Console stereos: 1958-84

[phillymatt53]

Resurecting this thread, I heard a song today that brought back memories to me.
It actually brought tears to my eyes as I imagined my younger days, living at home....
My mom used to put it on the console stereo once in a while and sit me on her knee and rocked me, to sing it to me.
The lyrics of it back then seemed to come from her heart as she sung along with it, and back then being young, I didn't fully understand as I do now why she loved that song so much.

Close your eyes and imagine your mom singing this song to you....

 

[vacerator]

There are many more good ones that follow that song in succession. My parents had a wide range of taste in music. Mom liked Mario Lanza, Chopin, Maurice Chivaliet', Ray Conniff, Streisand, Andy Williams, Billy Extine, Broadway soundtracks, etc. Dad liked Nat King Cole, Chet Atkins, Xavior Cougat's orchestra, Henry Mancini, etc. They also liked Simon and Garfunkel, Peter, Paul and Mary, Mama's and the Papa's, etc.

 

[phillymatt53]

There are many more good ones that follow that song in succession. My parents had a wide range of taste in music. Mom liked Mario Lanza, Chopin, Maurice Chivaliet', Ray Conniff, Streisand, Andy Williams, Billy Extine, Broadway soundtracks, etc. Dad liked Nat King Cole, Chet Atkins, Xavior Cougat's orchestra, Henry Mancini, etc. They also liked Simon and Garfunkel, Peter, Paul and Mary, Mama's and the Papa's, etc.

Lotta good music there for sure!
I've got a ton of stuff like that.

 

[rinso]

Those old Magnavox consoles may not have been the delight of audiophiles, still they were very mellow sounding and perfect for the living rooms of the WWII, "Smoke 'em if you got 'em," generation.

 

[phillymatt53]

Those old Magnavox console may not have been the delight of audiophiles, still they were very mellow sounding and perfect for the living rooms of the WWII, "Smoke 'em if you got 'em," generation.

The one thing about the "console sound" from those big coffin cabinets is how they were manufactured.
Namely, the cabinets themselves.
If they were constructed with thin lumber, as many were, they have a tendency to "boom" or resonate from the bass speakers.
Basically speaking, "that boxy sound".
Manufacturers tended to compensate for that by designing the circuitry in an attempt to "balance" the resulting sound to a pleasing tonal quality.

But naturally, it didn't always please the customer, regardless of how the tone controls were set.

My 1963-ish RCA Victor console has the wood side panels of 1/4" thick wood, which initially gave it that boomy-boxy sonics.
When I tore the system out, I lined inside the side panels with thick 3/4" pine, glued inside to the side panels, along with completely re-designing the internal layout the same way. - bracing, gluing, which naturally added some weight to the console.
This was to install a whole new powerful set of custom tube electronics (total 18 tubes), high quality speakers (12" woofers, midranges, tweeters), and upgraded the record changer to a nice Garrard as well, with a Magnetic cartridge.
I wanted to hear only the speakers, not cabinet resonances. - just pure music from the speakers.
And the results are what I intended, thankfully.
A much better "controlled" performance that closely resembles a good pair of seperate speakers in a component-style system.

 

[rinso]

Yeah, my 1962 Malevolent Magnavox cabinet uses 1/4 inch wood panels all around. What always amazed me is how the 15" woofer right under the record changer, didn't cause any rumble feedback, or tonearm skipping and bouncing. But, in mine, it doesn't. Go figure!

 

[phillymatt53]

Yeah, my 1962 Malevolent Magnavox cabinet uses 1/4 inch wood panels all around. What always amazed me is how the 15" woofer right under the record changer, didn't cause any rumble feedback, or tonearm skipping and bouncing. But, in mine, it doesn't. Go figure!

There might be a sound blocking panel below the record changer or it's in a compartment away from the speakers which are in another compartment.
They call it a "boom shield" or something like that.

 

[rinso]

Gotcha! There indeed is a wood panel under the changer and just above the right-hand speaker/horn.

 

[pstehle]

The one thing about the "console sound" from those big coffin cabinets is how they were manufactured.
Namely, the cabinets themselves.
If they were constructed with thin lumber, as many were, they have a tendency to "boom" or resonate from the bass speakers.
Basically speaking, "that boxy sound".
Manufacturers tended to compensate for that by designing the circuitry in an attempt to "balance" the resulting sound to a pleasing tonal quality.

