The Stereo Project

And the iPod connection completes it

2011-02-19T18:26:00.000-08:00

An iPhone 3g plugged in to the line-in.

Finally, and for some people this is the most important feature, the iPod connection. I wanted to preserve the iTunes functionality since it would be nice for guests to be able to come over and plug their own iPod right into the stereo and have it work. The turntable was already plugged into the sole AV input in the Sonos Bridge, so I had to come up with a way to select between the the turntable and the iPod for the line-in connection.

This was easily solved with an A/B audio in switch from Radio Shack and Apple’s Composite AV cable which can also re-charge an iPod while its playing.

Apple Composite AV Cable

RadioShack Audio Video AB Switch

~~iPod Composite AV Cables: $45.95~~

~~RadioShack AB Audio Video Switch: $12.95~~

Update:

The system was so close to being controlled entirely from my iphone using the Sonos app, the A/B audio switch was really a drag. Fortunately, my wife gave me the perfect Christmas gift and in the Sonos Wireless Dock, which charges and connects an iPod or an iPhone to the mesh network.

Sonos Wireless Dock

Sonos Wireless Dock: $119

Networking the thing

2011-02-19T17:30:00.000-08:00

NETGEAR XAVB101 Powerline AV Ethernet Adapter Kit

In order to work properly, one of the Sonos in the network needs to be physically connected to a router. Not only do they get content from the web, but they use the network to create the ‘mesh’ they use to link the zone players.

This created a problem for me. The room where I wanted to place this had no phone jack. This meant I couldn’t put my router in the room without getting a phone line installed. The router was tucked away behind a couch across the house. Waiting for the phone company in Chicago is worse than waiting for cable. We mainly use our mobile phones these days, that wasn’t a big deal until now.

The fix? Run the internet through the house’s powerlines. Now that is pretty cool. All I had to do was plug these two Netgear boxes in. One at the router. One at the stereo.

Netgear Powerline Ethernet: $116

I need a phono pre-amp?

2011-02-19T07:39:00.000-08:00

ART DJ Pre-Amp II

Record players produce a relatively low signal compared to other stereo components. I’m sure there’s a good reason for this, but I don’t know it.

What this means is that if I were to plug it directly into the Sonos player, it would be way too quiet. Even with the volume all the way up.

This is fixed by running the signal through a phono pre-amp. After scouring Amazon, I bought this one:

Once it was ready to go, I just plugged the Dual 1229 into the pre-amp and the pre-amp straight into the Sonos line-in. Worked perfectly.

Ampcessories DJ Pre-Amp II: $30.00

Adding the cool factor: Dual 1249 Turntable

2011-02-18T19:53:00.000-08:00

Dual 1229

The record player is the second most important component of the whole system. It’s going to be highly visible and as an ex-indie rocker from the 90s, I had to be sure that it struck the right balance of obscure and quality. Like a Fender Mustang.

After an obscene amount of obsessing, I settled on a Dual. It’s German. They sound good. They look good. At the time they were seen as premium items. Collectors love them. And amazingly, it has the exact dimensions of where it needs to fit. After a couple weeks, a 1249 popped up for cheap one eBay and I pounced. The seller was a bit obsessive compulsive, his unpacking notes were incredibly detailed:

I have packaged your turntable very carefully and I would recommend that you the follow these steps in opening the package, removing the turntable components from the box and reassembling and setting it up. You may want to print the following steps when you receive the package so that they will be easier to access. If you are familiar with the set-up process, please disregard these steps. I had the turntable completely set up and playing a record prior to packing it up for you. I want you to enjoy the turntable and fully experience its fine performance capability.

· Open the package on the address side by carefully cutting the sealing tape without penetrating the package.

· Remove the folded paper material from above the turntable, noting the Dual 1229 manual which I have included which is very similar to your 1249 belt-driven model.

· Gently lift the wrapped dust cover, removing any packaging which adjacent to the inner cardboard box material.

