Fisher RS-220 (c. 1975)

The Fisher RS-220 is a solid-state stereo receiver from the mid-1970s, sold through Sears, Roebuck and Co. as part of Fisher's "Series S-90." Audio (October 1981, p.62) also lists the RS-220 among its receiver coverage. No official source documents the exact production years. The best guess, from an owner's forum post, is "probably from 1975." The solid numbers are 45 watts per channel into 8 ohms, frequency response of 20Hz-20kHz, and 0.5% total harmonic distortion. The user manual, the Sears consumer information sheet, and the hifiengine database all confirm them. The manual also lists a signal-to-noise ratio of 65dB and a damping factor of 30.

The rear panel carries FM and AM antenna terminals, speaker terminals, an AC outlet, phono inputs, and tape monitor jacks. The manual confirms the phono and tape monitor inputs. The exact number of speaker terminal pairs isn't certain. The unit measures 18-1/8"W × 5-1/2"H × 12-1/2"D and weighs 25 lbs 8 oz.

The record gets a little murky here. The hifiengine entry lists the RS-220 as a receiver, but it also mentions "a built-in Sanyo cassette deck" and a 3-speed record changer. That strongly suggests the entry covers the whole Series S-90 system rather than the receiver alone. The user manual labels the receiver "Model RS220" and places it within that series, so the RS-220 proper appears to be the receiver component. The available documentation doesn't say whether some RS-220 units shipped with a cassette deck integrated into the chassis.

What's known about the RS-220's character comes largely from owners rather than reviewers. One forum user called it "a budget model" and "basically entry-level," and said Fisher made a lot of them for people who wanted something cheaper than the flagship receivers. Another owner said it "sounds decent for what it is" and praised the input selection - phono, tape, aux - but cautioned that the build quality won't "blow your socks off." The spring-clip speaker connections are reportedly finicky, and the cassette deck belts (if present) are likely shot by now. Output transistor and capacitor replacement are described as standard maintenance for a receiver of this age.

No original price survives in the documentation. Current eBay listings range from about $80 to $150, with no single authoritative market value.