But naturally, it didn't always please the customer, regardless of how the tone controls were set.

My 1963-ish RCA Victor console has the wood side panels of 1/4" thick wood, which initially gave it that boomy-boxy sonics.
When I tore the system out, I lined inside the side panels with thick 3/4" pine, glued inside to the side panels, along with completely re-designing the internal layout the same way. - bracing, gluing, which naturally added some weight to the console.
This was to install a whole new powerful set of custom tube electronics (total 18 tubes), high quality speakers (12" woofers, midranges, tweeters), and upgraded the record changer to a nice Garrard as well, with a Magnetic cartridge.
I wanted to hear only the speakers, not cabinet resonances. - just pure music from the speakers.
And the results are what I intended, thankfully.
A much better "controlled" performance that closely resembles a good pair of seperate speakers in a component-style system.

View attachment 318857

Yeah, but with those big empty boxes, you could make a 3 watt amplifier fill your living room with sound...

 

[phillymatt53]

Yeah, but with those big empty boxes, you could make a 3 watt amplifier fill your living room with sound...

That's stretching things a bit far, unless you like distorted sound.
3 watts doesn't give enough headroom for even driving efficient speakers properly with music that has peaks/crescendos, unless it's done at "background" levels.

My console pictured in post #65, is all tubes, except for the custom solid state RIAA phono preamp.
The custom tube amplifier is capable of feeding the speakers with 34 clean undistorted watts which is enough to annoy the neighbors next door.

 

[vacerator]

Also use the 83% guide. The distance between left and right speaker 83% apart from the center to your listening point.

 

[phillymatt53]

Also use the 83% guide. The distance between left and right speaker 83% apart from the center to your listening point.

Ah, but with console stereos that's not feasable to do.

 

[vacerator]

Matt, unless the console has auxiliary spear outputs.

 

[phillymatt53]

Matt, unless the console has auxiliary spear outputs.

That's true, yes.
However my console doesn't have them.
It does have an auxiliary "input-output" for line level sources.
It's a pair of RCA jacks on the rear that are outputs whenever the console is in "radio or phono mode", in order to record something, or pass the signal on to another system.
When it's in the "Tape/Aux" mode, these same two jacks are line level "inputs".
In fact, I've got a Technics CD player tucked underneath the console on the floor for when I want to play a CD.

 

[phillymatt53]

While most of you guys like to work on major appliances, my world was focused on the smaller home electronics stuff.
I'd love to see someone tear into this vintage Panasonic "boom-box" that needed expert servicing, trust me, it's a real pain in the butt when I got stuff like this in the shop.
But the pay was worth it!

 

[cfz2882]

that is a large,complex boom box-8" woofers? D-cell batts? 1983? I have around 6 boomboxes: 2 good size ones, A Sharp from around 1980 and a Magnavox from '85. a small one worth noting is a Russian one made in 1995-all Russian parts. My biggest music machine is an AMI jukebox from 1976,loaded up with mostly era-correct 45s...

 

[phillymatt53]

that is a large,complex boom box-8" woofers? D-cell batts? 1983? I have around 6 boomboxes: 2 good size ones, A Sharp from around 1980 and a Magnavox from '85. a small one worth noting is a Russian one made in 1995-all Russian parts. My biggest music machine is an AMI jukebox from 1976,loaded up with mostly era-correct 45s...

Yep. a pair of 8" woofers.
For a portable with batteries, the thing weighed a ton!

 

[cfz2882]

I have never seen one in person,but there were some big early '80s boom boxes that could play a 12" record vertically.

 

[phillymatt53]

I have never seen one in person,but there were some big early '80s boom boxes that could play a 12" record vertically.

Yes, that became a mild fad back then, designed for that "check this out!" crowd
Not just boomboxes, but home turntables as well.
I always thought that was dumb though.

 

[vacerator]

I had a mid sized 1980 Sanyo cassette/radio only type. It had very good dynamic range and stereo imaging for a box with small tweeters in addition to the main drivers.

 

[phillymatt53]

I had a mid sized 1980 Sanyo cassette/radio only type. It had very good dynamic range and stereo imaging for a box with small tweeters in addition to the main drivers.

I may have posted this picture before, it's my 1980 Panasonic Platinum Series RX-5600.
It's got plenty of kick as well, and the cassette deck has some nice features too.
It even has a set of input jacks for a magnetic cartridge turntable!

