Old vs. New Stereo units and types of sound cards in them.

[rovingcowboy]

this topic was started in this message url.

http://www.mediamonkey.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3019

but as suggested i started this thread here.

so i was just was wondering what i should buy in way of new home componet stereo uints.

my 1982 or older unit is messing up the duel tape deck wont record tape to tape anymore,
and the other stereo cassett deck wont even run with out pulling the tape out of the cassett.

so i was wondering which sound cards would be as good as the one i have which sound great.

the system is a 128 watt technics system but i got loads of other rca jacked componets added to it. i guess i would just need a new tape deck really.? the pioneer one i have is one that can do metal tape, and all the other tapes, as well as has dolby "C" and Dolby "B" encoding in it.

so that is what i am needing really is 2 new dual tape decks that can handle what i already have.

or a new home stereo componet unit system just not sure which is the best kind to get anymore.

i use to keep up with them but have not needed to for a long time,
my last unit i had before these ones was a capeheart one so you old timers remember that brand don't ya

[psyXonova]

What is the model of your old technics stereo? Technics is famous for its mid-level amplifiers. I would suggest keeping only the amplifier and perhaps the FM receiver (if they are seperate) and throw away everything else.....
Hmmm, no wait, don´t do that yet....

I just had one killer idea.... From what i have read by your posts you seem like a guy that will try everything.... so try this...
Don't throw away your tape deck...
Just throw everything that its inside it... and then use it as a case for a brand new PC. A good tape deck today costs about 500€, you can make a nice PC with about the same money and use it as a media center... cool
Offcourse you will say: "And what about my old tapes"...
How about this:

this cool hardware is designed to work with a PC. It will play all your tapes through your PC and will also allow you to record everything that you PC can play in cassetes (if you still do that ). More info here
I bet that you can fit all this inside the old tape deck and still have enough space to add your FM transmiter, and a RF receiver to control it using a remote controller.
Lol, well i must admit that this got out of topic but this was an idea that came up after i started writing this post.
I will be very glad to watch it become true though. And after that you will be the proud owner of a super 1982 Technics stereo that can play and record everything (Taped, CDs, DVDs, Radio, Mp3 etc) and the most important you will have made it....

[rovingcowboy]

cool i can tear apart the old pioneer amp i have that i blew up. and make that in to a pc i was looking for any new idea's

yes i screwed up on the pioneer amp i wired the speakers i made but i had done it to where they were 2 ohm's not the 8 ohm's one day the amp just went from ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ to _______________ soundwise. oops i rewired the speakers to 8 ohms now and they are still in use. loud 300 watt subwoofer units if i want to knock the dust of the walls no trouble. if i want to shake the roof shingles no trouble.

only thing is on that tape deck to pc conversion it will take som thinking to get the buttons working so that sounds like an all year next year project.

no need to wonder about the new tape deck i got a deck that only plays tapes in the car its old underdash one but still works i can mount that on top and hook it in to the 12 volt wires in the ps.

but that still does not get me the new tape recorder which i need to put the records on to the computer.


as for playing music off off any thing like vhs , dvd, 8 track, cassett, records , electric keyboards, or radio i already have it set up for all that

RCA Jacks are nice for things don't you know it lol

you have not heard an electric keyboard play the pipe organ until you heard it on those 300 watt sub woofers at full power.

not a bug in the neighborhood when it was that loud

oh and before you ask.

i have the other windows me computer set up to go from vhs to computer or from computer to televison only the tv is in the other room

[psyXonova]

only thing is on that tape deck to pc conversion it will take som thinking to get the buttons working so that sounds like an all year next year project.

The tape player i suggested is specifically design to connect to computers like a cd-rom does (can be installed in any 5.25'' rack). No need for button mapping, the included software handles it all. Maybe you should read a bit more about it, I think is the ideal sollution for ppl with many old tapes like you

[Guest]

yes it would work good in the computer it would take the portable deck out of play and loose the patch cord..

but if i don't have record deck in the home stereo unit i can't put my old records on to the tapes to put in to the computer.?

i was not refering to button mapping.

i was refering to making the buttons on the front of the stereo unit match to the front of the taped deck you mentioned.

because i was thinking of making it look like the stereo amp to keep it all hiden as to what it really is? except the deck i have that would be hard to hide?

roving cowboy / keith hall
not logged in.

[agentsmart]

sounds like a kicka zz project

but i am not sticking around to see anyone do it.

i am out of here for now anyway i got my answers fixed for now.

c ya later

[julzcompufreek]

but if i don't have record deck in the home stereo unit i can't put my old records on to the tapes to put in to the computer.?

There are record players available that will connect directly to you PC. It would save some time and the quality would probably be better.

[rovingcowboy]

but if i don't have record deck in the home stereo unit i can't put my old records on to the tapes to put in to the computer.?

There are record players available that will connect directly to you PC. It would save some time and the quality would probably be better.

yep i seen them over the last few years get better too.

but they dont offer the ability of speeding or slowing the turn table to play slower 16 or 78 rpm records.

which i also have need of putting in to the computer.

i have also never got to making the pc, as described above got to busy putting songs in the computer.

[Scooter]

Audio Stereo Components have not advanced dramatically in the past 20 years or so, really.

I have components that have just as good specs as the brand new $5,000 McIntosh components.

So my suggestion is to buy high quality super high end stuff--used.

I like to single source components, and I would start with the electronics, Amp and PreAmp.

You can get some terrific deals here:
http://www.audiogon.com/

McIntosh, Krell or Marantz are three good brands.

