Classic digital units enchantment to lots of people not solely as a result of emotions of nostalgia that they evoke, but in addition as a result of they had been simply constructed higher. Deliberate obsolescence, shoddy plastic casings, and unserviceable inner parts had been nearly nonexistent in many years previous, however right this moment, they’re the norm. Consequently, fixing up outdated electronics is a favourite pastime of many hobbyists who’re useful with a soldering iron and multimeter.
However let’s be trustworthy — right this moment’s low cost electronics nonetheless run laps round gear from yesteryear, even when they’re missing in type and construct high quality. Software program developer and tinkerer Andy van Stokkum observed this when he got here into possession of an exquisite Final RDG Sorrento radio made in 1955. It appears to be like nice with its strong wooden case, knobs, and stylish dial. Nonetheless, it could possibly solely obtain AM alerts. And apart from that, the outdated wiring and parts seem like they’re able to burst into flames at any second.
The ESP32 board (📷: Andy van Stokkum)
So van Stokkum got here up with the concept of modernizing this outdated radio. The essential plan was to take away the entire outdated, questionable parts and set up new {hardware}. That might not solely enhance the standard of the sound, however it will additionally enable the outdated radio to study some new methods. Specifically, van Stokkum wished so as to add web radio streaming and MP3 playback to switch AM reception.
As soon as the chassis was stripped, the inner structure was utterly rethought. The unique mono speaker was changed with a multi-speaker setup, together with tweeters and mid-range drivers mounted behind a brand new plywood entrance panel, together with an 8-inch subwoofer housed within the cupboard. To drive all the things, van Stokkum put in a compact ZK-HT22 2.1-channel amplifier, which helps each analog enter and Bluetooth. Regardless of its small dimension, the amplifier delivers sufficient energy to simply outperform the radio’s authentic valve-based audio stage.
On the heart of the radio’s new “tuner” is an ESP32 microcontroller. This dual-core chip supplies Wi-Fi connectivity and sufficient processing energy to stream and decode MP3 audio in actual time. Digital audio is shipped over I2S to a PCM5102A DAC, which converts it to an analog sign for the amplifier. An exterior antenna ensures dependable streaming, even in less-than-ideal Wi-Fi circumstances.
A have a look at the again (📷: Andy van Stokkum)
Person interplay was additionally modernized whereas preserving the unique aesthetic. A rotary encoder on the entrance panel acts as a digital tuning knob, deciding on between web radio streams. The outdated frequency needle was changed with an array of WS2812 RGB LEDs that visually point out station choice. Behind the scenes, one ESP32 core handles controls, LEDs, and networking, whereas the second core is devoted solely to audio decoding for clean, uninterrupted playback.
The completed radio retains its mid-century allure on the surface, however inside it’s a totally trendy web radio with spectacular sound. Whereas outdated {hardware} could not sustain with right this moment’s know-how, a considerate improve can provide traditional units a really lengthy second life.
