What is it about old radios?

[Ohighway]

You all are just highly biased towards the old stuff....

And I'm right in there with you.

[BostonDave]

Originally Posted by Ohighway

You all are just highly biased towards the old stuff....

And I'm right in there with you.

I love 'new' stuff too... I have a 1977 Sansui that I wouldn't part with

[JimJ[VT]]

Depends on the use.

For all of the attractiveness of a tubed radio, if I had to pick one for dedicated DXing it'd be a modern DSP rig...no problems sacrificing audio quality for selectivity and adjustability on the front end.

For simply listening to a station where I know reception isn't going to be an issue, I'd pick the tubed one.

[Reece]

Boston Dave: your "new" stuff is 37 years old!

Reece

(I know, but it runs on rocks instead of tubes: that makes it "new.")

[peverett]

I have found that although the electronics on modern day electronics is better(at least on FM, etc), the quality of the cases, etc is much better on the older ones.

As has been said in previous posts, the performance of modern radios on AM, is horrible compared to the older sets. I just purchased a table model from Target(labeled Crosley, but made in the far east). FM is fine, but all except the cheapest of my tube AM sets will beat its AM performance.

[steerpike2]

I have only a little 'old stuff' that came from family members who bought it new. The rest was all bought second hand, and THAT is an interesting part of it: who listened to it, what they did with it, where it has been, why they sold it, etc.

[BostonDave]

Originally Posted by steerpike2

I have only a little 'old stuff' that came from family members who bought it new. The rest was all bought second hand, and THAT is an interesting part of it: who listened to it, what they did with it, where it has been, why they sold it, etc.

Yeah, I always ask the seller what he knows about the history of any old radio I buy.

I bought a Philco 39-25 recently from a guy for $10. He said that it had been in his attic for about the last 40 years and that it (he had to kind of whisper this part... in case his wife overheard, I guess) had belonged to his ex-girlfriend's father. He'd taken it to the flea market to sell a few times but hadn't sold it.

He also told me it used to get just one station until about a year ago (a lot of people selling old radios around here tell me that...assuming the radio is broken, but in reality we only have 1 am radio station here).

[MavC]

the lights cast on the back wall, the design...everything

[Saratoga48]

Originally Posted by toxcrusadr

I have a 1948 Philco mono console, TOTL with 13 tubes, that's chalked on the back with a 1948 date and "$399". Serious money back then. There were pre-1930 deluxe sets with elaborate cabinets that were $500+. A L-O-T of money.

Saratoga: Very nice RCA 128.

JeffHS: I have a C845 that I've never been able to fix. FM is dead. Sitting in pieces. Nice radio though.

Thanks Chris

[Dan Starnes]

As one who has had the old family Crosley 124 since 1972, and that is what started my radio, tv and electronics collection. Listening to the thrilla in manilla fight on my Dad's Zenith trans oceanic and realizing I was hearing things across the earth just made a huge impact on me. For me, it is all still magic and I love it. I still listen to all my radios, and most have their sweet spot. The radio I grew up with is an Emerson 541and it sits behind me right now playing the Grand Ole Opry. My Grandmother who lived with us bought it new in 1947. Treasures, pure treasures. I have enjoyed this thread.
Dan

[Sandy G]

Originally Posted by JimJ[VT]

Depends on the use.

For all of the attractiveness of a tubed radio, if I had to pick one for dedicated DXing it'd be a modern DSP rig...no problems sacrificing audio quality for selectivity and adjustability on the front end.

For simply listening to a station where I know reception isn't going to be an issue, I'd pick the tubed one.

Uhhh...I beg to differ on that one. You've obviously never worked w/a properly set up R-390A, SX-73 Hallicrafters, SP-600 Hammarlund, RACAL RA-17 or even the "Mount Everest" of boatanchors, the Rohde & Schwarz EK-07.

[1ZIP]

Like many, as a family, we sat around the old Philco in the evenings listening to the radio shows, The Shadow, Hornet, Hallmark theater, etc.. It was the content of the program, the talent of the actors that made you use of your imagination and made you part of the show. The dull glow from the dial, the smell of hot tubes....it all was magic for young minds and the magic of radio. Now I sit in front of my 46" flat panel a spectator, brain dead for the most part.

[amptramp]

I love old radios - the best of them were designed by engineers, not accountants. It is true that some solid-state designs can be better than tube designs, but a good analogy is, I have made about 200 flights on business, nothing memorable. But the last time I was on a plane, it was a joyride on a Stearman biplane with a 7-cylinder radial engine. Modern airliners are airborne cattle cars. The old biplanes were were for larger-than-life F. Scott Fitzgerald heroes. I have an album of this flight on the Ballzboard:

http://stormlarge.com/ballzboard/vie...hp?f=11&t=4221

No one could call a Stearman "better" than a modern aircraft, but guess what I would rather be in? There is a romance to the old tube designs, not to mention the inherent linearity of tubes, that has kept us collectors faithful to the old designs.

[electronjohn]

Don't want to forget tube CAR radios, either! Very sensitive, stable, great bassy tone from that dash-mounted 6X9. You'd be out "parking" and have the volume turned low and the vibrator buzz would be louder than the audio! One problem when "parking", though...current draw. A LOT. You had to remember to start the car once in a while, otherwise it was a long, embarassing walk back to town.

[ke4mcl]

i have several "suicide boxes" ive restored around the house. i currently fall asleep to a 1947 majestic AM wood cabinet set that i listen to coast to coast radio with. i have a 1939 bakelite GE, and a 1946 RDR wood cabinet set that are also in regular use.

its amazing when you think about how old these radios are and they are still putin' along.