1968 Magnavox console stereo catalog

[mixfinder]

The Pinacle of Sound

I love Maganavox.  I had a green stereo with a Fruitwood top and killer collor TV with the stereo on one side, storage on the other and cloth covered doors to hide the screen.  If only moving and downsizing hadn't stricken I know have the space and full encouragement of peter to do whatever I want.  The best sound in this thread is the sweet, sweet voice of Rick.  Play it again, Sam.

 

[retropia]

RCA Victor

This isn't a Magnavox, but it is an interesting old RCA Victor console-style stereo. It was for sale at an estate auction I attended in late May. It went unsold; no one wanted it even for $5.

 

[retropia]

Here is the label on the back.

 

[retropia]

Stereophonic High Fidelity!

 

[retropia]

Here is a photo of the turntable. The funny thing is that I'd been to this house for several holiday dinners, and just assumed this was a type of china hutch. I never had any idea a stereo lurked within, which I guess was the idea. A daughter of the man whose estate was being auctioned said her parents bought this in 1960 (if I remember correctly) to replace an upright piano, which was no longer being used.

 

[twintubdexter]

Doug, that RCA hutch is very nice...

...I take it you didn't buy it...too bad, and Paul, that Magnavox pedestal is really cool too.

This is something I bought last month from a little old lady living in a travel trailer braced up on cinder blocks. This was made by Westinghouse (Canada) around 1962. The vertical stereo speaker placement is weird and so is the Caravelle (wrist watch) clock. It's currently resting in my garage awaiting cleaning...it smells like "old lady".

clock face numbers are kinda fun

 

[twintubdexter]

radio open

this is a tube amp/tuner

 

[twintubdexter]

pull-out turntable

dusty & dirty but it works

 

[gmmcnair]

"Those old stereo/hi-fi's are just beautiful! I can

They really do have beautiful sound, especially the higher end Magnavoxes, Zeniths, & RCA Victors. I'm not an audiophile so I cannot say how "accurate" the sound is (probably isn't very) but the large 12 or 15 inch woofers with those horn tweeter but out very deep bass and nice, crisp treble without sounding shrill.

 

My old Mediterranean Astrosonic had the high end 100 watt amp and did it play loud, undistorted loud...you could hear it a couple of blocks away when it was rocking. My current French Provincial is the mid-line model, so the amp isn't as powerful, but it fills a 13 x 26 room with sound quite nicely and still has oomph to do those 15 inch woofers justice. I've listened to everything from Brahms to The B-52's on mine and it's really pleasant.

 

I wish I could find one of the Astrosonics that had the older changer.....the Collaro changer with the curved tonearm could mix and automatically change records of any size instead of the standard 7, 10, & 12.

 

I bet that old Westinghouse has wonderful sound once it's cleaned up as well. I had an old MW Airline that was Westinghouse built many years ago. It was all tube, and it produced nice sound with its VM changer. FM was mono with hookup for FM multiplex. Sorry I let that one go.

 

[tolivac]

I miss the Magnavox Hi-fis too-my Mom used to have a tubed Concert Grand model-it sounded wonderful-an "audiophile" would be pleased with it.She got rid of it years ago.The speakers in it were biamped-unusual for a console hi fi.The woofer was fed from a separate amp and the tweeter had its own amp.15" woofer Cast frame no less-and a tweeter horn.Now I am on the continuing search for a Concert Grand-so rare out here-no Maggie dealers in this area-closest were Raleigh and Charlotte.so the Magnavox sets are rare my way.And My Moms Magnavox sounded so super when I played a CD player thru it!Miss that unit so much.

 

[philr]

This is my small 1961 Saba 2000 stereo 11 console. It has an FM multiplex adapter. I really like it's sound. I have a few other Saba radios and I really like them.

 

[paulg]

Armoire

Twintubdexter, I LOVE the Armoire. The Magnavox catalog does not do it justice.
Truly stunning. Fortunately you have the room for it. Blends beautifully with your things.

 

[drewz]

Check out this Magnavox monster!

Love that RCA Victor Hutch, those were the top of the line at the time, they had a short run from 1960-1963 I think.

I would have snapped that puppy up in a heartbeat! I love those things!

But as someone said alot of people thought they were just a piece of dining room furniture.

I liked the sound from these units because the speakers were mounted high up in the cabinet off the floor.

Pardon Our Interruption...

 

[112561]

I love that Westinghouse and the Saba. A friend of mine has two of those Italian Provincial Magnavox armoires, considering a collector is trying to sell the one on eBay, $450 seems good for a working set, even with the modification to the non remote radio, changer, and television. I found a pretty RCA French Provincial armoire in our Fort Pierce Goodwill, some one took out the television and the record player. The speakers and a pathetic control panel receiver are still in it. It sits on legs, and is slightly less than six feet tall. Here's the Italian Provincial eBay set again:

 

[112561]

In luxurious Meditteranean

1970 model line:

 

[112561]

Or the more traditional format:

 

[twintubdexter]

more comments

that Saba if very nice, small and elegant...gotta love that lighted turntable
comparment

Paul, thanks for the nice compliment on the armoire

Alan, great Magnavox brochures...looks like you've been taking lessons from our
mutual friend Mike in Tennessee (who ever heard of owning 65+ Magnavox console
and component stereo pieces?)...what a collection!

this keeps coming up on auction near me at an estate liquidator...no bids so I assume you could get it for very little $...I'm not crazy about TV/Stereo combos, I was told this was the first series of the Magnavox Star System television

 

[twintubdexter]

kind of attractive

and it looks like it's in good shape

 

[twintubdexter]

here's the speaker base

in my armoire with the covers removed...you can see why is sounds so good...it's nice to see people show an interest in these old consoles

 

[tolivac]

The above picture shows that Hi Fi has some very nice speakers-some folks out there are just itching to put those in their "G fiddle" amps!