If you want to take a step down in quality, Adcom makes a good serviceable component system for under $1,200. A good used Amp would be about $300 for 200w, then add a PreAmp and Tuner for about $250 each. A sequencer is nice to protect your Amps from damage and would run about $200.

Adcom is good quality, and although most of their stuff is at least 10-20 years old, it is still in high demand, because it is so good and durable. It is used for clubs, DJ's and some rack mount applications. I love the stuff.

Speakers are very subjective, and you really have to buy what you like to hear. Some are very accurate, but others consider that boring; others are bright and bassy, but others think that the sound is too punchy and tiring. Most speakers will benefit from being placed on spikes and being angled back so that the bass and the tweeters are pointed to the nose of the listener.

Me? I have Adcom components with Vandersteen Speakers and a pair of Vandersteen Sub-Woofers. My sound card is a Layla 24 bit card. To record records to CD, you need software like Acoustica's Spin It Again, LP Player or Goldwave. A tape deck just adds hiss and distortion. Lose the tape deck dude.

[Peke]

@Scooter
Great review, I also own This and would never sold it, have that MA-100 Amp 4x120RMS 8Ohm 4 system speaker boxes (hand made by me with 15" bass). I only wish that I have one more MA-100 and then I'll make 8(4 Front, 4 Rear)+Central(Active)+SubWoofer(Active) just for me. Full natural and clear sound can't be compared to any of new Digital amps especially when I listen "Giorgio Moroder - Madeline's Theme" or whole Electric Dreams - Soundtrack.

[rovingcowboy]

which tape deck ? my 8 track or the reel to reel? the reel does not work so i can get rid of it even though it is a surround sound unit.. it got a short in it.

i use the cassette tapes route because i get a power hum in the unit when i go from the sound card to the amp.

power hum is caused by the home wireing in this house there is some sort of cheap wire used here and also the power company likes to cut back on power and add power by using self swtiching power stations which come on or go off as needed.

that makes the power here jump enough in either direction at times that it kills the supply enough that everything shuts down. so if that happens the tape is easier to re do then fixing the harddrive.

i do have it on a apc unit but the unit is too small for the computers demand so it only gives me about 4 minutes before the apc is dead.

i would buy a new one but i am with out income right now.
which is another reason i did not get the pc described above built.

so i trudge on with my old stuff.

the equipment i see getting better in specs is the cheap players that combine all radio, cdrw drive / player, and turntable they seem to have go better looking as well and they did do something to make them sound better then when they first came out a few years ago. but they don't seem to have a good slow or fast turntable so i use this old techniecs one yet. the even older pioneer one is the one that slows down enough to use.
foor 16rpm.

as for the hiss of the tape well i can not hardly hear it at all on most songs.
the most i hear is the scratch of the needle on the albums. and it is a new needle.
i use to have a bottle of anti static liquid for use on albums that would not leave any mark on the album. that was good as i used it on the album while recording i just put a lot on it and the needle ran in the liquid thus cutting the noise on them old albums to almost nothing.
but i ran out of that liquid and can not find it on the market anymore.

yep i also seen how they say to place the speakers on poles.
trouble is my speaker units would break your back if they fell off the pole and it might just end up on the first floor by going through the floor if they fell.

this house is so small i got the speakers bouncing off the walls and filling in the area with reflected sound from the two tall units. the two small sub woofer/ tweeter units i built just aim in the middle of the room. when i play it the sound is so loud you can't tell where it is coming from as in which speaker unless your standing by it. but walking around the room you can just hear it pretty much where ever your at in the house including the grauge or the front porch even the backyard by the fence.

no bugs around here when i play music on the main stereo unit,
no other critters either.

[Scooter]

Well Keith, what can I say?

If you live in the sticks so that power is undependable, then either get a power conditioner ($100-300) or live with it. I have an Adcom Power Conditioner, made for stereos, that is also a sequencer, e.g., turns off and on the components in the order they need to be turned on. Cost was about $500 new, but you can used ones for about $100.

Or go retro and go for vinyl albums.

Or real retro and go for 78's

Or ultimate retro, and try for wax cylinders.

Bottom Line--no sense discussing stereo components with a power system like that and no power conditioner. An APC merely keeps the power on for a few minutes so you can turn off the components. I can't imagine needing more than 4 minutes. You need a first rate conditioner.

[rovingcowboy]

yep i live in the sticks compaired to your big city.

i live in fort worth.

the trouble is the house builders here got a bug in their shirt and put
all cheap a... wireing in the houses for several years. then when
the state found out they fined the contractors and took their lic. away
and even sued them to get some money for the home owers? i never seen any of it?
but they did not have to replace the wires or anything like that. they just
stuck us with it.

and then the power companys are pulling crap too. we replaced all the bulb with them 10 watt florecent lites. cut our power bill in half. so the company raised the cost to get it back up to what it was. the sorry son of a guns anyway.
and they still have the nerve to use the autoswitching power stations that cause spikes and surges and damage our equipment.
plus they pulled a callifornian trick on us last year and did a rolling black out across north texas but they did not even tell the police departments.
man what a mess that was.

[rovingcowboy]

Well i thought to update you again, got rid of tape deck few years back now use cd's and usb turn table. New systems in the computers with sound on mb. Power spikes and surges have pretty much killed the old stereo still got use of amp and tuner but eq tapes are gone, too broke to buy new, speakers are still working their water proof 6x9's so they are plastic cones, the woofers were great ones to start with so they still work but i don't knock dust off walls anymore so they'll last.
Had to switch to a boom box in other room and use patch cord from head phone jack to hq hi computer speakers so its sounding fair, guess everything wears out