Mort’s TV & Video Blog

Buying Vintage Audio Equipment Online? Here Are a Few Things to Consider

Posted & filed under Vintage Audio.

As a company that specializes in repairing vintage audio in Philadelphia and the surrounding areas, we have seen our fair share of this type of equipment. Audiophiles all over love vintage audio equipment, but sometimes it’s tough to find that exact piece of equipment you need. Many people turn to the Internet to find what they want. But there are a few things you should think about before (and after) you have purchased the equipment? Here are a few things to keep in mind.

When you start searching for vintage audio equipment online, try to use the technical name or brand when you are typing in your search inquiry. This can help you narrow down the actual parts you need. And when you do find the pieces you want, be sure to look at the photographs carefully and be sure to read through the descriptions carefully to be sure you are getting exactly what you want and need.

You should also ask questions about the vintage audio equipment if you need to. You can tell a lot about the seller based on how quickly they get back to you about your questions or concerns. If you do not get any answers that are satisfactory, or if the answers do not fit what you need or want, find another vendor.

If you do end up ordering the piece of equipment, there are a few things you should check soon after you get it. For example, make sure you test them carefully and safely. Read up on any power supply requirements before you plug anything in so you do not inadvertently create a safety hazard! Give the equipment a thorough once-over too. If you see any problems with the equipment, contact the seller to inquire about the problems to see if there is any way you can return the product and possibly get a replacement or, at the very least, a refund on the money you spent on the vintage audio equipment. Most sellers will require that you return the product if you request a refund.

We hope you learned a few new things about vintage audio and how to be sure you are buying the best equipment for your buck! Of course, if you have any questions, you can ask the experts here at Mort’s TV & Video.

Do you want more information on vintage audio in Philadelphia? Call Mort’s TV & Video at 215-945-8381 or you can Contact Us.

How to Troubleshoot Your Vintage Audio Equipment

Posted & filed under Vintage Audio.

If you are a fan of vintage audio, then you know it is inevitable that something will eventually break and you will need to look into vintage audio repair services. However, there are a few things you can do on your own to troubleshoot the problem before you come to us for our repair services. We specialize in vintage audio repair for New Brunswick NJ and the surrounding areas, and we have a few suggestions on what you can do before you give us a call or visit our shop.

Safety First

When you are taking a look at your vintage audio equipment, there are a few safety precautions you should take. You should always take off any jewelry you are wearing, tie back your hair (if you have long hair) and roll up your sleeves. That way, nothing can accidentally make contact with circuitry or conduct current or get caught in any moving parts of your vintage audio equipment.

If you perform any tests on the equipment to see if you can figure out what type of vintage audio repair you need, try to perform as many of these tests as possible with the power off and the equipment totally unplugged. This is an important safety precaution.

Basic Vintage Audio Repair

A lot of the time, when you bring your stereo, turntable or another piece of vintage audio equipment to us for repair, the repairs will be relatively simple. Sometimes, it is just a matter of repairing a small part that has a big effect on how the equipment works. Other times, the equipment just needs to be thoroughly cleaned. No matter what kind of vintage audio repair you need, Mort’s TV & Video can help, thanks to our team of experts on vintage audio repair.

Bring Your Equipment to Mort’s

If you took some time to do a bit of troubleshooting on your own, let us know what you did when you bring your equipment to us. Tell us as much information as you can about what you found out on your own. If you are not comfortable troubleshooting your equipment, that is okay too. We can certainly take care of that part if you are not sure what you are doing or are afraid you might cause more damage.

Do you need vintage audio repair near New Brunswick NJ? Call Mort’s TV & Video at 215-945-8381 or you can Contact Us. We are located in Levittown PA, about an hour away from New Brunswick. If the drive is too far, you can always ship your vintage audio to us as well.

Parts of a Stereo

Posted & filed under Audio Repair, Vintage Audio.

If you are interested in purchasing vintage audio in Philadelphia, like a stereo system, you might be wondering what you should buy and what they all do. We have a few suggestions for you. Here are a few of the main parts of a good stereo system and what purpose they serve.

Speakers

Speakers convert the electrical signal that comes from the amplifier into acoustic energy. You should listen to a variety of speakers when assembling your perfect stereo system. What sounds good to you might not sound as good to the next guy. Your speaker preference is unique to you. If you prefer a speaker with heavier bass, then you might want to avoid high-end speakers because they do not produce as much bass as others out on the market.

Amplifiers

Generally speaking, a standard receiver contains three or four different components. A tuner is what allows you to listen to the radio and tune into different stations. A pre-amplifier will get the signal from the other components of the stereo and will allow you to select among them, set the volume and will amplify the sounds coming from the unit. It also contains a power amplifier, which is what accepts the signal from the pre-amplifier and makes the signal that actually drives the speakers.

