The BIGGEST used HiFi bargains might be the SMALLEST

Hey, you just mentioned 'The Time Machine'.. With all the vintage tech you have in storage, you could produce that "Hifi through the ages" video yourself.. For our enjoyment...

What a joy to see. I repaired these things for a living at one time and I can tell you, having everything modular with ribbon cables connecting all the parts contrasts sharply with the El-Cheapo machines from Binatone, Ross and the likes with everything on one big circuit board and wires like spaghetti criss-crossing everythere...

With your struggle with the front panel of the mini-system: when taking things apart, if you're having a really hard time of it, then you're probably doing it in the wrong order. If you can't reach a screw, you probably need to remove something else first. Most likely the rear section with power and input/output connectors should have been removed first, and would have exposed the screw you needed a bendy driver to reach. Also there is probably a way to reattach power with the rear section taken apart and moved to the side, so the rest of it can be bench tested. You mentioned how easy the cassette was to work on. Likely the front panel could be equally as accessible. But the order of disassembly is non-obvious unless you have the service manual, or it's already in a hundred pieces on your workbench.

Keep thinking to myself that i'd love a little system like this... and then reminding myself that I dont own any MD or PCC anymore. Would have loved to have gotten into it at the time, but by the time they were affordable, so were iPods; so I think I just leaped straight to them and cut out the physical media 😔

Hi Mat. Just an FYI, I picked up a Sony RM-SJ373 remote, because it has the mini disc functionality and appeared to be the same as the RM-SCP500, and it works. Well, up to the point that it works unless you want to use any of the numeric keys. All of the other buttons work, I just can't set the timer or skip tracks or enter names for discs etc. It has some interesting bits to the fascia, looked the fact that under the silver label of the front there are two unused button holes next to the power button. The brains of the remote are 062 719 928K chip. It would be interesting to compare the innards of the different remotes to see what the differences are. I'm happy to share some photos of the PCB of my remote if it's of any interest to anyone

:

Now we await our Monthly exclusive Patreon Video :) No pressure.

My wife (then girlfriend) had an all-in-one that had a high-speed CD-to-Cassette recorder; I remember using it once or twice for quick CD to tape conversion (when my car still had a gaping hole in the dash where my CD player used to be b'f it was stolen), and I remember distinctly it being the soundtrack for STAR TREK GENERATIONS.

I second the "Sony tried to include the best components available, while still making profit" part. I've had a Sony MHC-FR1 for aaaaages, got it from a nice old man in my parent's neighbourhood back in 2005. Before that, he must've owned it for quite some time already, because it had scratches and marks all over (also a huge indentation on the top). Still, everything was working fine, and I continued using it up until 2017, when it was literally falling apart. Bottom line: Sony made top notch stereos in the 90s and early noughties, and it's a shame the demand for these has decreased in the recent years.

I remember having a mini system back in the late 90's, was really nice full sound and I was happy... Then my audiophile friend showed up out the blue and I was given a huge talking down to!!! Admittedly he had a top of the range stack of numerous units ranging from a record player that's never used, a mini disc player with only 3 discs a CD carriage that held about 20 cd's and everything optically connected with lasers or something. Mine was a cheapish little mini stack with a Dolby green light (That's all it did). Point being I was happy with the sound and my choices of music, he never really relaxed and listened to music as he was constantly either tweaking settings, waving his hands back and forth going on about stereo separation. It's all a matter of what you get out of it. I have loads of old Psion handheld and laptop computers and a zx spectrum, they are not great.. they hardly work anymore but I get lots of joy out of them and it was the same with my little fake stacker. My friend also had a top of the range PC and much like his state of the art hifi stack system.. did nothing with it. I think he's still got it to this day and I bet he goes on about the stereo separation and waves his arms around and gets people to stand in the middle of the room with their eyes closed.

I was pleasantly surprised by this system. I got a Sony Mini-System given to me from a friend and that really isn't good at all. It's basic at best and the wow and flutter on the tape deck is noticeable to the ear. It's good to know that some of the Sony systems were built with some degree of quality.