· As you carefully un-wrap the bubble pack from around the dustcover, please note the small baggie inside it which contains the counterbalance, turntable spindles and cartridge, each thoroughly wrapped. Be careful not to drop the baggie or its contents as you un-wrap the dust cover.

· Next, remove the wrapped turntable platter from above the turntable chassis. This is a heavy cast-aluminum platter. I would recommend not un-wrapping it until you are ready to place it on the drive platter on the turntable chassis later in the assembly process.

· Next, remove the turntable chassis in its wooden base from the package. It also is wrapped carefully with bubble pack. Please be careful not to disturb the inner mechanism under the turntable chassis. The power cord, phono interconnects and ground wire are carefully placed underneath the wood base. You are now ready for the reassembly process.

· Carefully un-wrap the wooden turntable base and chassis and place it on a solid surface where you can complete the setup. Carefully turn the (3) chrome lock-down screws clockwise until the heads are flush with the chassis and the chassis is fully suspended on its springs. Make sure that the power cord, interconnects and ground wire are outside the turntable base ready to connect to your amplifier or receiver.

· Carefully un-wrap the cast platter and gently place it on the inner belt driven platter. (this is one of the most critical parts of the assembly). It should seat easily when properly centered. The chassis should now be freely suspended for vibration isolation.

· Locate the baggie containing the counterbalance, spindles and Grado cartridge. Remove the twist tie from the tone arm, ensuring that the tone arm remains locked by its retainer clip on its rest holder.

· It is important not to power up the turntable until full tone arm balancing and set up is complete. The mechanism will tend to cycle and turn off because of the vibration in transport, and if the arm is not balanced, additional friction can damage the cycling mechanism.

· Locate the counter balance and the small knurled knob at the rear of the tone arm near the gimbal. The small numbered ring on the gimbal should be set to zero and the anti-skate control below the tone arm should also be set to zero. Ensure that the tone arm remains in the locked position. Un-thread the knurled knob by turning it counter-clockwise until you are able to slide the counter balance into the rear of the tone arm with the guide slot facing downward. Do not fully tighten the knurled knob until the tone arm is balanced to zero grams following the installation of the Grado phono cartridge in the next step.

· Locate the cartridge and the tone arm pivoting handle on its right side at the place where the cartridge interfaces to the end of the tone arm. Pivot the handle 45 degrees with the tone arm. Inspect the underside of the cartridge head shell mount and the head shell connections themselves to see how they interface together. Ensure that the stylus (needle) guard is still on the cartridge and place the cartridge in the tone arm by carefully placing the rear of the head shell (with 4 pins visible) against the inner circuit board at the end of the tone arm, and then lifting the front of the head shell until it aligns with the tone arm. Then pivot the head shell handle to a 90 degree angle with the tone arm, locking the head shell in place.

· (This next step is one of the most critical). Again, ensure that the tracking force ring at the rear of the tone arm and the anti-skate controls are both set to zero. With the tone arm locked to its rest and the counterbalance loosely affixed to the rear of the tone arm so that it can be slid backwards and forwards, very carefully remove the stylus guard by sliding it forward off of the cartridge. The stylus is now exposed and can be easily damaged.

· Very carefully release the tone arm lock and place the tone arm to a position where it would almost track a record, while holding the tone arm so that the stylus does not touch anything. Then very carefully, slide the counterbalance forward or backward until the tone arm “floats” at a point with the stylus nearly at record height, not moving down or up. The counterbalance will almost be as close to the gimbal as possible. When the tone arm “floats”, you have set the mass to a true zero grams. Now adjust the stylus mass ring to 1.7 grams (the scale is calibrated to grams) and the anti-skate control on the center (elliptical) scale to 1.7 grams also. Place the tone arm back to its rest position and lock it again. You are now ready to interface your new turntable to your amplifier.

