Fisher 160 (1968)

Little is documented about the Fisher 160-T beyond its 1968 introduction. It was a solid-state FM stereo receiver, and Fisher marketed it as the world's first high-quality push-button FM stereo receiver, thanks to its Tune-O-Matic memory tuning system. The front panel was gold-plated, a finish Fisher claimed would resist tarnishing over time.

The receiver retailed for under $200 — several period ads hammered the point that it cost less than two hundred dollars. High Fidelity (May 1968, p.3) noted that the tuner section offered microvolt sensitivity and a signal-to-noise ratio of 60 dB or better, and that, like all Fisher receivers of the era, the 160-T could pull in weak, distant signals and make them sound like strong local stations. The push-button tuning was accomplished electronically rather than mechanically, letting the user pre-set up to five FM stations and switch between them instantly.

The specification sheet is nearly bare. No published power output, frequency response, THD, dimensions, or weight have turned up in surviving documentation. The minimum speaker impedance is 8Ω.

Type: Solid-state FM stereo receiver
Year introduced: 1968
Approximate price: $199.95
Key feature: Tune-O-Matic electronic push-button memory tuning (5 FM presets)
Front panel: Gold-plated, tarnish-resistant finish
Minimum speaker impedance: 8Ω
Tuner sensitivity: Microvolt-level (specific value unstated in period sources)
Tuner S/N ratio: 60 dB or better