ovrphil
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Cool Vintage 1950's Magnavox TV, Radio, and Stereo - $12
Can't find the thread on vintage electronics...
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ovrphil
Well-known member
Magnavox Imperial High End Stereo System - $300 (Ballard)
Now those are set of ….magnets on those woofers
Now those are set of ….magnets on those woofers
ovrphil
Well-known member
TWO for $130! Record Player, Magnavox Mid 50s Split Console
If it were closer - gone!
AD: " Price Reduced, Mid-'50s all-Tube Split Console Magnavox Record Player with 4 12in speakers for sale.
The record player comes in two pieces, both are about 18 inches deep, 28 inches wide and stands about 3 feet tall (on skinny legs). They look like tall, solid side table furniture. The top of one side opens to reveal the mono record player with auto-feed mechanism and includes an adapter for your 45's. The auto feed is pretty great. You can load up 5. . . may be 10 records at a time and just let them play one after the other.
The front of the unit is split in two parts: the door on the front swings open to reveal the controls for the record player and the radio with upright storage for your records. The otter half hides two large 12 inch speakers. The amp is 100% tubes.
The other console looks like an identical match to the first except the top lifts to reveal a deep storage area and there's even more storage for records in the front of this second unit. It connects with a wire to the main unit to power it's 2 12inch speakers for a total of 4 12inch speakers. The wire's pretty long, so you could place each unit one either side of a large couch or place one unit in a different room.
"This beautiful, tastefully vintage sound machine sounds fantastic!" you say? Well, metaphorically speaking it does. It needs a run through with a professional. The sound sometimes goes between 100% and 20% volume with a bit of added muddiness over the years. It could be a loose wire, or it could need new tubes. Other than that, it's pretty great.
Selling both units together for $130, price reduced."
If it were closer - gone!
AD: " Price Reduced, Mid-'50s all-Tube Split Console Magnavox Record Player with 4 12in speakers for sale.
The record player comes in two pieces, both are about 18 inches deep, 28 inches wide and stands about 3 feet tall (on skinny legs). They look like tall, solid side table furniture. The top of one side opens to reveal the mono record player with auto-feed mechanism and includes an adapter for your 45's. The auto feed is pretty great. You can load up 5. . . may be 10 records at a time and just let them play one after the other.
The front of the unit is split in two parts: the door on the front swings open to reveal the controls for the record player and the radio with upright storage for your records. The otter half hides two large 12 inch speakers. The amp is 100% tubes.
The other console looks like an identical match to the first except the top lifts to reveal a deep storage area and there's even more storage for records in the front of this second unit. It connects with a wire to the main unit to power it's 2 12inch speakers for a total of 4 12inch speakers. The wire's pretty long, so you could place each unit one either side of a large couch or place one unit in a different room.
"This beautiful, tastefully vintage sound machine sounds fantastic!" you say? Well, metaphorically speaking it does. It needs a run through with a professional. The sound sometimes goes between 100% and 20% volume with a bit of added muddiness over the years. It could be a loose wire, or it could need new tubes. Other than that, it's pretty great.
Selling both units together for $130, price reduced."
Nice Magnavox Hi-0Fis-On the one where the two speakers were shown-this unit is a lucky survivor.These sets often get plundered for their speakers-"G-Fiddilists" love them for their amps.Didn't know about the RCA High end separate components.The receiver shown has missing 6973 output tubes.Those were used in Seeburg jukeboxes and other RCA amps.And the 6973 tube was used in video DA amps in TV stations.And as audio DA amps,too.The two peice Magnavox unit may have been a mono-to stereo converted unit.Like how both cabinets have record racks for the "DJ's favorites"!
ovrphil
Well-known member
Reply to Firedome Reply #16
Roger - I just saw your question to me and interesting notes about RCA, England and Orthophonics….my apologies.
IF you referring to the RCA with the two doors open and the backside view in Reply # 13 that's an Orthophonic with a dual-amplifer(14-tube) that works in stereo with the record and tape only. I wouldn't mind if it was a mono, if it was worth 2-3K.
So, were the Orthophonic stereos made here in the USA, predecessors to the Marks? Mine was built in August 1958(deemed a 1959 model). I can see that the MX7 (and other MX) were no doubt made much later than 1958/59.
here's a closer look of my unit
Roger - I just saw your question to me and interesting notes about RCA, England and Orthophonics….my apologies.
IF you referring to the RCA with the two doors open and the backside view in Reply # 13 that's an Orthophonic with a dual-amplifer(14-tube) that works in stereo with the record and tape only. I wouldn't mind if it was a mono, if it was worth 2-3K.
