The standardization process began a long time ago, at a time when Soviet acoustic systems were represented only by medium and long-wave broadcast radios, that is, before electric pickups and tape recorders appeared among the general population. The process went quickly. Standardization event - unprecedented in the consumer market of domestic electronics. The most interesting thing is that the process has not stopped yet.
Start
January 1951 was marked by the first State All-Union Standard (GOST 5651-51) for radio broadcasting receivers, with which Soviet acoustic systems received the most general requirements for the quality of sound reproduction. Naturally, this quality could not be compared with modern capabilities, but at that time it was a real satisfaction for the most picky listeners. FirstSoviet acoustic systems received certain frequency characteristics (at first it concerned only radio receivers): the fidelity curve, that is, the frequency response of the entire receiver path in terms of sound pressure, should ensure the reproduction of the band on those already listed. First class receiver, for example (desktop) - 60 to 6500 Hz.
The frequency bands listed by GOST must be reproduced unevenly, but not exceed five times 14 dB (all ranges), except for those frequencies below 250 kHz, unevenness up to eight times - 18 dB is quite allowed there. The electrical frequency response was not standardized by GOST at all, since the sound of the receiver is ultimately determined by its particular sound pressure characteristics. First class receiver up to 100 Hz with a harmonic coefficient of 12%, at frequencies up to 400 Hz - 7%, and over 400 - 5%. Contemporaries will remember with nostalgia, and the younger generation will be amazed: did their fathers and grandfathers understand at least something related to sound characteristics. Nevertheless, Soviet acoustic systems not only existed, but were also in great demand. And even today, real connoisseurs pay quite a lot of money for such a "retro".
Technology
Soviet acoustic systems, which are reviewed in this article, always impressed with the originality of the technologies used, even significantly until the fifties of the last century. Here, for example, consider an ordinary loudspeaker, the same one around which crowds gathered tolisten to messages from the Information Bureau during the war years. The loudspeaker was biased. Until the end of the 50s, there were no permanent powerful magnets, and therefore high-quality speakers were equipped with solid wire coils - electromagnets, which also served as filter chokes for the lamp power supply.
Alternating current provided a background, we had to constantly fight with it and no less constantly win. By the way, the first Soviet acoustic systems made in the USSR, built into small and not even acoustically designed receiver cases, contained exactly the same loudspeaker. It sounded good and convincing. Even our contemporaries find it difficult to explain such a phenomenon. According to this GOST and all its subsequent modifications, many hand-assembled receivers were produced, which faithfully served many generations of owners, and if you get them from country attics, they are quite functional today.
Symphony
The first exhibit of our review, as this domestic tube stereophonic radiogram would now be called, a "music center", since it consisted of a radio receiver and a record player, which are now universally called vinyl. For a very long time, it was the standard of high quality sound reproduction, and even now the rarest and most expensive Soviet acoustic systems are decorated with it. For better sound quality at low frequencies, a closed system with a number of cavity resonators was used there. Soviet acoustic speakers "Symphony" had four loudspeakers:ZGD-15 high-frequency, two 2GD-28 mid-frequency and one 5GD-3 low-frequency. To separate the frequencies, filters were used directly in the columns themselves.
The frequencies were tuned to 100 and 50 Hz, and the filter suppressed the first and second harmonics of the mains frequency of the amplifying path, eliminating the inevitable "hump" at 60-80 Hz, which was very characteristic of the speakers that existed in those days. Vintage equipment is in great demand these days, although its sensitivity, as well as its power, is low, and distortion is high.
On transistors
Tube radios are a limited-edition product, they were expensive for a long time, but in almost every home in the 60s and 70s such radios were present and enjoyed great love by the whole family: from elderly opera lovers to young ardent Beatles, because it met the needs of every age. Holidays were arranged with her, she helped to "live and build". Then there were stereo tape recorders on transistors, even more expensive and even more in demand. They developed much more output power, and they needed other, more advanced acoustics. And she showed up.
