Classic Hifi Care

All our electronics are valuable to us. I won't ask which one you'd keep if you had to get rid of all of them but one. So, I'll ask which one is your favorite? Every piece has its own personality and its own measure of worth to us. Which item is your favorite and why....

This is not as easy a question to answer as it seems. There is no right or wrong answer. Let's have some fun with this...

My favorite is my Magnavox Symphony stereo. It makes me grin every time I turn it on....

The factory AM-FM-CD radio in my 2005 Ranger is the device that gives me the most pleasure. The cab is small so it's easy to produce deep bass, and there's something about driving that make music more deeply felt. I think the act of driving occupies a part of the brain that otherwise keeps distracting the listening part. I've never heard one of those European vehicles with big-name sound and 40 speakers, but I doubt it could give much more enjoyment than this simple Ford system.

Chris Campbell

My favorites are anything that takes me back as a kid ... which a lot of the stuff I have does ...

Right now, I think my 1954 Capehart blonde AM/FM/Phono console
model RP-154B is the favorite.

For several reasons:
1. An acquaintance was in a city 160 miles from me,
when he somehow came across it on Craigs list.

I had seen it, but it was way over there. Price was only $65.
This nice acquaintance called me and asked if I wanted it.
I said yes. He said he'd buy it and bring by when in town.

2. The Capehart is so well made, and the finish is almost new.
Solid wood cabinet.

A very nice PP amp with sealed speaker side of the console.
West Germany made woofer and horn tweeter with a
2 step cross-over.

The woofer is only an 8 inch, but that sonic combination
is astounding when you play the phonograph.

Separate pre-amplifier unit.

V-M custom style changer with GE VR magnetic cartridge.

All the original ephemera, including factory schematic, and
owners manual.

Dave1137 did the tune on the amp/radio circuit, and I
did the changer.

OK, I'm curious. The source selector has AM-FM-Phono, but also "SS." What is the extra input intended for? Can't imagine what "SS" stands for.

Chris Campbell

Very nice, Mr. Mogul. Very nice.....

I'd like to have a big Capehart of some kind one of these days. They were built in the same town as Magnavox, Fort Wayne.

TC Chris wrote: ↑Sun Oct 02, 2022 1:04 am OK, I'm curious. The source selector has AM-FM-Phono, but also "SS." What is the extra input intended for? Can't imagine what "SS" stands for.Chris Campbell

Yes, the SS is for Special Service use.
It's for external auxiliary inputs such as tape recorder, record changer, or
television.

I couldn't figure that out until I found it in the owner's manual.

The manual notes for such inputs, they should not need
pre-amplification.

In this era, Capehart-Farnsworth was owned by ITT !

Capehart went downhill after that. My high school buddy's parents had a "Colortone"model with a graphic equalizer sort of tome control. But no sealed speakers; nomagnetic cartridge; a standard VM changer. It likely had a P-P 6V6 amp but I don't remember for sure.

Chris Campbell

That is a beautiful unit, Mr. Mogul. I can see why you are proud of it and say it is your favorite.

Bill

What a beautiful unit, Mr Mogul. Thanks for sharing photos of your prized console.

My favorite is the unit that introduced the adult me to the world of tubes. For a few years, the Mrs. and I had schedules that allowed us to attend garage sales on Fridays. 6 years ago, we were perusing a neighborhood holding their annual garage sales. I came across a box containing this Fisher X-100-3. The seller said it belonged to her son. He hadn't done anything with it so it was time for it to go. She even had 4 of the 5 loose brass caps in a zip lock bag. This sale had just a few tables so perhaps that is why it was still unsold around noon that day.

The unit is 7189 powered and has a 5 = 12AX7 front end with SS rectification. I believe it was at the very end of Fishers transition from tubes to SS. It had a blown fuse and was loaded with 8 original Fisher branded Telies and 1 RCA 7025. Being new to tubes, I did a bunch of research prior to doing anything to the unit. The blown fuse may have been due to the 7025 being in one of the PI positions. After careful cleaning of tube sockets and pins, it was swapped to V3 that is split for tone/balance/volume controls.

I'm a huge fan of glowing tuner dials but the minimalistic face plate has grown on me. The chassis is not impressive (but the case is) and has suffered some lettering loss. Copies of manuals made it easy to hook up. It would be the last unit I would keep if it came to that.

Mark

macgolf wrote: ↑Mon Oct 03, 2022 12:49 am What a beautiful unit, Mr Mogul. Thanks for sharing photos of your prized console.

My favorite is the unit that introduced the adult me to the world of tubes. For a few years, the Mrs. and I had schedules that allowed us to attend garage sales on Fridays. 6 years ago, we were perusing a neighborhood holding their annual garage sales. I came across a box containing this Fisher X-100-3. The seller said it belonged to her son. He hadn't done anything with it so it was time for it to go. She even had 4 of the 5 loose brass caps in a zip lock bag. This sale had just a few tables so perhaps that is why it was still unsold around noon that day.

I'm a huge fan of glowing tuner dials but the minimalistic face plate has grown on me. The chassis is not impressive (but the case is) and has suffered some lettering loss. Copies of manuals made it easy to hook up. It would be the last unit I would keep if it came to that.Mark

That is a great find, Mark. Those Fishers wore the big iron on the hip (transformers) !

I too appreciate that neatly laid out control panel on your Fisher.

macgolf wrote: ↑Mon Oct 03, 2022 12:49 am
My favorite is the unit that introduced the adult me to the world of tubes.

I've got an X-100B out in the garage (but no lovely walnut case like yours), awaiting the day when I have time on my hands. What were the X-100 variants? And I've got a Scott 222, which must have been a competitor in the same class. Both were chance finds like yours.

Chris Campbell

Here's a thread that pieces together some of the info on the X-100 series.

https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php ... 44.917872/

When I think of tube components of that era I think of Fisher, Scott and Pilot. I have 2 of the 3 and would welcome a chocolate faced Scott with open arms.

Mark

Thanks for that interesting link. I see that I have the "thumpier" model among all those variants. Also interesting to read about the small-signal filament supply....

Chris Campbell

Hello All, 1958 Magnavox concert grand the one with the wood louvers. It is the best of all of the 50's. Its beautiful. Mine is not restored I am afraid to turn it on. We will get to it. Hydro