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  #46  
Old 06-17-2005, 07:12 PM
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Jeffhs Jeffhs is offline
<----Zenith C845
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jt1stcav
Every antique tube radio I own has been restored, but the majority are located throughout the house for display use only since there are no nearby outlets to plug them in. I have 3 that are constantly used, so from time to time I'll rotate the unused radios from the 3 usable locations I have. Wish I had a humungous in-wall shelving system to display them all and select any one to listen to...I need a bigger house!
I know what you mean. I live in a one-bedroom apartment, with most of the AC outlets in places where I can't put my radios and use them at the same time. My Zenith K731 is atop the refrigerator in the apartment itself; the nearest outlet the cord will reach is about three feet away, near the kitchen sink, but I don't want to leave it plugged in there because of the potential shock hazard (though I do plug the radio into that outlet to test it every few days or so). There is an outlet behind the fridge, but I can't reach it, so that's out as well. One open outlet in the apartment I could use is behind my desk, but, wouldn't you know it, there is no room for any of my radios (except my AC/battery R-70 portable) on the desk. I also have two open outlets behind my end tables, one of which is near my TV set, the other behind the other table near my front door, but the tables themselves are too small to accomodate any of my radios other than the R-70. I grew up in a house with more AC outlets (and more room for radios) than you could shake a stick at, but unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, I had to leave there in 1998 and move to an apartment (the one I live in today). Therefore, many of my vintage radios are either packed in boxes, stashed away under my bed (that's where my 1980 Zenith H480W AM/FM stereo clock radio and my Sony MR-9700W AM/FM stereo portable are) or in drawers in my dresser (where my Aiwa AR-115 AM/FM portable and Sony TFM-7720W portable are stashed). The only ones that get any amount of use right now are the Royal 1000-1 and the R-70. I do try to run the H-511 every now and again to keep the 3-section power supply filter cap formed, but most of the time it sits in my bedroom unused.

Oh well. Such are the drawbacks of being a vintage radio collector living in an apartment, but I'm not complaining. If the truth be known, I would not want to own a home, but that's a story for another thread, more properly located in AK's Off Topic forum.
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Jeff, WB8NHV

Collecting, restoring and enjoying vintage Zenith radios since 2002

Zenith. Gone, but not forgotten.
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  #47  
Old 06-17-2005, 08:53 PM
schoolboy
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The radio I was referring to earlier is a Zenith K731. It has a very nice tone. My observations about distortion were at not very high levels, but with a poor signal. I'm on vacation this next week but when I return to the office on the 27th I'll take it with me because today I got a new piece of furniture in my office where it will go. I hope it works well in that setting.

Like so many other collectors, I run out of places to put stuff. I already outfitted a small conference room near my office at work with speakers and an amp (this in a 900 person office) and I've not only continually upgraded my office speakers, if you are my friend, you get upgrades too. I just can't leave that nice stuff sitting in yard sales and such.

But the radios ... only things like Transoceanics are very marketable (I sold one for quite a bit a while back).
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  #48  
Old 06-17-2005, 09:24 PM
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Nolan Woodbury Nolan Woodbury is offline
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So far, I've managed to replace most of my transistor radios with vintage tube sets, save for the radio in my truck and my alarm clock. I recently purchased a new GE Superadio III for my office (I own my own business) but gave it to my office manager after replacing it with a Zenith T2542. In the shop area, I've long used an old, plastic C725E that plays at nearly full volume all day, and has for about 13 years. Never replaced a tube or had any problems with it! In fact, when I found the old Zenith I didn't know what it was and didn't care. It was cheap and worked. Now, I look at it sometimes and wonder how long it'll go. Don't mess with success?

Our favored G730R plays in the bedroom. Out of all my radios, Zenith or otherwise, it is my favorite. There is something about its sound, its look... even its smell, that just makes me feel good. In the living room sits my Zenith console -again- purchased long before Zenith became my favorite. Beside my home computer rests a K731 that sits on a custom made table, crafted to fit and support it perfectly. On the bottom shelf is a (burgundy) K725 that is in perfect condition, except for a weak output tube, I think. No time to pull it apart again. I should admit I have a Kloss Model One that I cannot make myself part with...it may be modern, but it has the soul of a 'real' radio. It sounds amazing and has amazing recption, but I usually listen to the K731 or both at the same time. A really solid mix! The rest of my collection mostly sits unused, mixing very pretty, dark wood cabinets with a few polished bakelite models. 90% are Zenith. We are blessed with many excellent AM and FM stations here in south/central Arizona; oldies to jazz and easy listening.

