Magnavox color (?) Stereo Theater

[electra225]

This obviously well-used Stereo Theater is alleged to be a color set. The model number is unlike any I'm familiar with. Would not a color TV in the tube days be a roundie? I think they are using 1970 as the build date, when I think what they are showing is a repair ticket from 1970. My guess 1962-'63 would be a closer build date. The warranty cards and the documentation they show indicate a color TV. That thing sure looks black and white to me. Zenith and RCA were building roundie color sets in that era. Did Magnavox introduce the first rectangular color picture tube? What's going on here?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/355509403083?i ... R8Dy8qTDYw

[walyfd]

Not sure but the documents look right. Too bad the knob panel is so worn and the picture isn't great. Shouldn't there be color adjustments somewhere? I remember there being 3 rheostats on our old RCA.

[electra225]

Those may well be legitimate factory documents, but I have real doubts that they are for this particular Stereo Theater. I can't find that cabinet nor that model number in any Magnavox factory literature I have. You'd think there would be controls for color and tint, plus the picture tube should be a roundie. I think Magnavox offered a color Stereo Theater in that time, but they are rare as hen's teeth and the pictures of one I saw was a roundie. I don't believe those computer punch cards would have existed in 1962-'63.

[walyfd]

The RCA logo on the antenna receipt is newer than '62. Not that it counts for anything but all the docs are together.

Punch cards were around then. GM was using them but I kinda doubt Magnavox would have invested that kind of money in IBM mainframes...

[electra225]

The ad also hinted at the unit having remote control. That stereo does not have remote control. I like the cabinet. It has had a hard life, but it could be brought back. The worst part is the neglected bezel on the tuner. The missing knobs would be no big deal. It doesn't have a UHF tuner. It looks like a 23" or 24" monochrome CRT to me.

[Motorola minion]

OK, for the record (sic) Magnavox made round CRT color theatre models but these were all Astrosonic, except for the all-tube Imperial Theatre with a V37 chassis made by RCA, the RCA version in the link below. The 63-64-65 color theatre models used what is known as an RCA "CTC15 clone" chassis built by Magnavox, used RCA 21" CRTs as well as Sylvania 21" CRTs. Both supplied 25AP22 rectangular CRTs for the 1966 25" models using the all-Magnavox designed color chassis U904.

THIS is a C O L O R TV https://www.ebay.com/itm/326037351163?_ ... 1506.m1851

That sales receipt was for a 1970 Magnavox Color, hence the confusion. The model numbers are rarely covered in sams index. How confusing there are no bids

BTW: I have the very same set in my garage on top of another BW combo GE, the AMP 196 is a single ended 6BQ5 and tuner is a 100 series 59-10-00. You can bet the 23" TV works, W600 is good and so is the sound from it but the BW theatre model wouldn't sell at the flea market and the cabinet has leg issues from being moved, its a 1962.

[electra225]

In 1961 and possibly 1962 catalogs, Magnavox lists an all-tube color Stereo Theater. We had a conversation about them on Vintage, when it was going. I've never seen one in person. IIRC, the color 1961-'62 Stereo Theater was a roundie.

Your statement about the solid state color Stereo Theaters is why I was suspicious of the one I posted. So you are saying it is black and white, somebody got their wires crossed. Thanks, Dave.

I've always wondered why Stereo Theaters are not more popular with collectors. The TV guys don't like them because they have a radio and record player, the audio guys don't like them because they have a broken black and white TV in the middle of their stereo cabinet. Nobody likes them because of their size. They are beautiful instruments, truly works of electronic art.

[walyfd]

I wouldn't mind having one. Love to find a Fisher Living Theatre.

It'd be difficult getting used to looking down to watch it. I remember when the old Zenith we had died and we got a table top model. You could sit in a chair and not look at the floor.

[TC Chris]

It'd be difficult getting used to looking down to watch it. I remember when the old Zenith we had died and we got a table top model. You could sit in a chair and not look at the floor.

Laughing.... I don't have a TV but a neighbor has one of those huge flat screens mounted above a fireplace. My neck gets tired looking upward to see it!

Chris Campbell

[Motorola minion]

In 1961 and possibly 1962 catalogs, Magnavox lists an all-tube color Stereo Theater. We had a conversation about them on Vintage, when it was going. I've never seen one in person. IIRC, the color 1961-'62 Stereo Theater was a roundie.

The 1961 catalog in Downloads shows the 3-piece model including the color TV, which had its own 6x9 speakers too! The amp is the 93 series rounding out a fantastic combo.