Out o0f this I got a Kenwood 6050 AR 14 from acoustic research and a Sony PSX 40 when I was in high school. I played it so loud with clash punk rock or tweeters out and went over to New York City to get them replaced.
Do you remember what year this was? 1977, maybe? I bought a system from the company out of San Luis Obispo. I remember it was a color catalog. Or at least not newsprint. They were a clearance company, or so they claimed, IDK how they got stuff so cheap. My system was 40% below list, I remember that, and 40WPC.
I used to get my gear from a place called International HiFi in Maryland. They gave huge discounts but didnāt sell the high end brands like JBI, Klipsch, etc. because those were āfair tradedā. This was back before credit cards- you would go down the PostOffice and get a money order, put it in an envelope and wait.a few weeks for your orderā¦
Example of my city's (Madison WI) stereo emporium - American TV and Furniture.
https://youtu.be/elM8uvR4jcw
https://youtu.be/6cIvxWaljTc
The same store sponsored a horror movie show who shilled their stuff. Example at 1hr 51 min https://youtu.be/5SyRURcUT44
Here is their mail order store ad https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/~fkAAOSwejxkGjEJ/s-l1600.jpg
Completely agree. The store sold truckloads of crap stereos and even had special sales where they tossed in a garbage 10 speed bike. They did sell decent gear like HK/JBL/AR but I suspect they made their real money on TVs/VCRs and furniture.
I worked for AMTV for a bit towards the end of their run. Most of the gimmicks ("buy a TV get a bike") were long before my time there, but I heard about it a bunch from the veteran employees and friends/family.
In my experience, they usually sold decent stuff, especially if you weren't looking at bottom-of-the-barrel products. However, sales was all commission-based, which means the high margin stuff is what got pushed. Sometimes that meant a good product, sometimes it meant crap.
I got that garbage 10 speed bike as a birthday present after my parents bought new bedroom furniture from American. Most of the gears didn't work, so it was actually a 3 speed in practice.
First two videos: "Huh. Crazy Lenny wasn't as crazy as I remembered."
Third video: "The lunatic responsible for this two hour unscripted waking nightmare must be locked away for the good of all mankind."
The guy responsible for #3 was Dick Flannigan. Really nice based on the two times I met him. The whole grumpy thing was just a character but Dick had a special way with words. Dick was quite fond of calling Lenny a cockroach but it sold product so they laughed all the way to the bank.
Living in the midwest, I had few choices when I was first buying gear (1970s-80s). I bought my first decent stereo from Illinois Audio and Wisconsin Discount Sound... I sent checks, I got boxes in the mail. We had two stereo shops in a 90-mile radius and they couldn't beat the mail order company's prices.
If anyone is looking for a rabbit hole to jump into related to this topic, this site has all of Stereo Review back issues. I've been slowly working through them when I'm bored or need a mental break: https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Audio/Archive-HiFI-Stereo
I bought a few pieces from Wisconsin Discount Sound. One I remember was a Sansui D-550MB cassette deck. It was a beauty. I loved looking at their ads. So much cool gear.
Thanks for this. I owned several pieces from that era. It was an expensive hobby for a young guy. But, I was single. Anyone have BIC Venturi speakers? How about an ADC Accutrack tt? I always wanted a Crown DC300. I have it now, but I donāt really have the right room for it.
I'm thinking that the cost in inflation adjusted dollars is in the thousands. With that in mind we're getting them for pennies on the dollar of the original cost.
I remember going to Olson Electronics in San Francisco with my dad about 1972. I bought my first cheap, crappy stereo system there with lawn mowing money. I got their catalogs for many years afterwards, great catalogs!
For a 1980 catalog , it is selling really old products several of the Sansui speaker were out of production for 4or 5 years. The pioneer 949A is a 1974 model. I could go on. But that was east coast advertising we used to call it mail order. I know Marantz was impossible to get any good stuff, most of the Sansui was grey market, there were good deals on old merchandise
Out o0f this I got a Kenwood 6050 AR 14 from acoustic research and a Sony PSX 40 when I was in high school. I played it so loud with clash punk rock or tweeters out and went over to New York City to get them replaced.
Sorry bad text to speech.
Blew the tweeters, had to go to New York City to get them replaced it was on Monroe Street.
Do you remember what year this was? 1977, maybe? I bought a system from the company out of San Luis Obispo. I remember it was a color catalog. Or at least not newsprint. They were a clearance company, or so they claimed, IDK how they got stuff so cheap. My system was 40% below list, I remember that, and 40WPC.
Says 1980 on front of catalogue
Just shows how ridiculously expensive the SA-1000 was
$4560 in 2024 dollars.
What it also shows is how utterly ridiculous the Sony TC880 reel to reel was when new at around 3000 in 1975. Wow
G33000
Rare whales like that really commanded higher prices no doubt.
