Combo stereos 1969-84
- Thread starter cfz2882
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For many years Sears TVs, radios, and stereos were made by Warwick Electronics, based in the Chicago area. The company was partially owned by both Whirlpool and Sears.
vacerator
Well-known member
It's fine. She looks a bit rough. I doubt the dial glass can be replaced. Maybe with Lexan. Does it work at all? If so, and the sound is scratchy when adjusting the volume or tone, the pot's may just need a good cleaning with Deoxit spray. Otherwise, may need some new parts. Capacitors, resistors, transistors, etc.
You might do better finding another similar unit on Reverb, or E-bay, or from a vintage shop. They're out there. Even record stores have them.
cfz2882
Well-known member
Looks like that one is from around 1980-ish,probably Taiwan made and looks decent enough.
phillymatt53
Well-known member
I'm not sure about the TVs, however the LXI brand of audio/stereo was often made by Panasonic.
phillymatt53
Well-known member
That record turntable will require a teardown and overhaul.
The electronics will need a thorough going-over.
Back in my shop days about 2010, that would cost around $200.
justjunque
Well-known member
It probably does sound scratchy when you adjust the volume. It’s been a while since I tried it. But, it seems like when I played the radio, which was the only thing that sort of worked, it just seemed very “weak”. If that makes sense. Like, you had to turn the volume up way more than you should. And, the sound was very tinny. I know it was never a powerhouse, but it used to sound a lot better. That’s why I thought maybe these replacement speakers aren’t compatible. They seem to be about the same vintage, and had the rca plugs. I think the speakers might be Realistic or Soundesign.
I know it’s foolish. But, if I ever get back on my feet financially, I wouldn’t hesitate to spend a couple/few hundred to get it working properly again. It would be worth it to me, based on the sentimental value alone.
I know it’s foolish. But, if I ever get back on my feet financially, I wouldn’t hesitate to spend a couple/few hundred to get it working properly again. It would be worth it to me, based on the sentimental value alone.
phillymatt53
Well-known member
Most likely, the weak sound is due to certain parts in the amplifier that have deteriorated due to aging, and now need replacing.
This is common in old audio equipment.
vacerator
Well-known member
Sanyo combo stereo's from 1980 up on on E-bay, Reverb seem to be mainly black, or the stacked style. I think Justunique's is from about 1975, and still Japan.
I know Sanyo made my 1985 25 inch tv.
justjunque
Well-known member
vacerator
Well-known member
My folks had a 19 inch about 1982. Dad said it was by Sharp. 12 button electronic tuner, woodgrain trim. The right side with the tuner and volume were was set back a bit from the screen frame. The entire front had an arc.
phillymatt53
Well-known member
Those speakers are 8 ohms, and are fine for that stereo.
I see the Antenna terminals don't have anything connected.
This would hinder any proper FM reception unless an antenna of some sort is connected.
A piece of thin wire about 3 feet long should be connected to that center screw.
justjunque
Well-known member
Thanks.
It’s been so long since I’ve used it. I believe I used to have an antenna on it that was two wires, in a plastic strip. If you can picture what I’m talking about.
It probably got “misplaced” by the individual who borrowed and trashed the stereo. Maybe it’s with my original speakers.
The world may never know.
It’s been so long since I’ve used it. I believe I used to have an antenna on it that was two wires, in a plastic strip. If you can picture what I’m talking about.
It probably got “misplaced” by the individual who borrowed and trashed the stereo. Maybe it’s with my original speakers.
The world may never know.
A combo stereo. which I bought at a yard sale worked great, until the components all broke, except for the radio, one by one...
Separate components are what I'd learned was the best way to go, from what I'd replaced the complete rig with, and then my newly-acquired one that was years old, but still working, years later and it with everything plugged into it, still going strong!
-- Dave
Separate components are what I'd learned was the best way to go, from what I'd replaced the complete rig with, and then my newly-acquired one that was years old, but still working, years later and it with everything plugged into it, still going strong!
-- Dave
thatwasherguy
Well-known member
I’m still rocking my Aunt’s old Radio Shack Realistic Clarinette 98 that she got new in the late 1970’s. It has a BSR turntable, but the rest says it was made in Taiwan. It’s still got the original speakers, although I think one has a bad driver. Outside of the standard removal and replacement of cemented grease on BSR’s of this vintage, and repairing the speaker wires, I have done nothing to it in the 10 years I’ve had it. It is actually the first vintage electrical item I ever owned. It was also my first taste of radical 70’s styling, and I’ve been hooked ever since.
Thatwasherguy.
Thatwasherguy.
Attachments
The BSR was so common, going on just about everything from department store's/electronic store's private labels, to Lloyd's Gerrard... It was belt-driven...
My combo was a Panasonic of which the cassette slid in horizontally, but you had toy be careful not to record over the tape you didn't want to record over as the "protector" would be at the top of the tape which was still sticking out of the front...
