Manufacturers of mainstream electronics and the 500-T was Fisher’s firstAll-transistor unit. Scott were the two most prominentU.S. We discuss the evolution from tubes to transistors, power ratings and the FTC, social, economic, and demographic changes that have occurred in America since the 1960’s and how this has impacted the receiver market.In rough chronological order from oldest to newest, here are our picks for the10 (or so) most memorable receivers of the last 50 years: Two-ChannelFisher 500-T receiver from around 1965-ish was a hugely important unit in theEvolution of American hi-fi. IfThe response to the Speakers article was any indication, this one should sparkWe cover everything from vintage two-channel to the more recent multi-channel surround AV receivers. Round-up/historical articles like these are a heckuva lot of fun toWrite, and it’s even more fun to hear the reactions and read the comments. Neither article is about “the best,”But we’re sure that won’t stop the flood of how-could-you-this-leave-off comments.Those comments are the very reason we do these articles, so we’d love to hearThem.The flimsyRationale was that an amplifier—if it had enough of a power supply—couldProbably muster about double its Peak power for the briefest of instants, if itHad the wind at its back and you completely disregarded the distortion.A 30-watt/channel RMS stereo amplifier became a 60-watt/ch peak amp, whichBecame a 120-watt IPP amp. 90 watts how? Per channel? 45 per channel, so 90 watts total? At whatLevel of distortion? Over what bandwidth? Both channels driven simultaneouslyThis is how it was done in those days: Let the buyerBack in the ’60 s and early ’70 s, before the FTC stepped in (1974) and madeAll the stereo manufacturers clean up their deceptive advertised wattageRatings, companies would use all kinds of ratings.In 1974, FTC stepped in to make stereo manufacturers clean up their deceptive wattage ratings.Was Continuous or RMS, but since this was the smallest, least-impressiveNumber, it was always listed last, in small print, if listed at all.The RMS was “Dynamic” or “Peak” or “Music” power—the rationale being that anAmplifier could likely deliver about double its continuous rating on aA really bogus number called “IPP” or Instantaneous Peak Power. Germanium transistors had narrowerBandwidth, less gain and were not particularly reliable, giving the first transistorUnits a somewhat shaky reputation for inferior sound and questionable quality.Particular interest is this ad’s headline, boasting that it’s a “90-Watt”Receiver.25 or 30 clean watts perSide would easily drive any normal speaker of the time to more-than-ampleLoudness levels in the typical living room. For example, Dynaco—a well-regarded manufacturer ofBetter-than-midgrade electronics—had to de-rate their popular SCA-80 integratedAmplifier from 40 watts RMS per channel to 30 watts RMS per channel, becauseThe unit ran too hot during the new FTC-mandated preconditioning period.Particular Fisher receiver—if you read all the fine print reallyClosely—eventually said that it was 28 watts RMS per channel, although it’s notClear if a distortion level or frequency bandwidth was ever specified.Considered all on its own, the Fisher was a fine unit. That necessitated large, heavy heat sinks for new designs, or sometimesA downgrade in power ratings for existing designs in order to meet the newRequirements. Furthermore, the FTCMandated a warm-up or “preconditioning” period of an hour at 33% of rated powerManufacturers hated this one, because 33% power is right in the heart of theLeast efficient operating range for typical Class AB amplifiers (which all ofThese were), and so the amps would run very hot during the preconditioningPeriod. Ugh.1974, the FTC came in and mandated that audio amplifier power specificationsHad to state RMS/continuous power first, in the largest type, and that it hadTo be specified over what frequency bandwidth, at what THD distortion level,And both channels had to be driven simultaneously.
![]() ![]() In 1972, a Ford Galaxy500 would take you to the store to buy milk just as well as any luxury car, butA list price of around $950, it was probably twice as costly—if not more—thanSimilarly-spec’d receivers from mainstream companies, but the 1900 had an auraOf solid quality that nothing else could match. These were the Cadillacs ofTheir day and price was just not part of the equation. You didn’tJudge Macs on a watts or features per-dollar basis. Came on the scene.Were primarily a separates company but when they did finally come out withTheir first receiver—the tube/solid state hybrid model 1500—it was a big event.They followed that with the more solid state/less tube (tuner section only)Model 1700, but with the model 1900 in the early ’70s, “Mac” finally enteredWhat a solid, well-built, beautiful, high-performance unit it was. McIntoshThe “Macs.” The generally-acknowledged best electronics of their time(apologies to Marantz separates fans), long before the Aragons and Brystons andAudio Researches and Jeff Rolands, et al. It ushered in the coming stereo market expansion andDeservedly takes its place among the industry’s most memorable receivers. Esp serial number chartAs a teen just getting intoAudio, that was an impression that has lasted to this day.Electronics certainly had the cachet and their 1900 receiver did nothing toSully that reputation. I remember he played the Isaac Hayes record “Shaft,” and the high-hatStrikes that began the title cut were so realistic and sharp, I didn’t thinkAnything could ever sound better. The systemCost over $2,000—this was an extremely expensive system in the early 70’s, realHigh-end. In high school as my interestIn stereo picked up steam, one of my classmates had (or I guess his Dad had) a“high end” system consisting of a Mac 1900, AR-3a speakers and a ThorensTurntable with a separately purchased tonearm (probably an SME). (Another being the smoothly-damped, slow-opening cassette deck door—butWas the standard-setter for mainstream receivers in that timeframe. Since younger aficionados are onlyAcquainted with digital tuners, they’ve really missed out on one of theGreatest tactile/high-quality equipment sensations of the halcyon era ofStereo. TheLine consisted of five models, from the SX-424 (15 wpc) to the SX-828 (50 wpc).They were beautifully-made, beautiful-looking units, with silver faceplates,Wooden side panels, and heavily-weighted tuning flywheels that spun nicely fromOne end of the tuning dial to the other. PioneerWere the receivers that launched the stereo college revolution of the ’70s. Mcintosh 1700 Receiver For Sale Series And ThenWhatever it is, it has that something extra, a bitUnexpected, a little better than it has to be. From Joni Mitchell to Miles Davis to Santana—Pioneer wasMatter how good the accepted standard-bearer is in any field, there’s alwaysSomething a cut above. Two of these later series units—oneEach from the 30 and 50 families—were so significant to the history andEvolution of the high-fidelity industry that they’ll be called out on their ownBut for now, let’s remember the Pioneer SX-424Thru 828—the receivers that powered so much of the music of the Baby Boomers’College-aged youth. It was followed by the SX-434 series and then in 1976 by theSX-450 series models, the latter with their strikingly-gorgeous soft goldBacklit tuning dial/power meter display area. But the Pioneers were the benchmark unitsAnd their sales and marketing policies ensured they were the biggest sellers.The ’70s, all those millions of Advents, EPIs, JBLs and ARs blasting out AllmanBrothers, the Who, Jimi and CSN&Y in beer-drenched, smoke-filled (neverMind what kind!) dorm rooms across the country had to be powered by something.More often than not, they were made to sing by the clean, dependable,Abuse-resistant power of a Pioneer receiver.The SX-424 thru 828 model series was made fromAbout 1971-1973. ![]()
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