Zel's Fleet Blog - Xantia Activa, BX, Jag XJ-S, Sinclair C5, Mercedes 208D, AC Model 70.

[Zelandeth]

I do have a fair bit of vinyl, nothing hugely valuable and mostly passed down from my folks - or from the Age Concern charity store up at Kiln Farm where they are usually fifty pence each.

Will have to see how the turntable compares to the others I have once I have everything in order. Tuner is reputed to be very sensitive on both AM and FM.

[CitroJim]

Tuner is by far the most vital part for me Zel... 90% of my listening is done on FM, mainly around 101MHz... The otehr 10% is on CD...

[Zelandeth]

Will have to bring it over one of the days and you can see what you think then!

[CitroJim]

Indeed! That'll be good

[Zelandeth]

Well gave it a test today and the only fault I can find (on headphones at least, didn't have any speakers to hand), is one scratcy channel on the tape deck. Everything else is perfect.

Might even just need the head cleaning for all I know...will investigate once I have a bit more time.

[CitroJim]

That's excellent Zel So often stuff of that vintage has little wrong and has years of good service left in it...

So different to the stuff of today.. I bet we won't be still using current-production radios, TVs and stereos in 30 years time...

[Xantianut]

Ay up!

Best stereo I've ever had was a 1965ish HMV wooden case radiogram. Broke my heart to get rid of it but it was just too damn big......

[CitroJim]

Those old radiograms were absolutely brilliant. Shame is that even for collectors they're not very popular due to the size of them...

[myglaren]

My youngest daughter has my dad's radiogram and uses it daily
Grundig from the sixties.

[CitroJim]

Lover to know the model number of that Grundig Steve so that I can look it up. It may well be a valved one...

[myglaren]

I'll have a look next time I am at hers.

[Zelandeth]

Yes it's a shame the radiograms are so unloved. I've got a late 50s Cossor in the garage at the moment which I doubt I'll ever find a space for in the house simply because of the sheer size of the thing.

Couple of valve sets are in evidence though, a Bush VHF71 being the most commonly used in one of the bedrooms.

Hoping to get my collection into something more resembling order this year at some point as I really don't know half of what I have!

The one set I keep hoping to find is a Philips Reverbeo, though I don't fancy my chances!

[CitroJim]

All my regularly used wirelesses are well over 40 years old here, even the new-fangled transistorised ones!

A craze at the moment is to 're-purpose' older valve wirelesses by ripping out their guts and installing modern DAB stuff with I-pod docks and bluetooth!!!

[Zelandeth]

I've come across that too, Jim.

Have added input sockets to a few sets for people to use modern sources (obviously only models with a mains transformer and grounded chassis - wouldn't consider it on a live chassis set for safety reasons!), but wouldn't ever consider gutting one unless the chassis was utterly beyond all hope of repair.

My VHF71 often does play back a modern source via a little FM transmitter attached to my iPod if there's nothing on air I'm interested in.

The only really modern bit of audio kit I use in the house is the Bose Wave which tends to follow me around while I'm doing housework as it's very portable being a self contained unit.

[CitroJim]

Have added input sockets to a few sets for people to use modern sources (obviously only models with a mains transformer and grounded chassis - wouldn't consider it on a live chassis set for safety reasons!), but wouldn't ever consider gutting one unless the chassis was utterly beyond all hope of repair.

There's been reports of where input sockets have been added to live chassis wirelesses by unskilled and unknowing people..

It can be done with an isolating transformer but it must be done properly!

Back in the day I always used to have a neon screwdriver in my pocket to check if a chassis was live or not...