· Before interfacing the turntable to your amplifier, I would recommend first releasing the tone arm lock and plugging the power cord into an outlet. Place the cueing lever in a position so the handle is towards the rear of the turntable. When you plug it in, the tone arm will probably cycle (you do not want to do this prior to balancing the tone arm) and return to the rest. If it attempts to play a record and there is no record on the platter, operate the cue level by pulling it forward, so that the stylus does not touch the rotating platter. This is very important to prevent stylus damage. Next, prepare to plug the audio cables into your amplifier.

· Place the red marked cable into the right channel magnetic phono cartridge input and the opposite color into the left channel phono input. Be sure to attach the ground wire to the ground terminal of the amplifier. This will ground motor hum from being heard.

· You are now ready to listen to your records. Place a clean record on the platter and lift the cue lever by moving it to the forward position. This will lift the tone arm. Gently place the tone arm over the record starting groove, release the cue lever gently to lower the tone arm and HAPPY LISTENING (make sure the volume is turned down on your amplifier prior to this step). You may also select the “start” function by sliding the lever to the right. The arm will pick up off the record and return to its rest position at the end of play.

Dual 1249 Turntable: $225

A little more background on the original stereo from the VP's

2010-09-25T18:31:00.000-07:00

Editor's note: Ken & Sue VanderPloeg (my in-laws) originally owned the Zenith integrated stereo. What follows is their account.

We purchased the stereo in 1964 (fall) or early 1965 in Columbus, Ohio.

It was stored in Eva VanderPloeg(Ken's mother)'s house during our army years - October 1966 - October 1968.

We moved it 6 times with us in the next 20 years. Grand Rapids, MI to Wheeling, IL to Aurora, IL to Downers Grove, IL to Philadelphia, PA, to Woodridge, IL and back to Downers Grove, IL.

View Zenith9000 in a larger map

In 1981 it moved to the basement for storage because we bought a "modern" unit and shelves.

When the basement was finished in 1985 it was put in a prominent spot but not played much because it had to compete with a juke box. It mostly held seasonal decorations.

In 2000 when we moved from the house in DG to a townhouse in Woodridge there wasn't room for it so it went to our shop for storage - again. Ken used it as a credenza. Our friend and tenant, John Brockway wanted it but he died before he could claim it.

In 2006 when we moved into half of the store space there wasn't room for it and Sue wanted to toss it in the dumpster. It was too heavy for her to lift and Ken wouldn't help. He wanted it. So, it was turned on its side and lived under a work table for two years.

After we sold the business in 2007 it moved again to our basement in Woodridge until rescued by Jason in 2008.

What could have been

2010-09-25T18:16:00.000-07:00

Peachtree Audio Nova

During my research, I came across the Peachtree Audio Nova. I immediately began lusting for it. It looks beautiful – the perfect balance of retro but modern. I really liked its minimal lines and the tube looked bad ass.

What really got me was its full integration of the Sonos ZonePlayer 120 – which I had decided to build my system around. The Sonos player slides into a little bay in the back.

Peachtree Audio Nova with a Sonos ZonePlayer 120

The reviews for it were amazing, it elevates digital music to whole new level – fit for a true audiophile.

Sadly, that's not me. In the end, I didn’t need it. I'd make do with the Sonos alone.

Also, it would only just barely fit in the cabinet, and that would be only after I did some major rearranging of the inner compartment using actual power tools.

No Peachtree Audio Nova for the Zenith9000.

Saved: $1,200

Sonos is the answer

2010-09-25T17:58:00.000-07:00

Sonos Remote

The first time I picked up a Sonos remote control, I wanted one. It’s comparable to an iPhone but heftier. And it only does one thing. It’s slick but kind of dorky. Troy McClure would definitely have one in his place.

But it’s expensive. This thing goes for $350. You can get an iPhone for less. It made me think that Sonos was out of my price range. I was wrong.

After I broke everything down, all the options and the associated costs and then factored in quality and ease of use, Sonos wasn’t that expensive for what you get.

A ZonePlayer 120 (zp120) was a pretty good base to build from. It has a 55w digital amplifier, wireless streaming, built in music services, analog input for the record player, speaker posts, a subwoofer out and a free app for controlling it all with an iPhone.

