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That RCA console that looks like a hutch, I have the exact unit. Unfortuneatly it is located at my dad's in Minnesota. Still in my old bedroom. One of these years, I'll bring it down here to Arizona. Not sure where I'll put it once it is down here, but I'll figure that out at that time.

 

I wouldn't mind having that Magnavox. I already have one from 1959 in an all black cabinet. I love watching TV on it.
 
Zenith Combo

My dad bought a zenith combo - but it was a behemoth taking up about 8 feet of our 11' x 12' living room(mom not happy). That was an outstanding stereo and record player, in a walnut cabinet, Danish modern leg. We've talked about here before -" Zenith..the quality goes in before the name goes on" Here are some more Zeniths shown by a avid collector/restorer that are great to view (good music, too)

 
…and I wanted to mention, but couldn't amend my posting (will change that this month)…our combo Zenith had a color tv with remote.

Justin - is that wall unit just a stereo and record player? I was wondering it that came with a black and white television, too?
 
There's no TVs in those "hutch" RCAs...

I've had several of them, aka the "RCA Mark II", ours was a 3VF61 Series, the last 2 numbers designated the furniture style: Danish Modern, Provincial etc. They were fairly TOL for RCA around '60-62. The electronics were good quality, 4 x EL-84 output tubes and decent sized open frame transformers, decent FM/AM front-end design. The speaker set left something to be desired as it was totally "open baffle" ie no sealed acoustic suspension or even ported cabinet, all 6 (2 x 12" woofers, 2 mid, 2 tweeters, all paper cones) speakers were mounted in one common open compartment with a flimsy fiberboard backing, leading to less than ideal acoustic reproduction. The woofer magnets were kind of shrimpy, and the other 4 are mediocre components. The furniture was very nice grade and very attractive. While sounding decent enough, the Mark II was hardly high-end, or even much better than average for a console unit, personally I liked Maggies and Zeniths we've had better. Still like RCA "Mark" Series though, one of the more interesting consoles.
We had a huge Bell console once that was even larger, built as part of an actual bookcase, with all the components and speakers housed in the lower part. Heavy as heck.

Still have a Mark II complete 6 speaker + front mounting board assembly in perfect condition, even has original speaker cloth on it, suspended from the ceiling over our basement "electronics test lab" bench, to use for checking out amps and such. Will probably chuck it out next year when we move, so if anyone wants the whole shebang (6 speakers + crossovers + mounting board) it's yours for the asking.
 
Downers Grove sounds very nice. I see attractive homes and tree-lined streets with no palm trees or cactus in sight. Thanks for the enjoyable posts added here 
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firedome: Your description of the Mark II reminded me of the RCA I just acquired this weekend(pictured) but it's far from a Mark II in size, thank God. What it does have in common with the Mark II is the flimsy fiberboard, meager looking magnets for the dual 12" woofers..etc. I have a '57 tubed Maggie, no Zeniths and to be honest, I tend to look at those more than the RCA's. I'm like wood and have done some woodworking, and this RCA cabinet, though not in style to today's trends, is really nice. And the sound is appreciably decent. Yet, looking at all that space back there it continually begs the question from me, "doesn't it need some sound baffling material, fiberglass, insulation, towels, anything? " LOL! It lights up beautifully and sounds surprisingly good for having sat for so long in a dusty area, but it's far from prime time presentable. So, just acquiring the RCA, I was curious about the Mark II having a tv, and you hit on some other things that reminded me…

Thanks for clarifying, Will and Roger.

ovrphil-2015020214492302886_1.jpg
 
Re RCAs

If you really want to hear something, play a record on a TOL RCA such as the hutch model...then play the same record on a mid line Magnavox or Motorola, the tone and power of the M or M will blow the RCA out of the water.
 
Magnavox

I have a Fisher Philharmonic at the Michigan house that I'm sure will do the same as the Maggie's and Zeniths. I hope to find that Magnavox Imperial and dream about a C.Grand. I'd be pleased to find a tube-era Zenith. But I'm like you Hans - picky picky. I see so many consoles that don't do much for me, in quality of materials, design and proportions. Well, that's part of the adventure here. Thanks for your opinion! :-)

Phil
 
Can't see it close up...

Phil... does that RCA say "Orthophonic" on the dial? It could have been the series that directly proceeded the "Marks", or a concurrent but different/more compact series.

Oddly RCA also made a series of "Orthophonic" HiFi in England, they were big, high power, and expensive discrete components on the order of McIntosh components, they even looked like them with big top-mounted potted transformers etc. I had one of the pre-amps once, the build quality was like Leak, all turret board military-type construction, very impressive. They sold a small number of them here through RCA dealers for the very few that wanted the best of the best. Nowadays one of the mono amps alone can sell in the $2-3000 range. Very rare and desirable. RCA did briefly around 1962 also sell a Fisher-type component AM/FM receiver called the MX-5, and they are also fairly rare, but not in the English-made Orthophonic component class, most people paying what the MX-5 cost wanted the Fisher name so they didn't sell all that well and after this RCA abandoned the mid-high end component market completely.
 
RCA Correction!

the RCA component receiver was the MX-7... working from memory is increasingly problematic these days LOL ... I must have been channeling the Miata MX-5!
For the curious there's some pics of the RCA MX-7 if you Google it. They are a nice sounding and very well designed receiver, RCA could match anyone when they put their mind to it.
 

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