Some of the bulbs were burned out, but luckily I got them all replaced, just to in the end, have a blank radio dial... The record-changer player, which had all four speeds, was replaced by a single-play Technics, which became a Marantz, then an automatic Technics single-play, of which I now have an Audio Technica 'DJ-type' player...
I had a secondary set-up using a Radio Shack auxiliary selector pre-amp that powered my Marantz player it got moved to & had a set of speakers with it...
Cassette decks replacing the one in the unit was a Radio Shack play-only, followed by a Radio Shack record/play that were just small units, not the full-length stereo-compnent sized, much like a Radio Shack 8-Track player I had, too...
I have a long Technics cassette deck, which unfortunately cost me two of my week's pays, for two repairs, so I am reluctant to use it, though I still have a few prized-cassettes, and a few titles that are only available on cassette that I am trying to keep getting life & play out of...
CD players, I got one to last ten years, first a Pioneer from Montgomery Wards, from 2003, to 2013, so the second one, a Cambridge that replaced the Pioneer which was my first, and I have a Kenwood 6-disc changer rescued from the garbage pile across the street, right before it hard-rained!
The Panasonic compact had its own speakers, while for a short time I had a JBL with an orange digital readout, that all the separate components were mailed with, sporting the readout as a radio dial, and buttons as selectors for the records, and CD, and probably refrained from tape play...
And I bought a set of RCA speakers for it, carefully cutting the wire I bought until I had an equal amount of feet for each one to be plugged in and be set apart... Which are both accompanying my current set-up...
The second spent the shortest time enough that you would only remember the first and now there third, a Technics analog receiver that my in-laws gave me, that for the 45-years-old it's pushing, it works great, though the AM doesn't come in too well, as much as the FM...
I also had a JVC FM-compact FM/CD, I also bought at Montgomery Wards, a wood grained with orange dial, as opposed to a gray with a blue dial, which was pretty neat, and the CD was a top-loading on top of the unit, the lid flipped up & down for...
-- Dave
My combo was a Panasonic of which the cassette slid in horizontally, but you had toy be careful not to record over the tape you didn't want to record over as the "protector" would be at the top of the tape which was still sticking out of the front...
Some of the bulbs were burned out, but luckily I got them all replaced, just to in the end, have a blank radio dial... The record-changer player, which had all four speeds, was replaced by a single-play Technics, which became a Marantz, then an automatic Technics single-play, of which I now have an Audio Technica 'DJ-type' player...
I had a secondary set-up using a Radio Shack auxiliary selector pre-amp that powered my Marantz player it got moved to & had a set of speakers with it...
Cassette decks replacing the one in the unit was a Radio Shack play-only, followed by a Radio Shack record/play that were just small units, not the full-length stereo-compnent sized, much like a Radio Shack 8-Track player I had, too...
I have a long Technics cassette deck, which unfortunately cost me two of my week's pays, for two repairs, so I am reluctant to use it, though I still have a few prized-cassettes, and a few titles that are only available on cassette that I am trying to keep getting life & play out of...
CD players, I got one to last ten years, first a Pioneer from Montgomery Wards, from 2003, to 2013, so the second one, a Cambridge that replaced the Pioneer which was my first, and I have a Kenwood 6-disc changer rescued from the garbage pile across the street, right before it hard-rained!
The Panasonic compact had its own speakers, while for a short time I had a JBL with an orange digital readout, that all the separate components were mailed with, sporting the readout as a radio dial, and buttons as selectors for the records, and CD, and probably refrained from tape play...
And I bought a set of RCA speakers for it, carefully cutting the wire I bought until I had an equal amount of feet for each one to be plugged in and be set apart... Which are both accompanying my current set-up...
The second spent the shortest time enough that you would only remember the first and now there third, a Technics analog receiver that my in-laws gave me, that for the 45-years-old it's pushing, it works great, though the AM doesn't come in too well, as much as the FM...
I also had a JVC FM-compact FM/CD, I also bought at Montgomery Wards, a wood grained with orange dial, as opposed to a gray with a blue dial, which was pretty neat, and the CD was a top-loading on top of the unit, the lid flipped up & down for...
-- Dave
vacerator
Well-known member
Quite an inventory Dave! What console did you get from that yard sale? Budget brands were Capehart, Electrophonic, Loydds, XAM (E.J Korvette), Lafayette, and Soundesign. Many had the Garrard record changer.
It was a Panasonic, and with the old capital letters logo with the N-Panasonic (National Panasonic) logo on the record player's dustcover...
I might have a picture of it somewhere, back when photographs were hard copy-real, maybe I can show you...
-- Dave
thatwasherguy
Well-known member
My mom used to have that exact stereo! It was at my Granny’s house in Broadhead. I used to listen to Elvis Presley’s Aloha From Hawaii album on 8 track non stop on that thing when I’d go to stay the night with her. Sadly, it got thrown out in 2017 when Granny moved back to Lexington, despite me specifically asking them to keep it, as it was my only 8 track player. Since then, I’ve never seen another one like it. So thanks for posting pictures of it!
Thatwasherguy.
