In the 80's I had a Technics portable deck that was less expensive than the comparable Nakamichi. It had dual VU's, switchable bias, and so on. The last time I used it was to record our wedding ceremony which featured baroque vocals and organ. I flew a mic about 12' in the air and it turned out well with minimal ambient noise.
I also have some cool-sounding demos using that deck with a single SM58 set up in my living room that had a mix of hardwood flooring, plaster walls, and large upholstered chairs. With nothing more than a Taylor guitar, Pedulla fretless, vocals, and tapping feet the tracks sound both muscular and clear. I like those better than the multi-tracks we recorded later.
Going back to the 1960's, my first practice rig was a cheap phonograph wired into my parents' first TV, a 1953 RCA Victor cabinet that had a built in phono amp and 12" speaker. I figured out how to patch in a bass guitar and practice along with The Beatles, Joe Osborne and Carol Kaye hits. The maple cabinet is about the size of a Leslie. Now I use it for my stereo gear.