That new intro is looking great! Also, thanks for that video,now I notice those mini hi-fi's everywhere. They were always just a thing in the background,but now I see one and think "is that one of those mini hi-fi's"

I recently got a NIB JVC mini system that has a CD drawer and a minidisc drawer and they both have seperate 3 CD and 5 MD loading as well. I have only tried it once yet and not worked out how it works. It was imported from Japan to here in Australia and never used. I always liked the Sony mini systems of the late 80s early 90s and am always looking for one of the top end models hopefully with a tape and minidisc. Also I have just bought a nice condition akai M10 r2r. Nothing fancy and I can only run 7" reels. But it will do until I can one day get a revox and pay rediculous money on 10.5" reels and new tape.

Great video Mat. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a mini system with all three (I’m in Canada). I love that you can record to either tape or MD. I would have a lot of fun with this. Thanks for posting! Oh, and I gotta find that powered screwdriver. I had no idea you can get it in that form factor.

Let me know, when you get it, if you decide to toss the little boxes or you keep them to store the tool with all the bits that come with it. You will find it is all boxes within boxes.

I loved that electric screwdriver. It makes my Bosh IXO look very bulky. I didn’t know they came in that form factor, so I found a Wowstick 1F Pro on a webshop, and immediately ordered one 🙂

Good video matt micro hifi are quite good im my opinion

I've had that with remote controls before, in that several features are only available through the remote. I guess it's a case of first world problems: my stereo has so many features, I need a remote.

Those speakers are quite stylish. I know its not real solid wood, but they would look very nice on a book shelf. So many new small speakers are just black boxes.

Your intro graphic looks like it’s got a new coat of paint !

It has a head flipping auto-reverse...I would say that puts the tape mech in the higher end category.

That's great - I had a similarish Sony many years ago, just with CD, Cassette and radio, no MD. I think it eventually succumbed to Lego insertion - a common problem in our household back in the day. The nearest my wife and I ever came to divorce was when we had our driveway done. The people who usually do that kind of work seem peculiarly unsuited to actually carrying it out, and totally incapable of following simple diagrams. My Eleks Tube clock came today - very happy with it - thanks for showing it!

The hd intro looks pretty good. Need to add some filter so it's not got that super hard edge though imho.

Brilliant video! My guess on the fan in the back: The fan is partially directly controlled by the sum of output levels that the speaker amplifiers put out. So it's only spinning high rpm when the device delivers loud sound. Pretty thoughtful design.

Actually those speaker connectors are not unusual at all. They're mostly used on compact all-in-one home theater systems, my Samsung one has similar connectors for its Surround speakers. Here's a picture showing the different types: https://pin.it/7iGcyOA

As I say, I’d been itching to get a slightly better Sony system that fits my severe lack of space for a while now, your video just made me get off the pot as it were. Thanks for the CD jacket stand info!

Well I completely ignored your advice to be patient and went on eBay and bought a Sony CMT-CP500MD Micro System straight after watching this! I’m assuming it’s the earlier version of the one you showed here. I’m very happy with the purchase though as including postage it was £75 all in on a best offer, comes with its original remote, has seemingly most if not all of the features of the 505 (Minidisc, CD Text, titling etc) and the seller said everything on it was working. I’ve been looking to “upgrade” my main audio system for a while now (currently it’s a small but decently performing Sony PMC-D40L) as I’ve wanted integrated MD rather than keep swapping the line in lead from my Amazon Echo Spot to my Sony MZ-B100 whenever I want to listen to or record Minidiscs and then back again. Always going with Sony for anything like this, so far I’ve had all good luck with second hand Sony hi-if and portables. Fantastic video Mat, and so-called “Techmoan Effect” or not, I’m glad I didn’t wait!

This reminds me that I still need to get my childhood Mini HiFi fixed (it's a tiny late 90's JVC System witha CD player and radio). Loved that new intro.

