WWVBOT Do?

[Hoog]

Because....why wouldn't I ask?

I have a set of ~'79 vintage Pioneer stereo components that have been in the family for decades. My BIL brought it home from Korea. He tired of moving it around, and down sized to smaller, state-of-the-art components in the mid '80's. The stuff sat in his closet for a few years before he gave it to another BIL, who threw it in his closet. A few years later he was about to throw it out or donate it, and asked me if I wanted it.

I took it and threw it in my spare room/closet for 12 years. About three years ago, I was bored and decided to wire it up and see what was up. Not only did everything work...it worked quite well. I pulled cover on the amp to clean it up a little, but 98% of all the toggles, switches and such all work just fine. I didn't check to see if the cassette plays 'cause I don't own a cassette tape.

This past week I traded a set of Polk Audio SDA 2Bs for the Vandersteen 2Cs in the photo below. In the process of determining the value of each, I checked the Pioneer model numbers as well.

Turns out this stuff is collectable and very desirable. The integrated amp and FM tuner would likely pull $400 + each on eBay. Conservatively the set would go for $1200 or better.

Now I subscribe to the theory that everything is for sale, you just need to want it more than I do. Under most any circumstance, $1200 exceeds my "want."

Except that somewhere in the back of my mind this equipment really isn't mine....it's my BIL's, and that is the one reason I'm not posting a link to the Craigslist ad.

So WWVBOT do? Sell it? Keep it? Sell it and slip a benny to my BIL at Thanksgiving just to cleanse my soul and sleep at night?

:bigears:

[Rob]

I will give you $50 for all of it if you keep your mouth shut

:cert:

[Hoog]

Do I hear $75... :D

These things are built like little Sherman tanks. That stand was the only one I could find that was big enough to hold all of it.

[mrvette]

1200 include the 4 speaker boxes??? or just the center electronics???

:dance:

[Craig]

Sell it before it breaks. I kept my MCS stuff for too long. It recently failed (not bad for stuff bought in the 70s), and now it's worth zip.

[Hoog]

1200 include the 4 speaker boxes??? or just the center electronics???

:dance:
Hell no...$1200 is just for the five Pioneer pieces, and I honestly believe they'll pull more based on condition. I also have all the manuals and even the schematics for them.

The outside speakers are mid '80's Polk SDA 1Cs, insides are the Vandersteens. Worth about $400 and $200 respectively. Not a lot, but damn do they sound sweet.

Sell it before it breaks. I kept my MCS stuff for too long. It recently failed (not bad for stuff bought in the 70s), and now it's worth zip.
This is my thought as well. I'm not sure that the market will ever be as high for these as it is now.

But I never in my wildest dreams would've thought it would be what it is...

[DukeAllen]

You could always sell BIL instead. :leaving:

[8Up]

Keep it, you cant match the quality with todays stuff in my ears opinion.

[RonC5]

They didn't want it or you wouldn't have it. Sell it, and if they ever ask, tell them you got rid of it. Details don't need to be volunteered.

[VatorMan]

If you feel bad about selling it, ask your BIL if he wants it back. Answer is no-Sell, sell, sell.

[boracayjohnny]

If you feel bad about selling it, ask your BIL if he wants it back. Answer is no-Sell, sell, sell.

Winner, winner, chicken dinner....or in this case $1200 c-a-s-h.

[Hoog]

You could always sell BIL instead. :leaving:
Getting rid of him as a brother in law would cost me many times what the stereo is worth. :yesnod:

Keep it, you cant match the quality with today's stuff in my ears opinion.
It does sound nice, and if it had a little more oomph I wouldn't even be thinking about selling.

If you feel bad about selling it, ask your BIL if he wants it back. Answer is no-Sell, sell, sell.
Knowing him over the last 35 years, he would never ask for it back, or take it if offered. This is all in my head.

[Bill]

If you feel bad about selling it, ask your BIL if he wants it back. Answer is no-Sell, sell, sell.

This.

