WHO WE ARE

Magnetic Tape Recorder Inc. & Stereo Center has been serving Louisville and the surrounding region for over sixty years. In 2020, we moved to our new location at 3315 Preston Highway, but otherwise not much has changed. We still write our repair tickets by hand, we still fix the "old stuff", and we are honest with our customers. With over one hundred years of combined audio repair and sales experience, let us guide you in your vintage audio adventure!

WHAT WE DO

We specialize in the repair and sale of vintage home audio equipment, focusing primarily on analog gear from the 50s, 60s, and 70s. While we handle older and newer units, our expertise lies in servicing and selling 1970s-era stereo equipment. Our offerings include turntables, reel-to-reels, cassette decks, record players, CD players, amplifiers, preamps, tuners, receivers, speakers, speaker refoams, 8-track players, equalizers, boomboxes, tube amplifiers, antique radios, Delco and Philco antique car radios, combo stereos, and shortwave radios, among others.

We have a particular affinity for sentimental pieces, such as grandpa's radio, dad's turntable, mom's CD player, the stereo system purchased post-college with the first paycheck, a reel-to-reel brought back from Vietnam, or the cassette deck acquired while stationed in Germany. Many of our customers entrust us with machines that have been passed down through generations or have been in the family for over four or five decades. Our mission is to extend the life of these cherished items, treating each repair with the care and attention we would give to our own possessions. We always inquire, "Is it sentimental?"

Barry (pictured) has been with our company over 20 years.

OUR REPAIR PROCESS

We offer a complimentary evaluation of your unit at the front counter, taking approximately 3-10 minutes to provide an estimated repair cost. However, we do not proceed with repairs without a diagnostic fee. Unlike some repair shops, we only accept units we believe can be fixed, avoiding unnecessary charges for our customers. Our diagnostic fee is a minimum of $75, applied toward the total repair cost.

Upon evaluation, if the repair cost matches or is less than our estimate, we proceed with the fix and notify you when it's ready. Should additional repairs be necessary, we promptly discuss the options with you before proceeding. If the unit is deemed unrepairable, you are only charged the diagnostic fee. Our repairs come with a 30-day warranty, and our typical turnaround time is 30-90 days.

WHAT WE DON'T DO

We do not sell individual parts (e.g., semiconductors, knobs, tubes, lamps, parts from our inventory) over the counter or online. Our inventory does not include miscellaneous parts "lying around."

We do not work on most newer or "High-End" audio brands, including but not limited to Bryston, Krell, Counterpoint, Vincent, Fosgate, Black Ice Audio, Jolida, Outlaw, Classe, PS Audio, Schiit, or Lexicon. Carver and B & O products are also not within our service scope. Moreover, we do not service broadcast or transcription turntables such as Russco, QRK, JA Michell, Fairchild, Presto, or Garrard 301's. Additionally, Tascam 388's or equipment with more than 4 tracks or wider than a 1/4" tape, studio gear, professional audio, and powered studio monitors are not covered by our repair services.

Our services exclude the repair of:

    • VCRs or DVD VHS recorders
    • HDMI or surround sound products
    • DAT or DCC equipment
    • Subwoofers or plate amplifiers
    • Powered speakers
    • Ham radios
    • CB radios
    • Car audio
    • Bluetooth speakers
    • Bose Wave Radios
    • Bose 901 speakers
    • Laser Disc or CED players
    • Projectors (film or slide)
    • Cameras
    • Video game systems
    • Jukeboxes
    • TVs
    • Tape echos
    • Guitar effects pedals
    • Musical instruments
    • Powered or passive mixers

BRANDS WE SERVICE

With a service portfolio spanning over four hundred different makes, we kindly request that you contact the shop in advance before bringing in a specific unit, as there are certain models we no longer accept for repair.

Among the numerous brands we handle, the top fifty include:

    • Adcom
    • Advent
    • Aiwa
    • Akai
    • AR
    • Audio-Technica
    • Bose
    • BSR
    • Cerwin Vega
    • Crown
    • Denon
    • Dokorder
    • Dual
    • Dynaco
    • Fisher
    • GE
    • H. H. Scott
    • Harman Kardon
    • Hitatchi
    • JBL
    • JVC
    • Kenwood
    • Luxman
    • Magnavox
    • Marantz
    • McIntosh
    • MCS
    • Mitsubishi
    • NAD
    • Nakamichi
    • Onkyo
    • Panasonic
    • Phase Linear
    • Philco
    • Philips
    • Pioneer
    • Project One
    • RCA
    • Realistic/Optimus/Radioshack
    • Revox
    • Sansui
    • Sanyo
    • Sharp
    • Sherwood
    • Sony
    • Tandberg
    • Teac
    • Technics
    • Thorens
    • Yamaha
    • Zenith