random record console question

[classiccaprice]

Just curious, since there are so many vinyl lovers on here, who do you think made the best record player console (or player period?)... Magnavox, Sears, Emerson, Stromberg-Carlson, RCA, Montgomery Wards, Fisher Price, or somebody else I forgot? I'm just curious to see the responces.

 

[selectomatic]

Perhaps predictably,

I'm gonna cast my vote for Seeburg.

-kevin

 

[frigilux]

Don't know that it's 'the best', but my favorite record changer is a late '50s Magnavox (Collaro (sp?) changer). Watching ours buzz through a stack of 45s provided many, many hours of enchantment when I was a little kid.

Maybe that explains why I've also become so fond of my Frigidaire TL'er with its indexing tub. Sorta kinda hypnotic.

 

[lightedcontrols]

Roanoke Robert (aka Lady Kenmore) has that very model Seeburg console and really loves it! I on the other hand, love my Magnavox console, and my RCA Color TV console Stereo that I use as a daily driver at the West Virginia house. The RCA has the floating cartridge with the StudioMatic changer. The Magnavox sounds the best though as the RCA has a cartridge that is so sensitive that it picks up LOTS of vinyl noises and pops that the Magnavox filters out. Mark

 

[whirlcool]

I was always partial to the TOL Zenith consoles with the 2-G tonearm.
Voice of Music consoles were great as well!

 

[djmjlcst]

Mags and Burgs!

No question, it has to be a Magnavox console (or portable) stereo! Many of their portables had sound that would rival some console models! Plus, the Collaro record changer was the most fascinating mechanism to watch! I've had a lot of comments from friends of mine that weren't familiar with the action of the tone arm touching the side of the record for precise indexing! They thought it acted weird! For the convenience of coin operated phonographs, it has to be the Seeburgs! The Pickering magnetic cartridge just made the 45rpms come to life! I wish Seeburg was still in business - I miss them!

- Mike

 

[63getelevision]

The Magnificent Magnavox

I am anxiously awaiting this from eBay. I have four champagne colored changers, and two later model black changers.

 

[drewz]

Magnavox !

While I am a RCA Victor Collector, I must say that Magnavox always used the highest quality speakers available, which put their sets out in front of everyone else. RCA Victor had gone cheapo with speakers right at the point when they went from tube to solid state. Problem with RCA was they had alot of special order units (high-end) that most dealers would not stock because of the price, I know I have thousands of pictures of all of them, beautiful but in the $$$ in the early to late 60's. Then by 1974 they decided to make a quality line called the "Showcase Series" a little too late by December 1974 RCA annouced it was totally out of the audio business, which it remained until purchased in 1986 by GE then the real trash came out. GE sold to Thomson Electronics and got more trashy. It is a true shame all our Great American Companys are gone, RCA, Zenith, and Magnavox. Let's see how long we can hold on to Whirlpool? We really can't consider GE because they out-source so much you never know what you buying with their products. At least Whirlpool sticks with it's own divisions to make appliances all over the world.

 

[63getelevision]

I do love RCA Victor also, but of course, Magnavox is my first love. General Electric was a fantastic company, in my opinion, until like you say. I love my General Electrics. GE had high end hi-fi in the late '50s through part of the '60s. And they had wonderful console sets, plus table top components.

 

[hydralique]

What a wonderful catalogue, 63getelevision! I especially like that Danish Modern "Granville" on the left . . . just load it up with some good jazz and classic pop (Ella, Sinatra) and some easy listening (Percy Faith, Bert Kaempfert) and I'll be a happy camper!

 

[bundtboy]

zinnia on my Zenith

Of all the consoles I've owned so far, this one has brought me the most joy.

Snowball does not care for the sound of it, however, and I think this is due to the alignment of the horn tweeters too directly at her sensitive little ears. I think it sounds louder and clearer than any other console I've owned, although I can tell it's no where near as accurate as my best sounding stereo, it's still very impressive.

This thing will play a 78 like nobody's business. LOUD and clear and with wider frequency response than you might be used to hearing from old records, and with the 2g tone arm is sure to be as gentle as a feather and not cause much wear.

It is a model Y940 and it was born in December of 1967 so I guess you'd call it a 1968 model. The operating manual says it has 70 watts power output. There are also 942 and 946 models mentioned but not described which may have had 8-track or open reel tape decks built in.

 

[63getelevision]

Whoa Daddy!!

What zinnias? Here's a shot of the opening page of the 1970 brochure, with my favorite 2 Gram tonearm. Haven't successfully learned how to scan yet. You look like Aaron Tippin.

 

[48bencix]

Zenith

63getelevision

Your brochure is my Zenith with the touch control panel and 320 watts (music power). It does have a great sound and fun mediteranean styling.

Zenith gets my vote.

