('77-'79)  55 WPC  SOLD

In absolutely excellent cosmetic condition and fully operational, this gorgeous Luxman R-1050 receiver is hard to find in such remarkable condition..  They are generally considered "keepers" so when one of these becomes available...it's a good thing indeed! 

As shown in the photos, this R-1050 was completely stripped down for our usual intensive bench services (including chemical treatment of all essential pots, switches, etc) We checked ALL the caps on all the boards; thanks to it being used sparingly since it was purchased new, everything is 
Although it's a labor-intensive procedure on these Luxman receivers, all the original hot-running incandescent lamps have been replaced with cool-running white LEDs.  Final full testing assures that all inputs / outputs, switches and knobs are functioning perfectly.

How best to describe this Luxman R-1050?  We'd say it was all about the obvious connection to their name: luxurious looks and extremely high quality interior build.  Luxman was very conservative by rating the R-1050 at 55 watts per channel (8 ohms) while also having an outstanding frequency response of 10Hz to 50kHz and THD 0.05%.

The amp section features Direct-coupled DC output circuitry that uses dual rail power supply to guarantee the best possible bass, the smallest distortion and very low noise.  The cleverly designed speaker protection is in the form of a time-delay muting circuit that eliminates unwanted "switch-on" thumps.

Hidden by that refined yet elegant exterior design are a 4-gang tuner with dual-gate Mos-Fets, PLL MPX, linear phase ceramic and block filters, DC-coupled amp with dual-rail power supply, output muting circuit, NF type tone controls, constant voltage supply and a few eye-catching peak level and power output LEDs.

The distinctive front panel has heavy, fluted, solid-metal knobs, a muted grey sub-frame with discreet push buttons and switches running along the top of the panel, soft lighting with all new lamps and a brushed aluminum outer frame enveloping the entire front of the receiver.

The Luxman R-1050 is very good looking with its beautiful rosewood veneer case.  That's what attracted those who were looking for the highly respected Luxman elegance and top notch interior build quality.  Luxman always impressed the discriminating audiophiles with their mid-to-high end components.

Basic specs:
Power output: 55 watts per channel into 8 ohms
Frequency response: 10Hz to 50kHz
THD: 0.05%
Dimensions: 19.3"W x 14"D x 7"H
Weight: 30 lbs

About Luxman...(from Luxman's home page)
The history of the Luxman audio brand began in 1925, at the birth of radio broadcasting.  They paid particular attention to the world of audio and gained a high reputation as a quality brand of high-end audio products both domestically and internationally.

People tend to open their mind to natural things and react negatively to the unnatural. Natural sound, without coloration, develops an intimacy between the music and the listener; naturally and purely reproduced music resonates with the listener’s imagination. 

Luxman reflected this effect in their product development; music that features a performer's true passion and which a recording engineer has worked on precisely benefits from the fine nuances in sound which they aimed to reproduce, conveying the spirit of the artist and the enthusiasm of the performance. They strove to bring to the listener the experience of unlimited, pure music because composers, performers and recording engineers have poured their true feelings into our favorite pieces of music. Luxman would only be satisfied if the listener could experience those same passions through their products. They continue to discover new excitement through wonderful music and to continue to share that pleasure with everyone.

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(1981) 50 WPC  $450

Obtained locally from the original owner, this gorgeous Realistic STA-960 receiver has been fully bench serviced and tested. It is now in pristine cosmetic condition and fully operational.    We believe this receiver could have easily won an award in the early 80's as the 'Shack's "Most Handsome Receiver".  
Photos don't do it justice; the champagne/silver tinted aluminum face-plate, white silkscreen lettering, beveled FM glass, blue lamps, gorgeous knob design and real hardwood walnut veneer case makes it a real stunner!
For an added touch of beauty, this one is upgraded with cool blue LEDs for the dial glass.

