MISC: Fisher 40 All-In-One Quad Receiver/Turntable/4 Channel Cartridge Player (1972)

[Quadrockasaurus]

If you have any more photo's or comments to make on this Quadraphonic unit please feel free to post them in this thread....


FISHER 40 All-In-One Quad Receiver/Turntable/4 Channel Cartridge Player (1972)


Rarity: ULTRA RARE
Average Sale Price: UNKNOWN

New member "evans" posted some info on this very rare, all-in-one unit in the "Obscure QUADRAPHONIC RECEIVERS & AMPS....any good??" thread....Post 48....

...and I quote... "I got to this page looking for information on my Fisher quad receiver and decided it qualified for the obscure units post. I compared it to the Sansui QR6500 I also have. It is a Fisher 40 (I have never seen another like it -ever- not on E-bay or even a google search. My brother sent it my way after he added a bit to it: It has 4 channel discrete amp and a decoder comparable to the Sansui (in my opinion). It has the pre-amps wired out to a 800 watt car 4 channel car amp with a 60 amp transformer powering the amp. I have 4 Braun L-810s around it and an Alesis M-EQ230 (30 band 1/3 octave eq) to enhance the frequency ranges. The difference is that it really blew the cajones off the Sansui for depth and smoothness of frequency range with the smoothest, deepest, punchiest bass I've ever heard. The other major difference is that the rear channels on the Fisher seem to carry the full bass range all the way around where the Sansui seemed to drop off a bit. Seems funky, but it sounds awesome. Cheers, bro."

Seeing that he had some nice things to say about it and that I just happened to have some handy images from some old mags of this unit...I figured I'd add it to the database...

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[medkill]

There's a 'thrift' store here in Memphis that has one of these. They currently want $249 for it and i haven't been back yet with a Q8 demo tape to function test it. I'll probably be checking it out soon.

 

[medkill]

As of today (21 Nov, 2012) there is a Fisher mode 40 system on eBay. They want 99 cents start bid with 75 dollar shipping. As of time I looked, 36 people had viewed it.

 

[Q8]

Interesting. That is a pretty hefty price tag for a thrift store unit, especially when it is likely sold as-is and there are no references for value anywhere.

But an awesome unit. I'm surprised that they put a 4-speed turntable on it. Not too many quad folks that want to play 78's and 16's. Hey grandpa, lets see how those 78's sound in fake quad.

Does this thing decode QS and/or SQ. I'm guessing QS. But didnt they put that 4 channel test record out in SQ? This advertising is a little sketchy as to what decoder it uses.

Does it have a CD-4 demodulator? It doesn't look like it. They talk about compatablity with discrete vinyl, but it would be a little akward to hook up a CD-4 Demodulator to it along with a second turntable.

Also if this thing plays 78's, does it have a ceramic cartridge? Does it have the little flip stylus? Seems that one of these may benefit from a turntable transplant. Which with this type of all in one unit, a transplant could be pretty easy.

This thing is interesting.

 

[Q-Eight]

I'm often surprised at the prices people attach to certain things. The seller of my Sanyo DCX unit originally listed it for $150. I offered $50, he declined. I explained that it's not really a top line brand name and said $70 was top dollar considering he claimed it worked properly. Well, with the one bad channel, he reluctantly gave me $25 back (the cost of a new output transistor).

I've seen basic 4-channel stereo's listed for 100's more than their street value. Marantz, Sansui command the money. To a lesser extent the Akai, Pioneers and Kenwoods. Anything less is a total crapshoot and should be treated as such - especially if untested or needs work.

I had a good laugh at the 1972 AMX that some fella listed on eBay. $18,000 Buy-it-Now and the thing looks like it fell into (and then out of) a J.C. Whitney catalog. It's got horrible fender flares, ugly show pipes, ugly aftermarket wheels and on and on. Don't get me wrong, there are very tasteful "Day-2" cars out there, but brother, this one ain't one of 'em! $18k could buy you a very nice, very original AMX. Like many times on Pawn Stars, people attach their sentimental values to some items.

Like I explained to the fella that sold me my Sanyo, it's not that I'm trying to low-ball you, I'm offering a valid, fair price. (He later admitted he paid $30 for it) So, how the heck do you justify throwing a $150 price tag on it? When talking about vintage stereo/Quad stuff, the value is what somebody is willing to pay. There really isn't a "market". Not to mention the group of people that are into it, isn't getting any larger. Strike while the iron is hot, so to speak.

 

[dude]

I thought I would load some pictures of the unit. Just for kicks I even took a picture of it's innards. It's very cool to see all things everyone is sharing in this forum and on this website! I can say that this quadraphonic unit produces better sounding music than anything I have ever heard. I don't know that much about the decoder and so forth. There is a huge difference in the separation from the 4 channel phonograph (Santana's Abraxas was PHENOMENAL). I play regular cds through the aux in and use the 2 channel setting with the matrix decoder. It produces more of an ambience and minor separation than 4 distinct channels. Definitely not stereo x's 2. Much more full sound. I can say that the Braun L810's are the real beauty of it all. The combination of the smoothness of the Fisher and the extended frequency ranges of the Brauns (22hz to 20khz) really make for tight, punchy bass and super clear crisp highs. Of course there's dirty pots and switches that have to be coaxed along occasionally, but for 40 years old, it's fantastic. Thought I would share. Any info on how to get more out of the decoder would be appreciated. Not that knowlegeable in quadraphonic really. I just know I really enjoy it.

There was a couple of questions in one of the replies that I will try to shed light on, although like I said I have limited knowledge: I believe it is a magnetic cartridge (Pickering V-15/AT-2, with a D-AT-2 stylus, not flip style). The decoder has a switch for two settings - popular and classical, whatever that means. From what I've read, it sounds like Sony kind of owned SQ, so my bet is QS. Again, not sure what that means. The decoder says 2+2. It reallys does produce a nice full sound and takes nothing away from the frequency ranges on the rear channels as I've noticed a couple of other units do. So the balance between the four speakers is great and all four channels crank it out regardless of whether you're actually hearing "true quadraphonic". Best sounding stereo I've ever had.

The Sansui QR6500 by comparison had the power over it for sure, and I think the decoder may have been better as Sansui is always top-notch, but it seemed to pull some of the bass out of the rear channels. I did have 4 Cerwin Vega VE15's on the amp and it had so much power it shook the upstairs floors from the basement. And that was on about 50% of the amp capacity. Unbelievable. The Cerwin Vegas were a good match for that unit. No problem at all handling the 15" woofers all the way around. Ear piecing highs. But the Braun L810s have dual 8" woofers at 22hz with a completely enclosed box. So punchy and full without that airy big woofer sound. Add an equalizer that can bring out the lower frequencies, and you hear stuff in the bass that you cannot hear otherwise because most equipment won't reproduce the sound even if it's in the recording. And the mids and highs are super smooth. The Fisher produced a much smoother sound through the Brauns than the Sansui, although the Sansui was quite good, and handled the 4 ohm impedance like a champ. Another beauty of the old school stuff. Produced much fuller frequencies through loudspeakers instead of one massive sub. Of course this is all my opinion, but my ears liked it!!

By the way - A big "thanks!" to quadrockasaurus for the info and the ad pics.