New or Old HiFi System...

[Woody3]

My Dad has an old (40 years at a guess) Technics System, boxed up in a cupboard due to its original speakers failing around 5 years ago.

It consists of:

Turntable - SL-B210
Stereo Tuner ST Z35L
Amp SU-235
Cassette Deck M216

He loves his music and was recently blown away by Alexa on a Sonos Beam. I must point out he's a technophobe.

He's tasked me with getting a sound system up and running for him again, either enabling him to listen to his vinyls records or to stream music via Alexa or similar. I'm a bit wary of the latter as I'm not entirely convinced about what Alexa can hear...

At the moment he just uses the youtube app on the TV to listen to various playlists, but the inbuilt speakers obviously aren't great.

Is it worth spending money on new speakers for the old system, or get something new entirely? Budget would be around £300...

Edited by Woody3 on Friday 16th August 16:28

[Tony1963]

They’re records, not “vinyls”. Please!

[Tony1963]

Buy some speakers anyway, and if the rest of the system doesn’t live up to expectations, the speakers can be used with any new equipment.

[Deranged Rover]

With a budget of £300, I'd resurrect the Technics gear with a new pair of speakers, as suggested.

If you really wantto add Alexa functionality, you can buy a small one that will plug into one of the amplfier's auxiliary inputs.

[Woody3]

Tony1963 said:

They’re records, not “vinyls”. Please!

Haha. Fixed it for you, but what's the difference?

[Tony1963]

Woody3 said:

Haha. Fixed it for you, but what's the difference?

Before the current hipster type interest in buying records, NOBODY called them vinyls. Vinyl records is ok.

Nobody calls CDs ‘plastics’ or compact cassettes ‘magentics’

[anonymous-user]

As others have said, use existing kit, new speakers, add Amazon Echo Input, job done.

The only other comment I'd make is to check if the Echo Input allows you to adjust the EQ. I've got a current generation Echo Dot used as a stand-alone device, and a previous generation Echo Dot hooked up to an old amp and speakers, and both benefited from adjusting the EQ in the Amazon Alexa app. I'm not sure if the Echo Input allows you to do this or not (or indeed,if it needs it).

[miniman]

Does he want the Alexa specifically so he can voice control it, or just because it will stream music? If the latter, and he has a smartphone, pick up a Google Chromecast Audio - £25 or so.

Or if you definitely want an Alexa, ping me your details and I’ll send you one!

[Nerdherder]

Woody3 said:

My Dad has an old (40 years at a guess) Technics System, boxed up in a cupboard due to its original speakers failing around 5 years ago.

It consists of:

Turntable - SL-B210
Stereo Tuner ST Z35L
Amp SU-235
Cassette Deck M216

He loves his music and was recently blown away by Alexa on a Sonos Beam. I must point out he's a technophobe.

He's tasked me with getting a sound system up and running for him again, either enabling him to listen to his vinyls records or to stream music via Alexa or similar. I'm a bit wary of the latter as I'm not entirely convinced about what Alexa can hear...

At the moment he just uses the youtube app on the TV to listen to various playlists, but the inbuilt speakers obviously aren't great.

Is it worth spending money on new speakers for the old system, or get something new entirely? Budget would be around £300...

Edited by Woody3 on Friday 16th August 16:28

It was probably a Sonos Beam+sub+ (2x)One that blew him away? Thats quite a bit above budget.

I'd get a pair of powered (e.g. amplifier integrated into the speaker) 'nearfield monitor' speakers, very good sound quality&quantity available.
Not sure what the best UK store for professiomnal/studio audio is, but over here I'd get this:
https://www.thomann.de/nl/ld_systems_dave_8_xs.htm
Will blow him away like the Sonos for sure.

Just pipe the audio from the TV to the active speaker set (as he's used to using the TV as 'media center' now..) and be happy.
And use the record out of the Technics amp to pipe vinyls into the system.

P.s. Upgrading to better digital sources, digital to analogue conversion etc would be nice but that's beyond budget.

[1602Mark]

I'm into older stuff and bought a Pioneer A400 amp and some Mordaunt Short M300 floor standing speaker (with decent wire) for £190 locally. I run my old iMac into it and it sounds great. Well to my ears anyway. I have listened to some super expensive, high quality systems but I don't think I have high enough quality ears to really appreciate it. I used to have some lovely 70's Quad stuff but we got burgled and they took the lot. I also have some Celestion Ditton 10 speakers that were £20 off Facebook market place and they're really nice for their size. Seller thought they were homemade in the 70's and replaced them with a modern midi system thing. I just love the aesthetic of 60's and 70's HiFi stuff.

Edited by 1602Mark on Friday 16th August 20:23

Edited by 1602Mark on Friday 16th August 20:27

[1602Mark]

This thread has me lusting after cool hifi again.

This is my dream for vinyl...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Michell-Transcriptor-El...

[anonymous-user]

Older HiFi is way better than the crap they pack into the modern Alexa and Sonos stuff. I’d get him to resurrect the Technics and augment with the convenience of newer stuff.

As a compromise I’ve got quality ProAC speakers from the 90s with NAD power amp triggered through a modern Yamaha Aventage amp which supports Spotify etc driven by my mobile

[Nerdherder]

1602Mark said:

This thread has me lusting after cool hifi again.

This is my dream for vinyl...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Michell-Transcriptor-El...

I'd be happy with a somewhat modified Lenco L75.

[1602Mark]

Nerdherder said:

1602Mark said:

This thread has me lusting after cool hifi again.

This is my dream for vinyl...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Michell-Transcriptor-El...

I'd be happy with a somewhat modified Lenco L75.

Very nice.

I have a Fons CQ30 and SME arm but it needs a lot of love.

[Nerdherder]

1602Mark said:

Nerdherder said:

1602Mark said:

This thread has me lusting after cool hifi again.

This is my dream for vinyl...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Michell-Transcriptor-El...

I'd be happy with a somewhat modified Lenco L75.

Very nice.

I have a Fons CQ30 and SME arm but it needs a lot of love.

Scottish floating belt drive right? Nice, but never came across one.
If it's non-modified I think some dampening tricks could lift up the performance a lot. Give it some love good man!
Sounds like a great winter project to me.

[Deranged Rover]

1602Mark said:

Very nice.

I have a Fons CQ30 and SME arm but it needs a lot of love.

Then give it the love! The Fons was a fine turntable.

[Woody3]

Thanks for the replies chaps - there's a lot to take in!

Regarding the Alexa, yes, he'd prefer to talk, as opposed to type; he's got fat fingers and is yet to own a phone!

So it sounds like an Amazon Echo Input + the old setup + some inbuilt amplified speakers. Does that sound about right?

At the moment the plan is to keep the hi-fi in a different room to the TV if that makes any difference?

Edited by Woody3 on Tuesday 20th August 23:47

[Deranged Rover]

Woody3 said:

So it sounds like an Amazon Echo Input + the old setup + some inbuilt amplified speakers. Does that sound about right?

No. The old setup already has an amplifier so only standard passive speakers are required.

[miniman]

PM your address OP and I'll send you an Echo.

[Woody3]

miniman said:

PM your address OP and I'll send you an Echo.

Thank you! - pm sent.

I'll start to look into speakers. Say if we went the Echo Input root, wouldn't we need an inbult amp then?