Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Going analog

R

RedCroissant

Suspended
Original poster
Aug 13, 2011
2,268
96
I love PPC Macs and it turns out that my enjoyment of these machines (although not the same) has revealed more about my technological desires than I expected; that I love analog technology.

Thanks to eyoungren, I have a floppy disk drive and a zip 250 drive (but no disks yet!). I am also using audio cassettes again and trying to get my hands on a really good VCR. I found this awesome set on Craigslist, but cannot afford it at the moment. The set includes the following:

1. Dual cassette deck
2. CD/DVD player
3. VHS player
4. Laserdisc player

And all for $95! The seller didn't accept my trade offer so I might have to offer more.

What's even more fun is that I might also be getting my hands on a CED player AND a bunch of CEDs!

Is anyone else doing this currently or considering it? I just think it's so much fun to hear the very nice slide, click, whir of all of the analog stuff. AND it's fun.

One of the secondary reasons that I am trying to get my hands on this stuff is because the most original versions of Star Wars are on either CED, VHS, or Laserdisc. I can then capture the video coming out of one of the analog devices, burn that to a DVD, and then put that burned DVD into my PS3 and capture THAT video (simply because it upscales it) and then I can have Star Wars in HD!

Ok, thanks for taking the time to read this!
 
I found all of that except for the laserdisc player at my grandpa's house. They are getting rid of all of it, along with a power and pre amp, and a set of stereo speakers. The speakers probably need recapped, and I think a resistor broke off. But I love vintage audio, and a few years ago was interested in VCR tapes.
 
MacCubed said:
I found all of that except for the laserdisc player at my grandpa's house. They are getting rid of all of it, along with a power and pre amp, and a set of stereo speakers. The speakers probably need recapped, and I think a resistor broke off. But I love vintage audio, and a few years ago was interested in VCR tapes.
Click to expand...

Did you keep everything???? Isn't it fun?

Dronecatcher said:
Wow! They are rare - if you can get that gear, lock them away for safe keeping :)

I love all retro electronica....mainly because I was there when it was cutting edge :)
Click to expand...

Yes I know AND my grandfather kept everything as well(including the original box and manuals for the CED player). The weird thing is that I just happened to call my dad not too long ago and he said that they were actually just THROWING STUFF AWAY! I told him that I wanted it ALL and he said ok tat he would try and save everything that he thought I might like. It's going to take flying out there and then renting a an to drive it all back but it would be worth it to keep that out of the trash.
 
It's great that all that old gear will see some life again :)
It's fine collecting old stuff but it's even better when you can actually use it - my last acquisition was this old boom box, it's got a huge sound and is a great power amp for my Powerbook.

SuperWoofer.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: SecretSquirrel, WalnutSpice, SkyBell and 1 other person
Dronecatcher said:
It's great that all that old gear will see some life again :)
It's fine collecting old stuff but it's even better when you can actually use it - my last acquisition was this old boom box, it's got a huge sound and is a great power amp for my Powerbook.

View attachment 581237
Click to expand...

That's awesome! And yes I love having all the older stuff and actually using it. I even found a head unit for my 2002 escape that has a cassette player as well but also modified with an auxiliary input. I have so many cassettes that I just want to be able to use.

In goodwill the other day I found a dual cassette deck for $15 but didn't buy it. Maybe I should have but then again I want the whole system which is why that craigslist post I mentioned is the ideal purchase.
 
I've got a pretty large Laserdisc collection. I don't have a great player, a Pioneer Elite DVL-90, but I'd like to land a higher end player. Still plenty of VHS, but I don't mess with audio cassettes.
 

Attachments

  • Cartoon.jpg
    Cartoon.jpg
    27.4 KB · Views: 113
  • Like
Reactions: Dronecatcher
RedCroissant said:
Maybe I should have but then again I want the whole system which is why that craigslist post I mentioned is the ideal purchase.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I'd put the big money on a top quality retro hi-fi stack - with some nice speakers the sound is terrific plus there's all the inputs/outputs to interface with :)
 
LOL. I'm analog for two reasons…

1. I'm poor and it was affordable at the time, or free.
2. I hold on to things. I have a walkman that I got in England when I was 12 and the stereo in the garage I got when I was 15 for my birthday.