Brilliant video! Please do more mini HiFi content. I have such fond memories of the 1983 Aiwa mini component system (it was actually separates bound together with a metal bracket) but it was pre-CD and pre-MD.

There was a fan on the backside, did it ever kick in, or was it set to trigger only on Gobi desert temperatures? :-) if it did, how much noise did it produce?

Sorry about your experience with the builders, 'Chaos Manor' was a very special and funny section in BYTE magazine in the 80's with Jerry Pournelle, for some reason that popped up in my mind when I read about the chaos you had recently.

We could get Mini Disc systems like that here in Canada as I remember playing with them in the Sony Store lots of great times spent there playing with everything! I look forward to your Japan video as I am looking for some old Sony ES stuff!!

This video was right up my alley! I live in the US and early last year, I bought a Sony CMT-CP500MD on eBay and had it sent all the way from the UK. It cost about $130 including shipping. It works really well except that the ff and rewind is not working well on the tape deck, but it doesn’t matter because I mostly use it to record CDs into MDs. The one catch is that it didn’t come with a remote so I bought a 3rd party compatible one but it’s only good for basic functions and I soon realized that I was missing out on a lot of features by not having an original remote. So I saved a search on eBay and over a year later, an original remote is on its way from the UK as we speak! That set me back over $40 so yes...having the remote included is a big plus!

Also wondering if the version of Cuba Baion that you often use for demonstration purposes is the version you recorded from the Tefifon or if there is a digital copy available somewhere.

Your reference to The Time Machine to illustrate the evolution of home entertainment was very relatable and started me thinking about how there has been a somewhat similar evolution in cameras for home use during that same time frame. And now the two different streams (audio and photo) have merged into the smartphone. It seems convenience wins out over quality although a smartphone camera is miles ahead of something like a Kodak Instamatic from the old days.

TFW when one of your favourite creators "bad" videos looks miles better than one of your own "good" ones! The video looks fine, and I really enjoyed it. Congrats on getting through this last week without shanking anyone, Mat. Sounds like it was pretty tough going.

Still use the speakers for other unit but no tape deck or minidisc.

That's my old one. It died many years ago.

I had something similar a few years ago before I upgraded to a full size hifi for the full experience. Was very good and very cheap. Made this Techmoan inspired video about it: https://youtu.be/5M4c5x5dSZI

Interesting to see compared to my slightly older Sony micro system they've cost-reduced the tape counter out of it. ATRAC compression tech overlaps with one of Dolby's many many patents, so you'll find the Dolby credit text on all MD units.

You're so right about "The Techmoan Effect"/buying on eBay. It's easy to forget that if the item you want isn't in high demand, you can pay almost any price you choose so long as you're patient. I recently picked up my "holy grail" cassette player. I waited out a year's worth of Christies'-style listings ("A landmark example of midcentury-modern styling with nods towards 1960s retrofuturism, it's a sterling example of 20th-century industrial design...") with $1000 buy-it-now offers. But eventually, of course, I got it for $90 from a couple who were thinning out their household clutter.

Kind of an attractive little system once the hair and schmoo had been removed. I think I slept through this era, because I was too poor to buy anything new, and still thought my 70's stuff was top notch. I do remember a friend having one that the speakers could latch to the sides of the main unit, and had a carrying handle, so, presto - heavy boombox!

I appreciate you re-reading the bit about the Dolby patents in American English :D

I still have my Samsung micro system, although with manual tape buttons and no MiniDisc. However, it has wooden speakers, decent sound and a sensitive RDS FM radio. Lack of DAB is no issue as Ireland recently turned off DAB. I mainly use a Bluetooth adapter with its RCA inputs. Unlike most Bluetooth speakers, these have Stereo sound, very noticeable particularly with oldies that make better use of stereo separation, such as The Beatles.

Talk about a fortuitous video! I, too, am right in the middle of a project with 4 hex screws in a very difficult location to access. I was literally within minutes of looking on Amazon for some sort of right angle driver (if there is such a thing). Instead I watched your video. And you reminded me that I also have one of those snake drivers. Had it for years. Never used it for anything. But, yes! It works!

