30 Entertainment Equipment

Entertainment Equipment

My first reel-to-reel tape recorder was a German Telefunken, bought in the Navy, in Key West; I used to record church services to re-listen aboard ship. I also used it to record our wedding.

My first stereo receiver was by Harman-Kardon, and speakers by Marantz, and Realistic cassette tape deck bought in Warwick RI. I bought an equalizer new at Radio Shack, and a United Audio phonograph player.

Ginny and I were given our first TV, a 12” black-and-white one with poor antenna, by CTI’s owner; we watched “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” starring Charles Laughton and Maureen O’Hara. Shortly after I bought Radio Shack’s best rooftop antenna and amplifier; I also installed (but never used) a copper wire antenna fore-to-aft in our attic for better FM reception.

I bought, in succession, two Grundig tube-type “musical instruments”, which combined some hi-fi features; it was at this time that I fancied I would be a repair expert, and bought a dual-trace oscilloscope, signal generators and several pieces of trouble-shooting apparatus, most with manuals by the producer of the equipment (eventually I gave all to a “friend”, and never heard from him again).

My first VCR was a Toshiba, in Beta format; it was bought in 1982 by mail, and occasioned the acquisition of a major credit card. I recorded the Metropolitan Opera’s year-end production of “Hansel and Gretel”, which I compelled our children to watch; this was replaced as I upgraded, by a series of VHS machines (all were “Hi-fi”).