From the most common AS 10MAS-1M to the column "Amfiton", wherea long-throw low-frequency loudspeaker with a diffuser suspension was used. They were not finalized, skillful owners brought the assembly to mind. For example, air escaped from the slots of the Amphiton column with great force, so that it was able to extinguish a burning match. Therefore, first of all, all the cracks were filled with epoxy resin. It was in the 70s that Soviet radio engineers came to the conclusion that copying Western models would significantly improve the quality of domestic products.
Radio Engineering
S90 came to the people from the B altic countries in 1978 with the famous 35AC-1 acoustics, which gave rise to this series. The Riga production association "Radiotekhnika", and in particular the design bureau "Orbita", was the designer of new Soviet acoustic systems. Even the most advanced amateurs will not be surprised by the speakers installed on this series "Radio engineering S90", but such a speaker cabinet has no analogue anywhere in the world. Fibreboard (Fibreboard) was not used there.
They were replaced by real aircraft plywood on the front wall and thick and heavy fine wood boards on all other panels. Only such a box weighed twenty-three kilograms. Nevertheless, this acoustics has become a favorite among the consumer. In those days, the electronics of the Riga plant for music lovers meant about the same as the Kalashnikov assault rifle during the war. This is a living legend of domestic column building. To this day, many hundreds of such systems serve music lovers who graduallyupdate.
What's inside
It is worth unscrewing two dozen screws fixing the case, remove the steel plate from the top of the front panel, and then carefully remove the subwoofer, a picture worthy of the interest of a naturalist will open. First of all, this is gauze and cotton wool, from which a one and a half meter mattress is made, glued to the conscience. The inner surface of the body seems to be non-removable, besides, the mattress covers the phase inverter pipe, its lumen is almost half closed. However, you can get to the back wall. There, on a steel base, a crossover is reinforced, and wires from its terminal block lead to switches for attenuating midrange and treble levels, in principle, completely redundant.
They are located next to the loudspeakers of the same name. Nevertheless, you can see that, despite the most obvious flaws in the assembly, the S90 series was good enough that it represented a breakthrough in true Hi-Fi. There are opinions that 6AS 2 "Radio Engineering" did no worse. These are small acoustic systems for completing the first group of electrophones ("Melody-101, 102, 103, 105 Stereo", for example). After appropriate refinement, these speakers give quite high-quality sound. In total, the Soviet industry produced more than fifty models of acoustic systems for domestic purposes, of the most diverse. This is not counting rare, purely pop sets and limited-edition samples.
Leningrad
Acoustic systems 75AC 001 - lastdevelopment of VNIIRPA named after Popov, introduced into the series. This "swan song" of domestic column building is remarkable in that when creating the project, mathematical modeling was used, optimization of the parameters of the components using a computer (heads and crossover). There are many advantages in this system: effective loudspeakers of a new generation (10GDV-4, 30GDS-1, 100GDN-3), from which came the record sensitivity for household systems of the eighties - 91 dBm. A wider frequency range was provided with little unevenness and little distortion.
Two factories produced almost identical acoustic systems: Corvette (Okeanpribor, Leningrad) and Cleaver (Krasny Luch, Taganrog). The sets of loudspeakers, designs and circuits for the models were the same, however, in Taganrog, sets of speakers were also made for the speakers. Now there is practically no investment in electronics. The B altic states have switched to cheap Western-style models, accepted without the slightest enthusiasm. And in Russia, they traditionally do not trust the quality of domestic electronics, because production has practically died. There are Novosibirsk (Noema) and Gagarin (Smolensk region, OJSC Dinamik) on the market, which have retained a fairly wide range of domestic acoustic systems.