Sonos ZonePlayer 120

Sonos iPhone App

If I purchased an additional ZonePlayer S5 with it’s built-in speaker, I could pipe music in to anywhere in the house I plugged it in.

Sonos ZonePlayer S5

An added bonus was the way it instantly connected with all of the various computers in the house. I haven't figured it out yet, but I'm certain I can get my TVs into it somehow.

What sealed the deal was the quality. I stopped by a Best Buy to listen to one and it sounded surprisingly good for something so compact.

First purchases:

Sonos ZonePlayer 120 for the main unit: $450
S5 to listen in another room: $400
iPhone Remote Control App: Free (cha-ching)

Total: $850

Hello, my name is Zenith9000

2010-09-19T18:33:00.000-07:00

At some point during this project, we started calling it the Zenith9000. Zenith after the original manufacturer. The 9000 is from Hal9000, the murderous computer from 2001: A Space Odyssey. Hopefully this works out a bit better than its namesake.

Here's a photo of the stereo when it was brand new in 1966 with its original owner, Ken VanderPloeg - my father-in-law and purveyor of fine stereo equipment (thanks Sue!).

The Big Decision

2010-09-09T17:57:00.000-07:00

Hamlet was decisive compared to me

Once I had the money to move forward, I immediately became mired in indecision. Actually, I was stuck in unending questions long before the budget was set. To get this to work within my budget, I had to choose a single backbone to build from. Just sticking in a bunch of equipment wasn’t going to work.

Although it looked huge to me, the compartment was actually pretty tight. 15" deep and 16" wide. The height varied due to a couple inner platforms.

It could be altered, but I wanted to preserve as much of the original cabinet design as possible.

Mac Mini

I could build this around a Mac mini. They’re small, powerful, work seamlessly with iTunes and it has the flexibility I’d need. The TVs in my house could be networked with AppleTVs and wireless speakers. And then I started adding up cost. I was buying a lot of computing power I didn’t need. I’d need at least double the budget to do this right. Plus, I’m not a huge Mac fan. They’re slick, but I’m not taken in by them.

TiVo Premiere

The Tivo Premier system might work too. I’m a huge Tivo fan, so this was really enticing to me. Although it is built to record TV, it still has decent music through Sirius, Live365 and other similar services. I’d have to get used to using my TVs as stereos, but we’ve been doing that for awhile on a here and there. Limited internet content is also available and the boxes are all networked. Needless to say it would kill on the whole DVR thing. In the end, I felt this would be too much of a closed loop. Getting it to work with the various computers in my house would be a hassle and ultimately, it just wasn’t designed to do what I wanted it to.

If I didn’t need it to do video, the possibilities were endless. There are some really impressive audio options out there for streaming audio from just about any source to multiple rooms. Sonos, Squeezebox, Naim and others were all good solutions. I could even use traditional stereo components and hook them up with wireless speakers. But no video.

I went back and forth through the options for months. Hamlet looked positively impulsive compared to me. I poured through specs. I created spreadsheets, drew up specs and compared price sheets.

In the end, I let go of the video requirement. Once that was out of the way, everything became easy. Sonos was the clear winner.

Sonos

The Budget: $2500 (or under)

2010-09-09T17:49:00.000-07:00

If there were no money restrictions, I think this project would be much easier, but I suppose that's true of many things. I could buy a system designed to power an integrated house and just cram it in there somehow. Or buy some nano thing from Japan. Or just pay someone to figure it out for me. But that’s not the situation.

My budget was set by selling my 1980 BMW R100 motorcycle which I acquired by trading for my 1981 Vespa P200x (that was a sweet trade).

Whatever the bike would fetch would be the working budget for the stereo project. Michele was hoping the whole thing would be less than the bike since I had promised her whatever was left over.

After a few weeks on consignment with the good people at Ace Motorcycle in Chicago, I got $2500 for it. They were pretty disappointed, but I think I only paid $1750 for the Vespa way back in the day, so I was happy.

