some differences between vintage stereos and "vintage style" stereos

There is a prevalence on Amazon of "vintage style" stereos.  These are cargo cult items; nothing about the ergonomics is "vintage".

Some differences between actual vintage stereo and "vintage style" stereo off Amazon or from today shop:

The vintage stereo has one button for each source.  To select the source, you press the button, and it probably stays depressed.  The "vintage style" stereo has a single button that one must press repeatedly to toggle through the sources.

The vintage stereo has a continuous volume knob, heavy to turn, with a physical stop at the minimum and a physical stop at the maximum (which you don't use when it's powered up), preventing it turning further.  The "vintage style" stereo has a lightweight wheel, that can be turned either way indefinitely round and round without stopping.  Each click clockwise asks a control system to turn the volume up a discrete notch, and each click anticlockwise asks a control system to turn the volume down a notch.

The vintage stereo does things instantly, whereas the "vintage style" stereo does things after a delay, or not at all.

The vintage stereo remains ready.  All you have to do is hit play or fire up the source, and you have music.  The "vintage style" stereo switches itself into standby mode, so you have to fiddle around to get music again.

The vintage stereo sounds good.  The "vintage style" stereo sounds crap.


 

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