My birthday is next week and I'll be turning 45.

P.S. Will get you some disks soon!
 
jruschme said:
It's not quite the same thing, but I recently started shaving with an old-school Double Edge razor. Does that count? :)
Click to expand...

Yes of course that counts!!! Well, only if you're using a leather strap as well and suffering from dysentery.

eyoungren said:
LOL. I'm analog for two reasons…

1. I'm poor and it was affordable at the time, or free.
2. I hold on to things. I have a walkman that I got in England when I was 12 and the stereo in the garage I got when I was 15 for my birthday.

My birthday is next week and I'll be turning 45.

P.S. Will get you some disks soon!
Click to expand...

1. I definitely agree with this one.
2. That's pretty awesome considering Best Buy is selling a walkman style cassette player that does not look or sound very good for $20. :-(

P.S. Really??? OK! That's awesome!
 
  • Like
Reactions: eyoungren
I wonder if anyone has a DCC player and tapes? Never seen one in the flesh as they weren't around for very long.
 
Tip for cassettes, buy from CVS if you have on near you. $6.99 for a pack of seven w/ some pretty nice sound quality. Maxwell UR-90 is what I get. I would like to try some of the more high quality metal Sony tapes though.
 
Good grief, you guys are making me feel old. I can't afford the newer stuff, so if it still works, I don't replace it. My small stereo has a dual cassette and three-CD capacity. I still use my VCR for recording competing shows to watch later. Never had a laserdisc.
 
I had a set of 17" speakers I bought when I was 20 or so. And a 5-CD player. I'd still have them, only they got stolen in late '97.

That was a nice setup…:(
 
Dronecatcher said:
It's great that all that old gear will see some life again :)
It's fine collecting old stuff but it's even better when you can actually use it - my last acquisition was this old boom box, it's got a huge sound and is a great power amp for my Powerbook.

View attachment 581237
Click to expand...

OMG, a 3d super woofer, i remember travelling from leeds to london every weekend listening to Def Leppard and other nonsense on my friend's super woofer, sat at the back of a national express coach. The other few passengers never used to complain. Can't imagine being able to do that now without getting my head caved in.
 
I love my records/player along with my radios, ones in Ohio and my grandparents are bringing it down along with the rest of my records next month. I have some 90's surround speakers, and a walkman
 
Time to bring on the artillery....
My Kenwood stack - missing the tuner and CD player, thrown away because, "I don't need them" :/
Shame is the volume never gets higher than 20% out of consideration for my neighbours....that's maturity for you :)

Kenwood.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: WalnutSpice
eyoungren said:
I had a set of 17" speakers I bought when I was 20 or so. And a 5-CD player.
Click to expand...

That reminds me. My brother gave me a 300 disk CD player after he switched to a Vortexbox but I really don't have a use for it as I ripped all of my CDs too. It was quite the jukebox back in the day. I still have my TEAC separates audio system with a ridiculously oversized set of speakers that I cannot really open up unless I want to deafen the neighbourhood and get a visit from Environmental Health.
 
  • Like
Reactions: eyoungren
CED players are pretty cool, especially if you can find one with a decent stylus. I snagged one years ago, with 22 movie discs, for $20. Unfortunately, the stylus and/or the discs were so worn that they would just skip or get stuck at specific points. I ended up selling the entire lot to a collector for $50, so I didn't make out too bad.
 
Dronecatcher said:
It's great that all that old gear will see some life again :)
It's fine collecting old stuff but it's even better when you can actually use it - my last acquisition was this old boom box, it's got a huge sound and is a great power amp for my Powerbook.

View attachment 581237
Click to expand...
I had one of those! The bass was fantastic and the two cassette decks made custom mixes a doddle. Happy days.......
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dronecatcher
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back