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  1. #1
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    OH NO! I think I'm addicted!

    To bringing home used stuff!

    Now I find myself driving by thrift stores... that aren't on the way home.

    Friday it was a 1981 Pioneer tape deck, one of the good ones, for $7. Love all that aluminum hardware and workmanship. Today a mint Mirage M490 for $20. I'll fine a use for it somewhere.

    When does all this stop?

    jocko

  2. #2
    Santa Claus
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    Quote Originally Posted by jocko_nc
    To bringing home used stuff!

    Now I find myself driving by thrift stores... that aren't on the way home.

    Friday it was a 1981 Pioneer tape deck, one of the good ones, for $7. Love all that aluminum hardware and workmanship. Today a mint Mirage M490 for $20. I'll fine a use for it somewhere.

    When does all this stop?

    jocko
    If you stop now your not in danger.However,an addiction could last as long as your money runs out.After that it's credit cards,stealing etc......

  3. #3
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    Better audio gear than drugs, tobacco or alcohol.

  4. #4
    Sgt. At Arms Worf101's Avatar
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    Sorry Jocko...

    Quote Originally Posted by jocko_nc
    To bringing home used stuff!

    Now I find myself driving by thrift stores... that aren't on the way home.

    Friday it was a 1981 Pioneer tape deck, one of the good ones, for $7. Love all that aluminum hardware and workmanship. Today a mint Mirage M490 for $20. I'll fine a use for it somewhere.

    When does all this stop?

    jocko
    You're absolutely doomed... Abandon hope all ye who enter here. You'll soon find stuff hidden absolutely everywhere... With me it's vintage New England Speakers. Epicure, Allison, Ohm from the City... all Orphan stuff.. God help you my friend cause there's no such thing as "Audioholics Anonymous".

    Da Worfster

  5. #5
    Man of the People Forums Moderator bobsticks's Avatar
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    Yes, jocko, its indeed over for you. There might have been hope if it was just a pair of speakers--maybe experimenting with a different cdp--but a $7 tape player? Next it'll be a reel-to-reel and a spatializer. Just admit it and go with the flow...

    Cheers
    So, I broke into the palace
    With a sponge and a rusty spanner
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    I said : "That's nothing - you should hear me play piano"

  6. #6
    Class of the clown GMichael's Avatar
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    The first step is admitting that you have a problem.
    WARNING! - The Surgeon General has determined that, time spent listening to music is not deducted from one's lifespan.

  7. #7
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    Today it was a pair of JBL J2050's... $4.50 each, how can I help myself? The cabinets need touched up, but otherwise in great shape. I see a black-stained pair in the future...

    Also, some goofy Hitachi plastic TV speakers with mounting brackets. Lightweight case and room for two 4.00 drivers. They will probably work on my boat, bolted up in the tee top. The brackets are perfect. I destroyed the last pair towing to Florida. Line with undercoating for a watertight enclosure. Only $.99.

    Am I beyond hope?

    Still looking for that vintage silver-faced receiver.

    jocko

  8. #8
    Do What? jrhymeammo's Avatar
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    I didnt score any vinyl, but I bought a Portable PA system for $7 the other day. I had to make a choice between that and Advent Baby II speakers for $10 a pair. It only took me 5 seconds to makeup my mind. Boy, this thing can SCREAM!!!!!!! A guy in my apartment building offered me $120 for it. I could definitely put that money in a jar for DIY speakers and a new cartridge, but PA system is too much fun.

  9. #9
    Santa Claus
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    Quote Originally Posted by jrhymeammo
    I didnt score any vinyl, but I bought a Portable PA system for $7 the other day. I had to make a choice between that and Advent Baby II speakers for $10 a pair. It only took me 5 seconds to makeup my mind. Boy, this thing can SCREAM!!!!!!! A guy in my apartment building offered me $120 for it. I could definitely put that money in a jar for DIY speakers and a new cartridge, but PA system is too much fun.
    I believe your in a state called "Mania"or a "Manic Depressive Episode".You need to take some medication such as depocote or lithium.If you contniue at this pace you'll whind up in Atlantic city gambling and after you crash from the episode you'll find your self sleeping under the board walk.Find the middle ground.

  10. #10
    M.P.S.E /AES/SMPTE member Sir Terrence the Terrible's Avatar
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    You used stuff demon, come out of Jocko right now!!!
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  11. #11
    Phila combat zone JoeE SP9's Avatar
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    Give him a break. He's not looking for Transparent Cables. Yet!
    ARC SP9 MKIII, VPI HW19, Rega RB300
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  12. #12
    Class of the clown GMichael's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JoeE SP9
    Give him a break. He's not looking for Transparent Cables. Yet!
    Do they really make cables that you can see through? This would be great. No more ugly wires all around the room. Just make sure they aren't out where someone could trip over them.
    WARNING! - The Surgeon General has determined that, time spent listening to music is not deducted from one's lifespan.

