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Is a Sylvania (tube) console from 1965 worth restoring?


Richard Guba

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Folks,

My parents have a 1965 era SC-74 or 75 console. It has a garrard changer which still works and a tube amp section. It also has full range open back speakers with absolutely no bass. My question is does the tube amp have any value, or would it have been designed to work with the speakers and therefore have limited sonic characteristics. I think these units were expensive in the day and the cabinet is still really nice. The photo is for a very similar unit that I saw on the web. The only difference is in the cabinet shape.

Is it worth the effort?

Rich

post-36829-13819488680204_thumb.jpg

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Are consoles worth restoring? There is little interest in consoles except for a very small group of people. The problem is that they really don't fit into the modern home. The other problem is that the components cannot be changed, you are basically stuck with what you have. There are a few exceptions (IE JBL Paragon) but in general any time or money spent on restoration would never be recovered. So the final decision is really a personal choice, if it's something you want to do as a labor of love then go for it.

Thanx, Russ

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A guy could snag the tube amp out of it, let the rest go. It's been done. depends on the nature of the amp whether it's worth it or not. Some guys here have had good results with console tube amps. Check to see that the PS is on the amp and if it has some kind of reasonable looking output transformers.

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Sounds like it would be a great DIY project, if your a handy and can solder ....but restoring 40+ year old tube amps can start to get pricey, and probably not worth what you have in it for repairs( unless it's a known quantity like a HH Scott, eico, Mac etc) ...... by the time it's said and done you could have bought a nice restored tube amp for a lot less.....

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I can into possession of Magnavox console from the mid 50's last fall. I tore out the amplifier and rebuilt it with out the phono section and ended up with a nice 6V6 based single ended amplifier. Was a fun winter project, but certainly a labor of love. Much more time and money spent on it than what it is worth selling it. It floats around my shop and is a back up if an amplifier is taken out of any system.

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My 2 cents, throw the cabinet out and rebuild the amp if you know how to safely do it. It probably wouldn't be worth the expense to have someone else go through it but it would be a great amp for you to learn about electronics if you are so inclined.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks Pat, This was going to go into my brothers home office, so I ended up working on the asthetics. He has kids in the house so had to fabricate a cover with some perforated metal and some walnut ends, to keep prying fingers away from the B+ voltages that are exponsed on the output transformers. He ended up not getting enough bass response, so it's back into my shop. Pretty plain jane on the inside. Most switches and stuff are via Radio Shaft, and I used orange drop caps. I want to work on it this winter, replace the caps, maybe put in a stepped attenuator. I plan on mating it with a tuner and an MP3 player and using it in my garage or wood shop. I have a cornscala project I'm in the midst of, so my time has been at a premium.

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  • 11 years later...

I bought a sweet Magnavox console, but not for the sound, I want to put modern stuff in it for my Mid Century Modern man cave. I found out that the amp is actually prized by rebuilders. I have messed with electronics in my day, actually building two low powered tube guitar amps. So I am considering that. I'd probably rather pay a pro to do it if the price was not crazy. 62312952_Onthetruck2-reduced.thumb.jpg.365d900cb15e89a93b469d1fd7134a4a.jpg

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