.

[@dean6816]

Seems a lot better than any of the Alan Sugar garbage sold in the UK!!

[@jimroberts3009]

You can't possibly mean Amstrad! 😂😂😂

[@dean6816]

@@jimroberts3009 🤣

[@rich_edwards79]

Or the Morse Electrophonic stuff that I believe was popular in Canada. Pity it was crap, I liked the console form factor, especially the 'jukeboxes' with built in colour organ!

[@igorszamaszow171]

I think stuff like this was Ams' inspiration to make his garbage

[@rodrigobelinchon2982]

​@@igorszamaszow171 I bet he just went to a fair in Asia and next to the fake Rolexes there were his fake stereos LOL

[@geigerbuzz816]

Hey man, i discovered your channel not long ago and been loving your vids, ive discovered a lot of forgotten cool tech thanks to you, cheers!

[@richardbrobeck2384]

I remember getting one of thesein my shop back in the late 80s for repair !

[@stephenperry9425]

Love it, I like quirky things and also picks up good radio stations.

[@bricks312100]

Had a friend that had a cassette deck in his radio. When you pushed the eject button it would launch the tape into the back seat.

[@theericfreeze1493]

I got a SoundDesign clock radio with the same cassette mechanism and it most feels quite robust for a SoundDesign product. it just so happens to have the same VFD but doesn't have the digital tuner readout. I paid $8 for it at a antique store expecting it to be a pile of junk to find out it's my new favorite cassette player. As for the unit featured in the video, I'd like to see a follow up/repair video of it where you fix the knobs, upgrade the belts and replace the bulb for the tuner needle. I would add some lighting to the open holes in tuner dile. Great video, keep up the good work.

[@38911bytefree]

Your is the E940 ?. I have one when tenneager, in black .Then I masnaged to got another in wood with cream front., Yes., VFDs tend to die, At least in both case, dead segments. Deck was a beast just for a lock radio with it own rec-play board and tons of wires going from one part to the other. Dedication to say the least.

[@01chippe]

Thanks for this. It was a thoroughly enjoyable watch. I love seeing your reviews of these types of stereos. 👍🏼

[@spookyjames4347]

I love all the knobs, buttons and switches!

[@TonyBanks21]

What a lovely unit-This must have been their top model when new !!

[@xaenon]

Granted, SounDesign was a 'budget' audio brand, and some of their less expensive offerings were kinda sketchy, but obviously they knew how to build decent stuff, too. For $350 back in the day, you got quite a lot - especially if it included decent 2-way speakers. I'm honestly astonished that it is rated only at ten watts per channel. I mean, it's certainly enough to fill a room without too much trouble, but the fact that they even published specs - HONEST specs - speaks well of them. Excellent find!

[@clap7777]

I saw one of these units about 3 months at a Goodwill store for about $20. It seemed like everything worked, and quite large like you are displaying. I just did not know where I would use it when I have systems already in different rooms, so I passed. But you've piqued my interest in it again. Nice vid.

[@rizzlerazzleuno4733]

oops, you shudda bought it.

[@eftalanquest]

as my favourite restoration youtuber would say: maximum gizmosity

[@noapparentfunction]

which KZbinr is this?

[@eftalanquest]

@@noapparentfunction Hand Tool Rescue

[@noapparentfunction]

@@eftalanquest thank you

[@rizzlerazzleuno4733]

The Buttons & Knobs Channel. Love it. Next step is a 4-in-1. Gotta have the built-in BSR record changer and smoke grey plastic dust cover up top. 😊

[@luke144]

My first "real" stereo system I got on my tenth birthday was a Soundezign. I was proud of it.

[@tsunamirider9895]

Another great video! Brought back a lot of great memories because I had a similar looking system, but it was definitely cheaper (in quality and features). It had an 8-track, but not a recorder, (and no nice eject button like this one) and the bouncing lights didn't look like they were individually lit, but almost like a bulb whose intensity would increase lightning up more bars. It was a whole/complete system that came complete with fake wood grain cabinet with integrated record player on top, and storage at the bottom with dividers specifically to hold records. Also came with two speakers. Not the best sound quality, but definitely got a lot of use out of it (used it as an alarm clock as well). and served its purpose. We also had one of those SoundDesign console systems (complete system hidden in a piece that looks like furniture) but I'll save that for another post.

[@Rivenworld]

That's a lovely looking (and sounding) machine, a great find.

[@VB-bk1lh]

Both Lloyds and Craig had similar models, I had a Lloyds for a while in the mid 70's. A neighbor was moving away and gave it to me, it was still fairly new at the time. Most of those all in one sort of receivers were pretty low end, more or less glorified clock radios rather than serious stereo equipment. I think the one I had sold new for about $80 at King's Dept store. I had mine for the duration of a summer but soon found something better. My dad took it and it got relegated to basement duty where he made a hanging bracket for it and four car speakers above his basement wook working area. It was down there for another 10 years or so. The 8 track deck died first, then the cassette, then eventually it would only play at higher volumes, the lower half of the volume control became dead. No cleaning would fix it so the knobs and cord got removed and out it went I think I also saved the cassette mech and feet too. The internals on most of those type models were not much more than what you would find in a portable radio.

[@auditthis]

What a beautiful bit of kit