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Ampex deck

Rex, I think theses were the typical Ampex decks produced in the late fifties/early sixties. The decks you and I remember, with the center controls in the cover over the capstain drive, I think came out about mid-sixties.

I have a 1967 Allied Electronics catalogue, which by this time had the newer style Ampex decks in in.

The first picture is the older A style like in the console. The second picture is I think what you and I are remember, the 600 series. I drooled over those decks in the late sixties.

Some years ago, one of my students who was an audiophile gave me one of those decks. It didn't work. He couldn't fix it. So he gave it to me. I knew I was in trouble because he was a wiz at things like that. I couldn't get it to work either, even after purchasing the repair manual for it.

I think Ampex built the most overdesigned complex deck I have ever seen. The outside of the 600 series was clean and simple. The inside was a nightmare, and it weighed a ton. No wonder they cost so much. But it was built solid with a lot of quality.

I ended up pitching the unit as I just got so frustrated trying to fix it, as I couldn't find repair parts for it anywhere. Wish I had kept it now, if nothing more than just to have it on display. It was the higher end self threading unit.

bwoods-2014092409050809833_1.jpg

bwoods-2014092409050809833_2.jpg
 
twintubdexter,

The Magnavox cabinet (Danish Modern) is missing the TV, it's probably a 25 inch.

For the "Basketball" stereo, (Sorry, too lazy to look up the brand) Dual is the correct tt for it.
 
I HAVE THE SAME MAGNAVOX AS #61.....

But mine is Black Laquer. The information
I've found on it states is is a 1959 and cost
$650 New. I even have a Magnavox Demo Record.

I love their Consoles. Probably one of my favorite.

I love that Blonde Zenith Cobra Console in #62. I
have one very similar in Cherry Mahogany. I wished
this was closer. I'd ask to trade LOL. Blonde is
the color of all my furniture, with the exception of
a few consoles. Got to love the Cobra Head. It is
a most sought after turntable. This one, believe it
or not has a "stroboscope".

The RCA in #63 is Cool, but I'm not into the oriental
decor. I do however have that turntable in a Stand Alone
Base in Crinkle Grey Vinyl with a Cream color top face.
It is Dated 1963. When I ordered a New Cartridge, Needles
and an Idler, the Phono Guy said he never saw a stand alone
come from the factory, like mine. It's a Most Excellent
Turntable.

Great Finds Guys. Keep 'em coming :)

Best Washes,

Louis
 
The Ampex 600 decks-these were the ONLY single motor RR decks that were used professionally.Staples in radio stations-often used for remote and feild work.Older versions had a tubed Rec/Pb amp-later ones solid state.These were mechanical monsters to work on-the mechanics needed to have one motor do the work of three.You had to deal with belts,levers,linkages and rubber friction roller-wheels.Fixed a couple of these-at one time Ampex sold a service kit for these machines.I kinda miss these-couldn't recognize the machine in the console as a 600.The ones I see are the "business" simple like ones used in the radio stations.they were rack mount or packaged in the portable "feild" cases.The older units had the tubed amp in a separate case from the deck.also Ampex made a monitor speaker that you could play the machine thru-was a case with a 10" Speaker and a push-pull 6V6 tube amp.The professional and commercvial 600 machines didn't have speakers in them.
 
Very nice Magnavox Hi-Fi with the TV in its belly.Really cool Asian style RCA Hi-fi console.
Zenith Cobramatic TT's Remember one in a console that did have lighted eyes.The TT drive didn't work-was at a freinds house-he worked on Hi-Fis and TVs,too.He was showing me the Zenith Cobramatic TT in the console that would not turn.The unit was variable speed-motor was mounted horizontal under the TT motorboard and had a conelike drive shaft.The TT idler drive tire was broke and worn out.the man also worked on slot cars-a solution-a slot car racing slick tire fit the idler drive perfectly-then before you know it we were playing records on that Zenith TT and varying the speed making them sound funny.The lights in that machines arm were very tiny grain of wheat bulbs like what you see in older electric train lighting.Oh yes,the Zenith TT did have a stroboscope.Worked quite well-and agreed with a TT speed test card.
 
post #63

Late 60's RCA, solid state, around 30 watts. The speakers were an oddball size, I want to say 12 x 6 for the bass, three way system.

Ran into quite a few of those with bad power supplies, they seem to be a weak point.
 
Ampex

If anything, Ampex products were overengineered. I often wondered why they didn't go to a three motor system in their consumer decks, I guess they had their reasons. My TEAC deck has 3 motors and is MUCH simpler in design and easy to maintain/repair.

