By Richard Sarbin
AN abundance of skill, energy, and time more than compensated for the budget and space limitations faced by Roger B. Miller in the design and construction of this simple but sturdy audio installation for his home in Downey, California. Measuring fifty inches in both height and length, the beautifully crafted walnut complex is quite transportable and can be operated with ease from either a sitting or a standing position.
An assortment of medium-price equipment purchased over a number of years is secured within six neatly inset component panels.
Perched on the left-hand side of the cabinet and sharing the bulk of the recording activity are Craig 2408 and Sony TC-353-D tape decks. A Concord Dolby-B unit occupies the upper right corner of the structure, and cradled directly underneath is a BSR FEW-3 octave graphic equalizer. Within the remaining compartments below are a Harman-Kardon 630 AM/FM receiver and a Wollensak 8050 eight-track deck.
The base of this handsome installation features two convenient slide-out drawers, the lower functioning as a storage area for head phones, microphones, and other useful accessories and the upper (see inset) housing a switch panel as well as a Sony sound-on-sound adapter used in conjunction with the Sony tape deck. When not in use, both drawers are hidden behind the tambour door to further enhance the console's clean, uncluttered appearance.
The turntable shown is a BSR 610, which is temporarily resting on one of a pair of Sound Research Lab Model 20's, a set of local house-brand speakers. Two JBL L-100's placed in the other two corners of the 10 x 12 foot room complete the lineup of components. The well-stocked library of reel-to-reel and eight-track tapes consists mainly of popular music from FM programming; the cartridges are used for playback both at home and on the road.
Mr. Miller is currently working toward a B.A. degree in industrial arts at California State University at Long Beach. He has done a variety of custom-woodwork projects in his own workshop not only for other hi-fi enthusiasts but also for buyers of quality furniture. With such experience under his belt it comes as no surprise that he spent under $150 in the building of this fine cabinet.
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Also see:
GOING ON RECORD, JAMES GOODFRIEND
EQUIPMENT TEST REPORTS: Hirsch-Houck Laboratory test results on the: Audio Pulse Model One time-delay system, Avid 101 speaker system, Realistic SA-2000 integrated stereo amplifier, and Shure M24H stereo/quadraphonic phono cartridge, JULIAN D. HIRSCH