 

[vacerator]

Panasonic made great products. I don't remember all the Sanyo features. It was black, tuning dial on top with balance, tone, and volume also. I think I paid $189. I handed it down to my brother.

 

[phillymatt53]

Panasonic made great products. I don't remember all the Sanyo features. It was black, tuning dial on top with balance, tone, and volume also. I think I paid $189. I handed it down to my brother.

Sanyo made decent stuff for sure, but Panasonic seemed to go to extra lengths to insure reliability, quality, and must have had strict quality control, along with their design and research department.
Being a servicer for so many years, I've been able to compare different brands, and Panasonic/Technics stuff stood out as always being my favorite choice.

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

Oh, about those "Stacking" type record changers.....
You've probably heard that "stacking" records on those are "bad to do".
Which actually is propoganda and silly marketing.
That crap was put out in the late 1950's when "new single play manual" turntables were introduced, in order to help sell those new-style units.
Typical marketing blabber to win over gullible picky "audio purists".

If you look carefully at modern LP's, the label and the edge rim are raised purposely.
This was designed so that LP's only touched each other at those points.
So the actual playing grooves were not in contact with each other.
The same idea is applied to 7" 45 RPM records - the label is thicker than the playing surface.

I miss the way you stacked records like that on a changer with the big support arm over all six or I could do seven…

Had a portable player with all four speeds that was a General Electric in a neat gold color with an orange playing surface inside…

I bought it cheap and I guess that in for-seeing the needle would be hard to replace, was why I sold it…

I had records I didn’t really like stacked on there and would fall asleep to them playing , getting up later to turn them over, and was glad for the instant on and off with the lever I pull for the completely automatic operation!

 

[phillymatt53]

I miss the way you stacked records like that on a changer with the big support arm over all six or I could do seven…

Had a portable player with all four speeds that was a General Electric in a neat gold color with an orange playing surface inside…

I bought it cheap and I guess that in for-seeing the needle would be hard to replace, was why I sold it…

I had records I didn’t really like stacked on there and would fall asleep to them playing , getting up later to turn them over, and was glad for the instant on and off with the lever I pull for the completely automatic operation!

Indeed Dave, those cheap players were common, yet popular record players.
My parents had one when I was just a kid.
It was an RCA Victor table model, and in fact I've got one like it in my vintage collection, in like-new condition.

 

[vacerator]

I seem to recall that all LP's didn't or don't have the edge lip. The thinner records used to "slap" onto each other when dropping, with a harshness that wasn't only the edges touching. The springs would move.

 

[kenwashesmonday]

RCA Victor Records introduced "Gruve-Gard" with the raised edge on their LPs in 1954.

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

I'm quite certain newer records had the labels that clearly would protect the grooves and playing surfaces from being damaged...

Surely costs lead to the design of changers losing the L-shaped "guide", and then them being discontinued altogether when CD's came out and could be put in a changer design, as well...

I don't even keep my records in blank sleeves, only the printed ones if an album is offered with...

Everything on my vinyl plays fine, just as long as I clean it & keep the dust off of it!

 

[phillymatt53]

I seem to recall that all LP's didn't or don't have the edge lip. The thinner records used to "slap" onto each other when dropping, with a harshness that wasn't only the edges touching. The springs would move.

Consider this....
In the early days of phonograph records, particularly when the 33 RPM "LP" first came out, the machines were crude. - technology was in its early stages.
And back then, people were not obsessed as they are today with caring about those records.
The "Audiophile" crowd didn't erupt until the 1950s.
This of course opened up a whole new world of marketing "better" products.
And gave manufacturers a boost of revenue, catering to that crowd.

By 1958 when stereo records first appeared, that was another "boost" and took home entertainment to another level.
Today, it's gotten to rediculous levels of so-called "perfection" about playing records, with machines being made that cost as much as a nice home.
Of course those rediculously expensive machines are just toys for the rich eccentric elite crowd to show off when throwing some fancy function in their mansions.

Like this machine, branded "Basis", and named "Work Of Art".
You can own one for a mere $149,000.00 and impress your guests!

 

[rinso]

Indeed Dave, those cheap players were common, yet popular record players.
My parents had one when I was just a kid.
It was an RCA Victor table model, and in fact I've got one like it in my vintage collection, in like-new condition.

Most record changers in American console stereos were made by Voice of Music or BSR of England. Magnavox had their unique changers made by Collaro also of England. Their tonearm would tap the edge to the record to determine its size.