The Sony VT-M5 is the kind of gadget you would expect in a Cold War surveillance van or on the set of 2001: A Space Odyssey. Billed as an Audioscope TV tuner, it is part mini television, part oscilloscope, part AM/FM radio, and entirely too cool to just call a tuner. Built in the early 70s, it was Sony flexing its muscles: broadcast reception, waveform analysis and stylish knobs crammed into one sleek silver package. Today it is a collector's piece and a conversation starter for synth-heads, modders, and anyone who wants their studio to look like NASA's backup command centre.

FEATURES & PROS:

• Built-In Oscilloscope: visualise audio signals like a Bond villain reading seismic charts.
• TV Tuner with Analog Dial: old-school UHF/VHF tuning, perfect for surfing the ghost of 1975.
• AM / FM Radio: for when you want the weather report delivered with genuine style.
• Rugged Brushed-Metal Chassis: built to survive the apocalypse, or at least a tumble off the workbench.
• Line Inputs for Signal Testing: patch in a synth and watch the waveform dance in glowing green.
• Glorious CRT Glow: soft phosphor light that melts any analog lover's heart.

SPECIFICATIONS

• Year: early 1970s
• Type: Audioscope TV tuner with built-in oscilloscope
• Functions: VHF / UHF TV tuner, AM / FM radio, oscilloscope waveform display
• Display: CRT
• Inputs / Outputs: line inputs for signal display, antenna inputs
• Chassis: brushed metal
• Power: mains