Reviews
Users noted the speaker system 25AC-033 "Electronics", which pleasantly surprised that in 1988 there was such an excellent factory workmanship. Such a plan acoustics usually stands onretromarkets within fifteen to twenty thousand rubles, which, in principle, is not cheap. The case is absolutely sealed, the bass frame is metal. Excellent quality veneer, no blunders. All parts fit perfectly into place. The quality of the acoustics 25AC-033 "Electronics" is quite comparable with the "Estonia-21" or the "Olympic" 35AC-1 created in 1980. In any case, the Amphitron columns do not go to any comparison at all. For thirty years, even the foam suspension, still factory, has not fallen into disrepair. The Leningrad plant showed its real height in this product.
Other reviews simply express delight with the Amphitron speaker system, which is considered a rarity and pride of home appliances, despite the fact that it is over thirty years old. The speakers work great, the sound is soft, uniquely voluminous. Specifications do not differ in any way from the declared ones. With rather small dimensions and a power output per speaker of 25 watts, this is amazing. Users claim that the peak power of this speaker system is 90 watts. Interestingly, there is a real "trick" of the Soviet industry here - there are high-frequency isodynamic emitters, which helps to achieve good performance at high frequencies. Naturally, this speaker system is complemented by the presence of playback equipment and amplifiers.
Amplifiers
A device for increasing the current strength using special devices - vacuum tubes ortransistors - is an electronic amplifier. Thus, the electrical conductivity changes by means of a control signal, the amplifiers act as if turning off or turning on the current, passing it through themselves. Even with a weak control signal, there is enough current to trigger a detector or play a sound. Since 1985, the Elektronika 50U-017S-1 amplifier has been produced at the Kazan NPO Elekon, where, in connection with the conversion, high-end personal computers and stereo players were produced.
The 50U-017 amplifier has a relay overload protection system, it makes it possible to work with two pairs of acoustic systems, and any one can be turned off. There is an output power indicator - two-level. Also, the "Electronics" amplifier contains a switchable loudness and a switchable tone block. There are filters for infra-low frequencies and high-frequency noise. Pretty well and for a long time served music lovers in various VIAs around the country, the reviews are mostly favorable.
Romance
Since 1986, at the Shevchenko plant in Kharkov, acoustic systems 25AC 121 "Romance" and 50AC-105 have been manufactured, almost the same, except for the front panel. These speakers can serve as both floor standing and bookshelf speakers (which is more problematic). Huge and heavy, despite this, the power and sensitivity are not up to par. Often there were problems at low frequencies, if the volume was turned up.
It is not recommended to put it on the floor or on a stand - they buzz and mumble, they needspecial rubber bands under the speakers, then these unpleasant moments end. "Romance" is distinguished by the year of manufacture: 1989 - the first, still plywood, sounded decent, but after 1991 they became much worse. The rear wall is removable, the body is made of chipboard 16 millimeters thick, and the front panel is plywood, 18 millimeters. The speakers are located along the central axis, in front the entire acoustic system is protected by a plastic overlay, and the speakers are protected by a metal mesh under the overlay.
For car
Motorists who consider themselves "gourmets" of sound, oddly enough, are very interested in purchasing exactly the old Soviet radio equipment. Soviet acoustic systems are increasingly being searched for on ad sites and bought. It costs, by the way, not so cheap, and the price is not at the forefront. It has many attractive qualities, primarily cleanliness and power. In Soviet acoustic systems, the signal source and amplifiers are made with high quality, and when replacing them with other, even imported models, losses are clearly felt. A good option - Soviet speakers 35 GDN, a sample, one might say, gothic, and they didn’t even lie next to Chinese consumer radio electronics.
Besides the sound you dreamed about, they fit wonderfully into the interior of absolutely any car. When using any speakers - Soviet or Chinese - a box is needed. Large Soviet speakers are located, of course, in the rear, in the trunk, under the shelf, only the phase invectors need to be brought out. Soviet speaker forthe car is not intended, and therefore some refinement will have to be done. It depends on the case. Additional mounting of tweeters or tweeters may be required.