Love this! Had a newer one which I sold to my mother. It still did have separates (still a mini system) with slightly better speakers. Just a good cleanup (thanks Mat for showing me how and building my confidence to try) and it's great! I think a severed cable not working is you giving up too easily.. Bit of positive thinking goes a long way...

Really not a fan of these plastic integrated systems, but at least this one isn't the worst of the lot. Quite decent in fact, no doubt mainly due to the speakers. Sadly those speakers would invariably end up being placed right next to the main unit, with the whole lot positioned high up on a shelf somewhere out of sight. Simple (and proper) speaker placement works wonders, yet so few can be bothered. But very much enjoyed your review, and comments, as always! It's strange that music matters so little to people nowadays that they think a Bluetooth speaker (in glorious mono!) is sufficient. Then again, talent show winners belting out sleazy lyrics at the top of their lungs are apparently considered the pinnacle of the vocal arts. Ugh, people... 😒 And yes, I'm one of those hi-fi snobs who listens to music over high-end speakers driven by a behemoth power amp. 😉

Nice to see some love for Mini systems. The Time Machine film analogy was great. The eighty year old lady up the road still has a nice Panasonic Mini System. The neighbours next door in their mid sixties have a bluetooth speaker and streaming subscription. We shouldn't complain as I think many people who switch to streaming take all their CDs to charity shops where I have picked them up for as little asfour for £1. Personally I have a JVC here with motorised tape loading like a VCR. Two very similar systems were available with either cassette OR minidisc but not both. Having decided I want more inputs I have just bought a Denon F102 mini system which is actually separates (25cm wide) with normal RCA inputs yet has DAB and a phono preamp. Looking at the current Denon range that might have been peak mini-system.

I got my wife a Sony CMT-NEZ30 (I had to look at it to get the model number) as a gift back in 2006 (your vid helped me figure out when). I googled up the manual and see that it may have had a remote at one time. No MD, as you might imagine it being here in the USA, but it does have Compact Cassette in addition to Compact Disc. It has an AM/FM tuner, but North American versions don't support RDS even though FM stations here transmit it (codes are *slightly* different so maybe Sony didn't want to spring for a chip that did both?). They *are* nice little rigs and she still uses hers. Great show as always. Sorry about the misbehaving camera ... and contractors.

What was that electrical srew driver thing ? Nice video :)

I really didn't think that these were worth saving but you have proven me wrong. The value of this completely blows my 'triple stack of car stereos' idea out of the water. Those speakers look rather nice but it's a shame the systems often look dated.

Thank you for this extremely enjoyable look at mini systems. Quite sure I had one of these models or if not one similar. In fact I think it's still in working order (just not in my house!) It was used daily as a bedroom system and if anything we simply didn't realise the full capabilities of the unit, using it mainly as a very capable MD recorder/player since the MDs took up a lot less space. Some very good points well made about the evolution of household hi-fi, too. By the time those kind of devices came out - and perhaps during most of the 90s and with the technology coming in in leaps and bounds I suppose there were even quite a few casual audiophiles buying into this gear. My father after years of going with Leak amplifiers, Sansui receivers, ITT tape decks etc. one day simply mothballed his separates (or at least put them away somewhere) in favour of a brand new Technics mini system. He may well have tired of the source selector buttons popping off the Leak gear, but at that time the lure of new technology was undoubtedly very strong for many.

This is sufficiently modern to be on Amazon! https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00006G96H Still, they don't make them like that any more and I'm feeling very old... If I didn't have a nice enough modern Denon mini system, I'd find myself wanting one of these.

I loved this video. I enjoyed the early jeopardy set-up (will it or won't it be full of pet hair!?) I was secretly disappointed it wasn't. :-) I have this same unit, still going strong. Great video, as they all are, please never stop!