1979 Vespa

Full Disclosure

2010-09-09T17:31:00.000-07:00

Before we get too far into this, it should be known that I'm not a audiophile. I like music and have a warm spot in my heart for LPs. Signal quality is not something I'm overly concerned with.

How I'm approaching this project.

A friend of mine once gave me his old HD TV. I didn’t have one and he was moving overseas where it wouldn’t work so I happily took it in. When I found out how much HDMI cables cost – it took me another two years to finally buy the cable to get the HD signal to enjoy the TV in its full glory.

It’s not that I was being lazy – but the $50 cable didn’t seem worth it for a better picture at the time. The content is what’s important to me, not the quality level. Now non-HDTV looks terrible to me, but I’m illustrating a point.

When it comes to making sacrifices for budget on this project, the decisions I make are going to drive some purists nuts. After music/video/whatever hits a certain quality level, I can’t tell the difference. I just want to enjoy entertainment as easily and conveniently as possible.

The Vision

2010-08-31T17:18:00.000-07:00

I’d like to replace as much of the original equipment with new gear as possible, save for the record player.

I’m not a huge fan of the how most modern turntables look, even the really expensive ones are pretty ugly.

Ideally, I’ll maintain the mid-century modern look of the piece on the outside. If I can do this, my wife won’t care where I put it in the house.   If it looks like it would fit on the set of Mad Men, I'm in like Flynn.

Once the lid opens, I wouldn’t mind if there were a few blinking lights and a nice looking digital interface of some sort.

Must-haves:

Multi-room audio streaming.   It’s a simple vision - sitting on my deck, sipping lemonade in my hammock, while I listen to a Talking Heads LP.

Internet radio. So many choices. I want.

AM/FM radio. Coast to Coast (the best in weird radio), local traffic & weather, emergency news – sure its old, but I still listen.

Turntable. Over the past 15 years, I have lugged a box of records to 3 countries, 7 cities and countless apartments. I haven’t had a working turntable since 1997. And everyone knows records sound better

Able to interface with both Macs and PCs. My house is bi-lingual.

Plays nice with iTunes. For better or worse, I have a huge iTunes library.

iPod doc. Most of my music, and my friends music is on an iPod or iPhone. If this can’t play directly from one of those devices I may as well not do this.

Self contained to the original cabinet. Ideally, I’ll be able to move this to any room in my house without making special considerations beyond an electrical outlet.

Nice-to-haves:

Multi-room video streaming. It would be really cool if this became not just an audio hub, but a streaming video hub for the whole house. Really cool, but probably really expensive.

A touch-screen interface. Right? It could drop down from the panel that opens up.

Blu Ray Player. I don't own any blu ray disks, but that shouldn't stop me.

Snazzy 2.0 remote of some sort. Maybe this should be in the must-haves.

Behold the Zenith Integrated Stereo (circa 1968)

2010-04-25T17:54:00.000-07:00

When I first saw this at my in-laws house(the VP's) - I thought it was the coolest. They had bought it when they lived in Ohio in the late sixties.

It's a full stereo including record player, AM/FM receiver, amplifier and stereo speakers all in an attractive wood housing. The speakers have these little louvres doors that open and close.

Even better, it vaguely goes with my wife Michele's mid-century modern design scheme for the house. This has kept it safe from the periodic purges of stuff we don't use anymore (see her blog Things I'm Getting Rid Of).

A couple of years ago, the VPs asked us if we would like to have it. They were moving houses and no longer used it. Of course we did. I had visions of listening to Pavement records in front of the fireplace on a chilly winter evening.

Despite some scratches here and there, it was in great condition. The original manuals were even inside.

I couldn't wait to play some records. I plugged it in. Turned it on.... and a terrible buzzing sound is all that came out. It must have been damaged in the move.

Bummer.

So now I had a choice - fix it and restore it to its original glory. Or turn it into the coolest mix of retro and cutting edge digital shit I could combine into the space inside cabinet.

I chose the latter.