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VINTAGE HIFI COMPONENTS (Crestline)
587 Wildrose Lane SPC 30 near Lake Dr
condition:
like new
make / manufacturer:
Realistic, Pioneer, Yamaha
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From 1977 to 1979, Radio Shack offered the STA-52 and STA-52B (see image #3 from the 1979 Radio Shack catalog). In the STA-52B update for 1979, it produced 16 watts per channel RMS (real watts across a 20-20K-wide frequency spectrum as per the 1974 FTC rule that is now ignored by a new breed of $49 3000-watt amplifiers). The STA-52B competed against similar receivers from Pioneer, Marantz, Sansui, Yamaha, Sherwood, Kenwood, and other well-known brands, at a competitive retail price of $199. It was built for Radio Shack (Tandy was its corporate parent) by Foster Electric (an OEM contract manufacturer who produced components for other well-known brands and private labels for the likes of JC Penny, Lafayette Electronics, Pacific Stereo, and other customers).
When I took in the STA-52B last week on consignment, I wasn’t sure what to think. As I have several 12-20-watt receivers on hand, including a directly comparable Pioneer SX-424 and a Yamaha CR-400 that I just sold and was finishing testing before delivery. I was really impressed with the STA-52B. It matched up well on a feature-by-feature basis, and when I opened it up to clean the pots, I thought the layout was excellent, equal to or surpassing the SX-424 (needing to find its hard-to-find speaker connectors) and the CR-400. It really rocked.
I’ve put it together with the basic Angels Horn full manual turntable and a pair of a/d/s/ L7e speakers. These speakers sounded great, but the cabinets and grilles were really beat up. I stripped the speakers of their peeling vinyl wood veneer and painted both with a grey, epoxy-like garage floor paint.
Honestly, the results are mixed on the painted finish. Some like it, some don’t. I might sand them down again and refinish them a second time. Or I might leave things as they are. Certainly, the finish is durable. The grey color is neutral and will make sense in a wide variety of settings (as shown in the AI-generated first image showing the system in a mid-century modern setting). But there might be an issue with the aesthetics committee (your wife or significant other) if you want to put it in your living room. If that’s the case, let me customize these great-sounding speakers for you in whatever finish you select.
Based on current eBay completed listings, because of the a/d/s/ cabinet issue, I’ve priced the system aggressively at $499, complete with all cables and a three-way USB-to-RCA cable so you can stream your phone through the STA-52B’s AUX input.
If you want to select a different pair of speakers, that’s no problem. Currently, I have 12 pairs of new and vintage speakers on-hand currently, starting at $49/pair, which you can A-B compare one to the other (just like we used to do back in the 1970s before most everything moved online, taking the fun out of buying a true HiFi system) in my little studio setup behind the Crestline post office. Bring a favorite record or CD and enjoy what we took for granted 50 years ago.
Want to sell your vintage HiFi gear? This includes silver-faced receivers from the golden era before 1985, bookshelf speakers from before 2000, rare turntables, cassette players, and early CD players. Stop by for a free appraisal and take advantage of my consignment program, especially if you don’t want strangers coming to your house to look at the dusty component that’s been hiding in your garage, attic, basement, or sub-basement for decades. I’m available from noon to 7 PM Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, by appointment Monday through Thursday (text me at show contact info to set up a time to meet), as I work from home (I’m a semi-retired automotive, travel, and consumer electronics journalist and political commentator), so I’m available noon to 7 PM (except when I’m hustling around to doctors’ appointments, the downside of being almost 72).
The second image shows another system I’ve put together, a bit more high-end at $999, featuring a more powerful Yamaha CR-620 from 1977, a brand new 1 by One automatic turntable with a remote, and a pair of iconic Advent Large Advent speakers from 1969 designed by the legendary Henry Kloss. I sold dozens of these speakers as a campus rep from 1973 to 1977 (I’m listening to No Doubt's “It’s My Life” as I write this, hearing things I haven’t heard in decades listening to the same track via some crappy, compressed streaming service), and 57 years on, with a fresh refoam of its 10-inch woofers, they sound as good as I remember in my dorm room back in 1975.
So if you love music and especially if you are just dipping a toe back into vinyl, my name is Richard, and I’m here to help with systems with a receiver, brand-new turntable, and a pair of bookshelf speakers for just $199. All my systems include a 3-way USB cable so you can stream your tunes from your iPhone or Android smartphone. Send me a message here on Facebook or text me at show contact info to set up a time to visit.
And remember to bring your favorite record or CD. Let’s have some fun. Physical media live on.
BRAND KEYWORDS:
Acoustic Research, ADC, a/d/s/, Advent, Altec Lansing, AR, Bang & Olufsen, Bose, BSR, Cambridge Audio, Carver, Crown, Denon, Dynaco, EPI, ESS, Fisher, Garrard, harman/kardon, H.H. Scott, Hitachi, Infinity, JBL, Kenwood, KLH, Klipsch, Luxman, Marantz, McIntosh, Mission, NAD, Nakamichi, Onkyo, Pioneer, Polk Audio, Realistic, Rega, Revox, Rotel, Sansui, Sanyo, Sherwood, Sony, Toshiba, Yamaha