[Chuck Schwark]

I still listen to the Heathkit AR-29 receiver I built in early 70s.
CD-player sits on top of it.
It's the hub of the stereo system in the living room.

Chuck

[Ron Ramirez]

Codefox - I looked up the Kenwood KR6170. Very impressive with three meters and all of those pushbuttons and knobs.

Russ (Phlog) - The Sansui 9090DB is out of my price range. I quickly learned that is THE most respected (and expensive) vintage receiver out there. I have been thinking about a 2000 (not A or X), though - I like how they look.

I'm trying to stop buying receivers for awhile, though. I stopped myself from buying a Fisher 550-T a couple nights ago - I think I have too many now. I'm going to fix up the ones I have and then sell some, keep some. The 600-T and 4400 are definite keepers. I'll probably be keeping the current workbench project, a 700-T, as I will have a lot of $$$ tied up in it when it is finished - it needed, and still needs, a lot of work.

Chuck, how about posting a photo of your Heathkit? You too, Codefox, of your Kenwood; and Phlog, of your 9090DB?

[Phlogiston]

I bought another 9090 a couple of years ago for $45 locally. Sure it was dead. But you have a soldering iron.

The AU series manuf. by Sansui is also populated by keepers.

Welcome back.

This is a picture of the $45 one that I sold. But mine looks just like it.

   

   

   

   

[Phlogiston]

Just for grins, here is a picture of the Fisher Amp I just fixed up for my brother. Sorry it has tubes and is just an amp.

   

   

Fan cooled

   

[Ron Ramirez]

Acked (and thanks). But every 9090 I have seen has been selling for 15-20x what you paid for yours.

And I tend to buy non-working receivers anyway; it's fun to get them working again, plus they cost less when they don't work.

I'm not familiar with the AU line. I'll have to look into those.

Edit: Oh, you added pictures while I was typing - great! Now the Phorum folks who do not know what a 9090 is can see for themselves. Very impressive receiver!

No apologies needed for a tube amplifier; they are welcome here as well. I'm not collecting them, but others might. Looks good as well!

[Eliot Ness]

That's a beautiful Sansui 9090!

I remember the Kenwood KR6170 Jumbo's very well. A couple of guys in my squad in Okinawa had them paired with a Docorder reel to reel 8)

I bought a nice Pioneer that was quickly stolen, so my next stereo purchase was right before I left the PI and had shipped back to the U.S. The Kenwood receiver I bought I regret eventually selling but I still have my KL-777 speakers and Teac reel to reel.

[Phlogiston]

I have a Kenwood 11. Very cool receiver except for the sleep timer - what were they thinking. It is even better now. Replaced the panel bulbs with white LEDs. It has a ghostly white glow now and is in the closet.

Is that the model you bought? I guess they and most of the Sansuis were sold at the PX.

[Ron Ramirez]

Well, Phlog, you will be glad to know that I just broke my rule on "no more receivers for now" and agreed to buy a Sansui 2000 at a price that was too good to pass up. But this has to be it for a while. I have no place to put any more of these things!

[Eliot Ness]

I think it was a KR-6200. Although I replaced it with a bigger Pioneer the Kenwood had a better sound to my ears.

[BrendaAnnD]

Russ,

That's a really eerie artifact there in your pic of the back of the Fisher amp.. the filaments look like they're glowing a bright purple. 8/

[Phlogiston]

Hay BAD. I think it is a reflection or the color settings on your monitor.

   

Those should be 7189As. The tube I would vote for being the most over driven of all of the (regular) audio OP tubes. It is a 6BQ5 run at about 425V on the plate. So If it is glowing , I understand.

Since only one of the original OP tubes was in place I had to go with the Ruski version. I did add a few watts of primary resistance.

   

So I think the plate voltage was about 385V. I was as careful about the bias as I could be since it is developed by using the filaments of the 12AX7s as a series string resistor. As I recall it ends up averaging about 8 or 9 volts on each 12AX7. Supposed to keep them quiet, but if anything goes wrong you have red plates and burnt out filaments. I think they should have spent a few more $ on the power supply instead. Anyway I also added the forced air instead of carving a hole in the nice cabinet I built.

He has had it for a year and has not reported any fires.

[Chuck Schwark]

Ok, here's my AR-29 Heathkit. Built 9-16-77.
Only 37 yrs. old and going strong.

[Image: http://www.philcorepairbench.com/images/AR-29.jpg]

[Ron Ramirez]

Very nice, Chuck! The green dial and meters are a nice change from the typical blue in most '70s receivers.

[Chuck Schwark]

Thanks Ron. I enjoy it. Took the construction in stages, as per the manual, and it took about 3-4 days. Each circuit board is a separate section and has resistance tests performed on it before adding to chassis and harnesses. Very thorough. Never let the Magic Smoke out of any components. My local Heath Store was only a few miles away, if I had roasted a small part or two. I saw one working in the demo room before I settled on the AR-29. Matched our first apt. decor. Heavy too - with generous sized power transformer. IIRC, it's 35 W. per channel. More than enough to crack plaster with 8-inch, 2-way floor speakers I had on it.

Chuck