I typed up a quick article on console stereos that I was going to print in the company's newsletter...see what you all think!
The console Stereo
Console stereos used to be a very common fixture in mid-century homes and have all but disappeared both physically, and from our consciousness. As a 30 year old, I remember these huge things in many homes. They played loud and sounded great. Where did they come from, and where did they go?
The console stereo evolved from the older “Hifi” radios of the past that contained an A.M. radio, and a 78 RPM phonograph within that played through a single speaker. After WWII, several technologies developed the electronics world that changed the electronics industry. FM radio, and FM stereo, 33 RPM LP records, along with magnetic tape, and the transistor all came about before 1960. All of these technologies helped develop the console stereo.
Mainstream radio, and now television manufacturers, like Zenith, RCA, GE, Philco, and many others had long since gotten out of the wooden cabinet business, and especially the big floor standing behemoths of the years past. The future was in small, plastic radios that could be produced cheaply, and inexpensively. Consumers didn’t want a big huge piece of furniture…or did they?
Console stereos were first built by many of the high-end stereo equipment companies. The high-end gear was manufactured from famous brands such as Fisher, H.H. Scott, and Marantz to name a few. These builders typically built their equipment in plain metal cases, or even sometimes, no case at all! Of course, many of the more affluent buyers of these components desired attractive cabinetry so they could place the equipment in their living rooms and make it look attractive.
Due to the obvious fact that high-end sound equipment builders were not familiar with making furniture, many of the high-end sound companies teamed up with classy furniture companies to build wooden cabinets to house their systems in. These early console stereos came with the turntable, radio, amplifier, and speakers all built in together. Later models also included tape decks as well. Although these early console stereos produced beautiful sound and looked great, they were terribly expensive, and cost almost as much as a bottom-line automobile!
By the early sixties however, many of the “big brands” had noticed this popularity of console stereos that had attracted the more affluent crowd, so they decided to dive into the market as well. Only the business strategy here was to produce a console stereo that many more could afford. Console Stereos produced by mainstream manufacturers averaged about $500 thanks to come corner cutting, and modern manufacturing. This is almost ¼ the amount the specialty high-end sound equipment companies were selling their systems for.
Of course, the mainstream console stereos were not quite as fancy in their construction. The high-end guys were building their systems in hand-made wood cabinets. Most mainstream companies were just using particleboard, and some even had plastic in them. The high-end guys were installing the speakers in isolated enclosures, while the mainstream guys just had all the speakers installed in the same interior cavity along with the electronics. The speakers themselves were a bit less too. Woofers had small, if any magnets, and tweeters weren’t fancy horns, but just were simple cone speakers taken off of their portable radios product lines.
There were several other factors that allowed the mainstream companies to manufacture inexpensive console stereos that the user didn’t really see. The manufacture of the electronics became more inexpensive because of the transistor. Transistors, didn’t need large iron transformers, and they were less expensive in their own right to make. Mainstream manufacturers also didn’t tediously hand-wire the circuits anymore either. They used Printed circuits. Now a commonplace in electronics, This then new method used copper traces on a fiberglass card to connect components. Printed circuit boards could be produced quickly and cheaply with machines.
Still, despite these corner-cutting methods, many of these console stereos were remarkably durable and remain in use in many homes well into the 90’s and beyond. The sound quality out of these stereos is quite good too. While not quite as accurate as the sound produced by the high-end equipment, the big speakers and cabinets of these systems produce an unmistakeable nice warm, full sound that's very pleasing to the ear. Some models not only had turntables, but also tape decks, which were usually 8-track machines. There are a few die-hards out there that won't part with these nice sounding beauties.
The demise of the console stereo came about in part from an onslaught of foreign competition. Many Japanese electronics manufacturers like Kenwood, Pioneer, Sony, and JVC started importing their equipment in the late seventies. This inexpensive Japanese audio gear was remarkably well built, and even out-performed some of the equipment built by not just mainstream manufacturer, but also high-end companies. The Japanese equipment though cost significantly less. The entire American audio industry suffered as many high-end companies bit the dust. The more mainstream manufacturers survived building primarily TV’s and living off their capital for another decade or so.
The console stereo however was pretty much dead not just because of foreign competition but also because of technology. The biggest factor however was price, why pay a fortune for a huge piece of furniture, when a small system that sat on a shelf sounded almost as good. The "bookshelf"style audio system became the standard quickly, and that still holds true today
Oddly enough, despite how good they sounded, console stereos are not talked about too much these days by antique collectors or the general populous. With the memory of their existence quickly being forgotten. Unlike other mid-century relics, like musclecars, It’s as almost as if the console stereo is something people don’t want to remember for some odd reason. My memories of these beautiful pieces of audio gear and furniture have been very fond, and I hope this article not just informs you of a piece of American sound equipment history, but also re-kindles some good memories of sitting on the floor listening to your favorite tunes on those big speakers!
The console Stereo
Console stereos used to be a very common fixture in mid-century homes and have all but disappeared both physically, and from our consciousness. As a 30 year old, I remember these huge things in many homes. They played loud and sounded great. Where did they come from, and where did they go?
The console stereo evolved from the older “Hifi” radios of the past that contained an A.M. radio, and a 78 RPM phonograph within that played through a single speaker. After WWII, several technologies developed the electronics world that changed the electronics industry. FM radio, and FM stereo, 33 RPM LP records, along with magnetic tape, and the transistor all came about before 1960. All of these technologies helped develop the console stereo.