So, were the Orthophonic stereos made here in the USA, predecessors to the Marks? Mine was built in August 1958(deemed a 1959 model). I can see that the MX7 (and other MX) were no doubt made much later than 1958/59. here's a closer look of my unit
firedome
Well-known member
Yes the US RCA Orthophonics
preceded the Marks, which were '61/2/3 era.
The English RCA Orthophonic line was in another class altogether, the McIntosh, Marantz, Fairchild class... as good as it got back then. RCA also dabbled in separate components earlier in the US in the 1953-56 era with some separate Mono components like the SP-10 and SP-20 mono amps, also preamp and speakers, quite nice but not as high-end or high power as the English RCA units that came along a bit later. Few of them were sold in the US.
GE also had a nice discrete component line briefly, made in Auburn NY, near here.
It also used 6973 tubes, like the MX-7, jukeboxes and guitar amps also used them. I have a NOS quad of 6973 up on eBay right now (Sylvania).
preceded the Marks, which were '61/2/3 era.
The English RCA Orthophonic line was in another class altogether, the McIntosh, Marantz, Fairchild class... as good as it got back then. RCA also dabbled in separate components earlier in the US in the 1953-56 era with some separate Mono components like the SP-10 and SP-20 mono amps, also preamp and speakers, quite nice but not as high-end or high power as the English RCA units that came along a bit later. Few of them were sold in the US.
GE also had a nice discrete component line briefly, made in Auburn NY, near here.
It also used 6973 tubes, like the MX-7, jukeboxes and guitar amps also used them. I have a NOS quad of 6973 up on eBay right now (Sylvania).
firedome
Well-known member
Here's a pair...
of the RCA New Orthophonic UK built amps. I think this pair brought well over $4k on eBay iirc. I'd love to have these, they are far prettier than any of the McIntosh or Marantz tube amps I've had in the past (quite a few). These used KT-66 output tubes which are a Brit version of the 6L6GC.
Still have here an RCA BA-4A amp that was built as a monitor amp for recording studios, also 6L6gc type outputs and an advance toroid transfomer and tons of plug in cylindrical electrolytic capacitors, it's rarer and probably better than the New Orthos above, but not nearly as pretty!
of the RCA New Orthophonic UK built amps. I think this pair brought well over $4k on eBay iirc. I'd love to have these, they are far prettier than any of the McIntosh or Marantz tube amps I've had in the past (quite a few). These used KT-66 output tubes which are a Brit version of the 6L6GC.
Still have here an RCA BA-4A amp that was built as a monitor amp for recording studios, also 6L6gc type outputs and an advance toroid transfomer and tons of plug in cylindrical electrolytic capacitors, it's rarer and probably better than the New Orthos above, but not nearly as pretty!
firedome
Well-known member
RCA BA-4A
studio monitor amp Full Fidelity and designed to run 24/7 for years.
Super rare, but not as pretty as the UK units:
studio monitor amp Full Fidelity and designed to run 24/7 for years.
Super rare, but not as pretty as the UK units:
firedome
Well-known member
ovrphil
Well-known member
Impressive - RCA
I see a pair of RCA 1620 tubes with metal connectors on top in the BA-4C amp. I have seen these kinds of tubes before..want to say that my old floor model Zenith with am/fm/sw bands had one of those connectors on one of the tubes. I'm weird, but just looking at the tube brings back good memories of looking at the tubes light up and hearing the word in the early 60's over SW. Do you use that BA-4C in any system right now or is it strictly a commercial application type amplifier?
Plug-in cylindrical electrolytical capacitors - wouldn't it be nice if we could replace all our electrolytic caps that way. No soldering, just plug in and go?
Well, there are much more expensive amps I've seen in Audio magazines, so maybe $4K isn't a bad price? But it's hard to look at my Orthophonic amp with any interest after seeing those amazing English Orthophonics. I learn something new and interesting all the time here.
I see a pair of RCA 1620 tubes with metal connectors on top in the BA-4C amp. I have seen these kinds of tubes before..want to say that my old floor model Zenith with am/fm/sw bands had one of those connectors on one of the tubes. I'm weird, but just looking at the tube brings back good memories of looking at the tubes light up and hearing the word in the early 60's over SW. Do you use that BA-4C in any system right now or is it strictly a commercial application type amplifier?
Plug-in cylindrical electrolytical capacitors - wouldn't it be nice if we could replace all our electrolytic caps that way. No soldering, just plug in and go?
Well, there are much more expensive amps I've seen in Audio magazines, so maybe $4K isn't a bad price? But it's hard to look at my Orthophonic amp with any interest after seeing those amazing English Orthophonics. I learn something new and interesting all the time here.
Plug in caps were common in commercial-industrial electronic gear.Made for very fast replacement of caps.At the SW transmitter site where I work we used to have a pair of Technical Materials Co. 40Kw SW sideband transmitters that used plug in caps in all of the LV power supplies.That was one example of gear using the plug in socketed caps.Now those transmitters are gone.Had to be taken out to make way for new switchgear.They were no longer used.They used to be used as a backup program dist source.