So, with 15 or so vintage sets scattered about, I collect AND use. When we have company, most ask about them with sincere interest. Today, the air conditioning and heating guys are installing a new unit, and when I went home for lunch they had the K731 cranking on KOOl-FM (94.5). "I hope turning this on was OK?" one asked me. I told him that's what it was there for! Looking is great, but I want to hear them play. That's the best part.
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  #49  
Old 07-07-2005, 09:29 AM
schoolboy
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I put that Zenith K731 into regular use like I said I would and I am very happy. The sound is sweet. I don't listen at very high levels so I can't speak for that, but it does not insult my hi-fi sensibilities like most junk (computerstuff, sub woofers, crap!). I pick up two good college stations (along with all the commercial stuff) very nicely. Just what I was after. It doesn't fit the office decor all that well but I'll just have to work on that.

That comment about the SMELL. That's so true! I love that smell - is it tubes burning dust??
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  #50  
Old 07-13-2005, 02:20 AM
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vintagecollect vintagecollect is offline
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Where's the entertainment gone for AM????

Unfortunately where I live, most AM music stations are gone. There's no variety anymore for AM radio anymore, only talk shows and news progams with ONLY one music station left. Recentlty decided to stop collecting old radios since there's no need for 20 radios for such a limited medium.
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  #51  
Old 07-13-2005, 04:48 AM
TryHiFi
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Don't give up on radio...

Quote:
Originally Posted by vintagecollect
Unfortunately where I live, most AM music stations are gone. There's no variety anymore for AM radio anymore, only talk shows and news progams with ONLY one music station left. Recentlty decided to stop collecting old radios since there's no need for 20 radios for such a limited medium.

So why not focus on AM/FM radios or SW?

When it's past midnight, the kids are asleep, the wind is howling the trees are rustling and your better half lies peacefully asleep like an angel...it's time one turns on the clock radio....(a sweet end of an era PHILCO with AM & FM will do nicely*)

Let the tubes warm up. Turn it to AM first twist the tuning dial and hear the scrawk of static and hum of various pitches warm up your ears and get you in the mood for radio. As you pass the various talk radio shows, religious channels and Spanish music stations you turn the switch gingerly over past FM and to AFC. Ahhh...the whole array of music opens up to you. The sweet trumpet of a jazz solo, the sixties elevator music, blues rhythyms, contemporary music, 70s-90s music, soft rock and hard rock played so crisply you can actually understand the lyrics for the first time!

As the tubes get hot, you can start to smell the plastic/bakelite case heat up. You're not worried becasue those cases were blended with asbestos and are unlikely to do more than get pretty hot. You recall how you taped a thin sheet of metal insulation to the top of other radios to evenly disperse the tube heat and will do the same to this one when you have the time. You turn the dial to a soft station and turn off the main radio power, but turn on the sleep timer. 5 minutes? No, the wind will keep you awake at least another 10. Two clicks of the lever to the right and you have ten more minutes to enjoy sweet tube sound. You savor it. For a moment you can feel it - a oneness with all the radio listeners since the earliest hand built sets to the fewer but just as devoted tube afficionados from today. You have cds, who doesn't? But your ears and spirit cries for the rich tube sound and your heart, even though devoted eternally to the angelic creature lying beside you, has saved a little space just for tube radios and tube listening.


Last edited by TryHiFi; 07-13-2005 at 04:59 AM. Reason: typo
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  #52  
Old 07-13-2005, 10:29 AM
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Nolan Woodbury Nolan Woodbury is offline
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That's a nice description of things TryHiFi. Although I'm still working on my restoration and repair skills, the bottom line is enjoyment factor. I too am worried about station availability and quality, but the local FM band seems to be holding its own here.

I was collecting at a high rate there for awhile, but now have one or two sets on my radar (including that Royal 1/3/7000 TO set Jeffhs!). I'd love to find a vintage console but like vintagecollect mentioned, how much entertainment value will it provide? That's a concern, as the one decent music station fades away at sundown; exactly when I do the majority of my listening. AM/FM/SW table radios certainly offer the best value!

Last edited by Nolan Woodbury; 07-13-2005 at 10:31 AM.
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  #53  
Old 07-13-2005, 09:36 PM
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tubesrule tubesrule is offline
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Interesting thread. There was discussion here about the early FM band. Actually the 42-50MHz band was the last pre-war band used. Armstrong's early tests in the mid 1930's were at 35MHz. The first band used for commercial sale in 1938-1939 was 39-45Mhz. I actually listen to this set occasionally as I can pick up the sub-harmonics of some of today's FM stations.