Selling at Radio Shack in 1981 for a "low" price of $400 (equivalent to $1470 in 2026), it was considered a major bargain because it has all the features of receivers costing much more. For instance: dual-gate MOSFETs plus PLL ranked the tuning section as one of the best ever to come out of Japan.  
And, with one of the better amp sections (built by Hitachi for Realistic), the STA-960 is conservatively rated at an "honest" 50 watts per channel @ 8 ohms over the entire audio bandwidth, enough to easily drive two sets of speakers (main and remote).

Back in '81, Stereo Review magazine lab tests for the STA-960 revealed it really pumped out about 62 WPC at clipping and about 71 WPC @ 4 ohms. That's not surprising.  With its excellent build quality, that's why the STA-960 sounds and feels like so much more than it's conservative rating.  It also has built-in automatic thermal and overload protection.
Besides the usual phono, speaker and aux inputs, the STA-95 has a total of three additional tape in/out connections which can be used for any additional components like CD, etc.

Lots of other goodies including:  Main/remote speaker switching, loudness, mono switch, stereo reverse (for always proper channel placement), LED mode indicators and large counter-weighted "fluid-feel" tuning knob.

Basic specs:
Power Output: 50 watts per channel into 8Ω (RMS)
Frequency Response: 20 Hz to 30,000 Hz
THD: Under 0.08%
Dimensions: 18.5" W x 14.2" D x 6.3" H
Weight: 33 lbs

About Radio Shack / Realistic / Tandy Corp...
Because the Realistic STA-2000/2000D (and the later STA-2080) were such a radical design for Radio Shack, there have been a lot of rumors about who actually made these units.  Uninformed chatter claims it was Foster that made them.  Nope, that's wrong.  The parent company of Radio Shack was Tandy Corp.  They were either called Tandy Electronics (TEC) or just plain old Tandy.  They had their own manufacturing facilities in both Japan and Korea.  They built a lot of their own stuff in their own factories. Tandy was a higher quality manufacturer than Foster.

Richard Schram (originally from Pacific Stereo and then on to become the founder of Parasound back in the day) had extensive experience dealing with Japanese audio engineers throughout his time at Pacific Stereo.
He decided he wanted Tandy to manufacture their high end Concept receiver lineup, stating he thought they did a better job than Foster.  Despite all the confusion about who made the STA-2000 & 2000D. The answer is Tandy.  Period.  Plus the ONLY difference between the two models is one button that was changed out for Dolby FM.  Otherwise, they are identical.

The end: back story...
At its zenith, Radio Shack had over 7500 stores across the country.  Hobbyists involved with any type of electronics could hustle on down to the local "Shack" and get what they needed right then and there.  It was awesome!  Their annual catalogs were a major plus; literally thousands of items were listed with photos, description and prices.  With its "you have questions, we have answers" mantra, the company was famous for having a store on nearly every corner.

1921: Founded by brothers Theodore and Milton Deutschmann in Boston as a supplier for amateur (ham) radio operators and ship radio officers.The Name: "Radio Shack" was the technical term for the small, wooden structure housing radio equipment on a ship.
1963: Almost bankrupt, the company was purchased by Charles Tandy of Tandy Corporation, transforming it into a high-growth retail electronics chain by targeting do-it-yourselfers and hobbyists.
'70s/'80s Peak: It was a "mythical place" for electronic components, CB radios, and, in 1977, one of the first mass-produced personal computers, the TRS-80.
Loss of Core Identity: As consumer demand shifted from building/fixing electronics to buying finished products, RadioShack shifted toward consumer electronics, losing its specialty niche. 
Competition: It was outmatched by big-box retailers like Best Buy and online sellers like Amazon, losing its reputation for having unique parts in stock.
Strategic Missteps: Too many stores too close together and a failure to transition effectively to a digital-first model led to over 11 consecutive quarterly losses.
Bankruptcy: Following numerous attempts to rebrand, including pushing cell phones and trying to be known as "The Shack," the company filed for Chapter 11

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receiver ('73-'76)  34 WPC into stereo *after recap SOLD

This Marantz 4230 receiver has been professionally *serviced, partially recapped and restored in August 2026.  Included are the service & testing data sheets, before & after photos along with the old parts.