The RCA Mon amp shown-Have a companion audio processor amp to this.Came from a defunct Radio station near Baltimore.
The UK RCA Orthophonic amps appear to be very nice.Would love to try some of those.Never seen them before.KT 66 tubes-have seen those occasionally replacing 6L6 tubes in guitar amps.Some guitarists liked them better than 6L6 and insisted on them in their amps-usually Fender.
The RCA Mon amp shown-Have a companion audio processor amp to this.Came from a defunct Radio station near Baltimore.
The UK RCA Orthophonic amps appear to be very nice.Would love to try some of those.Never seen them before.KT 66 tubes-have seen those occasionally replacing 6L6 tubes in guitar amps.Some guitarists liked them better than 6L6 and insisted on them in their amps-usually Fender.
firedome
Well-known member
The RCA BA-4 series...
were built for commercial monitoring duty in recording and transmitting applications, but are wide band full fidelity amps, unlike many commercial units, which were more PA oriented, or restricted in frequency response for various reasons, and thus not so suitable for home audio without modification.
The 1620s are just a low noise version of 6J7s, and 1622s are low noise versions of 6L6GCs. The plate cap connections are generally avoided in consumer gear due to high voltages, not good for little (or big!) fingers, much safer to route it thru base pins.
Our BA-4 is slated, after a re-build, for duty in a future bi-amp situation, where it will drive a single low-frequency 15" speaker system 35-500 Hz. The top end over 500 Hz will be a pair of speakers with ADS midranges & tweeters, and possibly high frequency horns, driven by a stereo Magnavox 9303-00 (4 x EL84) power amp from a console.
Rex: do you know a source for the plug in electrolytics? Can't find them via my usual source... I'd like to replace all 7 if I can find them.
were built for commercial monitoring duty in recording and transmitting applications, but are wide band full fidelity amps, unlike many commercial units, which were more PA oriented, or restricted in frequency response for various reasons, and thus not so suitable for home audio without modification.
The 1620s are just a low noise version of 6J7s, and 1622s are low noise versions of 6L6GCs. The plate cap connections are generally avoided in consumer gear due to high voltages, not good for little (or big!) fingers, much safer to route it thru base pins.
Our BA-4 is slated, after a re-build, for duty in a future bi-amp situation, where it will drive a single low-frequency 15" speaker system 35-500 Hz. The top end over 500 Hz will be a pair of speakers with ADS midranges & tweeters, and possibly high frequency horns, driven by a stereo Magnavox 9303-00 (4 x EL84) power amp from a console.
Rex: do you know a source for the plug in electrolytics? Can't find them via my usual source... I'd like to replace all 7 if I can find them.
ovrphil
Well-known member
Top cap connector on tubes like 6J7 and such.This was not a plate connection but the grid connection.It is safe to touch----BUT-- if you do be prepared for a loud startling noise thru the speakers of the system the amp is connected to.I tested devices with these tubes as pass-fail by turning the gain down and touching the top connector.If you heard hum or noise the amp is most likely working.1622 tube-low noise-RF version of a 6L6GC these were sometimes encountered as RF buffer amps in AM transmitters,Modulator input amps(Speech input stages)in AM transmitters.The original Continental Electronics Variable Frequency source for the 420A transmitters here used those tubes in the sources output stage.When 1622 tubes became NOA,used regular 6L6GC-they would work-but got short life from them.The Continental Electronics device was replaced by solid state frequency Synthesizers.The old devices got surplused-don't know where they went from there.
I don't know of any new sources for new plug in caps-wished I did.The caps that used to be in our parts stock were actually older JAN parts-since this plant is a gov't agency-parts often came from other agencys.The caps were old-had to "form" them in an old Sprague "Tel-Ohm-O-Mike" cap tester before using them in the TMC transmitters.Otherwise you would trip the supply breaker or blow the fuse.Once they were formed-the caps were OK.They were old when we had them!Since the TMC's were scrapped-the caps must have gone with them-too bad-I could have used them.You could always wire an octal socket in the device you want to use them in.Sadly,you may have to go to wired caps unless you can find the plug-ins on the gov't surplus markets.Electronic gear made for Gov't use used as lot of those plug in caps.More so than commercial gear.Roger--wish you luck in finding the caps.And like your idea of the Bi-amp with an RCA amp and the Magnavox ones.Wish you luck on this.It is still impossible to find caps for my McIntosh "60" amps.If only I could get the caps would be easy to recap my amps and put them back into use.None of the modern suppliers carry caps that are over 450V.I need-525-600V.Debating the idea of using oil filled caps-but on an outboard chassis.What it may boil down t
il filled caps are easily obtained.See LOTS of them in transmitter power supplies.And the 1622 tubes used for video amps and DA's,tolder TV stations.
