I am not sure this is really this category, or even this entire forum but I am going to give it a try. Please move the thread / scold me as necessary

Way back in 1978 my father bought us a new, pretty good, HiFi set. Now 46 (-ish) years later I am still using some parts of it (gasp!). The Marantz 6100 record player works very well. The B&W DM5 speakers are actually in pretty good condition, no holes or tears. The Sony STR-11L (https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/sony_f...r_str_11l.html) tuner/receiver needs to be replaced. Yes, there is a specific receiver I have in mind.

For all these past 46 years the speakers have been connected to the receiver using DIN 2-pin plugs which I imagine might be a challenge if I were to buy a new receiver. However, today I found a manual for the DM5's (long live the internet) and it turns out that the two holes on either side of the DIN connector are 4mm banana plugs. Easier to find plugs for, easier to connect decent cable to and probably easier to connect to a modern receiver.

My question is this: the connectors on the back of my speakers for the 4mm banana plugs haven't ever been used since they were new in 1978. What are the chances they will work if I put them to use? I am thinking corrosion of the connectors, wiring in the speakers that has never been used, things like that.

Regards, C.

You're right to avoid those twin-spade connectors, Christine. I used those as quick disconnects on speaker cables when I was in college, and they become unreliable after only a couple of years.

Unless you're working with RF, banana plugs are great: high contact area, good wiping action, redundant surfaces. Corrosion of the jacks is a possibility, but they are easy to clean. All it takes is a cotton Q-tip and a little Caig DeoxIT or ProGold, depending on the surface finish.

Your turntable probably just needs a new drive belt. They are not very difficult to source if you can measure the length and diameter of the old one.

I'll skip the warning about failing electrolytic capacitors in your old receiver since you're retiring it.

I'd be most concerned about material aging in the speakers. Some speaker surround materials are sensitive to ozone damage and simply rot after many years. I don't know how much they've changed over the years, but it appears that B&W DM5's are still in production today!

A pair of Infinity Qb loudspeakers that I purchased in 1979 just returned from indefinite loan to my brother-in-law. They've certainly got their deficiencies, but those EMIT ribbon tweeters gave me a bad attitude about dome tweeters that persists to this day.

David

I actually replaced the drive belt in my turntable today The other day when I went to use the turntable it was not happy, so I checked the belt and it was very loose. Fortunately you can get belts for this specific record player online (a common model I guess?) and they are easy to install once you know that you can safely pull the platter off without parts flying all over the place. This is the 3rd or maybe 4th belt. I remember replacing it about 15 years ago, but I can't imagine the original belt lasted 30 years so probably the 4th belt.

Someone I know does professional PA work for concerts, festivals etc. I sent him a picture of the speakers and according to him they still look good. Which makes me happy because I have grown up with the sound of these speakers.

I have ordered a set of banana plugs. If they do indeed fit correctly I will be buying some speaker cable and then I am planning on getting a Marantz PM6007. Maybe followed by a Marantz CD6007; my current CD player works fine but the CD6007 has a USB on the front and can play MP3, WAV, etc. from the USB stick. Easier than burning CD's.

Regards, C.