Labeled as a Stereo 2 + Quad 4 Receiver model, by simply flipping the switch on the back into 2-channel mode, the receiver pumps out a conservative 34 watts per channel after the recap.

*Services performed in August 2006 included a complete disassembly for restoration as follows:
Diagnose and repair left front channel
Replace all Electrolytic Capacitors on P800 Power Supply Board
Replace all Electrolytic Capacitors on P400 Phono Amp Board
Clean all switches and controls
New cool white frosted LED lamps and new vellum
Replace feet screws
Perform all audio and power supply adjustments
Execute final Performance checks and record data

What's really nice about the 4230, it has Marantz' exclusive Vari-Matrix circuit which simulates 4-channel sound from normal 2-channel stereo programs.
*NOTE: Despite it being conservatively rated at 30 watts per channel (stereo) when new, after the recap it pushes out a little more at about 34 watts per channel.  Besides, the 4230 was typical of the high build quality of the mid-70's Marantz receivers and still pushes out enough power to handle most quality efficient speaker systems.

We installed new soft white LEDs that enhance the gorgeous blue glow across the dial.  Unlike some "too bright" LEDs, the cool white is perfect for this receiver.  Please also note that we routinely replace the old worn out vellum in front of the lamps.  New vellum is a must for almost any vintage Marantz receiver.

Like all the stereo / quad Marantz receivers, the 4230 was a unique approach to the dimensional listening session. Technically speaking, the Marantz 4230 features a Discrete Mode which directs each input to each respective output for stereo listening. Using the Vari-matrix mode, the rear inputs are internally shunted, Left/Right inputs drive the front output and the Left/Right outputs rear are synthesized and further attenuated via the Dimension knob. 

Additionally, the 4230 has the P800 power supply which was relatively unique for the regulated Marantz power supplies as it utilizes two full wave bridge rectifiers whereas they often employ a full wave bridge and full wave pair.  The Full wave bridge has the + output shunted to ground for a single rail supply.

('73-'78)  *90 WPC in stereo (after recap)  SOLD

This Marantz 4270 receiver has been professionally *serviced, recapped and restored in May 2026.  Included are the service & testing data sheets, before & after photos along with the old parts.

Labeled as a quad/stereo model, by simply flipping the switch on the back into 2-channel mode, the receiver pumps out a conservative 90 watts per channel after the recap.  It should be noted that the specs for the 4270 in 2 channel mode are comparable to (and may actually surpass) the specs for the Marantz 2270.

*Services performed in April 2006 included a complete disassembly for an intensive restoration as follows:
All switches and controls cleaned
Replaced meter and dial lamps with frosted "Cool White" LEDs
Replaced old vellum with new 220GSM / 147lb vellum  
Replaced AUX indicator lamp 
Replaced dial string 
Replaced all electrolytic capacitors on the PE01 Buffer Board 
Replaced all electrolytic capacitors on the PM01 B.T.L. Board
Replaced all electrolytic capacitors on the P400 Phono Amp Board
Replaced all electrolytic capacitors on the P800 Power Supply Board
Rebuild the P700 Power Amp Boards (x2)
Replaced all electrolytic capacitors
Test and re-thermal of output transistors
Replaced main electrolytic filter capacitors
Re-align FM front end / adjust MPX Oscillator
DC offset and bias adjusted to factory specs 
Executed final audio adjustments and performance data sheets

The Marantz 4270 is a very collectable and classic stereo receiver that (after the recap and restoration) now pushes out a minimum of 90 watts RMS per channel into 8 ohms in stereo.  At about 40 lbs, this unit is fairly heavy.  It also has a really neat feature that's called Vari-Matrix Synthesis. This allows the receiver to “synthesize” an amazing 4-channel like sound from any 2-channel (stereo) material.

NOTE:  this receiver comes with the original factory walnut veneer-on-metal case.  As shown in one of the photos and available as an option at a very affordable cost of $250, you can choose one of our hand-built, solid walnut covers that have their own unique walnut grain, no two will look alike.  They are approximately 5/8" thick on the top and sides.  No screws, they fit snug to fit over the metal case already on the unit.   This also allows easy access for service when necessary.  Please note these are NOT cases, they are snug fitting covers that fit right onto the unit.

