Questions for the tube hi-fi gurus

[Bob S]

Pros & cons of these Fisher amps.
500-C
X 202 B
The 202 has an integral tuner.
What would a fair price be - they're both in good condition.
Any info will be greatly appreciated.

[TUBEDUDE]

You can check Audio Classics. They have conditions broken down for a more accurate guesstimate.

[sluckey]

Check the completed listings on eBay to see what people are actually paying. Prices are all over the chart on the 500C!

[rp]

the 500c was the Cadillac of receivers in it's day. lots of old stuff inside to maintain in 2016. it's not like diy on a tweed deluxe. Last one I found and plugged in it ran perfect but that was 25 years ago, now they are getting really on in years.

if you are a purist and want an old tube receiver that's lovely to look at and has an inviting old warm full if a bit dark vintage sound can't do better. but nothing sounds like tube fm! If you're doing phono best use a modern phono pre into the aux, nothing special about old phono circuits packed into receivers.

If you don't care for vintage hype just get a tube pre and tube amp of some sort old or new, easier to fix up and maintain and then just add any ss fm tuner. All my fm comes through a computer these days anyway, radio is 100% mega corporate crap now.

classic audio and this guy are the experts:

http://www.fisherdoctor.com/

[Leo_Gnardo]

the 500c was the Cadillac of receivers in it's day. lots of old stuff inside to maintain in 2016. it's not like diy on a tweed deluxe. Last one I found and plugged in it ran perfect but that was 25 years ago, now they are getting really on in years.

What rp says ^^. And audioclassics prices are retail, they're an expensive place to buy anything. Get your 500C or whatever cheap as you can, you'll be spending plenty of time replacing old caps & resistors. Thank hevvins 7591's are available again, you can fit your power amps with the correct tube from JJ or EH. It's recommended to reduce the value of the resistors in the control grid feed, I think they're 330K. 100-150K, more like it.

There's been some reports of 500C (and many other) restorations in Audio Asylum, worth a look over there. You can search & read, don't need to be a member. If you're anywhere near Saginaw, your neighbor Mike Samra is a top hi fi rebuilder, his advice is top flite and he does the work too so he knows what he's talkin' about. They like to recommend Panasonic filter caps for replacement in these and McIntosh tube amps and HarmonKardon Citation II's & similar.

[Bob S]

Many Thanks for all the advice guys. Very helpful.
I think I'll start looking for a "basket case" to restore.
I really don't need another project, but it'll be fun.