Just me or did things look better back then

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by T69, Aug 13, 2022.

  1. T69

    T69 Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Sweden
    Just started work on this Swedish Centrum console from the sixties. It's got a Danish Eltra receiver inside and a Garrard sp25 mk3 TT on top.

    The receiver seems to work fine and sounds surprisingly good with a couple of bookshelf speakers. TT needs a clean and relube though. That Garrard glue...

    But all that aside, didn't gear look better back in the day?
    [​IMG]
     
  2. Davey

    Davey NP: Portishead ~ Portishead (1997)

    Location:
    SF Bay Area, USA
    You can get some pretty nice looking stereo consoles now, and some that probably sound pretty nice too, but yea, not much demand for the integrated console systems anymore, and they can get very expensive ... but to be honest, I was never a big fan of those integrated receiver/turntable packages like you picture, it does look nice, though ...


    [​IMG]
     
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  3. Uglyversal

    Uglyversal Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sydney
    It's nice to find something like that in that condition. I think there is good design in all eras, sometimes you need to look harder but it is there.
    This is an iconic Weltron I like.

    [​IMG]
     
  4. allied333

    allied333 Audiophile

    Location:
    nowhere
    1970s to 1980 receivers and amps looked better than today's equivalents. The metal front panels beat the new black plastic today.
     
  5. daytona600

    daytona600 Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    Still some great looking modern gear
    Elipson Music Centre CD/Streamer + Planet Speakers
    [​IMG]
     
  6. ssmith3046

    ssmith3046 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Arizona desert
    The stereo console that my folks had was really like the centerpiece in our living room.
     
    clhboa, PineBark, Lowrider75 and 7 others like this.
  7. britt2001b

    britt2001b Senior Member

    Location:
    United States
    Yes
     
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  8. harby

    harby Forum Resident

    Location:
    Portland, OR, USA
    Yes they did look better back then, after we got past the terrible phase of wood and silver faceplates and clunky Garrard manual switches....

    [​IMG]
     
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  9. Jimi Floyd

    Jimi Floyd Forum Resident

    Location:
    Pisa, Italy
    Radiofonografo Brionvega RR126. Designed in 1964 by Pier Giacomo Castiglioni and Achille Castiglioni. A white one, belonged to David Bowie has recently been sold at an auction for € 324 000. A revised version, using a Pro-Ject turntable instead of the old Dual model, named Brionvega 226 is still available today. Not cheap.

    [​IMG]
     
  10. japhi

    japhi Forum Resident

    Location:
    Vancouver
    I agree and am a fan of neat consoles. Most are ugly and miss the mark but the two below IMO are pretty cool. Beocenter 7700 on top of a Phillips Bi-Ampli tube radio in teak hardware. 7700 is unique in that the tuner, cassette player, amp and TT are all really high quality

    [​IMG]
     
  11. Adagio

    Adagio Forum Resident

    I always liked to look of Bang and Olfeson (sp?) back in the 80's
     
  12. Synthfreek

    Synthfreek I’m a ray of sunshine & bastion of positivity

    I really dislike the look of 70s silver and wood receivers like Pioneers.
     
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  13. JackG

    JackG Forum Resident

    Location:
    NJ
    Not just you. Many of us looked better back then.
     
  14. Michael

    Michael I LOVE WIDE S-T-E-R-E-O!

    yes, everything was beautiful back then...indeed...
     
    T69 likes this.
  15. dividebytube

    dividebytube Forum Resident

    Location:
    Grand Rapids, MI
    I hate to admit this but the reason I got into tube audio - back in 1989 - is from seeing a McIntosh 240. And it had the output stage regulated using a huge tube supply with meters. Seeing them swing current on the big peaks... and that chrome and black transformers.... sigh.

    Sadly for my first tube amp I ended up with a Dynaco 70 with ye olde brown cage.

    [​IMG]
     
  16. The Pinhead

    The Pinhead KING OF BOOM AND SIZZLE IN HELL

    DUDE ! What a beaut !:righton: Yeah vintage audio deffo did look WAY better than nowadays one. I should know !
     
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  17. mkane

    mkane Strictly Analog

    Location:
    Auburn CA
    I could care less what it looks like. Sound first and foremost.
     
  18. ronm

    ronm audiofreak

    Location:
    southern colo.
    I have a Sears Audio Made by Fisher AM\FM receiver and a Sony STR-7065 and a Yamaha CR620.All from the 70s and even though I prefer black 80s hifi stacks these units are quite beautiful to my eye and thus are keepers.Early in my vintage travels I looked upon vintage receivers as works of art.I then developed a preference for black.I now have the best of both worlds.Ive had probably had fifty vintage receivers and The Sears unit is a favorite.
     
    Last edited: Aug 14, 2022
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  19. ronm

    ronm audiofreak

    Location:
    southern colo.
    I have a Krell KAV amp and pre and it is nothing to look at compared to some of the vintage I have had or have.Its looks like its name...a medieval block of metal.
     
  20. terzinator

    terzinator boots lost in transit

    These are lovely. Do you have a link?

    I have half a mind to build something like that and drop a thorens TD-121/124 into it.
     
  21. Texado

    Texado Aspiring Audiophile

    Location:
    Toronto
    industrial design at it's finest !!! simply a 24/7 feast for the eyes ... I can see why you bought it
     
  22. Texado

    Texado Aspiring Audiophile

    Location:
    Toronto
    uh ... bizarre is the only word that immediately comes to mind . very unique
     
    Crimson Witch and Jimi Floyd like this.
  23. Dennis Metz

    Dennis Metz Born In A Motor City south of Detroit

    Location:
    Fonthill, Ontario
    Not generally
     
    SonicCzar likes this.
  24. Manimal

    Manimal Forum Resident

    Location:
    Southern US
    I think so
     
  25. Earthbound2

    Earthbound2 Forum Resident

    Location:
    US
    So did I after I graduated college.

    Boy time has been hard on me.
     
    Dillydipper likes this.

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