NICE RCA CTC-40 combo!!

[JB5pro]

Originally Posted by freakaftr8

White foundation makeup black eyeliner and nail polish and clove cigarettes playing some depeche mode. Yeah I remeber those days.

I think that is very cute... seriously, I do! However, I think u two fellas got lost in the alternative scenes of the '80's to see that and gothic in a Spanish theme from the late '60's. I like the alternative people too

[freakaftr8]

Lol i'm only 33. Just remember the early 90's. My dad had a CTC-46 I believe it was with almost an identical cabinet as yours. Sure wish he never tossed it.

[TV Engineer]

Originally Posted by JB5pro

I will see if I can get it. I doubt it since I am really busy and budgeted at the moment. If someone else needs help with it I can likely do so. It it is the exact cabinet I have but mine has more orange in the speaker grill fabric and mine has the CTC 54. My turntable is the slightly more modern version of that one that also does not have the Studio Strobe adjustment which is frustrating to me since it plays records too fast. I guess '68 or '69 was last year for Studio Strobe? Then RCA decided they could make more profit at customer's expense? Seems like there is no excuse to take the speed adjustent off the top model. Mine is from '72 which is the last year for that cabinet. It has a slightly cheaper version of that stereo control panel without those switching buttons and one of the round knobs takes thier place but I think it is also rated at 200 watts. It sure sounds like it. I have had that system full blast without distortion many times. I love the sound. Mine has remote control. I would expect this one to be remote but apparently not.

A strobe and fine speed adjustment are not necessary on a record changer equipped with a synchronous motor, as this one is according to the catalog page posted elsewhere in this thread.

A synchronous motor will always run at synchronous speed according to line FREQUENCY. Line voltage will have no affect on it.

If a changer equipped with a synchronous motor runs too fast, it needs a new idler wheel.

[kx250rider]

My eyes hurt.... Not sure if it's from having to see that awful cabinet again, or from reading

Just know that my observations come from my honesty... And my '84 Corolla Diesel hatchback is a beautiful piece of artwork, and is a chick magnet-supreme!

Charles

[andy]

...

[Jeffhs]

Originally Posted by andy

I don't think anyone meant to offend. You have to admit that this combo has a rather extreme style that you'll either love or hate with a passion. Since you love it, then go for it. They certainly don't make them like that anymore. Personally, I like consoles with simple, clean lines, smooth curves, or straight lines without a lot of ornamentation. Danish modern, or economy basic would be my two top choices. It would appear that I am in the minority since most consoles from the 60's and 70's are closer to this combo. Danish modern and economy models were a rare find, even when 60's and 70's TVs were common.

I think you would like any of Zenith's console stereos, TVs or wood-cabinet table model radios, as they are in the type of cabinet you describe. I have three Zenith wood-cabinet radios and like their looks quite a bit. Zenith obviously did not believe in putting fancy stuff on their cabinets; I think theirs are what you refer to as "economy basic."

BTW, I think the quality of Zenith's cabinets took a nosedive in the '70s when the company started using brown plastic overlays, instead of real wood, on the speaker grilles of their TVs, stereos, etc. It was a cost-cutting measure, I'm sure, but in my opinion it made the consoles look cheap. However, I don't think many or even most people noticed the difference. I have two Zenith brochures, 1971 and 1973, that I downloaded from Mediafire.com; I found, as I looked through both, that Zenith was by the '70s using what they referred to as "non-wood" overlays on the speaker grilles of their TVs and stereo consoles of the period, "non-wood" meaning brown plastic.

This unfortunately became a sign of the times as many other TV manufacturers followed suit, with TV cabinets eventually being made entirely of plastic--leading, inevitably, to the black-plastic cube cabinets today's televisions come in. One way to make these sets look good, IMHO, is to put them on a nice real-wood stand, in an entertainment unit, or even in a wall; the first option (putting the TV on a real-wood stand) is what I decided on with my own video system, and I like it a lot, since I am one of those folks who like the look of real wood (all of my furniture is wood, and everything matches almost perfectly); I despise today's plastic and resin stuff that cracks or breaks if one looks at it cockeyed or if it is left in the sun too long (as is often the case with plastic chairs, tables and such used outside the house in summer), and sometimes wish it had never been invented.

Nowadays we have flat-panel TVs with no cabinet to speak of (they are almost all display), with the rest of the set hidden I don't know where. One way to make these sets look good in today's living rooms/dens/family rooms, IMO, is to put them in an entertainment center, with the TV opening just big enough to accomodate the set, giving the illusion of a built-in screen. A friend of mine did just that with a 25" Toshiba TV; he put it and his stereo/video system in an entertainment cabinet that I swear must be seven or eight feet tall. The thing just barely touches the ceiling in his family room; I'm darned if I know how he got it into his house in the first place.

