Console Stereo Rebooted

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Thermionic Idler
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#1 Console Stereo Rebooted

Post by Thermionic Idler »

So Meredith and I have just been talking about future projects beyond the ones we have now - which themselves are still not built so heaven knows when we actually make this a reality - but anyway.

One thing we want to make is a big old console stereo like they had in the 1960's and 1970's - this general type:

Image

We're all familiar with these from our mis-spent youth. We're not looking to add a receiver or cassette deck or reel-to-reel; only the bits we know we will use. What we want is a turntable and a way to stream digital media.

And here are the requirements:

1) Built in turntable with 33/45/78rpm speeds
2) 2 arms - one for playing normal LP's and one for 78's
3) Dual phonostage for same - RIAA and 78rpm equalisations
4) A digital audio streaming solution (either Wi-Fi or Bluetooth based, we've not decided which yet)
5) Tube power amps - possibly using my current Son of Beast after the monoblocks are built
6) Speakers either side built into the cabinet - per the above picture.

So immediately we have a compromise on ultimate fidelity due to integrating the speakers into the cabinet and the impact that would have in terms of vibrational feedback into the rest of the system including the turntable - the idea is to try and optimise it as best we can, though obviously we'd not get ultimate audiophile quality from it.

My thinking is that to get the best results, we need to try and isolate all components from each other - speakers, amplification, and turntable, within the cabinet. So the deck would have to be suspended somehow, the speakers I'm thinking could be "boxes within the box" with isolating mountings to reduce feedback into the cabinet itself, and I guess the electronics could be fixed with silicone mountings perhaps.

So my question to the collective would be - if presented with these requirements, what sort of design solutions would you be looking at incorporating? Getting the speakers to sound good seems to us to be the biggest challenge - but as Meredith points out, a lot can be hidden behind a speaker grille, I'm wondering if a Metronome-type design would work? (Paging Cressy Senior as I know you had thoughts on something in this direction recently).
Deck: Garrard 301 - Audio Origami PU7 - NW Analogue DH3S
Phono: Pete Millett LR, Lundahl SUT, AMB σ22 PSU
Linestage: Bruno Putzeys Balanced Pre + Hans Polak relay mod, LCDuino control
Power amps: 300B PP 'Symmetric Reichert'
Speakers: FF225WK Big Mets
Cressy Snr
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#2 Re: Console Stereo Rebooted

Post by Cressy Snr »

That sounds intriguing David.
This is my last year of teaching as I'll reach the big six-zero this time next year, so really, all I have left, is this academic year which ends in July, so by the time the Summer holidays end in September, it won't be worth going back for only three months.
What has this got to do with console stereos? Well after July, I'll be able to devote my time fully, to speakers and everything that goes with them.
All of this means that I too will be building straight Metronomes, omni Metronomes, consoles, for the hip and now generation.8)
It will be interesting to see how your project pans out, and maybe I can be of help in six months time :D

I reckon a set of built in folded omni Mets at each end of a console cabinet, would be the bees knees.
When I was a teenager, my parents had an HMV "Stereomaster" console, that had side-firing main drivers at each end of the cabinet, and front firing tweeters, meaning that it had to be placed across a corner of the living room to fully exploit, what Thorn Consumer Electronics called "projected sound." The sound it gave was bigger than the cabinet and bounced everywhere; great on some things, especially old mono singles as it produced a nice spread of sound on those records and mono FM broadcasts.
This was it: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/162317738326?rmvSB=true
Using up-firing main speakers with front firing tweeters should give that omni-spread, without having to place the cabinet across the room corner, and using quarter wave technology will give decent bass without boom, providing the things don't excite the cabinet structure too much.

I like this thread already 8)
Sgt. Baker started talkin’ with a Bullhorn in his hand.
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DSJR
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#3 Re: Console Stereo Rebooted

Post by DSJR »

Look out for a Dual idler driven turntable, a 10** series to go in period. It'll need a service but it's not difficult and 'Dualcan' on the VE Dual 'room' knows these chapter and verse, having a site with wonderful service details as he did this for a living for decades... The 10** series arms have perfect mass for modern mid priced mm's and cartridge carriers are interchangeable. Being sprung and solid with decent HiFi performance as well as great sonics, they'll work better than any Garrard or similar inside a console stereogram. I believe 78 styli are available for the AT95E and Ortofon OM series.

As for the speakers, I'd probably suggest nice thick baffles and possibly steel lining the speaker enclosures to prevent as much vibration as possible. The cabs could be separate but linked to/decoupled from the centre unit perhaps?

Fourth photo down for inspiration?

http://nordic.businessinsider.com/david ... =US&IR=T#/
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Ray P
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#4 Re: Console Stereo Rebooted

Post by Ray P »

Thermionic Idler wrote:4) A digital audio streaming solution (either Wi-Fi or Bluetooth based, we've not decided which yet)
Without knowing you aspirations or budget, a couple of suggestions for the streaming requirement;

a) Raspberry Pi and Mamboberry

http://www.collybia.com/collybia-dacs/m ... ry-ls-dac/

or, for a little more;

b) Raspberry Pi and Kali/Piano combo

https://volumio.org/product/allo-kali-piano-bundle/

Of course, you can spend a lot more (or even less), hence the caveat above.

Incidentally, Volumio is a nice network player though there are others of course.

Ray
Sorry, I couldn't resist!
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Mudshark
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#5 Re: Console Stereo Rebooted

Post by Mudshark »

Ah those were the days.......class :mrgreen:
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rowuk
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#6 Re: Console Stereo Rebooted

Post by rowuk »

Image

A JBL Paragon fits this description very well...
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IslandPink
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#7 Re: Console Stereo Rebooted

Post by IslandPink »

That's a serious piece of kit , seen some discussion of those elsewhere. Love the clock !
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Irene Idler
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#8 Re: Console Stereo Rebooted

Post by Irene Idler »

I like the idea of the built-in Mets quite a bit, but with up-firing drivers we'd need to have grilles on top, would we not? That would somewhat reduce the utility of the console for things like lamps &c. (One of our thoughts was to place the console at the opposite end of the bedroom to the bed, providing both music *and* a place for lamps, clocks, jewellery boxes, etc.)

But it occurs to me that this could be got round rather easily with a minor modification. Place sliding panels *over* the top speaker grilles, which can be slid out to either side to expose them but still hold the lamps while in use. If the lid that closes over the turntable portion is at the same level as those panels, when closed the unit is more compact and appears to have a level surface; when you open it, the lid comes up, the panels slide out, and Robert is your mother's brother.

I hope I'm explaining this clearly enough. I can't even draw a box, but Dave understood what I was suggesting so hopefully you will too.

ETA: A few minutes after I posted this, I had a brainstorm: what if we could use the new Lenco GL72 both as a travelling deck *and* in the console? Since we're having the plinth made to the same dimensions as the chassis, it will only take up additional space vertically, so if we make it a sufficiently deep isolation platform we can just slot it right in when we're at home. Dave's still chewing over how best to tackle the digital element. Meanwhile I'm considering how short the legs will have to be in order for the bottom porting on the speakers to remain effective, and how to style the cabinet to match the bedroom furniture.
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