Consolette stereos: 1958-74...

[cfz2882]

smaller,sometimes portable,often plastic, stereo phonos sometimes with a radio. Only have one in collection right now; wooden cabinet,1966 Japanese Delmonico-little series string tube amp and AM/FM mono radio, IIRC 3X5" woofers. Rubber motor mounts turned to goo,so phono inop , but radio works-sound a little grainy, no doubt a proper service would correct that. Others I have had in the deep past include a black plastic GE wildcat from about 1969,a hot pank motorola that had IIRC,4X10 woofers. Besides the wrong color for a guy,the pink was starting to yellow and looked awful,so tried to spray paint black- paint attempt "fisheyed"so junked it-transformer was redeployed and survives to this day, 1973 date code on it A Philips,made in Holland was obtained and that one i think was from around 1962: new enough for a transistor amp,but old enough for a selenium rectifier on the seperate power supply chassis. A special fave i got about 1979 at used store was a dark blue RCA from about 1967: some sort of commercial/school model it was a heavy beast with substantial transistor amp, a NE-51 strobe lamp, and a little 2-blade fan on the motor. Loved this RCA until i somehow screwed it up and junked it. I have been unable to identify this RCA and would love to find another

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

Do you men compact as in all the components in a single cabinet?

I have had my share of those, though each component breaking down lead me to going the separate route being the best, viable option...

There's one particular, back in the old days of photographing that maybe I can put my one particular prized-one here...

 

[phillymatt53]

Oh, a new thread topic huh?
Nice!

I'll toss in my own "Consolette" here...
A 1958 RCA Victor compact consolette.
And as everybody knows, I've done substantial mods/customizing to it.

Originally a scratched-up blond cabinet - now Black Satin.
Original tube amp -replaced with my own custom 6V6 push-pull 10 watt amp.
Original speaker - replaced with 3 large oval speakers, new grill cloth.
Original record changer - replaced with a newer RCA "Studiomatic" model.
Plus some other tidbits that I added.

 

[vacerator]

See the latest post on the Modern Living thread. A 1969 GE "stereo for people with everything but space".

 

[phillymatt53]

See the latest post on the Modern Living thread. A 1969 GE "stereo for people with everything but space".

Yes, I saw that one.

 

[rp2813]

Matt, that's a nice RCA Victor set. No surprise that it shared design treatments with my '62 JVC Delmonico stereo/phono. The original VOM phonograph required a total restoration job that I wasn't interested in doing, so I found a later VOM model that required little modification to install. Otherwise, it didn't need anything. Sound quality isn't great (not even a bass adjustment) but I only use it for vintage LPs. It has a hot chassis, but the jewel light only illuminates if the on/off knob is turned. I don't know what the point of a hot chassis ever was, and one of these days I'll give it an in-line switch. Legs can be removed for tabletop use.

 

[phillymatt53]

Matt, that's a nice RCA Victor set. No surprise that it shared design treatments with my '62 JVC Delmonico stereo/phono. The original VOM phonograph required a total restoration job that I wasn't interested in doing, so I found a later VOM model that required little modification to install. Otherwise, it didn't need anything. Sound quality isn't great (not even a bass adjustment) but I only use it for vintage LPs. It has a hot chassis, but the jewel light only illuminates if the on/off knob is turned. I don't know what the point of a hot chassis ever was, and one of these days I'll give it an in-line switch. Legs can be removed for tabletop use.

I actually had that Delmonico model in the shop for repairs!
And yes, I did the overhaul on the record changer, lord knows, I've done countless VM changers over the years, and I'm even good friends with Gary Stork with his VM parts website.
My RCA also has removable legs for tabletop use.
But I use it in the bedroom, in a corner, in case I want to nap, relax, or fall asleep to some easy-listening music.
Those 3 oval speakers that I installed kick ass with the bass turned up too.

Here's the insides...... all speakers are 12 ohms and wired in parallel to make 4 ohms.

 

[circlew]

Oh, a new thread topic huh?
Nice!

I'll toss in my own "Consolette" here...
A 1958 RCA Victor compact consolette.
And as everybody knows, I've done substantial mods/customizing to it.

Originally a scratched-up blond cabinet - now Black Satin.
Original tube amp -replaced with my own custom 6V6 push-pull 10 watt amp.
Original speaker - replaced with 3 large oval speakers, new grill cloth.
Original record changer - replaced with a newer RCA "Studiomatic" model.
Plus some other tidbits that I added.

View attachment 320860

One of my neighbors used to have one that looked a great deal like that. They either received it as a wedding gift, or bought it shortly after their marriage in 1961. It had a walnut finish.