Why 70's stereos rocked and 80''s stereos sucked

[orangecrush]

I own two 70's Realistic receivers, an STA 200 and an STA 90, 30 and 45 WPC respectively

Both require two hands and a grunt to pick them up.

I've had 80's gear that you could lift with 2 fingers, and the sound was awful, despite the advertised specs being better than my Realistics.

I always wondered why - this confirms it.

The 80's stereos sucked.

Get off my lawn, Yuppies.

Greed is not good.

It makes shit stereos, music and people.

MWAHAHAHA!

* Note - I am talking about average consumer gear, not some high end product from the 80's that cost more than a car. I am talking value for the dollar.

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[dem4decades]

1. That's pretty neat, my sx 1010 weighs 70 pounds

And the platter on my dual 1019 is heavy too. Still trying to match up the right speakers.

[orangecrush]

2. Yeah, the reason the gear got lighter

Was they started using cheaper components.

That is a marvelous receiver, good luck with the speakers!

[lpbk2713]

3. I bought a nice Fisher AM/FM Phono when I was stationed in Spain.

It stopped working not long after I brought it Stateside. I didn't consider European current is different from USA current. I took it to a radio/TV repair shop (shows how long ago it was because they hardly exist any more). They guy said come back in a week. I was expecting to be able to use it again but he told me it was beyond economical repair. I still miss that thing.

[orangecrush]

4. Sorry to hear that

I too have learned electronic lessons the card way.

Big differences in current between countries.

Some export units have adjustable power settings.

Plugs are different too, but they make adapters.

[Progressive dog]

5. Most 70s stereos

used heavy power supplies because the transformers needed iron cores to work at 60 Hertz. Newer amplifies are lighter and cheaper for the same quality and power. They don't need the iron because the 60 HZ is converted to DC and the DC is converted to a higher frequency before being transformed. There are no output transformers.
Amplifier specifications have improved, receiver specifications have improved.

[orangecrush]

6. And as the video points out

The components are much lower quality and despite the specs, they still don't sound anywhere near as good.

Which is why good 70's gear demands top dollar in today's market, and most 80's gear that hasn't been junked yet goes dirt cheap.

[msongs]

7. Black plastic sucks...a curse be upon the industry for switching to it

[orangecrush]

9. "Rack systems"

They made cheap crap look good and sold it to the unsuspecting.

[LogDog75]

8. I bought a JVC stereo system in the late 70s

I was stationed at Myrtle Beach AFB in South Carolina and was looking for a stereo system. I looked at a couple of systems at a stereo shop in the local mall and took the brochures for the JVC. One of the guys in my shop was a stereo aficionado and Marantz was the gold standard to him. He looked at the brochures and doubted what the JVC specs said. He and I went to the stereo shop and he talked with the sales woman about the stereo. He tried to say how much better Marantz stereos, which they carried, were but she knew her stuff and told him about how Marantz quality had declined and why. In the end he agreed that the JVC was the better stereo system and I bought it.

[orangecrush]

10. Good deal

JVC made legendary boomboxes.

The JVC M90 commands big bucks.

[LogDog75]

12. My stereo wasn't a boombox

The stereo was a receiver, amplifier, cassette deck, turntable, and two large-sized 100-watt speakers.

As for boomboxes, I agree that JVC made some good ones. I only needed a small one at work that could fit on my desk so it only needed about 10-watt speakers.

[orangecrush]

13. Sounds really nice

JVC made some great stuff

[Aristus]

11. I dunno.

I bought a lightweight Samsung stereo in 1990. AM/FM radio, dual cassette deck, CD player, and a 100-watt superwoofer. Great sound reproduction. I had the loudest stereo in the barracks of my unit in Germany.

It stood up to a lot of hard rock, metal, and Concrete Blonde in its time. It came with me everywhere I moved over the years. It ended up in my library in my current home, where it played classical music non-stop while I studied to be a Physician Assistant.

It finally gave up the ghost in 2019 after nearly thirty years of loyal music playback.

Would a 1970’s stereo have lasted longer? Maybe. But I doubt it would have been as portable, and have traveled even half as well.

[orangecrush]

14. Good point

I agree the main point is how much enjoyment you get from your gear.

Different strokes.

[Aristus]

15. Yes. Joy is at the center of it.

We need more joy. All we can get. In whatever way possible.

[orangecrush]

16. Can confirm!

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[Aristus]

17. Best "first listen" experience I ever had was the "Bloodletting" album.

It’s a great story. I’ll tell you about it sometime.

[orangecrush]

18. Thank you!

[bobalew]

19. Well, let me tell you a story...

after being involved in tech since I was 12, I'm 73 now. I my 60's I had enough money to purchase off auctions quite few 70's vintage audio components that now reside in my basement. The intent was to restore them and provide retirement income. Still the plan, but it's going slower than I want it to go. With that said, I may be sitting on a goldmine... I also fix & repair tube tech. Anyone interested may contact me through here.. My theory is that all the margins were removed from later designs, something called headroom .. I do have tons of Inventory & parts, including a few NOS vintage components. And Tubes. I'd like to connect with any other old geeks out there with similar interests, as I have damn near the whole history of silicon valley by stuffed in my head...

[VGNonly]

20. My stereo in the 70's

Pioneer receiver
Aiwa tapedeck
Advent speakers
Technics turntable

[orangecrush]

21. Dream system!

[VGNonly]

22. I have about 400 LP's.

Some are sandpapered, used a Discwasher on the vast majority. Some rare colored vinyl (green Yardbirds orange Stones), a few unopened (Byrds, Janis Joplin, Traffic).

Good Times!

[orangecrush]

23. Excellent!!!

[dem4decades]

27. Nice!

[ProfessorGAC]

24. My 80s Sony Was Significantly Better Than...

...my 70s Pioneer. Easily more clean headroom and faster dynamic changes. It didn't take a super studied listen to hear it.
When I replaced it 20 years ago, I went Sony again.
Prices are fair, plenty of features & good sound.

[orangecrush]

25. Thanks

To each their own.

But when I plugged in my lowly 35 WPC Realistic STA 200, my jaw dropped.

I was among friends again, a number of whom are no longer with us.

That's the only way I can explain it.

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[The Madcap]

26. Still rocking my Onkyo TX-108.

Bought it in 1986. It survived a fire in a nearby apartment. The only issue I ever had with it was when the power switch gave out in the early 90s. Replaced that and drove on.

100 w/ channel stereo only analog goodness. I couldn't have asked for more.

[orangecrush]

30. Great stereo!

[The Madcap]

31. Also still rocking my Cerwin-Vega D-7s

Had to replace the speaker surround foams, as they dried out and cracked, but that bit of surgery went smoothly. I've had those for nearly 40 years as well.

[orangecrush]

32. Great job refoaming!

Probably sound better than new as they have aged.

[I_UndergroundPanther]

28. In the 90's there

Was a high end stereo place that had been in our town for ages, closing. The prices for top end stereos were cheap. I got a receiver that was analog enhanced with digital. Best of both worlds I was really sad when it went kaput. It lasted 8 years. Speakers lasted 10 years. And yeah it was not a light lift either.

[orangecrush]

29. Thanks

Glad you enjoyed, that's the important thing!