  13. #13
    Do What? jrhymeammo's Avatar
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    Looks like it's just me and you Jocko da Wacko (how clever is that? huh?).
    Now, if Jacko starts buying pre-worn undies(tainted or not), he may need more love from his companions.
    I'm gonna go hit up about 5 stores today and see whos waiting for me. They talk to me people!!!!!!!! If I dont score anything, I'll take my PA system to downtown, and harass people with a sign that says "Will fcuk your grandma for her husband's vinyl collection"

  14. #14
    Forum Regular Woochifer's Avatar
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    Ah! Sounds like you got one of Pioneer's "Fluoroscan" models (1981 was the last year that Pioneer made them). I grew up with one of those, and it literally made thousands of hours of recordings before the head and the mechanical parts began to show their age. The deck that I used was an unusual design in that it had auto reverse, a dual capstan transport, manual piano key buttons (no powered solenoid transport), and a completely open tape compartment with no door (this was a common Pioneer design dating back to the mid-70s). I didn't appreciate the build quality on that Pioneer until I bought my own tape deck years later.

    That thing made pretty good recordings. Good thing too because while the turntable was the heart of my parents' system, the tape deck was the workhorse. I used to tape my LPs in order to preserve their original condition. Plus, I wanted to carry my music with me (can you say Walkman?). I would typically play the LP on those occasions when I wanted to do more critical listening.

    That Pioneer "fluoroscan" lineup had a whole assortment of components with that same brushed aluminum fascia and blue fluorescent display. In '82, Pioneer went to a much cheaper looking dark plastic front with multicolored LEDs and enclosed tape compartments. Before "fluoriscan", Pioneer tape decks actually had fake woodgrain on the side of the case! A friend of mine had an older three-head Pioneer that used the same open compartment design, but the recording quality of that deck was astonishing (I believe that it cost $400 in 1978, which would be $1,200 in today's dollars).

    My concern though about going with thrift store stuff would be the condition of the components. I can tell you that old Pioneer tape deck went through thousands of hours of use and the heads were pretty much goners, and the CD player that I just donated to Goodwill works fine, except that it skips and makes these groaning noises on occasion. But, I guess for $7, the nostalgic presence is good enough!
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  15. #15
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    Yea, its all about the lights and switches!

    I got another Fluoroscan today, an earlier model with the wood sides. CR-F750, I think. Again, $10.00. If nothing more, I'll donate them to someone who needs parts. Maybe I can learn to work on them?

    I just love the quality and workmanship in these things. It just feels good to work real metal switches and 100% analog signals. It feels so "organic". .

    jocko

  16. #16
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    I think I am starting to get the feel for the Goodwill stores. Some stuff is abused. Some is hardly used. It all depends upon the donor and his story.

    I look for stores in more well-to-do areas where there would be a lot of older folks downsizing their living. Figure much of the stuff is about 30 years old now. There had to be money these in the day to afford these expensive toys in the first place. Then there is the abuse factor, hopefully it was cared for. Hopefully, some son or daughter takes Daddy's old stero stuff in without noticing or caring what it really is. Funny, so many people cannot tell the difference between a heavy Pioneer amp and a Soundesign. ????. Maybe I'll be there that day.

    Kind of like fishing. Except my car gets much better mileage than my boat.

    jocko

  17. #17
    Forum Regular PAT.P's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jocko_nc
    To bringing home used stuff!

    Now I find myself driving by thrift stores... that aren't on the way home.

    Friday it was a 1981 Pioneer tape deck, one of the good ones, for $7. Love all that aluminum hardware and workmanship. Today a mint Mirage M490 for $20. I'll fine a use for it somewhere.

    When does all this stop?

    jocko
    It stop when you have no more room or the wife puts her foot down My basement is full of audio gear and now have to choose what to keep.I need to make room for drums and cymbals for the boy.

  18. #18
    test the blind blindly emorphien's Avatar
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    I used to be that way with camera gear. Fortunately I stopped and now I've even sold a few extra items on eBay.

    As far as audio gear goes, there's a bunch of things I'd love to get and play with but I have held off because I don't want my home to get more overwhelmed with things.

  19. #19
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    Picked up a clean and function-flawless SX780 Pioneer receiver the other day. Had to go to Ebay for it though...

    Great sound from the amp. Punchy and powerful, just like they used to sound. Very clean, too. Watts must have been different back then... At 45 watts it can really push a pair of speakers.

    Man, it is amazing the garbage we have come to settle with regarding am tuners. Not that am is very pertinent anymore, however I do listen a lot of talk while working. That old analog tuner is simply amazing on am. I love the big flywheel. No noise. Sensitivity is outstanding.