Essential specs (after recap)
Power output: 90 WPC into 8 ohms (stereo)
                        30 WPC into 8 ohms (quad) 
THD: 0.15
Dimensions: 17.25"W x 5.5"H x 14.5"D
Weight: 41 lbs

('77-'79) 35 WPC  $1100

In very good cosmetic condition, fully serviced and operating perfectly, this Marantz 2235B receiver is really not much different from the 2235 except for cosmetic tweaks.  It comes with the factory metal case.  (As shown in the photos, one of our solid walnut covers is available at extra cost.)
It's pretty well known by now that the 22xx series of Marantz is certainly one of the best receiver lines ever made.
The original manual is included.

Services included:
~DC offset and bias adjusted to factory specs 
~new indicator lamps
~chemical treatment with Deoxit for all inputs/outputs/switches 
~unit tested, all controls are in perfect operating condition

Typical of all vintage stereo receivers, it has connections for two pairs of loudspeakers, a turntable, two tape recorders, stereo headphones, and an auxiliary source such as an additional tuner, CD player or a TV/streaming sound source.

The brushed aluminum faceplate, black lettering, and blue dial scale set against a blackout panel are iconic. The gyro touch tuning wheel is, of course, also a mainstay of that era of Marantz receivers.

As mentioned above, one of our optional custom-built solid walnut covers also available starting at $250.  There are several wood options to choose from.

Basic specs:
Power output: 35 watts per channel into 8Ω (stereo)
Frequency response: 20Hz to 20kHz
Total harmonic distortion: 0.25%
Dimensions: 17.4"W x 5.5"H x 14"D
Weight: 24 lbs

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('71-'73) 26 WPC  $350   *(wood cover not included)

Obtained locally from the original owner, this Sansui Model 2000A receiver has been completely disassembled, fully serviced and thoroughly tested.  All the dial and meter lamps have been replaced. 

NOTE: as seen in the photos, one of our optional custom-built, solid wood covers is available at an additional cost of $250

The Sansui 2000A was one of Sansui's earliest solid-state receivers. Although the later models were slightly improved versions, the 2000A really didn’t have muchs that required improvement.  Regardless, Sansui (like all the other HiFi companies) replaced the 2000A with the 2000X (with more power and a few other minor changes.)
At the time of its release in the early 70's, most of the speaker technology was built around the tube powered amps & receivers that were the norm.  Sansui was so passionate about the design of this model that a lot of owners say the 2000A / 2000X still retains most of the warmth that naturally came from tubes.

It’s a very solid receiver with a clean silver faceplate, and blackout dial glass.  The interior build and exterior design of this Sansui 2000A is the true definition of "pure classy vintage HiFi".

Essential specs:
Power output: 26 watts per channel into 8Ω (stereo)
Frequency response: 20Hz to 40kHz
THD: 0.8%
Speaker load impedance: minimum 4 ohms
Dimensions: 18"W x 6"H x 13"D
Weight:  29 lbs

About Sansui...
Sansui was founded in 1947 in Tokyo, Japan.  Started as a transformer manufacturer, Sansui produced various audio products for more than fifty years.  In its heyday, (somewhere between the late '70’s and the mid-'80’s) Sansui was a well known brand all over the world.

The name “Sansui” means “Mountain and Water.”  The implicit appreciation of “Sansui” goes back more than a thousand years to the ancient China.  That was black ink drawings which depict nature, such as trees, rocks, and streams.

 A Japanese Zen monk named Sesshu who was eager to learn this technique went to China during the Ming dynasty period.  After several years, he came back to Japan and developed his own version of the “Sansui” drawing.  Sesshu tried to mix his Zen philosophy into the simplicity of the “Sansui” drawing.  He passed away at the age of 83 in 1503 leaving many masterpieces and left fundamental influences on Japanese culture.  The meaning of strength and simplicity in black and white is far beyond the level of just drawing techniques.   Almost all ancient Japanese culture has been somehow influenced by this philosophy.

