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?
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 ...
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.
1970s to 1980 receivers and amps looked better than today's equivalents. The metal front panels beat the new black plastic today.
Yes they did look better back then, after we got past the terrible phase of wood and silver faceplates and clunky Garrard manual switches....
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.
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
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.
DUDE ! What a beaut ! Yeah vintage audio deffo did look WAY better than nowadays one. I should know !
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.
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.
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.
industrial design at it's finest !!! simply a 24/7 feast for the eyes ... I can see why you bought it