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Restoring a Soviet-era analog synthesizer

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Re: Restoring a Soviet-era analog synthesizer

#11

Post by pilsetnieks »

khamisiyah wrote: post #8
pilsetnieks wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There was plenty of awful Soviet tech, too - this thing has survived because it had some value, was well built and taken care of but you don't hear about the thousands of pieces of tech that were shoddily made cheap crap (though expensive for a Soviet citizen) and wouldn't last a year without repairs. Soviet tech had to be built for serviceability - people couldn't often afford new things and even if they had the mon…

To make a counterexample, my grandmother had a Zil refrigerator she bought in the 1950's ( http://i.imgur.com/POw7U6R.jpg ) that worked for over 50 years until the late 2000's. It would have probably worked another 50, if we hadn't changed it for a modern larger and more energy efficient one.

Well, yeah - I think most of the stuff was overbuilt by modern standards so it should work for a long time, just that often the build quality would be shoddy, or had improvized components. I didn't mean that one TV example to be the definite example, that was just an anecdote to illustrate the general point.

Re: Restoring a Soviet-era analog synthesizer

#12

Post by ZenoArrow »

c-smile wrote: post #9

Yeah, that's where Open Source was born - in USSR. I do remember that each consumer device was sold there with its schematics, assembly/disassembly and installation instructions. And that was the law.

> "I do remember that each consumer device was sold there with its schematics, assembly/disassembly and installation instructions. And that was the law."

That's interesting. I wonder if there's a archive of those schematics/documents for Soviet consumer devices somewhere.

Re: Restoring a Soviet-era analog synthesizer

#13

Post by myth_drannon »

khamisiyah wrote: post #8
pilsetnieks wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There was plenty of awful Soviet tech, too - this thing has survived because it had some value, was well built and taken care of but you don't hear about the thousands of pieces of tech that were shoddily made cheap crap (though expensive for a Soviet citizen) and wouldn't last a year without repairs. Soviet tech had to be built for serviceability - people couldn't often afford new things and even if they had the mon…

To make a counterexample, my grandmother had a Zil refrigerator she bought in the 1950's ( http://i.imgur.com/POw7U6R.jpg ) that worked for over 50 years until the late 2000's. It would have probably worked another 50, if we hadn't changed it for a modern larger and more energy efficient one.

It's not only Soviet built things would last longer. US washing machines, refrigerators made in 50-60s also last forever. The ones you buy now, the way the are made and painted will rust in couple of years and will be thrown to garbage in 5 years. And no, it's not because it's cheap to buy a new one, they are just simply bad.

Re: Restoring a Soviet-era analog synthesizer

#14

Post by thriftwy »

ZenoArrow wrote: post #12
c-smile wrote: post #9

Yeah, that's where Open Source was born - in USSR. I do remember that each consumer device was sold there with its schematics, assembly/disassembly and installation instructions. And that was the law.

> "I do remember that each consumer device was sold there with its schematics, assembly/disassembly and installation instructions. And that was the law." That's interesting. I wonder if there's a archive of those schematics/documents for Soviet consumer devices somewhere.

I guess you can just do image search for [принципиальная электрическая схема].

Re: Restoring a Soviet-era analog synthesizer

#16

Post by PoachedSausage »

ZenoArrow wrote: post #12
c-smile wrote: post #9

Yeah, that's where Open Source was born - in USSR. I do remember that each consumer device was sold there with its schematics, assembly/disassembly and installation instructions. And that was the law.

> "I do remember that each consumer device was sold there with its schematics, assembly/disassembly and installation instructions. And that was the law." That's interesting. I wonder if there's a archive of those schematics/documents for Soviet consumer devices somewhere.

A lot of western instrumentation and test equipment used to come with full circuit diagrams and assembly info. The understanding was that your HP spectrum analyser or Tektronix scope cost so much money that if it broke then you would have it repaired, and to do the repair you need the circuit diagram.

Re: Restoring a Soviet-era analog synthesizer

#18

Post by agumonkey »

c-smile wrote: post #9

Yeah, that's where Open Source was born - in USSR. I do remember that each consumer device was sold there with its schematics, assembly/disassembly and installation instructions. And that was the law.

I think it was the norm at the time. Even toy Amstrad computers in the 80s came with Basic manuals. Manufacturers expected a lot more from the consumers, I guess because tech at that time was more a beautiful new thing rather than a product to sell regularly.

Re: Restoring a Soviet-era analog synthesizer

#19

Post by agumonkey »

Aloha wrote: post #2

I'd call this a servicing more than a restoration. The thing looks incredibly well built with an eye towards serviceability over ease of assembly - pretty much exactly what I would expect for a Soviet built appliance.

Reminds me I have a PSR-420 to "service"

Re: Restoring a Soviet-era analog synthesizer

#20

Post by pilsetnieks »

myth_drannon wrote: post #13
khamisiyah wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To make a counterexample, my grandmother had a Zil refrigerator she bought in the 1950's ( http://i.imgur.com/POw7U6R.jpg ) that worked for over 50 years until the late 2000's. It would have probably worked another 50, if we hadn't changed it for a modern larger and more energy efficient one.

It's not only Soviet built things would last longer. US washing machines, refrigerators made in 50-60s also last forever. The ones you buy now, the way the are made and painted will rust in couple of years and will be thrown to garbage in 5 years. And no, it's not because it's cheap to buy a new one, they are just simply bad.

You can actually buy decently made appliances nowadays, it's just that the majority of people don't want to spend that much money. A $300 washing machine in the 50s was much better than a current washing machine at the same price but that amount of money in the fifties is $3000 now. A $3000 modern washing machine would probably blow the 50s one out of the water.
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