Cool "Floating" Console

[thebes]

Nutone, so the quality is probably suspect but an interesting design I've never seen before.

[eth2]

Boy, that screams 1960!

[minermark]

60s all over again, who does not remember those flip down turntables? how many times I flipped the turntable up and forgot to secure the Tonearm.......

[Schu]

There are some great hardwood consoles sitting around... I have often thought about ripping the guts out and upgrading one.

[mike stehr]

There are some great hardwood consoles sitting around... I have often thought about ripping the guts out and upgrading one.

If you do, make sure it has solid state guts.

More than likely, there is less and less of the old tube console stereos...many have ripped the guts out of the old tube console stereos for stand-alone use. And many have thrown away the consoles.

So I'm guessing some of the higher line Motorola, Magnavox, Fisher, etc, console stereos are getting more rare, and should probably be left alone or restored.

[Rivervalleymgb]

I have four consoles, only one that is SS. I just haven't had the heart to gut any of them. Especially the Grundig Majestic. I have a 7 foot Motorola Low-Boy that is SS and sounds absolutely wonderful. Massive SS receiver in it. Dual TT. One of the better sounding consoles I have heard. It was absolutely showroom perfect....until my ex left it out on the porch. Didn't take long for the sun to bleach the blonde finish.

A few years ago she forced me to sell my Belles. One of the main reasons she is the EX! She also talked me into selling my JBL 4333a's because they were too big. Both were horrible decisions on my part.

[minermark]

I have four consoles, only one that is SS. I just haven't had the heart to gut any of them. Especially the Grundig Majestic. I have a 7 foot Motorola Low-Boy that is SS and sounds absolutely wonderful. Massive SS receiver in it. Dual TT. One of the better sounding consoles I have heard. It was absolutely showroom perfect....until my ex left it out on the porch. Didn't take long for the sun to bleach the blonde finish.

A few years ago she forced me to sell my Belles. One of the main reasons she is the EX! She also talked me into selling my JBL 4333a's because they were too big. Both were horrible decisions on my part.

After my last wife in the OC 22 years ago, I said "Self" I can get a job and a wife anywhere, why the hell stay in La and do it all over again?

So I moved to clean air country. best thing I ever did.

Im not even going to go into what she thinks of this hobby, but I will say this, when I tell her about an impending road trip, she just asks who gets the speakers THIS TIME!

[Schu]

There is a cool telefunken console for sale on audiogon... 300 and its yours

[Marvel]

I think fini had/has a collection of consoles, but he doesn't check in much anymore.

Bruce

[Cal Blacksmith]

There was a nice looking Grundeig (however you spell it) at the Salvation Army store the other day, the rug rats had not even had a chance to deface it yet either, near perfect wood and a 6 (I think) band radio too.

[thebes]

Fini's West Coast Consoles has been closed due to child returning home and parking all her crap int he music room, thus rendering the stereo mute, and ending Fini's passion for audio.

Mike Stehr may have a point about maybe it's time to save and restore, instead of gut, some of these old classics.

Most consoles, of course, were stylistic and sonic crap. However, some sounded OK and some were downright beautiful.

I've gutted at least a half dozen, and retain two, an art deco Grundig and a early 60'sds Telefunken.

Here's a cool one with an outrageous price of $2000 available locally. It is pretty, but he proposes gutting ti for a martini a bar.

Info quote from the lister:

"This is a sharp looking mid-century item, and a conversation piece. This item was made in 1958 by Philips in Denmark. It is Philips' 'Bolero' model. It was purchased in 1959 in Oslo, Norway by an American working for NATO. I have the original manuals and purchase paperwork for this unit, in Danish. The power cord was converted to US standard in the 1970s. Cabinet is teak veneer, in nice condition. Stereo, which features European bands as well as FM, works. Several dozen European cities are shown on lighted radio 'dial'. Phonograph / record-player, which needs work, has a teak laminate base. Could simply remove the phonograph to make a bar, as shown in one pic."

[seti]

Fini's West Coast Consoles has been closed due to child returning home and parking all her crap int he music room, thus rendering the stereo mute, and ending Fini's passion for audio.

Mike Stehr may have a point about maybe it's time to save and restore, instead of gut, some of these old classics.

Most consoles, of course, were stylistic and sonic crap. However, some sounded OK and some were downright beautiful.

I've gutted at least a half dozen, and retain two, an art deco Grundig and a early 60'sds Telefunken.

Here's a cool one with an outrageous price of $2000 available locally. It is pretty, but he proposes gutting ti for a martini a bar.