When the founders of the transformer company named their company as Sansui, they must have thought about the philosophy of “Sansui” drawings, and its fundamental meanings; strength and simplicity of black ink drawing on white paper for the purpose of depicting nature mixing with the value of  life.

After Sansui retreated from the U.S. market in the late '80’s, they still kept producing some masterpieces under the “Alpha series” until 2001 when Sansui closed the corporate headquarters in Shin-Yokohama.  The irony is that Sansui may have peaked its reputation in the tube gear era with AU-111, followed by the incredible array of solid state equipment, and lost its presence in high end audiophile right after reviving the AU-111 as the "AU-111 Vintage" in 1999.

Alas, as all good things must come to an end, their Japanese website as a HiFi-manufacturer was last updated in January 2014 as they went out of business that same year. Sansui's sales had shriveled to just $270,000 by 2010. In Japan, the consumer product maker Doshisha has the right to manufacture and sell under the Sansui brand.  Outside of Japan, the brand belongs to Nimble Holdings of Hong Kong.

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('78-'80) 55 WPC  @ 8 / 60 WPC @ 4    $500

In very good cosmetic condition, fully serviced and tested, this Technics SA-500 has been partially recapped; the power board was the main focus for the recap.  

As the late 70's were becoming a slice of heaven for HiFi lovers, the market was bursting with fine receivers and the Technics SA-500 was one of those great mid-range designs . Not only does it perform well but it has the looks to go with it.  

As did other manufacturers in the late 70's, Technics was also getting ready to drop the analog receivers and move into the digital age but they did it in small steps (nobody wanted to shock the buyers with an overnight switch from analog to digital.)  The SA-500 was considered a hybrid because it featured digital power meters even though it was still an analog unit.

Made from late '78 to '80, it's rated very conservatively at about 55 watts per channel at 8 ohms and 60 WPC at 4 ohms.  That's good news about the 4 ohm power, it tells you the SA-500 is not afraid of running difficult 4 ohm loads.

As mentioned above, the SA-500's power level meters are digital LEDs which you can adjust via the power display button.  However, the signal and tuning strength meters are analog.

The balanced layout of the knobs and switches along with the white dial face make the Technics SA-500 a clean and sophisticated looking unit. The knobs are done nicely with a brushed aluminum top and sides with a polished accent line along the outer top edge. 

Thanks to having all new lamps installed, the SA-500 looks really mesmerizing when lit up in the evening.  This is a great receiver for anybody. Search the net and you'll be hard pressed to find anyone that dislikes this receiver. 

Essential specs:
Power output: 55 watts per channel into 8Ω (stereo)
Frequency response: 10Hz to 40kHz
THD: 0.04%
Speaker load impedance: 4 ohms minimum
Dimensions: 19"W x 6.5"H x 13"D
Weight: 26 lbs

About TECHNICS / MATSUSHITA / PANASONIC...
Founded in the 1920's, the huge Japanese conglomerate Matsushita had interests in many electronics companies.  The most well known would be Technics and Panasonic. Technics was introduced as a brand name for premium loudspeakers marketed domestically by Matsushita in 1965.  Eventually, Technics became a premium brand bringing classics like the SL-1200mkii turntable and the absolute monster receiver at the top of the list: Technics SA-1000 (330 watts per channel)

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('76-'78) 32 WPC   $400

One of our personal favorite receivers to ever come from Yamaha....this CR-450 is in pristine cosmetic and operating condition.  The CR-450 was part of the excellent "CR" design series from Yamaha.  The CR-450 replaced the earlier CR-400. The entire lineup was just flat out gorgeous.  Besides our usual intensive bench servicing that includes all pots / switches / bias and new diodes on the board that controls the lighting. 

The conservative rating of 32 watts per channel into 8 ohms was  more robust than the later CR-420.  Power output is actually closer to 35 WPC and the output into 4 ohms is about 38 WPC.  Packed with all discrete components, it's late 70's design reflects the rapid improvement in receivers that made them lighter, more powerful and relatively easy to work on.  