Martin

 

[63getelevision]

Richland

Hydralique, I almost got this GE "Richland" reel to reel stereo console at Salvation Army, the house is really cramped now, but this was a prize. The sound! And I love the type of music you mentioned. And Zenith is on my console list, saw a gigantic one like Martin's, don't know if it worked. I'd MAKE room for that.

 

[hydralique]

OMG . . .

that Richland looks to be about 10' long! Sure to guarantee lots and lots of stereo separation, and also to hold several pitchers of Martinis on the top (on appropriate Danish Modern woven-wood trays, of course) should friends drop in to listen to a little Gleason (most preferably his album "Music, Martinis, and Memories").

 

[63getelevision]

Close But No Cigar

68" wide, 25" high, and 17.25" deep. "Lonesome Echoes," anyone? It could have flanked my television, replacing the two smaller sets next to it. God knows where it went. People around here aren't very high minded. 1955 album cover by Dali.

 

[lightedcontrols]

Last year I found....

a Motorola console with tape deck STILL in THE ORIGINAL BOX! I posted photos and was the first to open the boxes of attachments! Maybe Robert can find the post and pix. Can't wait to get it in the new home. Mark

 

[rickr]

1965 Magnavox

I say Magnavox first, and Zenith for second.

 

[selectomatic]

An iPod!?!!!? I should smack you right in the zinnias!

You're ruining it for me, Bundtboy!

-kevin

 

[bundtboy]

ipod

It's true, the ipod rocks the Zenith.

I do try to use full size wav files of my vinyl transfers in most cases. The sound is much superior to that of an mp3.

I dig it when new meets old also.

Did I mention the Akai X-360 open reel that fell on me last week and will soon be atop the Zenith Console?

B

 

[rinso]

I'd have to agree that Magnavox had no rivals in the console stereo era. It's speaker configuration was way ahead of it's competitors.

We had a 75 Watt Per Channl (RMS) 6 footer Spanish style. It's well dispersed sound got the sound out of the box, and actually was almost Bose-like for its time. Music sounded like it was coming from the entire area surrounding the stereo, and was not localized to the speakers.

Looking back, I'll will admit that it did look sort of like a coffin with its handles and and mostly real wood.

 

[djmjlcst]

GE Colonial Console

Hey has anyone seen a 1965-66 GE Colonial Console Stereo? I had a neighbor friend back in the early 70's that had one. It looked like a hutch/desk and the turntable had a slanted wooden cover over it. Damn, I wish I had a picture. I saw one on ebay once. That stereo also had a wireless extension speaker that worked off of the AC outlet - no additional wires needed! I thought how the heck does that work? I think it used the electrical wiring as an antenna - anyone know about this?

- Mike

 

[eddy1210]

anything with a Garrard

I just love these

 

[63getelevision]

General Electric

Porta-Fi.

 

[63getelevision]

Here's some Motorola consoles, take your pick:

 

[hydralique]

Another wonderful brochure, 63getelevision! The Danish Modern model in the center looks almost like the GE "Granville" in your GE brochure. I wonder which one is longer, and will therefore hold more woven-wood trays of Martinis on top?

A lot of these console stereos were really nicely made through the early '60s, but then manufacturers started to replace wood detailing with molded plastics and IMO it all went downhill.

 

[63getelevision]

W.T. Grant

A defunct merchandiser, offered a "Bradford" Javelin, complete with AM FM stereo, 8 track tape, and four speed changer, for several dollars less than GE or Motorola. No doubt the lower middle class clientele offered their guests Ripple or MD 20-20 coolers, made with Canada Dry Ginger Ale, in tumblers from King Korn Stamp Trading centers, on Kromex trays.

 

[hydralique]

How sad, one can immediately see that the scale is rather less than the gracious size offered by both GE and Motorola. At least with that Azrock vinyl-asbestos tile in the photo a tipsy guest could spill some of his or her Ripple and not ruin some nice sculptured hi-low carpet. Plus, if the Ripple were in the proper plastic tumbler (as noted) it wouldn't even break.

One hopes, though, that the owners of the Javelin could afford some real Gleason on the 8-track instead of being reduced to bargain-bin sellouts of old Mantovani albums. That isn't to say that Mantovani didn't have his moments, but all in all I usually prefer Gleason, or maybe even the Longine Symphonette Society.

 

[selectomatic]

When selecting music on the Seeburg Home Stereo Console, it&

The Seeburg HSC-1 sold for $1295 in 1968. That's real money, before Nixon took us off the metal standard. Optional Stereo-8 player was extra.

Of course after paying that much for a stereo, the owner might be reduced to drinking Thunderbird.

-kevin

 

[63getelevision]

Size counts! Granville, 61.5", Motorola, 60.5", Javelin, 60". (titter). Host probably sprang about $1.98 a throw for some Tops hi-fi records of European dance bands, or some RCA Camden pressings of Perry Como. This cheapie is worth a mint now, because of the Bettie Page photo gracing the cover.