Darryl
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  #54  
Old 07-15-2005, 12:09 AM
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NowhereMan 1966 NowhereMan 1966 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vintagecollect
Unfortunately where I live, most AM music stations are gone. There's no variety anymore for AM radio anymore, only talk shows and news progams with ONLY one music station left. Recentlty decided to stop collecting old radios since there's no need for 20 radios for such a limited medium.
I admit I'm a conservative talkshow junky myself but there are times I'd like to get away from all the news and stuff in the world and just put on some tunes on the AM radio. I used to listen to AM music a lot (I listen to the sound of 13Q!) when I was a kid in the 1970's. Pittsburgh used to have a good number of them. We still do have one in the Pittsburgh area that plays music that I like, 770 kc on the dial that I like to listen to until the sun goes down and WABC out of NYC "walks over" it. My grandfather's 1953 Philco 53-656 has an excellent tone and sound quality and even my 1965 Magnavox 8 transistor does well for it's size. I got the later at a garage sale for 3 bucks, can't beat that. Hearing music on AM brings back memories and a warm feeling in my heart.
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  #55  
Old 07-26-2005, 09:46 AM
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Pete Deksnis Pete Deksnis is offline
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"The first band used for commercial sale in 1938-1939 was 39-45Mhz. I actually listen to this set occasionally as I can pick up the sub-harmonics of some of today's FM stations."

Looks like the CT-100 of FM-only radio! Can you post the tubes used?
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  #56  
Old 07-26-2005, 03:48 PM
Keefla Keefla is offline
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TryHiFi...that was awesome! Perfect description. Im new to radio restoring, but i have an RCA RFD11V that i got from my father (it was his clock radio when he was younger). I re-capped that about 5 years ago and recently replaced the filter caps (about 6 months ago) . Ive been using it as my regular alarm clock since then. Im working on a Zenith AM/FM that ill be using in my shop to listen to my favorite sports talk station (AM) or classic rock (FM).
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  #57  
Old 07-26-2005, 04:30 PM
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tubesrule tubesrule is offline
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Hi Pete,
The set is an HM80 and has the following tube lineup:

1) 6K8 Converter
2) 6SK7 IF's
1) 6SJ7 Limiter
1) 6H6 Detector
1) 6SF5 AF Amp
1) 6Y6 Output
1) 5Y3 Rectifier

The cabinet and chassis are from the H73 AM/SW radio of the same year. There was an earlier console model called the GM125, although I have never heard if any of these actaully exist. That would be a nice one to see an actual picture of.

Darryl
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  #58  
Old 08-04-2005, 09:16 AM
mbates14 mbates14 is offline
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I listen to my 42-390 philco all the time. Unfortunately, there are NO AM music stations period around here. At least, none that I can pick up.

So, the only way to listen to this thing, is I use a home made AM transmitter that doesnt perform within 5 feet very well, but it produces a harmonic in the 40mhz range that I can hear very well all the way outside! (mostly because the carrier is distorted to a triangle like pattern. "was a sine wave, but the RF amp stage distorted it to a triangle."). So the harmonic is alot stronger and gets way more distance than the center frequency. But its more distorted, considering the audio is AM. being picked up on the FM band clearly. oh well. it works.

I think thats good I guess?

Last edited by mbates14; 08-04-2005 at 09:18 AM.
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  #59  
Old 08-04-2005, 01:42 PM
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compucat compucat is offline
1949 Motorola 9VT1
 
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Location: Suffolk, VA
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Do You Use Your Old Radios?

Whenever I listen to the radio at home, it is almost always on a tube set unless I'm using a portable. I listen mostly to AM and shortwave so I don't have many FM tube sets. In fact, I think I now only have one, a mid-fifties Zenith.

Now when I look for a radio for serious use, it has to have AM, Shortwave, and of course, tubes, preferably at least six. I just scored a 1939 RCA T-64 tombstone with AM, Shortwave, a tuning eye, six pushbuttons and that unmistakable tube radio sound. It is my oldest tube set and my first with tuning eye and tombstone cabinet. I have to correct some hack repairs and recap it but it is definitely a quality radio.
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  #60  
Old 08-04-2005, 01:50 PM
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Rybeam Rybeam is offline
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I use a 1959 Zenith AM-FM tube radio going thru one of those little 2-way Radio Shack metal cabinet speakers [ ADS ? made ] in my "mini barn". Wonderful full sound, excellent reception.
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