My thirty year-old Hitachi stereo finally bit the big one. Recommendations for a replacement?

[Aristus]

Don't laugh; I know we all listen to music now on our computers or our phones. But I still have a huge music collection that hasn't been digitized; cassettes and vinyl, mostly. I'd like to be able to listen to them in their original format. Plus, I have some items on cassette that are obscure enough that they never made it to CD or digital files.

Ideas for a console-style stereo?

Thanks...

[Ferryboat]

1. Not so much consoles BUT

at yhe moment I'm looking at a Dual CS 5000 turntable in value village thrift store. Lots of high end audio equipment showing up. Pick up a real nice McIntosh receiver couple weeks ago.

[Glamrock]

2. Awwww man! Sorry to hear it!

My Fischer is still working but quirky as fuck. Got a 60’s record is layer console I want to do with all the trimmings. Phono, wireless speakers etc.

[peacefreak2.0]

3. I feel your pain.

I had to ditch a pair of early Allison speakers because they were literally disintegrating. Replaced with a set of so/so speakers. I’m keeping my eye out at the thrift store, too.

[OneBlueDotBama]

4. Lots of folks...

making tube amps these days, toss in an equalizer, some very warm sound coming from your records. Amps with EL34B tubes are awesome...

[Lochloosa]

6. This. The sound is so much richer.

[OneBlueDotBama]

9. Especially for vinyl

For audiophiles, McIntosh tube amps are the best, very expensive... then again it seems some good products have entered the market in the past few years. Most guitar & bass players use tube amps, they've become very reliable in the past few years. Solid state amps have been trying for years to copy the sound, so far to my ears...they've not been successful. I'm a tone snob....

[cos dem]

5. How broken is it? It might be repairable, if you, or someone you know knows what they're doing.

One common problem with older gear is electrolytic capacitors that dry out. This is especially true in the power supply, where they can short out and render the whole thing inoperable. But, if you know what to buy, replacing them may be fairly simple, and not necessarily all that expensive.

This is not the kind of thing I'd recommend to someone who doesn't know the business end of a soldering iron. But it's certainly doable by someone with some electronics basics.

I have a Revox A77 tape deck from the 60s that quit, even emitting a bit of "magic smoke". I recapped it, and now the thing works great.

[House of Roberts]

7. You should have tried to capture that smoke.

It might be valuable.

[Lochloosa]

8. Look what I found

https://www.ebay.com/b/Hitachi-Vintage-Stereo-Receivers/50596/bn_90023515

[jmowreader]

10. Console-style stereo...

Are you talking about something like this?

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And under the lid is the turntable, tape decks, radio and controls?

What I would do in your case is to buy good components (I'm thinking of Yamaha for my own next stereo) then hiring a cabinetmaker to modify the console stereo case to hold them.

[skypilot]

11. I won't laugh.

I still have a couple VCRs. Glad I kept them. Now and then I find a movie on VHS that never made it to DVD or streaming. I have a Sony device that will convert the VHS to DVD if the VHS is not copy protected, so the VCR comes in handy sometimes.

I know that this doesn't address your issue. Just wanted to let you know that you are not alone in holding on to older technology.

[Hotler]

12. After nearly 40-years of service my McIntosh amp/pre-amp died.

I couldn't afford a near Mac so I went with a Parasound amplifier and pre-amp. for their 5-yr. warranty. So far I am happy. I have since had the Mac refurbished along with an even old Merantz model 26.

Be fore you throw out old speakers, look online for re-coning kits. I had an early set of Advent speakers that I trashed and then found out I could have refurbished them for about $100.00, been kicking myself in the butt for that.

I don't think you can buy new console's anymore.

Google vintage stereo repair in your area.