Fisher c500

Hey folks,

I am an audiophile-wannabe. I know very little about electronics, and depend on what I read on this forum to make my purchases. I want a stereo/turntable/cassette set-up that will make me one with the universe. Not concerned about home stereo/theatre stuff. I am tempted to buy a Fisher C-500, tubes and all. My question is "Am I crazy for doing this?"
Do they make them as good as they used to?

I believe the correct nomenclature is the Fisher "500-C," and not "C-500." That quibble aside, it's a very nice tube receiver with that pleasant, "lush" tube sound, but which I believe was surpassed by the solid-state 500-T model, and countless others since. No, they don't make em like that anymore - they make 'em better.

If you could get the 500T to stay together, that is.

I fixed a lot of 'em.

Curiously, my sister's is still running. All it has needed was cleaning of the pots and switches, and one FM alignment.

For many years I used a Fisher 500C as the receiver on my repair bench, not because it sounded good, but because it was impossible to blow it up. Later on I replaced it and did some minor alignment, switch-cleaning, etc. (the tape monitor switch was a known weakness) and spruced it up cosmetically. With new tubes it sounded glorious and sold quickly.

I still use a Fisher 800B (one year earlier model with FM and AM tuner) in my bedroom system today.