More vintage Marantz

The receiver now has a new friend

The lights which look orange are actually red - the iPhone doesn't see them correctly.


IMG_1128

IMG_1135

IMG_1133

IMG_1134

IMG_1132

IMG_1131

 

Haha - it reminds me of the squeezebox VU screensaver.

I've only removed the nasty blue led somebody put in the cassette well and fitted a proper 8v fuse bulb.

Its cosmetically 9.5/10 so very pleased with that.
Clearly needs service though. Channel levels are slightly out and some tapes play clean while others WWoooWWwooooWWW

Still, what can you expect from 40 year old belts.
I've got a new set of belts, pinch roller and copy of the service annual coming to that will be fun.

The only issue is finding calibration tapes. They exist but mad expensive and of unknown quality.
I have a high end three head DD machine here which works perfectly so perhaps I can use a sig generator and make my own calibration tape. Mostly to set Dolby processor levels and rec levels. The dolby circuit in this is interesting - discrete transistor Dolby compandors

 

Very nice .

 

Yes, there's something very attractive in that vintage styling that looks timeless.

Pity that so much US equipment used VU meters, as they really are Virtually Useless for cassette tape given how easily it overloads. Probably OK on a 38cm/sec pro recorder, but of limited value on a cassette machine........but then, VU meters aren't about usefulness....are they Macintosh?

S

 

Good point about VU Serge.
Those Marantz maters to have peak leds set to +3dB which is sensible.

The other deck I have is a JVC DD9 - a monster high end thing which records a series of test tones onto each tape and calibrates itself for bias, EQ and sensitivity. That has fast flour meters switchable between true VU and peak.

The Marantz are more for the looks.

 

Good idea - couple of tracks, one a CD rip, the other off-tape.

I bought a box of old pre recorded stuff for virtually nothing - people can't give cassette tapes away. Mostly old rubbish but a few nice ones. Some Enya, Carpenters, Eagles and....ahem Iron Maiden This person had interesting tastes.


IMG_1249 by trebor1966, on Flickr


Graphic EQ, 'Super A' sliding bias, lights and knobs galore - whoopy!



I've started doing some vids for the Youtube kids interested in vintage kit and gadgets.
See if you think this is ok.