[rcanewvista]

I'm also not a huge fan of the "spanish/mediterranian" style that was popular in the early 70's- however, I think this particular combo looks pretty nice. at least all the wood carvings appear to be actual wood and not plastic as many have mentioned.

I think whether or not a person likes the styling will depend on the type of furnishing they already have. In my case, even though I think the combo looks good just by itself, it wouldnt match any of my living room furniture and would really clash. So far, I dont think I've seen anyone who has an entire living room decorated in that style. I used to have a ctc-40 combo as well, but I was lucky to get in the contemporary cabinet style with with very simple lines. I believe it may have been from 1969, since it still had the old "new vista" branding.

I'm kind of curious as to the styling tastes of the early 70's, as I come across a lot of furniture from that era which all seem to have the same themes- very heavy decoration, turned spindles, and chunky looking- and very dark wood. I've seen end tables that have panels covered in gold colored velvet like a speaker grill. I always check to make sure its not a stereo- and they usually are not. Also most of the decorations are all molded plastic painted to look like wood. It looks convincing enuf from about a foot away. I was born in the 80's so I wasnt around to know what the mood was like back then.

Can some members of the board who lived through that period tell us why they think that style was so popular? Also whether most people actually prefered that style?

I also have a magnavox combo from 1967 that has similar styling- except all the fancy wood work was molded plastic. Its not badly done, but I'm surprised since magnavox seems highly regarded for its fine furniture cabinets.

[DaveWM]

The 70's were a very strange time for style from hair to clothes (double knit polyester leisure suites), and of coure kitchen furnishing (avocado green, orange tiles, lemon walls) and carpet (shag).

The funny thing was there was such uniformity in taste (everybody wore the same dumb outfits, the same hair etc...)

Of course today is no differnt in many regards to odd (too me)styles (low baggy pants, multicolor hair, body art) but it does seem more variety is used in expressing ones self.

I am sure that 40 years from now people will be asking young people today to explain the styles of today as well.

Personally I like the 40's and 50's the best, at least from the way people dressed and groomed themselves. This is my take from someone that lived the 70's as a young person, and I really cant explain the style of the time other than to say that eveyone was doing it.

Also the views of the vietnam war and the idea of women wanting more than just being homemakers had a lot to do with changing attitudes that exploded in the 70's

watch an eposide of Mike Hammer or Leave it to Beaver. I love the way everyone dressed and the homes and cars etc.. of that time (mid to late 50's)

I do know that there was a revolution taking place in the youth culture and the womens movement that I think drove change for the sake of change, just to be able to say look how we are rejecting the past.

[rcanewvista]

Thanks for the great explaination Dave! I kind of have a fascination for that era since I feel like I caught the remanents of it growing up. When I visited relatives, a lot of their homes were still decorated in that style, so I also recalled the shag carpeting, velore sofas and avocado colored applicances- and 8 track tapes. Even in elementary school they were still showing educational films on 16mm, and I saw many films from the late 60's. Many of them seemed ominous in tone and kind of creepy.

I also agree that today's styles seems more varied, and a lot of people seem to be borrowing fashions from all decades. There seems to be more of an interest in vintage furnishings and electronics. I'm not sure if that was a popular thing to do back in the 70's.

The 70's seems to be quite a contrast to the early 60's, which appears to be an era where things were smartly styled. The trend for most items seems to be slender and elegant, while the 70's were more on bulk and heavyness. I think a good comparison would be the slender ties for suits in the 60's versus the fat wide ties from the 70's. My personal prefernce for a time frame to live in would be the early 60's. I really hated the 80's- even when I was growing up in that decade. I thought everything was really cheesy- like how they tried to make things look cool by adding neon geometric shapes and squiggles to stuff. That was also the beginning of those non descript black box plastic tv sets. Even looking back today, the 80's seem pretty idiotic. I'd take the fake spanish styling of that ctc-40 anyday over an 80's tv set

[JB5pro]

Originally Posted by TV Engineer

A strobe and fine speed adjustment are not necessary on a record changer equipped with a synchronous motor, as this one is according to the catalog page posted elsewhere in this thread.

A synchronous motor will always run at synchronous speed according to line FREQUENCY. Line voltage will have no affect on it.

If a changer equipped with a synchronous motor runs too fast, it needs a new idler wheel.

Thank you very much for that. I think I should have known that but figured the previous RCA models with Studio Strobe had the same motor with a voltage changing cirsuit.

To all the old fogey, grudge holding over nothing, selfish RCA men who obviously take a twisted pleasure in keeping RCA's info in dealing with this problem from everybody just because you are jealous of me personally... go jump in a lake. Seeems like that should cool you off. To bad you will never be really cool . Why did so many of the cool personalities from the '50's, '60's & '70's become such bitter old sticks in the mud? Is it from breathing too much solder smoke or just old fashioned jealousy?

