1970's Fugly!!!

[Findm-Keepm]

I'd like to add the pressboard cheapie Morse/Electrophonic stereos to the list of ugly and cheap. 1 watt germanium outputs, 2x2x2" power transformers, and 10" speakers with 6 ounce magnets. I saw a lot of those at yard sales as a kid in the late 70's. I guess one of the discount stores around here sold them cheap. Sams published a photofact for some, but man, what a waste.

Cheers,

[compucat]

Originally Posted by Findm-Keepm

I'd like to add the pressboard cheapie Morse/Electrophonic stereos to the list of ugly and cheap. 1 watt germanium outputs, 2x2x2" power transformers, and 10" speakers with 6 ounce magnets. I saw a lot of those at yard sales as a kid in the late 70's. I guess one of the discount stores around here sold them cheap. Sams published a photofact for some, but man, what a waste.

Cheers,

I worked on one of those Morse Electrophonic console stereos at a TV shop called All Brands Electronics in 1988. It had two 4" speakers like the kind you would find in 1960s tube radios mounted in a console cabinet, really cheap junk.

[Jeffhs]

Originally Posted by compucat

I worked on one of those Morse Electrophonic console stereos at a TV shop called All Brands Electronics in 1988. It had two 4" speakers like the kind you would find in 1960s tube radios mounted in a console cabinet, really cheap junk.

About three or four years ago, I saw a Morse Electrophonic console stereo on a treelawn not far from my apartment; it probably had dinky little 4" speakers as well. The stereo was in a very large and heavy console cabinet and was sitting next to another console, RCA, IIRC. The Morse-Electrophonic system, again IIRC, had an 8-track player so it must have been mid-'60s-'70s vintage.

BTW, why on earth did manufacturers the likes of Morse-Electrophonic do things like this? It makes no sense to put literally tiny speakers in a console cabinet that almost certainly outweighs the rest of the system at least a couple of times over.

The sound quality probably wasn't much better, either, than that from a large transistor radio. This type of stereo was obviously designed for people who don't care beans about sound quality, as long as the system will play so loud it rattles the walls; of course, with only 4" speakers (which have very small magnets and voice coils), five minutes at full volume will ruin them. An amplifier will often put out more power, when driven into distortion, than that for which it was designed. If the speakers are not designed to handle that much power (very cheap ones aren't, and even quality speakers, for example Cerwin-Vega's, will be damaged or destroyed if played at much more than normal listening volume), they will fail in very short order.

[sanjarali]

Originally Posted by Jeffhs

About three or four years ago, I saw a Morse Electrophonic console stereo on a treelawn not far from my apartment; it probably had dinky little 4" speakers as well. The stereo was in a very large and heavy console cabinet and was sitting next to another console, RCA, IIRC. The Morse-Electrophonic system, again IIRC, had an 8-track player so it must have been mid-'60s-'70s vintage.

BTW, why on earth did manufacturers the likes of Morse-Electrophonic do things like this? It makes no sense to put literally tiny speakers in a console cabinet that almost certainly outweighs the rest of the system at least a couple of times over.

The sound quality probably wasn't much better, either, than that from a large transistor radio. This type of stereo was obviously designed for people who don't care beans about sound quality, as long as the system will play so loud it rattles the walls; of course, with only 4" speakers (which have very small magnets and voice coils), five minutes at full volume will ruin them. An amplifier will often put out more power, when driven into distortion, than that for which it was designed. If the speakers are not designed to handle that much power (very cheap ones aren't, and even quality speakers, for example Cerwin-Vega's, will be damaged or destroyed if played at much more than normal listening volume), they will fail in very short order.

Even jeffhs, you say these radios and television sets out to them of poor quality? explain to me how you will find radio scattered around the tree? ". Mad!!

[Jeffhs]

Originally Posted by sanjarali

Even jeffhs, you say these radios and television sets out to them of poor quality? explain to me how you will find radio scattered around the tree? ". Mad!!