Source Components

If you are a vintage audio fan, your source component might be a turntable. But if vintage audio isn’t your thing, you might want to look into a CD player or something similar. Regardless of which one you choose, your source component is where the music is coming from.

There are many vintage audio lovers out there who swear by turntables and vinyl. They believe that vinyl creates the truest sound for most forms of music. Record players and records are more popular than ever, thanks to a recent resurgence in popularity over the past couple of years.

Tuner

If you are interested in playing the radio on your vintage audio stereo, you should definitely invest in a good tuner. You can usually find a good one used, but if you want to spend a little more money, there are plenty of new ones on the market as well.

These are just a few parts of a good stereo system. Depending on how much you want to spend, there are plenty of other components that can go into a good stereo system.

Are you interested in learning more about vintage audio in Philadelphia? Call Mort’s TV & Video at 215-945-8381, or you can Contact Us.

How to Choose the Best Audio Repair Shop

Posted & filed under Audio Repair, Tips.

When your beloved stereo is on the fritz, you might be wondering how to pick out the best repair store to take it to for repairs. We are a shop that specializes in audio repair in Doylestown and the surrounding areas, and we have a few suggestions for you on how to make sure you are taking your audio equipment to a reputable shop.

Get Recommendations

In today’s Internet-driven world, it’s easy to go online and search for an audio repair shop. And it’s even easier to read reviews from other people who have used that store. So do some research and go online and read some reviews. Yelp is a great source for reviews, as is Google My Business. Mort’s TV & Video has some great reviews on those two sites.

You should also talk to friends, neighbors and family members who have used audio repair stores. See what they have to say about their experiences.

Talk to the Audio Repair Professionals

Come down and talk to us here at Mort’s TV & Video to learn more about our audio repair services and how we can help. We can give you an estimate of how much the repair work will cost after you give us a rundown of what’s wrong with your audio equipment. All of our work is done by us, and we do not ship your audio equipment to a third party for any repairs.

You can also learn more about how much experience we have in the audio repair industry. We’ve been around for more than 50 years, and we are also certified by the International Society of Certified Electronics Technicians (ISCET).

Make Sure the Audio Repair Shop Repairs Your Particular Piece of Equipment

Not all audio equipment is the same. Make sure the audio repair shop can fix the particular piece of audio equipment you need fixed. Not all audio repair shops work on all brands like we do here at Mort’s TV & Video. You should also make sure that the audio repair professionals are certified. For example, we’re not just ISCET certified. We are also certified Media Systems Technicians, Certified Service Managers and Certified Customer Service Representatives.

These are just a few things you should consider while looking for an audio repair shop.

Do you need reliable and professional audio repair in Doylestown? Call Mort’s TV & Video at 215-945-8381, or you can Contact Us.

How to Buy Vintage Audio Equipment

Posted & filed under Vintage Audio.

So you’re in the market for a record player or tape player. As a store that specializes in vintage audio repair in PA, we have a few suggestions on what you should consider before you make your purchase.

Select a Source Component

First, figure out what you want. The source component is the part of the vintage audio equipment where you put in the music media (record, tape or CD). Once you have this part narrowed down, you can build your vintage stereo from there.

Inspect the Equipment

Take the time to go over the source component. You don’t want to make a purchase and then have to immediately hand it over to us for vintage audio repair! Take a look at any belts or other parts that can be easily damaged. Ask the current owner about any recent repair work done to the equipment.

Choose an Amplifier

The amplifier is one of the most important parts of your new audio equipment. There are a few different options: a separate preamp and power amp, a stereo receiver or an integrated amp. There are two things you should keep in mind. The first is the amp’s watts per channel. If you are just using the equipment for home use, a lower wattage amp should work just fine. The second thing to keep in mind is the total harmonic distortion (THD). This means how much you can expect the amplifier to decrease the sound quality from the recording. Many consider the 1970s to be the best era for amps, and amps from that time frame will usually have a THD of less than 0.1%.

Pick Speakers

Look at the size of the speaker cones and how many the speakers come with. Three cones are best – a woofer, a mid and a tweeter – will generally produce a better and richer sound than speakers that only have two cones. Again, be sure to inspect the speakers before you buy them and look for any obvious signs of damage so you’re not bringing it to us right after you buy it for vintage audio repair.

Do some research before you make any definite decisions about buying any vintage audio equipment. While we offer some of the best vintage audio repair services in the area, you should be sure the equipment you are buying is in the best shape possible.

But when you do need vintage audio repair in PA, call Mort’s TV & Video at 215-945-8381 or Contact Us.