    Oh yea. I was in rural East Virginia the other week and saw another Goodwill... Found an otherwise mint CTF750 Pioneer cassette deck with a loose power switch. $9.00. Works great, sounds good.

    I am definitely addicted.

    jocko

  20. #20
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    getting out of hand

    my third bedroom system is complete. E-bay Sherwood tuner for 8.00, Sony ss N220 power amp for 80.00, hopelessly old dyna pre and platter cd with black bag speakers. Sounds too damn good. Problem is, ...9 room house. Wife starting to look at me a little funny. Cat already understands.

  21. #21
    M.P.S.E /AES/SMPTE member Sir Terrence the Terrible's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jocko_nc
    Picked up a clean and function-flawless SX780 Pioneer receiver the other day. Had to go to Ebay for it though...

    Great sound from the amp. Punchy and powerful, just like they used to sound. Very clean, too. Watts must have been different back then... At 45 watts it can really push a pair of speakers.

    Man, it is amazing the garbage we have come to settle with regarding am tuners. Not that am is very pertinent anymore, however I do listen a lot of talk while working. That old analog tuner is simply amazing on am. I love the big flywheel. No noise. Sensitivity is outstanding.

    Oh yea. I was in rural East Virginia the other week and saw another Goodwill... Found an otherwise mint CTF750 Pioneer cassette deck with a loose power switch. $9.00. Works great, sounds good.

    I am definitely addicted.

    jocko
    Now didn't I excersize you of that evil purchasing spirit??? Oh, so you are one of those stubborn hard to remove devils
    Sir Terrence

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  22. #22
    Forum Regular
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    I'm a little pissed at the...

    Quote Originally Posted by jocko_nc
    To bringing home used stuff!

    Now I find myself driving by thrift stores... that aren't on the way home.

    Friday it was a 1981 Pioneer tape deck, one of the good ones, for $7. Love all that aluminum hardware and workmanship. Today a mint Mirage M490 for $20. I'll fine a use for it somewhere.

    When does all this stop?

    jocko
    ...thrift store selection as of late. REALLY bad, as a matter of fact.

    I saw a nice pair of Infinity EMIT speakers, and was going to buy 'em on the spot. The store "manager" said they had to be checked out first. OK, fine, but when I returned a few hours later, he said they were sold. Bull. Someone in the store wanted them, I surmise.

    Not only that, those stores smell like doom and despair... lol.

    I'm ALMOST done with them...

  23. #23
    Sgt. At Arms Worf101's Avatar
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    Arrrrgh!!!

    Quote Originally Posted by daviethek
    my third bedroom system is complete. E-bay Sherwood tuner for 8.00, Sony ss N220 power amp for 80.00, hopelessly old dyna pre and platter cd with black bag speakers. Sounds too damn good. Problem is, ...9 room house. Wife starting to look at me a little funny. Cat already understands.
    I'm sooo jealous... Ah hates on you!!!!
    Sniff wish I had 9 rooms to play with.... HD/Surround in the bathroom.. basement, linen closet... Envious.... envious...

    Da Worfster

  24. #24
    Shostakovich fan Feanor's Avatar
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    I'm learning: AVOID eBAY !!!

    Quote Originally Posted by jocko_nc
    To bringing home used stuff!

    Now I find myself driving by thrift stores... that aren't on the way home.

    Friday it was a 1981 Pioneer tape deck, one of the good ones, for $7. Love all that aluminum hardware and workmanship. Today a mint Mirage M490 for $20. I'll fine a use for it somewhere.

    When does all this stop?

    jocko
    I made several nice scores recently, but I had to draw the line somewhere. I restrained by myself from several choice vintage receivers.

  25. #25
    Forum Regular Woochifer's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by jocko_nc
    Picked up a clean and function-flawless SX780 Pioneer receiver the other day. Had to go to Ebay for it though...

    Great sound from the amp. Punchy and powerful, just like they used to sound. Very clean, too. Watts must have been different back then... At 45 watts it can really push a pair of speakers.

    Man, it is amazing the garbage we have come to settle with regarding am tuners. Not that am is very pertinent anymore, however I do listen a lot of talk while working. That old analog tuner is simply amazing on am. I love the big flywheel. No noise. Sensitivity is outstanding.

    Oh yea. I was in rural East Virginia the other week and saw another Goodwill... Found an otherwise mint CTF750 Pioneer cassette deck with a loose power switch. $9.00. Works great, sounds good.

    I am definitely addicted.

    jocko

    Yup, that would the exact same deck that's still hooked up to my parents' vintage Marantz/JBL system! It can sporatically play, but its recording days ended when the 80s did (the recording heads eventually crapped out). Very nice and well built deck that cost nearly $300 (in $1980) when brand new.
    Wooch's Home Theater 2.0 (Pics)
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