[NJARC] High Fidelity Was - 'See through' Radio moved at NJARC Museum

Thu Jul 16 10:49:21 EDT 2009

Al,
    I'd love to hear the system you mentioned. Every piece sounds like a 
fantastic example of good hi-fidelity gear of it's era, especially the 
Klipsch speaker and Williamson amp! Anyone who was seriously into 
hi-fidelity reproduction before the advent of stereo (1956) would have given 
his right arm to have a system like that! Anyway, I really like the concept 
of having a seriois vintage audiophile setup as a display.

I have the following items that you could use in your exhibit that may 
interest you:

1) Pair of Acoustic Research AR-2 speakers from 1959. The AR2's are supposed 
to be bookshelf speakers! You and I know better, anyway they may fit the 
bill for a early stereo setup, and sound pretty good for what they are.

2) Lafayette branded stereo "Made in Japan" RMS output meter that resembles 
"Sputnick", from about 1959/60.,

3) The huge  speakerenclosure from the Hotel in Bradford, Pa (1948) designed 
by RCA for visiting orchestras and broadcast of live dance basnds at the 
time.

4) A pair of Heathkit-Williamson W5M amps to be used with a Eico model 85 
stereo Preamp. Additionally, I have the matching "Hi-Fidelity" Heathkit AM 
tuner, and FM tuner, all circa 1958.

Let me know and we'll take things from there.

Mod-U-later (with a hi-fidelity Multi-Match modulation transformer),

                           Joe Cro N3IBX

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Al Klase" <al at ar88.net>
To: "Phil Vourtsis" <philvourtsis at gmail.com>
Cc: "Dave Snellman" <snellman at bucks.edu>; "Marcia Simkin" 
<gjsimkin at comcast.net>; "NJARC Reflector" <njarc at mailman.qth.net>; "Steve 
Goulart" <sfgvoip at optonline.net>; "Dave Sica" <davesica at juno.com>; "Ray 
Chase" <enrpnr at erols.com>
Sent: Thursday, July 16, 2009 10:04 AM
Subject: [NJARC] High Fidelity Was - 'See through' Radio moved at NJARC 
Museum

> Just remember
> Reply = Poster
> Reply All = Everyone
>
> _________________________________________________________
> Hey Phil,
>
> You confused us a little because, before we got your email, we'd moved a
> nice walnut credenza into that space, along with a Klipsch designed
> corner speaker, a Heathkit Williamson amp, and Fisher preamp.
>
> My concept is to cover the audiophile, high-fidelity, component-system
> scene starting with the early post-war stuff.  There's a lot of room
> (unfortunately not physical space) for elaboration here.  So, you guys
> pitch in.  We can substitute better stuff as it shows up.
>
> So far it's a mono system with a medium-power amp and efficient
> speaker.  Yesterday I made some holes in the back of the credenza, and
> hid a Toshiba CD player inside to provide a hassel-free program source.
>
> Some comments on the components so far:
>
> Speaker:  This is a Paul Klipsch designed folded-horn corner enclosure
> from a company called Cabinart.  It's border-line ugly and could be
> refinished, but it contains an Altec 604 coaxial 15-incher with sectoral
> horn for the tweeter.  This is the speaker that was used almost
> universally for studio monitor because, as a recording engineer friend
> says, "everybody knew how they sounded."  Listen to it!
>
> Power amp:  The Williamson design led the way to clean beam-power-tube
> amps.  The fact that tis one was a kit emphasizes another aspect of the
> hi-fi phenomenon.  (I wish I still had my Fisher 70, but it developed a
> short in the output transformer, and I sold it, without comment, to one
> of the ebay vultures at Parsippany.)
>
> Preamp: Fisher 50 (50C ?).  Has switchable phono equalization to
> accommodate pre-RIAA recordings.
>
> Turntable: We need one.  I'm sorting through a number of possibilities.
> Easiest thing right now is one of the early brown Garrard changers that
> Rob Flory donated, a good example of what people actually used.  The
> museum owns an impressive looking Presto Pirouette, but it has issues.
>
> Tuner:  A multi-facesetted problem, if we want one that actually works
> in the fringe area at InfoAge.  Anybody have a Marantz 10B?
>
> We also need accessories and ephemera.  Dave S. brought in a nice record
> care kit with Zero-Stat ion gun.  I'd like to have one of the
> radioactive brushes.
>
> We can go on and on.
>
> Later,
> Al
>
>
>
> Phil Vourtsis wrote:
>> Board Members,
>>     I noticed last Sunday (7/5) that the 'See through' Radio that
>> Harry had built was moved to a different location in the museum
>> leaving some room in the 'History of Recorded Music' area. Previously
>> we had discussed adding a history of hifi/stereo area and a novelty
>> radio area. Is this an area where we might do that? We really should
>> have a board meeting (phone meeting would be fine) to discuss these
>> matters.
>>
>> Phil Vourtsis
>> ExPrez- NJARC
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
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>
> -- 
> Al Klase - N3FRQ
> Jersey City, NJ
> http://www.skywaves.ar88.net/
>
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