FISHER all-tube receivers from 1961-66 are cheap and sound wonderful!

Oh I'm "there" about the vintage look to be sure, it's just that I'd probably use the headphone jack a lot (with grado 325i "50th anniversary" phones, which incidentally has a gold anodized brushed aluminum metal back that also happens to jive with the face plates of these Fishers... not that I need the extra temptation ).

 

I might as well dredge up this blast from my past...

 

Thanks for that link!!! Amazing job you did!!! I'd be proud to show that off for sure. That's a work of art!!! I do remember seeing those pics on here way back when. I'm afraid my unit will never look like that though... that's way beyond me for time, effort and elbow grease man!!!

 

Oh, an hour every weekend for a few weeks and you're done. Very therapeutic!

 

Broke down to that time-frame... that's not too bad!!! But... looking at my unit and what you achieved on yours... seems almost impossible to me.

 

In the past I've owned the 400, 500-B and 500-C. Last year I came across a 500-S (yes S) that I truly love. It uses the very sweet sounding 7189 output tubes. The 500-S was the 500-B's predecessor and was only manufactured for about a year making it ultra-rare.

 

Beautiful receivers. I wonder how they'd mate with Vandersteen Model 1's?

 

I am about ready to join the club. I snoozed and loozed on the unit Steve bought, but subsequently found a well preserved 800b locally that I plan to have restored.

Check out THESE cases that are available for them.

 

NOOOOOOOOO...

Please don't reveal any more vintage equipment that will dominate all my free time as I scour all the auction and classified listings, desperately searching for aural bliss

Mark

 

There is some technical help available on AA, Vintage Gear Forum. The search function is awesome. Loads of resources there.

not my intent to hijack this forum.

 

Steve, Is this your 500B on eBay?
http://cgi.ebay.com/FISHER-500B-WID...pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item335c3e110e

 

Steve's is an 800B.

 

I would go so far as to say if it's got ~40 year old electrolytic capacitors in the power supply to not even bother with the variac and just replace them before applying power. They can dry up even if sitting in a closet. Even if they are not completely dried out, they're probably pretty close!

 

I realize this is a thread about Fisher tube receivers, but I wonder what you folks think about the early Fisher solid-state receivers? I ask only because I bought one yesterday, a mint 500-TX with all the original paperwork (purchased new in 6/69) and the optional walnut cabinet. I believe this was the TOTL model for its time. It has the mind-boggling "Tune-O-Matic" tuner with 4 presets and "AutoScan" which is basically a seek function. Pretty impressive features that wouldn't become commonplace until digital tuners took over 10+ years later. Unfortunately, it's needlessly complicated and certainly detracts from the looks of the receiver. Anyway, it's in beautiful condition and everything works the way it should. I was really impressed with the performance of the tuner. It seems to sound very good as well, but I haven't hooked it up to any "real" speakers yet.

 

I love my KX-100 (the kit version of the X-100) that I had NOS Valves refurb for me a few years ago. However, I needed more power for my Acoustic Research speakers so I switched to solid state. But I hope to make a 2nd system some time and utilitze that KX-100.

 

Is there a pre out option on these receivers? I need a lot more juice than 60w per. Thanks!

 

Not to threadcrap, but what do you guys think of the rebuilt Scotts that Mapleshade is selling. I know they're not $450, but they look good to me. Haven't heard one though . . .

Eric

 

Great point Steve -- thinking about the internet, per se, the good and bad; without it, where would my MC30's/MX110 and a majority of the classic great tube gear made yesteryear be today? Landfill or trash unfortunately (not my MC30's/MX110 -- heaven forbid!!!). Instead, when I wanted to upgrade my McIntosh dealer wasn't interested in vintage tube gear as a trade so, the amps went to Switzerland and the MX110 to Peru.

The internet marketplace has saved sooooo many classic audiophile components & revived their heritage for present day.

Just amazing and a great audio lifesaver, IMO as like SHF which is quite similiar in outcome; yet, focused on music and the layers below. Thanks for the latter.

Bob

 

I have read some reviews that weren't very positive and other reviews where they really like what was done. My understanding is that the Mapleshade products aren't really restorations, but are more along the lines of modifications, with the circuits tweaked and changed.

 

The Fisher receivers have simplified power sections that use the 7591 or similar tubes that were designed to eliminate gain stages. The phono sections are also fairly rough and there are a lot of rotary switches and other such things in the signal path.

If you want vintage sound instead of vintage cosmetics, get one of those Marantz 7 circuit boards they sell on eBay and find a simple tube power amp or build one. There are Dyna ST70 kits, but the Dyna design has some flaws.

Someone mentioned Mcintosh still having some MA230 output transformers. These were made by a third party for Mc and they can easily order more, in fact when Bruce Rozenblit ran an article in 'Glass Audio' a huge run was done in the very late 80s. They are a very good part. The MA230 is not a terribly good piece but the transformers are quite good, way better than the Dyna ST70 and very nearly the equal of the Marantz 8B. It is NOT a Unity Coupled design.

The Marantz 8 had a Freed transformer. The 8B transformer was wound inhouse, Mike Le Fever claims they stole Peerless design work but this seems to be incorrect. Magnetic Windings of Easton, PA wound them for the VAC built reissues.

Given a pair of good output transformers, a power transformer and a chassis building a power amplifier is not that hard. Maintaining old tube receivers with their tightly packed chassis and cornucopia of unobtainable parts is way harder. If you blow up your homebrew you are only out the cost of the damaged parts, of which only the transformers are very expensive.

Building a FM tuner on your own is a serious project indeed....and with the current state of FM radio pretty much would be a Pyrrhic victory if you did. Buy the $100 Sony and be happy.

 

But Steve, the 400T (solid state) had Tune-O-Matic Technology!!

I was wondering what those knobs to the right were (they reminded me of calibration knobs on old TVs) and after a little poking around found out that they are presets.

I love tubes but it must have been quite a relief to most folks when SS rolled around, no more really hot, heavy, frequently finicky equipment with tubes to go bad every so often. The tube sound for the gain stages I like, but for the electronics, I'll mostly pass. In ham radio (hobby of mine) those old tube radios could be frustrating... when they would warm up, the frequency would drift etc... and you can only cram so much electronic sophisitcation in a box with tubes! But I still love 'em for audio.