[JB5pro]

Originally Posted by kx250rider

My eyes hurt.... Not sure if it's from having to see that awful cabinet again, or from reading

Just know that my observations come from my honesty... And my '84 Corolla Diesel hatchback is a beautiful piece of artwork, and is a chick magnet-supreme!

Charles

Your eyes hurt from reading what I wrote. The "powers" are getting back at you for turning into an old curmudgeon.

Hey... you got the same car as my church deacon friend!

At least your intentions are good... for the most part.

[JB5pro]

Originally Posted by andy

I don't think anyone meant to offend. You have to admit that this combo has a rather extreme style that you'll either love or hate with a passion. Since you love it, then go for it. They certainly don't make them like that anymore. Personally, I like consoles with simple, clean lines, smooth curves, or straight lines without a lot of ornamentation. Danish modern, or economy basic would be my two top choices. It would appear that I am in the minority since most consoles from the 60's and 70's are closer to this combo. Danish modern and economy models were a rare find, even when 60's and 70's TVs were common.

I have wrote several times that I prefer the styling you like in the Danish Modern, etc. I can like just about any styling if it is the best in any category. I can even like that elderly lady white French Provincial design like the Dumont I posted with the Cartier cabinet design. It reminds me of Liberace. He was really cool. I saw some of his TV show. He was very funny and oh how the ladies swooned over him! I do have trouble liking Early American designs and stuff from the middle east... now that stuff is definately gaudy.

[JB5pro]

Originally Posted by rcanewvista

Thanks for the great explaination Dave! I kind of have a fascination for that era since I feel like I caught the remanents of it growing up. When I visited relatives, a lot of their homes were still decorated in that style, so I also recalled the shag carpeting, velore sofas and avocado colored applicances- and 8 track tapes. Even in elementary school they were still showing educational films on 16mm, and I saw many films from the late 60's. Many of them seemed ominous in tone and kind of creepy.

I also agree that today's styles seems more varied, and a lot of people seem to be borrowing fashions from all decades. There seems to be more of an interest in vintage furnishings and electronics. I'm not sure if that was a popular thing to do back in the 70's.

The 70's seems to be quite a contrast to the early 60's, which appears to be an era where things were smartly styled. The trend for most items seems to be slender and elegant, while the 70's were more on bulk and heavyness. I think a good comparison would be the slender ties for suits in the 60's versus the fat wide ties from the 70's. My personal prefernce for a time frame to live in would be the early 60's. I really hated the 80's- even when I was growing up in that decade. I thought everything was really cheesy- like how they tried to make things look cool by adding neon geometric shapes and squiggles to stuff. That was also the beginning of those non descript black box plastic tv sets. Even looking back today, the 80's seem pretty idiotic. I'd take the fake spanish styling of that ctc-40 anyday over an 80's tv set

I am very impressed with your apparent knowledge. Looking at most everything from the '80's makes me think people were being different simply to be different without any logical direction except to feed the hungry mouths of big-business. That wierd geometry in everything including hair and shoulder pads which are retarded on men and creepy on women is just awful to me in every way. Seems to me the general popular mindsets matched very well to that fashion. I believe the peak for popular style and interestingly enough for all of mankind in general in every regard was from about '67 to '69. One of the greatest examples is most everything shown in the Elvis '68 comeback special. His look was a cool as it gets. The women have never been more sexy. I do like the looks men and women had in the early seventies like in the Bobby Sherman in the retro VH-1 music video of his song Easy Come Easy Go. It's on Youtube. Bobby's look and vibe is great. I was showing my brother the video and he got frustrated saying: "... why do guys that act like girls get all the attention"... I thought that was pretty funny of him to think. The most popular guys are not so because of other guys. Popular fashion for young guys is pretty much dictated by what young girls are influenced to buy. Presently, the most popular styles are much like the late '60's & early '70's. Yep... it's a pretty gay time these days Any body seen Justin Bieber? Doesn't get much gayer than that. Today the look is cool but there is a serious lacking in the most important things that were more prevelant before Bobby & Martin were killed like most everybody trying to seek the knowledge to do right by all of mankind.

[AUdubon5425]

Pffft. Mostly, folks were not seeking the knowledge of embracing mankind before or after 1968. Don't idealize past times too much - there was as much crap going on then as there is now. There were bills, sickness, war, mortgages, love, hate, politics, good and evil, Bohemians and yuppies, straights and gays, peacemakers and hustlers...nothing has changed fundamentally. Just the styles and technology.

Personally, I admire they style and quality of the products from days gone by, but they were no indicator of an easier idyllic life. Don't get too wrapped up in it.

[Carmine]

Originally Posted by AUdubon5425

Personally, I admire they style and quality of the products from days gone by, but they were no indicator of an easier idyllic life. Don't get too wrapped up in it.

Thank you for expressing my thoughts... saves me the typing effort.