Yamaha's famous "Natural Sound" is part of the attraction in the CR-450, along with the loudness compensation feature that made the Yamaha CR Series unique.  Perhaps "natural sound" is best described as having a neutral sound stage with less emphasis on colorization to the music. Of course, as usual, it's always about the quality and efficiency of the speakers but the natural sound has always been part of Yamaha's legacy. 

Something else that's unique to this Yamaha series is the OTS (Optimum Tuning System), which is an easy-to-use feature that automatically locks in the exact center of the tuned channel - for the lowest possible distortion Stereo Review magazine once said (and still applies today) "the muting and OST systems operated flawlessly and the harmonic distortion of the CR-450 was so low that without the most advanced test instruments it would have been impossible to measure it."

Among Yamaha's most significant features is the *continuously variable loudness control. By using this control, the frequency balance and volume are adjusted simultaneously to compensate for the ear's insensitivity to high and low frequency sound at low volume settings. Thus, you can retain a natural-sounding balance regardless of listening level.
*NOTE: How does Yamaha's Loudness control work?
Theoretically, the degree of loudness compensation should vary with the listening level: The greater the reduction from "real" sonic levels, the greater the compensation. In the Yamaha CR-420, you first turn up the loudness all the way and set the volume control to the highest listening level you'd be likely to want, which will, of course, depend on your taste, the efficiency of your speakers and the acoustics and size of your room. For subsequent level adjustments, turn down the loudness, which boosts the lows and, to a smaller extent, the extreme highs relative to the midband to maintain a natural sounding balance.

When it comes to the Yamaha CR-450, all this adds up to a lot more than most could logically expect of the "low man on Yamaha's receiver lineup totem pole", even in view of their minimum performance standard policy. The tuner section is several cuts above the conventional. The phono preamp is eminently quiet, the flexibility of the rest of the preamplifier section is also impressive.  Essentially, the Yamaha CR-450 was unique in its price range. 
Main features are the outputs for two pairs of speakers, phono, FM, Aux (perfect for streaming) tape in/out.   The teak veneer case is flawless and the brushed aluminum faceplate is literally mint!

SPECS:
Power output: 32 watts per channel into 8 ohms
Frequency response: 20Hz to 20kHz
THD: 0.05%
Speaker load impedance: 4Ω (minimum)
Dimensions: 13.1"D x 6.5"H x 18.3"W
Weight: 21 lbs

(1980) 60 WPC  $500

In excellent cosmetic condition, fully bench *serviced and tested, this Yamaha CR-840 is simply beautiful, elegant and well-designed.  it's dark Brazilian hardwood veneer case is stunning!  

*Servicing included:
~disassembly of unit for chemical treatment of all pots & switches with Deoxit Gold and/or Faderlube
~DC offset and bias adjusted
~a complete set of brand new lamps with emerald green covers
~All inputs & outputs tested to perform perfectly
~knobs, switches and case were cleaned and now present as like new

Something unique to Yamaha is when speaking of the OTS (Optimum Tuning System), which is an easy-to-use feature that automatically locks in the exact center of the tuned channel - for the lowest possible distortion."the muting and OST systems operated flawlessly" Stereo Review said, and more "The harmonic distortion of the CR-840 was so low that without the most advanced test instruments it would have been impossible to measure it."Among Yamaha's most significant features is the continuously variable loudness control. By using this control, the frequency balance and volume are adjusted simultaneously to compensate for the ear's insensitivity to high and low frequency sound at low volume settings. Thus, you can retain a natural-sounding balance regardless of listening level.

In summing up their reaction to the CR-840, Stereo review said, "Suffice it to say that Yamaha makes it possible for a moderate-price receiver to provide performance that would have been unimaginable only a short time ago."
We have to agree that the CR-840 is certainly one stellar example in Yamaha's fine line of receivers.

Basic specs:
Power output: 60 watts per channel into 8Ω (stereo)
Frequency response: 20Hz to 20kHz
THD: 0.01%
Speaker load impedance: 4 ohms minimum
Dimensions: 21"W x 6.5"H x 15"D
Weight: 30 lbs

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