Vintage Audio Components

The components of vintage audio systems include several different pieces of equipment. Amplifiers, pre-amps, turntables, reel to reel players and recorders, speakers, and receivers are all parts of a vintage audio system. So that you can further understand how all of these components work together, here is a brief overview of each of them.

An amplifier does as the name states it amplifies sound. There are many different kinds of amplifiers. Most vintage amplifiers are tube amplifiers. Some amplifiers are designed specifically for playing music from a turntable. Others are more specifically designed for stage or performance usage. You could use an amplifier to power a public address system. A guitar head amplifier would power your personal guitar cabinet, and so on.

Pre-amps are a sound regulator that you use to control input to the main amplifier. The preamp allows you to choose your sources, it allows you to equalize sound and/or provide sound processing. 

Receivers are made up of three components.  It is made of an AM/FM Tuner.  It is made up of the preamp which as described above allows you to choose your sources, or perform specific sound processing.  At also acts as the amplfier.

Turntables are, for lack of a better term, record players.  Nowadays there are even cd turntables, but a vintage turntable is one that turns records or vinyls. These can either come in a small easy to move system, or in a large highly technical hi-fi system. Turntables have long been a favorite of audiophiles for listening to music.

Reel to reel players and recorders were mostly used in studios as a means to record. Most vintage bands were recorded on reel to reel recorders. These reels of tape were then mastered onto a master reel, which could then be pressed onto records, or eight tracks, or even later cassette tapes. Even later in their lifespan, reel to reel recorders were used even in digitally driven studios for their quality and dependability. And they are still being used today. Some artists will pay top dollars to have their music captured on a reel to reel recorder.

Speakers, as most people know, are what transform electrical signals into sound waves. Speakers are the link between the electrical impulses and our human ears. It is only by speakers that we are able to hear what is being played on a player. A speaker basically consists of a diaphragm, a magnet, and electrical wiring. When signals come in, the diaphragm vibrates, causing sound to be produced.

As you can see, all of these components work together and form the basis of a vintage sound system: they all have their purpose, place and fill special needs for music and sound.