I don't know of any new sources for new plug in caps-wished I did.The caps that used to be in our parts stock were actually older JAN parts-since this plant is a gov't agency-parts often came from other agencys.The caps were old-had to "form" them in an old Sprague "Tel-Ohm-O-Mike" cap tester before using them in the TMC transmitters.Otherwise you would trip the supply breaker or blow the fuse.Once they were formed-the caps were OK.They were old when we had them!Since the TMC's were scrapped-the caps must have gone with them-too bad-I could have used them.You could always wire an octal socket in the device you want to use them in.Sadly,you may have to go to wired caps unless you can find the plug-ins on the gov't surplus markets.Electronic gear made for Gov't use used as lot of those plug in caps.More so than commercial gear.Roger--wish you luck in finding the caps.And like your idea of the Bi-amp with an RCA amp and the Magnavox ones.Wish you luck on this.It is still impossible to find caps for my McIntosh "60" amps.If only I could get the caps would be easy to recap my amps and put them back into use.None of the modern suppliers carry caps that are over 450V.I need-525-600V.Debating the idea of using oil filled caps-but on an outboard chassis.What it may boil down t
il filled caps are easily obtained.See LOTS of them in transmitter power supplies.And the 1622 tubes used for video amps and DA's,tolder TV stations.6J7 tube and equivelants-these tubes common in older Gates and RCA broadcast consoles as mic and TT preamp stage tubes.Ampex 300 used the "red" can 1620 version in the PB preamp stage.And have found these tubes in many older radios and amps.Radios-IF stage,RF stage tubes-and amps-low level preamp stages.One Seeburg jukebox amp I used to have had one of these tubes.Other Ampex PB amps had them-thats where I tested them by touch to see if the amp worked-edit decks in radio stations.
firedome
Well-known member
Like the oil cap idea for the Mc's
Marantz was one of few consumer amps to use them, in their M2 and M5 amps. AFAIC Marantz made the best quality consumer-grade tube electronics of anybody. And current prices reflect that, unfortunately, could never afford a pair of M5s today.
1622s are still avaialble, just got a few NOS RCAs from a guy who has tons of them.
The BA-4 has RCA black plate 6L6GCs now, but wanted the original 1622s for it.
Top connectors - in power output tubes like the 1622s and in other common ones like 807s, not a good idea.
Marantz was one of few consumer amps to use them, in their M2 and M5 amps. AFAIC Marantz made the best quality consumer-grade tube electronics of anybody. And current prices reflect that, unfortunately, could never afford a pair of M5s today.
1622s are still avaialble, just got a few NOS RCAs from a guy who has tons of them.
The BA-4 has RCA black plate 6L6GCs now, but wanted the original 1622s for it.
Top connectors - in power output tubes like the 1622s and in other common ones like 807s, not a good idea.
Yes,top caps on power tubes like 807 and such-it is the PLATE connector and is high voltage.In transmitters top plate connector tubes must be behind an interlocked access panel to prevent shocks and burns.Consumer gear the same sort of thing-but 807's in consumer gear is VERY RARE.Maybe in "Ham" radio sets-but in those the tubes are behind an interlocked cover or door.
norgeway
Well-known member
Another fine
Hi Fi was a Stromberg Carlson.
Hi Fi was a Stromberg Carlson.
Remember when Stromberg-Carlson made PA amps,telephones,radios and such.Esp remember their central PA systems in schools-the main unit usually with TT,radio tuner,tape deck would be in the admin section of the school-often by the principals office.Then there was a clock-speaker panel in the classrooms.Often the principal and other admin folks would make annucements over the system before your teacher started the class for the day.And at Christmastime-Christmas music was played thru the system.
ovrphil
Well-known member
Reply#37
Rex -I had the same experiences. The principal's office had a large panel with as many switches on it as rooms for the school, including the gym. Select the rooms and press the heavy-weighted stainless steel mike, and you were "live". Those were such good memories, actually - much sower times. I was in all our schools between college, as a night-time custodian, to help pay for tuition. I know the Stromberg-Carlson name, but I can't remember the brand in our school district. I do remember times when the principal turned on the system and a huge feedback came over the speakers - that woke everyone up. LOL!
Rex -I had the same experiences. The principal's office had a large panel with as many switches on it as rooms for the school, including the gym. Select the rooms and press the heavy-weighted stainless steel mike, and you were "live". Those were such good memories, actually - much sower times. I was in all our schools between college, as a night-time custodian, to help pay for tuition. I know the Stromberg-Carlson name, but I can't remember the brand in our school district. I do remember times when the principal turned on the system and a huge feedback came over the speakers - that woke everyone up. LOL!