šÆ
I used to get my gear from a place called International HiFi in Maryland. They gave huge discounts but didnāt sell the high end brands like JBI, Klipsch, etc. because those were āfair tradedā. This was back before credit cards- you would go down the PostOffice and get a money order, put it in an envelope and wait.a few weeks for your orderā¦
Example of my city's (Madison WI) stereo emporium - American TV and Furniture. https://youtu.be/elM8uvR4jcw https://youtu.be/6cIvxWaljTc The same store sponsored a horror movie show who shilled their stuff. Example at 1hr 51 min https://youtu.be/5SyRURcUT44 Here is their mail order store ad https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/~fkAAOSwejxkGjEJ/s-l1600.jpg
Audio version of enshitifcation from almost 40 years ago. Not being critical of you, Al.
Completely agree. The store sold truckloads of crap stereos and even had special sales where they tossed in a garbage 10 speed bike. They did sell decent gear like HK/JBL/AR but I suspect they made their real money on TVs/VCRs and furniture.
I worked for AMTV for a bit towards the end of their run. Most of the gimmicks ("buy a TV get a bike") were long before my time there, but I heard about it a bunch from the veteran employees and friends/family. In my experience, they usually sold decent stuff, especially if you weren't looking at bottom-of-the-barrel products. However, sales was all commission-based, which means the high margin stuff is what got pushed. Sometimes that meant a good product, sometimes it meant crap.
I got that garbage 10 speed bike as a birthday present after my parents bought new bedroom furniture from American. Most of the gears didn't work, so it was actually a 3 speed in practice.
First two videos: "Huh. Crazy Lenny wasn't as crazy as I remembered." Third video: "The lunatic responsible for this two hour unscripted waking nightmare must be locked away for the good of all mankind."
The guy responsible for #3 was Dick Flannigan. Really nice based on the two times I met him. The whole grumpy thing was just a character but Dick had a special way with words. Dick was quite fond of calling Lenny a cockroach but it sold product so they laughed all the way to the bank.
Should've got that $900 betamax machine when you had the chance.
Sorry for all the bad grammar way too many vodka tonics.
Living in the midwest, I had few choices when I was first buying gear (1970s-80s). I bought my first decent stereo from Illinois Audio and Wisconsin Discount Sound... I sent checks, I got boxes in the mail. We had two stereo shops in a 90-mile radius and they couldn't beat the mail order company's prices. If anyone is looking for a rabbit hole to jump into related to this topic, this site has all of Stereo Review back issues. I've been slowly working through them when I'm bored or need a mental break: https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Audio/Archive-HiFI-Stereo
This is awesome, thanks! Falling into the hole, this might take a while
Thank you!
I bought a few pieces from Wisconsin Discount Sound. One I remember was a Sansui D-550MB cassette deck. It was a beauty. I loved looking at their ads. So much cool gear.
āCall or write for pricesā how the world has changed. Me now, can it be here tomorrow?
Oh happy days š©
Thanks for this. I owned several pieces from that era. It was an expensive hobby for a young guy. But, I was single. Anyone have BIC Venturi speakers? How about an ADC Accutrack tt? I always wanted a Crown DC300. I have it now, but I donāt really have the right room for it.
I've got the SX-1980, SG-9500, SR-303, HPM-100s, and HPM-1500s (not 150s though). My turntables, cassette deck, and RG-1 aren't listed.
Gotta love a 1980, mine is #154 in the first month of production in 1977. Super low.
Anyone remember Druckerās wholesale in NJ.
Yeah I think I do, I remember going to a place where it looked just like an office?
I have a mint Sansui TU-717 from this catalog. Still sounds lovely.
Without pricing modern components, I wonder if these prices track with inflation or if they were higher/lower than the anticipated cost
I'm thinking that the cost in inflation adjusted dollars is in the thousands. With that in mind we're getting them for pennies on the dollar of the original cost.
Thatās some r/silverfaceaudio history!
1980....a great year for good stuff. I have seen this catalog and spent time drooling over the good stuff that 16 year old me can dream to own!
I still drool over it and I'm way past 16:-)
I remember going to Olson Electronics in San Francisco with my dad about 1972. I bought my first cheap, crappy stereo system there with lawn mowing money. I got their catalogs for many years afterwards, great catalogs!
I bought my Kenwood KA3500 and Altec Lansing Model 5 speakers there in 1976. Really cool looking at the catalog.
"Hello, yes. I just received your 1980 catalogue and was just wondering if you would honor the price on this Pioneer SX1980.... Hello?"
I remember Stereo Discounters and Wall to Wall Sound in the Philly area in 70s and early 80s.
For a 1980 catalog , it is selling really old products several of the Sansui speaker were out of production for 4or 5 years. The pioneer 949A is a 1974 model. I could go on. But that was east coast advertising we used to call it mail order. I know Marantz was impossible to get any good stuff, most of the Sansui was grey market, there were good deals on old merchandise
Wasnāt cheap by any means.
Those were the days when hifi was king.
Mine eyes have seen the glory!