A CLASSIC 1970S VINTAGE RECEIVER THAT WILL HAVE YOU DROOLING IN NO TIME

Vintage receivers are arguably the most drool-worthy audio components out there: a timeless mix of wood and silver, these beasts tend to have quality written all over them. And the TR-2075 from Tandberg is no exception.

For those who may be unfamiliar with the brand, Tandberg made outstanding audio gear. They were founded in 1933 by Vebjørn Tandberg in Oslo, Norway. They excelled in leading-edge audio equipment from radios to reel-to-reel tape recorders to amplifiers to cassette decks. And when gazing at the clean lines and stunning rosewood cabinet of the TR-2075 stereo receiver, it’s easy to understand why people fell in love with their gear.

However, while it’s certainly eye candy to anyone who enjoys vintage audio, this system also boasts incredible performance. So let’s take a look into what makes this receiver worthy of being the centerpiece in any home audio system.

THE FRONT PANEL

Like all good vintage receivers, the buttons and knobs on the TR-2075 are enough to make your fingers tingle. It has a unique styling that combines large square push buttons with textured knobs. It also features a wonderful dark blue meter and dial lights. Yet nothing feels disjointed: the combination of blue, black, and silver is artfully done so that you have the controls you need without the front panel feeling cluttered.

The tuner portion features an excellent FM section complete with a large tuning indicator, an all-important FM muting push button, and your typical tuning knob that’s incredibly fun to twirl around. The silver-paneled portion features the input selectors and speaker switching knob, along with independent balance, bass, midrange, and treble controls. Pretty cool to have a mid tone control, right? Then the black-paneled portion has everything you need for selecting the mode (Mono L, Mono R, Mono L+R, and Stereo) and filter; uniquely, it also has not one but two headphone jacks!

It’s certainly a receiver that hits all the buttons - and allows you to do the same.

THE BACK PANEL

On the back of the TR-2075, you have an interesting range of connectivity options, including not one but two phono hookups for your turntable(s), two tape sections, an analog preamp out, an analog main amp in, AM and FM antenna connections, three AC outlets (one switched and two unswitched), and - uniquely - three speaker outputs. The phono and tape sections do have DIN connectors though, and those plugs can be a little difficult to find.

With one switched and two unswitched power connections, you can use it to power the rest of your system. Switched means that the power is controlled by the receiver while unswitched will continue to receive power even if the receiver is turned off.

THE INSIDE

If the beautiful functionality of the receiver’s outside makes you itch to open it up and check out what’s under the hood, you’re not alone! The beating heart of the Tandberg TR-2075 is its large toroidal power transformer. It feeds two powerful amplifiers within the system. This transformer was an advanced feature typically not found in consumer products. It eliminates any stray electrical influence on other components, allowing for superior stability and performance. 

Continuing into the system, the TR-2075 has separate preamplifiers for each input to keep low-level signals noise-free along with sensitivity controls to equalize listening levels. Cleverly, Tandberg engineers ensured that the first stages of amplification occur within millimeters of signal input to further ensure low noise and clean sound.

The power amplifiers inside the system boast a wide frequency range and an ample overload margin, providing a transparent and low-distortion sound. Then to ensure you get this clean, high power to your speakers, the TR-2075 is equipped with four protective circuits. So from beginning to end, this is a system that promises to treat your music the way it deserves.

SPECIFICATIONS

• Produced from 1975 to 1977
• Tuning range: FM, MW
• Power output: 75 watts per channel into 8Ω (stereo)
• Frequency response: 6Hz to 80kHz
• Total harmonic distortion: 0.15%
• Damping factor: 60
• Input sensitivity: 2.2mV (MM), 150mV (line)
• Signal to noise ratio: 78dB (MM), 94dB (line)
• Channel separation: 60dB (MM), 60dB (line)
• Dimensions: 20.3" x 13.9" x 6.1" (Length x Width x Height)
• Weight: 27.6 lbs

IN SUMMARY

When taking a look at the TR-2075, it’s easy to understand why Tandberg is so popular with vintage collectors and audio enthusiasts. Tandberg made some of the best-sounding 70s receivers. A true gem of vintage audio, it successfully combines beauty with functionality so that it's a wonder for the eyes and the ears.

Thanks for reading! If you’re interested in owning this beautiful system or seeing more pictures of it, you can check it out here. Have a great day!