[DukeAllen]

Getting rid of him as a brother in law would cost me many times what the stereo is worth. :yesnod:



Then sell it for $1200. We on this thread will split that for not telling him :D

[Kerrmudgeon]

To me it seems like everyone treated it as discarded junk, so it's yours. If you sell it just keep your mouth shut. You could buy him a bottle at Christmas if you feel guilty I guess. :rofl:

[Dan Dlabay]

I still have and use my turntable I bought in 1978. Still plays fine. Also have a 8-track player that works. Have a complete Sony system bought in 1996 and it works just fine.:cert:

[Hoog]

I had an Onkyo AVR spit the bit a few years ago, but other than that I haven't had any problems with my audio gear. The sets of vintage speakers I've gone through in my two channel set-up have all been solid. My theater speakers are almost 20 years old and sound like new. They are on anytime the tv is on.

Now TVs...they just don't make 'em like they used to...

[simpleman68]

Keep it, you cant match the quality with todays stuff in my ears opinion.

You should stop by sometime and hear these.

Some of the older electronics were built solid with good internals but there have been some real sonic improvements in a lot of newer tech; particularly speakers.
Scott

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e28/simpleman68/IMG_20150101_184205647_zps34d27335.jpg

[Hoog]

When I get around to upgrading the surround system, B&Ws will be high on the list.

[simpleman68]

When I get around to upgrading the surround system, B&Ws will be high on the list.

They make a great speaker but a bit harsh on the highs for me. Be sure to audition them in your home if you can. At the very least, bring a few of your favorite CDs, MPs etc. to the sound room.

I'm amazed at the acoustic differences between speakers even in the same price range.
You also don't have to spend a bunch to get very good sound.

Check out some of the audio forums for used equipment. Plenty of guys that have the eternal upgrade bug and keep the latest pieces for less than a year and sell them for 50-60 cents/dollar. audiogon is an excellent site.

Those old Vandersteens are still no slouch. :cert:
Scott

[Dave]

They didn't want it or you wouldn't have it. Sell it, and if they ever ask, tell them you got rid of it. Details don't need to be volunteered.

:iagree:
It's not BIL's anymore. Two of them didn't want it. It's your stuff.

[ZipZap]

Sell it and give him a good vig. Karma.

[BADRACR1]

My set up is a 1992 Sony stack system. Five disc cd, dual cassette deck and Dolby Pro-Logic surround sound receiver pushed through a set of 80's Bose primary speakers with the original Sony satellites and center speaker.
Nothing sounds like vinyl. The turntable is a 1979 Technics Direct-Drive Linear tracking unit. The direct drive keeps the rpm's exact and the linear tracking reduces drag reducing wear on the vinyl.
I have around 300 or so albums from the 60's, 70's, and 80's. In the early 80's I got in the habit of recording new albums to cassette and storing the albums, keeping them new.
A couple years ago I got a turntable that allows me to transfer cassettes and albums to cd's. I've only done a couple. Looong way to go!:BADRACR1:

[carlton_fritz]

You should stop by sometime and hear these.

Some of the older electronics were built solid with good internals but there have been some real sonic improvements in a lot of newer tech; particularly speakers.
Scott

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e28/simpleman68/IMG_20150101_184205647_zps34d27335.jpg
Paradigm?

[Hoog]

They make a great speaker but a bit harsh on the highs for me. Be sure to audition them in your home if you can. At the very least, bring a few of your favorite CDs, MPs etc. to the sound room.

I'm amazed at the acoustic differences between speakers even in the same price range.
You also don't have to spend a bunch to get very good sound.

Check out some of the audio forums for used equipment. Plenty of guys that have the eternal upgrade bug and keep the latest pieces for less than a year and sell them for 50-60 cents/dollar. audiogon is an excellent site.

Those old Vandersteens are still no slouch. :cert:
Scott
Being budget conscience (cheap) as I am, I'll likely never buy any more new audio equipment. Too many good deals out there on lightly used, quality stuff. That approach to the game generally squashes the in-home trial, but I'm never in anything too deep to get my money out of it if I can't live with it.

All of the better Hi-Fi shops around here are long gone due to "showrooming". Best Buy looks to have tossed all of their eggs into the B&W basket at this point, so it's a little tough to do any direct comparisons. When I bought my HT stuff in '97, Sound Advice had three stores in the greater Orlando area. I ended up with a set that I hadn't even considered (Bostons) exactly because I could get everything in my price range into the same room and compare them head-to-head.

[Nemesis]

I would keep it all and use it as an excuse to throw kick ass parties