View Full Version : Estate Find. Zenith 10S-160...I think.


zombie1210
06-16-2018, 07:13 PM
I found this today at an estate sale, and picked it up for real cheap. It looks like a Zenith 10S-160 from what I can tell.
Although I don't see the gold stripes like on some photos I found online of a 10S-160. But photos some don't.

A few flea bites, but a solid cabinet, and the chassis is pretty clean.


The grille cloth is in really good condition.


https://i.imgur.com/B4o2M85.jpg?1

https://i.imgur.com/Wy5zOup.jpg?1

https://i.imgur.com/oCBLcXz.jpg?1
https://i.imgur.com/43ZCN2Y.jpg?1

https://i.imgur.com/9xF4Dm7.jpg

electronjohn
06-17-2018, 02:06 PM
That's mighty nice!

Titan1a
06-17-2018, 02:28 PM
This is a good one. All you need is to work on the chassis.

MadMan
06-17-2018, 09:40 PM
Holy shit look at that speaker!

zeno
06-18-2018, 09:08 AM
Wait till you hear that running AFTER a re cap. They are sweet !
We restored a slightly newer one & put it in the show room.
Played a big band station on it ever day for years. The older
folk loved the memories & young'ns couldnt believe AM could
sound so good.

73 Zeno:smoke:
LFOD !

dieseljeep
06-18-2018, 12:23 PM
Holy shit look at that speaker!

That model had only a 12" speaker! That beehive gadget behind it was some kind of adjustable acoustic compensation for room size or placement. :scratch2: Looking over the schematic, it seems that only one 5Y3 would be a little overtaxed.
That radio was built when radio design was really interesting, not with all that glitz like push-button tuning, Radiorgans etc.
Everything was there for a real reason! :thmbsp:

zombie1210
06-18-2018, 04:44 PM
I dropped it off this morning at my repair guy's place.

He's hoping its two 6A3's are still good. He doesn't currently have any. I may need to buy a couple.

init4fun
06-18-2018, 05:10 PM
I dropped it off this morning at my repair guy's place.

He's hoping its two 6A3's are still good. He doesn't currently have any. I may need to buy a couple.

:thmbsp: 6A3 , you won't really break the bank .

:eek: Were they 2A3 , Oh yea , second mortgage time

zombie1210
06-18-2018, 05:17 PM
I'm hoping they test OK. The radio did work as is.

Titan1a
06-18-2018, 05:21 PM
Your radio uses 6L6 output tubes in push-pull. My Philco also uses them. Very, very sweet!

zombie1210
06-18-2018, 05:23 PM
Ok. I messed up. I didn't take THIS radio to him yet. The one I took today is the Philco 116X

This Zenith has neither of those tubes.

So....never mind. LOL

too many radios. Must be getting senile.



This Zenith won't be going in for a couple weeks.

init4fun
06-18-2018, 06:48 PM
I know it's easy to loose track of which radio uses which tubes , once the collection gets much over 40 or 50 sets it becomes hard recalling their tube numbers :yes:

zombie1210
06-18-2018, 09:39 PM
I know it's easy to loose track of which radio uses which tubes , once the collection gets much over 40 or 50 sets it becomes hard recalling their tube numbers :yes:

LOL. You must have a warehouse!

Titan1a
06-18-2018, 11:42 PM
No warehouse here. Just love to research radios. I also love the sweet sound of 6L6's AND 6A3 triodes!

dieseljeep
06-20-2018, 01:10 PM
No warehouse here. Just love to research radios. I also love the sweet sound of 6L6's AND 6A3 triodes!
One of my Philco 37-116 uses 6A5G triodes. IIRC, some of that model used 6B4G triodes. My 38-116 uses 6L6's.

mr_rye89
06-21-2018, 05:50 PM
I love those Zeniths! Very Classy!

zombie1210
07-19-2018, 01:45 PM
Just got it back from my radio tech. All restored, and an RCA jack added so I can plug in my Bluetooth receiver. 4 plastic replica knobs were replaced with the real wood knobs. It sounds great. Really grabs onto stations. I like the dial, and the odd little "bullseye" tuner doodad.

https://i.imgur.com/BZxvHHn.jpg

Celt
07-19-2018, 02:18 PM
Very very nice!

Titan1a
07-20-2018, 03:51 AM
You will find this is one of Zenith's best post-Stratosphere radios. The push-pull audio is first rate and the radio is nearly neck-and-neck with the vaunted Philco 16X series.

zombie1210
07-20-2018, 05:20 PM
I just spent a couple hours with my Bluetooth receiver plugged into it, playing music from my laptop. I'm gonna have to say that this radio really sounds fantastic. It goes LOUD and it stays very clear. The bass thumps the floor, and it has pretty decent highs and mids. AM reception at my house is horrific, but using it for music is glorious. Glorious MONO!!!