Info quote from the lister:

"This is a sharp looking mid-century item, and a conversation piece. This item was made in 1958 by Philips in Denmark. It is Philips' 'Bolero' model. It was purchased in 1959 in Oslo, Norway by an American working for NATO. I have the original manuals and purchase paperwork for this unit, in Danish. The power cord was converted to US standard in the 1970s. Cabinet is teak veneer, in nice condition. Stereo, which features European bands as well as FM, works. Several dozen European cities are shown on lighted radio 'dial'. Phonograph / record-player, which needs work, has a teak laminate base. Could simply remove the phonograph to make a bar, as shown in one pic."

Here is my beauty. I love MCM and couldn't gut it and it was the last item at an estate sale they called me as I was leaving $20.....

The day we moved it out of the house was the first time it had been moved since the mid 50's.... The place where it was originally purchased was 8 blocks from where I live now.

Rebranded fisher pre and tuner seperate units under the panel.

JBL LE8 or something very close.

Amps need a recap but they did work some hum in the system but to be expected.

If this sells I'll be freak'n http://www.ebay.com/itm/ampex-console-mid-century-tube-model-7002-reel-to-reel-turntable-/261479772782?pt=Vintage_Electronics_R2&hash=item3ce168b26e ....

[Schu]

Very very nice.

Who'll be the first to reconstitute the console... klisch has one built already!

Perhaps amy can tell us where that thing now resides seeing as they have decided not to build it.

And no... they should not try and build it for less money.

[NOSValves]

^{I have all the components here in for a rebuild for the ultimate Magnavox Concert Grand. There is a thread with pictures here. http://audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=590186&highlight=Concert+Grand}

Edited June 8, 2014 by NOSValves

[seti]

Yeah! build it!!!

I've been wondering since there has been such a resurgence in vinyl this should also translate to resurgence in hifi stereo. I know most of the local thrift / antique stores stock all the consoles they can find as they are selling. Pretty groovy. The kids today love their vinyls.... lol.

Edited June 8, 2014 by seti

[Rivervalleymgb]

At least my current partner loves the consoles. She is the reason I haven't touched any of them. She loves the furniture look of them. Maybe it is time for someone to build one? I know the Motorola has provisions for external speaker and at one time I was driving a pair of Frazier F12-4H with them and the in-console 3-ways. Had a very good sound.

[Travis In Austin]

Here is my beauty. I love MCM and couldn't gut it and it was the last item at an estate sale they called me as I was leaving $20.....

The day we moved it out of the house was the first time it had been moved since the mid 50's.... The place where it was originally purchased was 8 blocks from where I live now.

..

that is a great deck SETI, Does it work? What tape was that in the photo? Buddy Holly on Coral?

Travis

[seti]

Here is my beauty. I love MCM and couldn't gut it and it was the last item at an estate sale they called me as I was leaving $20.....

The day we moved it out of the house was the first time it had been moved since the mid 50's.... The place where it was originally purchased was 8 blocks from where I live now.

..

that is a great deck SETI, Does it work? What tape was that in the photo? Buddy Holly on Coral?

Travis

I WISH IT WAS BUDDY HOLLY!!!!!!!

But no I get stuck with The Worlds Greatest Music as interpreted by Lawerence Welk

The deck has some issues. The people that work on these are getting to be fewer and farther between.

The console actually works but there is hum. I'm just starting to work on my own tube gear and the console is in my sites. The amps are really simple 6v6 and shouldn't take to long. The preamp and tuner are I think fisher but not 100%. They are separate units. They will take considerable time to rebuild. The RTR has an attached preamp which shouldn't be too hard to rebuild but the RTR doesn't funtion too well which is a bummer. I've replaced belts and springs but it is clunky. The turntable is a dog so I will replace it with something vintage like a rek o kut. Since it is one of the first stereo consoles I plan to restore it.

[Marvel]

Wow! An old Ampex deck... Ian that console is beautiful.

There may be a time in the next few years that I will retire and move with my wife to the Philippines. If I do, most everything here will be sold off. Not sure what I will end up with over there, but a console of some kind might just work out for the space we will have.

Bruce

[Marvel]

Fini's West Coast Consoles has been closed due to child returning home and parking all her crap int he music room, thus rendering the stereo mute, and ending Fini's passion for audio.

Really sorry to hear that. I know he had a bunch of consoles. Sent a nice couple bottles of wine for my late wife and I when she was ill. We had the first at a family dinner and opened the second after she passed away.

Bruce