Mainstream radio, and now television manufacturers, like Zenith, RCA, GE, Philco, and many others had long since gotten out of the wooden cabinet business, and especially the big floor standing behemoths of the years past. The future was in small, plastic radios that could be produced cheaply, and inexpensively. Consumers didn’t want a big huge piece of furniture…or did they?
Console stereos were first built by many of the high-end stereo equipment companies. The high-end gear was manufactured from famous brands such as Fisher, H.H. Scott, and Marantz to name a few. These builders typically built their equipment in plain metal cases, or even sometimes, no case at all! Of course, many of the more affluent buyers of these components desired attractive cabinetry so they could place the equipment in their living rooms and make it look attractive.
Due to the obvious fact that high-end sound equipment builders were not familiar with making furniture, many of the high-end sound companies teamed up with classy furniture companies to build wooden cabinets to house their systems in. These early console stereos came with the turntable, radio, amplifier, and speakers all built in together. Later models also included tape decks as well. Although these early console stereos produced beautiful sound and looked great, they were terribly expensive, and cost almost as much as a bottom-line automobile!
By the early sixties however, many of the “big brands” had noticed this popularity of console stereos that had attracted the more affluent crowd, so they decided to dive into the market as well. Only the business strategy here was to produce a console stereo that many more could afford. Console Stereos produced by mainstream manufacturers averaged about $500 thanks to come corner cutting, and modern manufacturing. This is almost ¼ the amount the specialty high-end sound equipment companies were selling their systems for.
Of course, the mainstream console stereos were not quite as fancy in their construction. The high-end guys were building their systems in hand-made wood cabinets. Most mainstream companies were just using particleboard, and some even had plastic in them. The high-end guys were installing the speakers in isolated enclosures, while the mainstream guys just had all the speakers installed in the same interior cavity along with the electronics. The speakers themselves were a bit less too. Woofers had small, if any magnets, and tweeters weren’t fancy horns, but just were simple cone speakers taken off of their portable radios product lines.
There were several other factors that allowed the mainstream companies to manufacture inexpensive console stereos that the user didn’t really see. The manufacture of the electronics became more inexpensive because of the transistor. Transistors, didn’t need large iron transformers, and they were less expensive in their own right to make. Mainstream manufacturers also didn’t tediously hand-wire the circuits anymore either. They used Printed circuits. Now a commonplace in electronics, This then new method used copper traces on a fiberglass card to connect components. Printed circuit boards could be produced quickly and cheaply with machines.
Still, despite these corner-cutting methods, many of these console stereos were remarkably durable and remain in use in many homes well into the 90’s and beyond. The sound quality out of these stereos is quite good too. While not quite as accurate as the sound produced by the high-end equipment, the big speakers and cabinets of these systems produce an unmistakeable nice warm, full sound that's very pleasing to the ear. Some models not only had turntables, but also tape decks, which were usually 8-track machines. There are a few die-hards out there that won't part with these nice sounding beauties.
The demise of the console stereo came about in part from an onslaught of foreign competition. Many Japanese electronics manufacturers like Kenwood, Pioneer, Sony, and JVC started importing their equipment in the late seventies. This inexpensive Japanese audio gear was remarkably well built, and even out-performed some of the equipment built by not just mainstream manufacturer, but also high-end companies. The Japanese equipment though cost significantly less. The entire American audio industry suffered as many high-end companies bit the dust. The more mainstream manufacturers survived building primarily TV’s and living off their capital for another decade or so.
The console stereo however was pretty much dead not just because of foreign competition but also because of technology. The biggest factor however was price, why pay a fortune for a huge piece of furniture, when a small system that sat on a shelf sounded almost as good. The "bookshelf"style audio system became the standard quickly, and that still holds true today
Oddly enough, despite how good they sounded, console stereos are not talked about too much these days by antique collectors or the general populous. With the memory of their existence quickly being forgotten. Unlike other mid-century relics, like musclecars, It’s as almost as if the console stereo is something people don’t want to remember for some odd reason. My memories of these beautiful pieces of audio gear and furniture have been very fond, and I hope this article not just informs you of a piece of American sound equipment history, but also re-kindles some good memories of sitting on the floor listening to your favorite tunes on those big speakers!
thers were Capehert,Packard Bell(don't they make computers now?)Curtus Mathes-beleive they made some nice console Hi-fis.And of course Maganavox.Yes,I think the consoles died(they started in the vacuum tube era as mono radio-phono units)becuase I figure people no longer want that huge peice of furniture--I liked them-some were very nice looking.-Like a fine musical instrument-after all they were in music rooms in some homes with the piano!And yes with todays speaker and electronic technology its hard to justify the console cabinets.They are expensive to build-perhaps--today than the electronics!I would like to see them come back.The other thing that spelled their death was the sorround systems liked today-yes I have such a system-would be hard-or not impossible to package it as a console-another thing that rteplaced consoles was the "rack systems" popular in the 70s,80s,into the early 90's.Those could have been considred a "console" of sorts-no pretty wood case-but an ugly-techno looking rack instead-and with speakers you could place anywhere.I have seen some pretty wood cabinets in some Hi-end Hi-Fi catalogs for components-some of these even look like consoles of the 50's and 60's.People now put their sorround sound components in these with the Plasma TV "riding on top" they are big and wide enough to hold one.