My cousin, who was the co-founder/owner of Telarc Records in Cleveland, wouldn't use Ampex equipment. Being a fan of Ampex I asked him why and he just said, "They ceased to be competitive." Just as a bit of trivia, his company was one of the first, if not the first to use digital recording and editing of music. He gave me copies of their first two digital recorded albums that they produced. They are on vinyl as they were recorded in 1978 and CD's didn't exist back then.

Very clean recordings he used absolutely no filtering, limiting compression or equalization during recording.

Unfortunately, his company ceased to be competitive as well and he sold it to Concord Music about eight or nine years ago. People just were no longer buying classical music, which was Telarc's forte. He did produce a few other things like a recording of science fiction theme songs and I know he record Lisa Minnelli at least once. But primarily it was classical stuff and it just wasn't selling.

But he did win many Grammy's as producer (I think he and his company have a total of 40 Grammy wins/nominations) and Telarc was a force to be reckoned with in the classical music community.

He never quite agreed with me on my assertion that analog recordings on vinyl with tube audio playback have superior sound and we used to have some discussion. Of course, I don't own any Grammy awards (and well deserved) like he does, so I guess my opinion has a little less validity. lol
 
Ampex

I often wondered why Ampex chose to stay with the one motor system on thier consumer tape decks. I have a TEAC deck that is s three motor system and is simpler and MUCH easier to work on.

If anything AMPEX was over-engineered. My cousin is the founder/owner of Tel-Arac Records in Cleveland (He sold the business to Concord Music roughly ten years ago) and even when Ampex was still going strong in the seventies he didn't use their equipment in the recording process. Being an Ampex fan I questioned him why and he just said, "They ceased to be competetive."

By the way his was the first to use digital in consumer recordings on a commercial basis (1978). The CD hadn't been invented yet so his digital recordings were on vinyl. Today a D/A converter can fit on a tiny chip, but he used A D/A converter from a company called Soundstream, that had to sit on a table top. The converter was about the size of a large desktop tower PC.

He gave me copies of the first two commercial albums ever recorded in digital. One album he recorded of the Cleveland Symphonic Winds performing Holst, Handel and Bach selections. The other album he recorded was the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra's performance of Stravinky's "The Firebird" All editing was done in the computer rather than physically using tapes for editing.
 
Yes,agree on the maintenance of three motor RR tape machines.Indeed simpler.Except Studer A810 machines---HORRIBLE-just to control 3 motors they have circuity that could be practically used to launch a Saturn rocket to the moon!!Ampex and Skully simply had switches and relays.Much simpler to deal with.I have some early Telarc recordings,too.VERY good-better then most CD's and other records.The problem with the music recording industry is TOO MUCH processing and mixdowns-esp on CRAPPY consoles.Some pop recordings sound WORSE than AM airplay!!!Gave up on that.I agree with you-beleive in analog recordings and tubed amps.Doesn't matter if you have an award or not you can still appreciate it.Remember a recording companies and recordist job is to preserve music recordings for future listeners-You or I would not want to have music processed and mixed to death-sounding just as bad as a cheap AM radio out of tune.Telarc did a GREAT job on their recordings-so future folks can appreciate the music they recorded.
Ampex was overengineered thats how they wanted it.And that is why we see 200,300,350,600 and 3200 machines still able to work today-even with their ORIGINAL tubed electronics!And their VTR machines can still work,today as well.Have great respect for their equipment.But to build equipment to Ampex standards today-no one could afford it except the really very rich.
Nice RCA console Hi-Fi in the link!Knoxville one.
 
nice RCA but newer than stated

The seller is off a bit on his date of the unit. It is solid state and has the newer style changer. But it was produced before they started adding eight tracks. So my guess is late sixties to very early 70's. Also has plastic simulated wood trim which was becoming popular with manufacturers in the later sixties to cut down cabinetry cost.

This unit is a pleasant reminder of the days when electronics were designed to be asethically complimentary to your other home furnishings. Thanks for posting this Phil.
 
A neighbor that used to live by me had one of those Magnavox "nick-nack" style Hi-Fis.He didn't want to sell it.Was a family heirloom.
Yea, Plastique molding--tends to vibrate badly when you turn the volume and bass up-almost sounds like one those boom cars when they have the subwoofer turned up too much.
Zenith Hi-Fi silver paint----HIDEIOUS!!!!!Do they throw in a can of paint stripper if you buy the console???That poor Zenith console-looks HORRIBLE!!!but yes,the Tin Woodsman would love it!Hey!, it would go well with your life sized cardboard Lost In Space robot standee.
 
Though admittedly, it only takes one interested butt to buy that console, the Zenith finish is a disaster. Well, it "worked" for the tin man, and his shed. Is this the new Renovation Hardware look?
 

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