The "treelawn" is what people in and around Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America, call the small patch of grass near the curb (usually with a tree planted in the middle of it, hence the name), in front of most houses (beyond the lawn and usually separated from it by a sidewalk) in suburban residential neighborhoods. The treelawn is usually where trash is placed for collection by the local waste disposal company, although old and often perfectly good radios, television sets and other electronic devices, thought to be of no use to their owners for any number of reasons (doesn't fit the decor of their living room or den, doesn't have enough features, etc.) are often found there with the trash.

My remarks regarding poor quality in TV sets, radios and stereo equipment referred to the use, especially in the last 30-35 years, of cheap parts and components in such devices, leading to their early, often premature failure and being discarded in the trash, rather than being repaired the first time anything goes wrong--after the warranty expires. This results in such appliances winding up in landfills, which upsets environmental activists and others involved in recycling efforts, the latter now underway almost everywhere in this country. Here many major appliance and TV/audio stores such as Best Buy, et al. will take in old TVs, audio gear, and appliances, and use the parts for other purposes.

This is all part of what we here in the United States call "going green", a concept aimed at cleaning up our neighborhoods and cities (including sending less material to landfills whenever possible), that has gained popularity here in the last five or ten years and shows no signs of letting up. Personally, I hope it doesn't, as there are far too many appliances being thrown out that could be recycled. The recycling project going on at Best Buy is a step in the right direction; I certainly hope it continues to move forward.

Kind regards,

[sanjarali]

Originally Posted by Jeffhs

The "treelawn" is what people in and around Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America, call the small patch of grass near the curb (usually with a tree planted in the middle of it, hence the name), in front of most houses (beyond the lawn and usually separated from it by a sidewalk) in suburban residential neighborhoods. The treelawn is usually where trash is placed for collection by the local waste disposal company, although old and often perfectly good radios, television sets and other electronic devices, thought to be of no use to their owners for any number of reasons (doesn't fit the decor of their living room or den, doesn't have enough features, etc.) are often found there with the trash.

My remarks regarding poor quality in TV sets, radios and stereo equipment referred to the use, especially in the last 30-35 years, of cheap parts and components in such devices, leading to their early, often premature failure and being discarded in the trash, rather than being repaired the first time anything goes wrong--after the warranty expires. This results in such appliances winding up in landfills, which upsets environmental activists and others involved in recycling efforts, the latter now underway almost everywhere in this country. Here many major appliance and TV/audio stores such as Best Buy, et al. will take in old TVs, audio gear, and appliances, and use the parts for other purposes.

This is all part of what we here in the United States call "going green", a concept aimed at cleaning up our neighborhoods and cities (including sending less material to landfills whenever possible), that has gained popularity here in the last five or ten years and shows no signs of letting up. Personally, I hope it doesn't, as there are far too many appliances being thrown out that could be recycled. The recycling project going on at Best Buy is a step in the right direction; I certainly hope it continues to move forward.

Kind regards,

jeffhs, thank you for you to explain what a "treelawn" for me. I did not think that you may have to see with radios and televisions hanging from trees that you have a bad man illegal drugs. However, I can now see that you have a pretty good man!.

Where I belong to, and in Amman, does not apply only to the ruling class is irrigated, so I can never imagine a situation where the garbage. When I was a young boy only, we were lowered to a garbage dump, has been active in televisions and radios to find. I think you Americans call "recycling". In Amman, it was nothing in the lower classes already. In 2008. My family come to Dearborn, Michigan, USA so now I am also live in America as not you!

[AUdubon5425]

Originally Posted by sanjarali

I did not think that you may have to see with radios and televisions hanging from trees that you have a bad man illegal drugs.

I could go for hanging some of the drug dealers near here with console TV's tied to their feet...I know, I know...

Originally Posted by sanjarali

When I was a young boy only, we were lowered to a garbage dump...

Yeah, our old neighborhood became a garbage dump too. I feel your pain.