Stereo systems are like Harleys


You'll never see two exactly alike. They are an expression of the owners ideas on design and performance, usually within the construct of a budget. Often put together over time with new and used parts.

I love that about this hobby. How boring would it be if we all had the same ideas of how a system should sound or look?

When you go to any kind of a rally, be it a poker run, charity ride or whatever.... it's customary to just walk around, checking out other peoples rides and chatting it up. It's a great way to meet people and have fun. Oddly, those bikers who's stigma is to be rowdy and obnoxious, are the nicest people I've met. Never once have I ever heard comments like DUH you should done this or that with your bike. Everything and everybody is accepted as is.

Perhaps some folks around here could learn a thing or two from the bikers. 


treynolds155

Showing 3 responses by jdane

Ha.   Thank God I don't have to spend as much time replacing tubes, bad solder joints, broken switches, bad wiring, stripped bolts, valves, pistons on my system as I had to on my '67 stock XLCH.
Dgarretson--  Ha!!!  Exactly!  The tolerances were such that anyone--even me!--could work on them (these are 60s bikes here).  I believe I put one of the pistons in backwards, and after a few miles, recalled precisely my hand movements putting in the wrist pin, and OH CRAP, I ...   Rode home, took about a half hour to strip it down and put it in correctly (and I am NO mechanic!)--heads roughly where they should be--hell, good enough!  It ran fine.  There was no way that was going to work on a Japanese machine.  Riding one of those was like listening to really really good 78s played with a wooden needle.

My first system had a Heathkit for left channel, Fender Bandmaster for right channel, and a turntable with a ceramic cartridge since who knew from pre-amps?  It wasn't real detailed, balanced, or nuanced, but it sure was loud.  And yes, my '67 XLCH was pretty much the same.