No matter how long we must wait for a new video, we all know that the wait is well worth it! And the fact that you managed to release a video with all the complications, is just another example of how much you care for your fans! I truly hope things get better for you, and just wanted to also thank you for all you have done and continue to do! Have a wonderful day

Hi Mat, I’ve got one of these exact systems (managed to pick it up off FB for £10 over Lockdown for the home office - couldn’t drive there fast enough to pick it up). It’s a great system and has served me well while stuck at home. It does the same clicking noise with the CD player so must be a design fault. I generally listen to MD or Vinyl through the RCA input so it doesn’t bother me too much and after seeing the inside I think I’ll live with it.

Very enjoyable video, I do enjoy seeing something nostalgic like that that everyone had.

Ooh! The new intro is on! Sooo shiny.... 🤩 Thumbs up, Graphics Monkey! 👍

By the way it kind of looks like you had a toothache or just got back from the dentist. Hope you're okay.

As far as I know that plastic wheel is just a top holder for the CD center hole, it's geometry in the vertical direction is of no concern as long as it's flexible enough and spins freely. It's a very simple thing and has no mechanism of its own besides a rudimentary bearing (sometimes even that is absent). So the noise is obviously made by something else, which is motor-activated. Considering the amounts of dust in there there's something definitely requiring lubrication, my hunch is it's the lens assembly rails. EDIT: On a second thought, it might be this top wheel indeed, considering the moment when the sound appears. It tries to press the CD against it and here comes the noise. It may even been supposed to sound like that from the factory.

I have the Sony DHC-MD373 Mini System and TC-TX373, which calls itself a Mini HiFi Component System. As far as I can tell the CD and MD are probably the same/similar but the tape is superior as it is a 'component'. Cost me £350 in about '99 or so, the person at Dixons/Comet/whatever tried to dissuade me from buying the tape deck as apparently 'the future was minidisc'... I also got a deal where I got a wee Sony MD Discman with it. Similar to the one in the video mine has wooden speakers and a metal case with glass. Great unit, still fighting fit today and I have indeed added a Bluetooth receiver.

Shoddy or not, it's always great to see a Techmoan Teardown. I hope you'll consider reviewing a DCC mini-system in the future too; there aren't that many. I have a Philips FW68 (third generation) and an FW91 (second generation) and the quality on both is very decent. They're VERY different from a service point of view, though: The newer FW68 basically has most of the electronics on a single big circuit board that's held in place by nothing other than the volume control, and it's a total pain to take apart (in good Philips tradition). In the FW91, things are a bit more well-engineered. There's also an FW61 and Technics made a few DCC boomboxes that were never out in Europe or the USA. Thanks for posting!

Oh my god. I had the exact problem with Plusnet. I am currently working from home and my internet went down. I restarted the router, I checked the electrics etc. I knew for a fact it wasn't me. It took a WEEK for them to send an engineer out. Everytime I called them they said "have you restarted the router?" YES! I HAVE! SEND AN ENGINEER! Then when the engineer came he put his little plug in the ethernet socket and after 20 seconds he said "yeah its a problem with the exchange, not your line. I will give them a call." Like, why didn't you listen to me? You wouldn't have had to send an engineer if you just trusted I wasnt a cretin. Engineer called me an hour later and said "yeah the exchange swapped the cable by mistake. They have fixed it."

I'm considering two broadband connections in the new place... looking at your week I'm thinking for real resilience, maybe 3...

Tough week mate, never good when you have issues with builders (or contractors here in the States) AND your broadband provider in the same week. Here's to a hopefully relaxing weekend!

Can't believe they did it twice! Hope it's all sorted now. You're right - so many homes had mini-systems and I'm now feeling nostalgic. Have a good weekend.

Reading the intro made me realize that at a certain age we all turn into some sort of a Victor Mildrew.

Love!

Well that certainly brings a whole new meaning to cutting the cord heh! And sorry to hear about camera woes, those are always so frustrating. Hope it's nothing too irritating!

A 40 minute Techmoan video! On HiFi! With a new intro! My prayers have been answered.

Blimey! That sounds like the trials of Hercules at Chez Techmoan! Hope things are a little calmer now.